Can't Wait for the Inner Track

A Breeders Cup warmup gem from the Onion

2008-10-22T20:56:00.004-04:00

First Openly Gay Racehorse To Compete Sunday

Beating a Dead Horse

2007-07-06T10:24:00.000-04:00

Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter nixed Barbaro from the August Vanity Fair in favor of ~~Tom Hanks Jr.~~ Shia LeBouef, according to Page Six in today's New York Post. Barbaro still peeks through the upper right hand corner of the current issue.

My Wait is Nearly Over...

2006-11-16T23:59:00.001-05:00

NYRA is switching races to my beloved inner track this weekend, and praying that they can have the main track back in shape for a heavy stakes schedule over Thanksgiving weekend. Many thanks to Alan over at the Left at the Gate for the tip off.

"After discussions with our trainers and jockeys and our director of racing surfaces, it was decided that this was the best course of action to give the main track a chance to recover from the effects of recent adverse weather," said Bill Nader, New York Racing Association Senior Vice-President and COO. "There is a forecast for heavy rain tonight and into the morning, and we want to do all that we can to make sure the main track is ready for next week's HolidayFest program."

NYRA promises races will return to the main track Wednesday, November 22, but we shall see. NYRA's financial cushion isn't the only thing that's deteriorating, according to recent comments from John Passero, NYRA's director of racing surfaces. The main track's clay base has deteriorated, creating problems when the surface gets wet.

Passero said over the years that the clay base has migrated into the cushion, "and it's changed the properties and the way it reacts. It's all in the way it reacts," he said. "I think this is a huge issue. The material has to be the type of material that will hold together when it's wet, and this does not hold together. That's the bottom line."

The actual bottom line is that it would cost $3 million to tear up the main track and put in a limestone-based surface, and $12 million to replace the main track with a synthetic surface, Passero told the Daily Racing Form. NYRA officials say they don't have the money to do anything about it. "Without that (slot) revenue stream here, we are in Chapter 11 protection, and he's talking about overhauling the track," said Bill Nader, NYRA senior vice president. "Right now, it's up to him and his staff to really keep the track in the best possible condition and hope we don't get hit with 3 1/2 inches of rain."
NYRA.COM: Main Track Closed

Invasor (He's the Best!) and Some Thoughts on ESPN's Coverage

2006-11-05T21:07:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Invasor and my sincere thanks for recouping at least part of the bankroll on BC Day.

ESPN's handling of the races was generally competent. A show of horses in the post parade would have been nice, but their core team of analysts is strong and a big improvement over NBC. Jerry Bailey has made a seamless move behind the mike and offers sharp, insightful commentary. Bailey's animated pre-race breakdown of what to look out for in the Classic was dead-on apart from Lava Man's misfire. The core on-air ESPN racing crew (Moss, Bailey, Edwards, Goldberg, and Mayne) are racing fans and their enthusiasm and knowledge show and strengthen the broadcast without them seeming too much like homers or hucksters.
Randy Moss could easily anchor the telecast, but kudos to Chris Fowler for setting the scene, keeping things moving, and knowing when to get out of the way. The inclusion of British turf analysts for commentary on the invaders was welcome except for that mutton chops boor. ESPN kept the broadcast on a high level, giving viewers credit as bettors, racing fans, or interested viewers. NBC often seemed to be targeting people who might watch a race once every few years.
The broadcast did well on the Pine Island breakdown. I thought the obit graphic [Pine Island: 2003-2006] and the melancholic background music was a bit over the top (I actually gasped when they showed it), but I applaud them for reporting what was happening quickly, accurately, and not sugarcoating the tragedy.

One weak spot, however, was the call of the races by Trevor Denman. Street Sense's explosive move around the turn and Borel's brilliant scoot up the rail in the Juvenile went without mention until he was well clear of the field and near the finish line.
Denman rightly noted that Bernardini was laboring on the backstretch but then seemed ready to award him the victory when Bernadini took the lead at the top of the stretch. It was clear Bernardnini was in deep at the the top of stretch. Castellano was all over him, still asking for more, and had gone to the whip at the top of the stretch. Bernardini's races from the Preakness on have looked like public workouts and the contrast in the Classic was notable if not noted.

A Good Week to Be (a) Democrat

2006-11-11T21:47:00.001-05:00

First Congress, then the Senate, and today the sweep extends to the 7th at the Big A . A victorious Democrat (paying $5.40 to win) was closely followed by Building a New Era (for a $12.60 exacta). Democrat "prevailed after a prolonged drive," according to Equibase's footnotes in the race chart. Sometimes these things just write themselves. (And thanks to wifey for pointing this one out.)

