Saturday's handle hit a record high at Kentucky Downs, the undulating,
irregularly shaped track once known (much more colorfully) as Dueling Grounds.
With four stakes races capping off the card, KY Downs apparently handled more
than Churchill Downs last Saturday.

What makes KD a fun place to bet? Large fields, low takeout, races run at
marathon distances, runners coming from all over North America, no really
dominant jockey or trainer (although both Wesley Ward and Wayne Catalano have
maintained high strike rates at KD over the past couple of years).

Kentucky Downs was a nice two Saturday escape from NYRA's Fall Belmont meet,
once known as the Fall Championship Meet, which has been reduced to one good
weekend of racing and seven weeks of about the same horseflesh we will see in
November and April at Aqueduct. [Note: Bad Luck Benny the Exercise Rider, who
has hung his helmet at Belmont for more than 20 years, says the "crowd" at
Belmont on opening Saturday resembled a weekday gathering at AQ in wintertime,
not a good sign for live gate/ customer experience obsessed NYRA][With regards
to the privatization of NYRA, think it is safe to say that the Churchill people
might no longer be considered as potential buyers for some or all of the NYRA
properties...]

I watched the KD proceedings from "Longshots", the made over Sunny Jim room at
AQ which is reserved for NYRA Reward members. The room is comfortable enough,
and ever since racing began at the Spa last July, they have taken to charging
$5 for admission to this area. I know it would be [i]de rigueur [/i] to
complain about this $5 impost, but I do not think it is the worst idea NYRA
ever had and it will be interesting to see if the $5 charge will continue to be
imposed once live racing returns to Ozone Park.

Of course I would have preferred to follow the KD proceedings at Living Room
Downs, but I could not trust TVG to show the races from KD. They just have to
give Britney Eurton and Jessica Rosales (each of whom could use a cheeseburger
and a milkshake) their air time. Please do not get me started on TVG. I just
hope the mute button doesn't fail me during the upcoming Kee meet.