NYRA Results: Aqueduct (11/11): Race 7

Equibase chart (direct download from Equibase.com)

Rove was "Outrun" on Election Day

2006-11-09T00:22:00.000-05:00

Rove took some beating at Churchill Downs on Election Day. Trainer William Brumley lost with Rove--a 4-year-old gelding (and no relation to Bush political advisor Karl Rove, according to the Wall Street Journal)--in the second race at Churchill Downs on Election Day at 37-1 . He finished dead last in the maiden claiming race.

Unlike the human Rove, the equine version has raced six times and never won. Provoking still more grins among the politically minded horse set is that the winner of the race was none other than a chestnut colt named…Special Interest.

And the Equibase comment line for Rove in the race chart simply says "Outrun." Brilliant race and political commentary wrapped up in one. Congrats to the Churchill chart caller for what has to go down as one of the sharpest chart calls of all time.

WSJ Washington Wire Blog: Rove the Horse Also Loses
Equibase chart: Churchill; Nov. 7; Race 2 (direct download from Equibase.com)

Bye, Bye, Bernardini...

2006-11-06T21:40:00.000-05:00

Hey, Bernardini, you just finished second in the Breeders Cup' Classic! Where are you going now?

"I'm going to Darley World!"

I guess Sheik Mo is just like any other Thoroughbred owner.

Two days after finishing second in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, the 3-year-old colt was retired Monday and will stand at stud at Sheik Mohammed's Darley farm. Darley, one of the world's largest breeding operations, said on its Web site that Bernardini's stud fee is $100,000.

AP: Classic runner-up Bernardini retired

Circular Quay in the Juvenile

2006-11-02T22:26:00.000-05:00

I'll go chalky here with CIRCULAR QUAY (#9; 5-2). Two wins at Churchill already and I'm betting he's another who will move forward off a decent race on the Keeneland Polytrack. CQ's daddy Thunder Gulch won the Derby at Churchill in 1995, and this home-bred should allow Team Tabor to forget about that $16 million flushed down the toilet for at least one afternoon. (I try not to make a habit of betting names, places, hunches, or numbers but I stayed a half block off Circular Quay in Sydney during my honeymoon last year. A kindly ticket taker at one of the Sydney ferries actually laughed at me when I pronounced it Circular 'Kay.' And now I get to laugh at Todd Schrupp and everyone else at TVG when they mispronounce it. That trip was during Preakness week and I remember walking around the area looking for an Internet cafe on a very early Sunday morning to get the race results. I now expect Garret Gomez and Todd Pletcher to add to my fond memories of Circular Quay.) Underneath, I'll go with Principle Secret and and try and add some value with long, long, shot UD Ghetto (I seem to remember Mike Smith having some previous success with 50-1 shots on one of Churchill's previous big race days).

Any Other Big News in Racing This Week?

2006-11-03T22:53:00.000-05:00

Well, NYRA did it and filed for bankruptcy yesterday, citing New York State's failure to turn over a $19 million as well as the state's hold up of NYRA's installation of VLTs and the Big A. More importantly, perhaps, the filing may prompt a court to decide whether the state or NYRA who owns the land at Aqueduct, Belmont, at Saratoga.

William Nader, a NYRA spokesman, tells the Blood-Horse that the land claims issue was not the driving force behind the bankruptcy filing. Still, he said, "Rather than let it be litigated in the media or even to have lawmakers and NYRA continuing to disagree at least this gets the issue before a judge.'' Nader added that NYRA would have filed for bankruptcy protection long ago if the matter was only about resolving the land claims.

NYRA places the blame squarely on delays by the state. “It is unfortunate, and frankly, inexplicable, why the State Lottery Division could not work out the details necessary to get the VLT construction underway at Aqueduct,” said C. Steven Duncker, Chairman of the NYRA Board of Trustees. “It is all the more mystifying given the fact that VLTs have been put in operation at eight non-NYRA tracks around the state,” he added. “VLTs at Aqueduct represent cash flow to our industry, the continuation of New York Racing—the premier brand in North America—and over $400 million per year for the State’s budget for education, $60 million for the Lottery, and $50 million for purses and breeders awards."

Alan offers a round up on the matter over at Left at the Gate.

Blood-Horse: NYRA Seeks Bankruptcy Protection from Court
NYRA.COM: NYRA Seeks Chapter 11 Protection

Betting the Classic (already)

2006-09-19T18:25:00.000-04:00

The Blood-Horse's Steve Haskin takes an early look at the Breeders Cup Classic and includes a look at how how British bookmaker William Hill sees the race.

British bookmaking firm William Hill lists Bernardini as the 13-8 favorite, with Invasor next at 7-2. They are followed by Lava Man at 5-1, Shirocco 10-1, David Junior 11-1, Dylan Thomas 12-1, Sun King 14-1, Jazil, who likely will not be ready, 16-1, Lawyer Ron 20-1 , Brother Derek, Second of June, and Super Frolic at 25-1, and Giacomo, Perfect Drift, Strong Contender, and Suave 33-1.

Odds of 3-2 on Bernardini should have me licking my chops but I'm stumped trying to figure out how I'd bet if that's what the tote board looked like. 3-year-old Dylan Thomas looked very impressive in the Irish Champion Stakes but I don't think I'd be able to bet a Ballydoyle invader in the Classic. Lava Man could be interesting but I'd want a little more than 5-1. I'd probably hope for some bombs to hit the board and wheel Suave and Second of June in exactas.

Cotton Blossom to Win the Juvenile Fillies

2006-11-02T21:53:00.000-05:00

I like COTTON BLOSSOM (#7; 10-1) to win the juvenile fillies. First, kudos to NTRA for making some key preps available at Racereplays.com and via podcasts. Cotton Blossom ran wide throughout the Alcibiades and got a bit of the business at the top of the stretch. I'm also hoping she didn't really fully take to the Polytrack at Keeneland that day making a decent performance better than it looked. I think she gets lead early and doesn't look back. And we're getting 10-1 m/l on Pletcher-J.R. Go, Baby Go! I'll take Adhrhythm and Cash Included underneath. Adhrhythm is fast, has a win at a mile and a sixteenth and gets a big jockey upgrade to Prado. Cash Included has impressed under C.Dollase but comes up a dollar short.

F&M Turf, Sprint

2006-11-03T01:33:00.000-05:00

F&M Turf.
SATWA QUEEN (#9; 12-1). I'll go with an invader at a price to win here. She's been within two lengths of the winner in nine of ten career races (with 4 wins, 4 places) while keeping some very classy company in Europe. Her last two have been excellent including a second in the Prix De L'Opera. Lasix should help. Underneath, I'm a big fan of Film Maker and have to include her. She will be in the mix and should go off much higher than the listed 6-1 morning line. Wait a While has come alive on the turf but I'd need more than the 3-1 morning line to bite against some very accomplished elders. She'll get a small piece here.

SPRINT
BORDONARO (#6; 3-1) is very fast and has won 8 of his last 10. Those last ten races collectively are simply amazing. Too bad his competitors can't read the pp's or they'd be scared. I toyed with the idea of putting Allen Jerkens' War Front on top as a 'value' play but can't get past that awful case of seconditis that has plagued the horse this year (six races: one win, five places). Too Much Bling will help light up the triple here for me. I don't like the favorite Henny Hughes at all. He's run a light three-race campaign this year facing four, eight and three other entrants, respectively. He's never faced a challenge and I'm betting he'll crash and burn here.

Breeders' Cup Mile & Distaff

2006-11-03T23:18:00.000-05:00

Mile.
Irish-bred ARAAFA (#3; 9-2) takes the mile with J.R. aboard. Second-best to Ballydoyle superstar George Washington in the QEII at Ascot in late September. The U.K. Guardian's Ron Cox thinks that Rob Roy is a mile hero in waiting and about ready to put one over on us Americans at a very nice price. I'll take him second in here. Bobby Frankel has me a bit scared with Badge of Silver. The horse hasn't run since New Year's Day and tries turf for only second time. Frankel usually has them cranked and ready even off very long layoffs. I think he'll be in the mix and +is worth a play if he drifts much above 12-1.

DISTAFF
PINE ISLAND (#2; 5-1) is shaping up as Shug McGaughey's latest filly & mare superstar. Dam Matlacha Pass is a full-sister to Shug's 2005 distaff winner Pleasant Home. Two wins and two place in four G1's this year, and I think she takes another step forward here. Round Pond looks to be working well (or so they say on The Works) and should get a piece here. Fleet Indian's eight-race winning streak stops here but she'll hang on for third.

Invasor to Upset in the Classic

2006-11-04T00:58:00.000-05:00

CLASSIC
INVASOR (#11; 5-1) wins as the other Maktoum takes the Classic. I loved the Whitney win and think he gets the best of this field today. The layoff doesn't bother me all that much against this field.
I was looking for a way to justify a win bet on George Washington but couldn't do it with the flop of Ballydoyle stablemate Dylan Thomas on the dirt in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last month. GW doesn't embarass himself here but won't get past Invasor. Suave gets a saver bet here--he's a cut below Classic caliber but I just like to watch him run. My good wishes will him to a third-place finish here. Premium Tap, with Kimmel/Prado behind him, close out a Bernadini-less superfecta.
Bernadini has faced a combined 13 competitors in his last three races, and now has 12 gunning for him today. He's faced short, crappy fields. There isn't much in the Classic today but I think there's enough in here to wear Bernardini down despite what the odds say.

Good luck to all.

Cacique Takes the Turf

2006-11-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

TURF.
CACIQUE (#6; 4-1) ekes out another thriller over English Channel in the turf. Cacique has kept it close in each of six straight Gr. 1's run this year (2 wins, 3 places, and a fourth place finish where he only lost by a neck). Cacique is a full brother to BC Filly & Mare turf champions Banks Hill and Intercontinental. English Channel takes a backseat to Cacique here, and local boy Rush Bay (3 wins in 4 CD races) has run well in his last two races, both at 1-1/2 miles, and could get a piece here at a huge price.

Beyer not Buying Sheik's M.O.

2006-11-01T11:51:00.000-05:00

Andrew Beyer pees in the ~~punch bowl~~ french toast casserole during Breeders' Cup week by sticking it the Maktoums (or Maktums as he likes to call them) in the Washington Post, saying they are bad for the sport.

Most wealthy people in the sport won't spend money in a fashion that makes them appear foolish or vulgar. The Maktums are unfettered by such constraints.At a time when the populations of Arab countries are seething with resentment against their own leaders, the rulers of Dubai don't hesitate to engage in self-indulgence on a gargantuan scale. They are unembarrassed that this money is derived from the natural resources of their country -- resources that, in a democracy, would belong to the nation.

He chronicles their free-spending ways (apart from the insane amounts spent at the yearling sales)

After Discreet Cat won the fastest 2-year-old maiden race at Saratoga last summer, Mohammed bought him for a staggering $6 million. After Henny Hughes won a stakes race by 15 lengths, Rashid bought him for $4 million. After Invasor won the Uruguayan Triple Crown, running for peanuts in his home country, Hamdan bought him for $1.4 million. None of these purchases required special insight or judgment -- just the willingness to pay an outlandish price. Buying up all the competition is not exactly sport as most people define it. It's as if George Steinbrenner stocked the New York Yankees with every high-priced free agent and then, worried that he might not win the pennant, bought the Boston Red Sox, too.

Beyer also sees a darkside to their potential dominance of the sport.

Perhaps it is unfair to criticize the Maktums because they play the game more aggressively than anybody else. Perhaps the criticism smacks of xenophobia. But their domination of U.S. racing will harm the sport in an important, if intangible, way.
While thoroughbred racing has declined in popularity, it has had one saving grace. The human stories associated with the game -- particularly the Triple Crown series -- have commanded keen public interest. Funny Cide's pursuit of the Triple Crown thrilled America because a syndicate of middle-class citizens owned the gelding. Smarty Jones's rags-to-riches saga was similarly compelling. Unbridled's victory touched the nation because TV cameras showed trainer Carl Nafzger hugging the frail, 92-year-old owner and telling her, tearfully: "You've won the Kentucky Derby, Mrs. Genter! I love you!" These are the events that give horse racing a tenuous hold on the affections of the American public.
If the sheiks owned Funny Cide or Smarty Jones or Unbridled or any future classic winner, interest in those horses would be minimal. Certainly, Bernardini has generated little attention, despite his brilliance as a racehorse. The sheiks are remote figures. Their advisers, managers and trainers are organization men. To outward appearances, theirs is a joyless operation. When the ruler of Dubai finally fulfills his goal and wins his first Kentucky Derby, nobody is going to hug him and exclaim, "You've won the Kentucky Derby, Sheik!" And few people will cheer because he has succeeded in buying the game.

Making Racing Fit to Print

2006-10-30T22:51:00.001-05:00

New York Times racing reporter Joe Drape gets the Breeders' Cup on the front page of the Times today, using "Sheik Mo" as the hook.

In a relatively short time, Sheik Mohammed and members of his royal family have joined the ranks of the blue-blooded Phipps family and the more commercially driven Overbrook Farm as fabled names in horse racing in the United States.
On Saturday at the Breeders' Cup in Louisville, Ky., the Maktoums are expected to send out eight horses, all contenders, in four races. They are led by the 3-year-old sensation Bernardini, who has won six races in a row, including the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico and the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The fact that the Maktoums could pick up as many as five Eclipse Awards, described as racing's Oscars, this year and the $250 million that Sheik Mohammed has spent at Keeneland's September yearling sales are noted. "If one September that big old plane wasn't at the airport, you would have a whole lot of hearts sinking around here," said Arthur Hancock III, who owns Stone Farm in Paris, Ky.

NY Times: A Sheik's Thoroughbred Kingdom in Kentucky

A $16-million Colt Worked at Belmont today...

2006-10-30T23:03:00.000-05:00

... and his trainer Todd Pletcher would rather you didn't ask him about it.

The Green Monkey worked five furlongs in 1:05.36 over Belmont's training track Monday, according to the AP. By comparison, Pletcher's 2-year-old Scat Daddy - the possible favorite for the $2 million Juvenile - covered the same distance in 1:01.27, AP notes.

Asked about The Green Monkey, Pletcher smiled and said, "I'm not answering any questions about The Green Monkey this week. You have enough to write about."

AP: GREEN MONKEY SIGHTING (last paragraph in story)

One Feature that Won't Be on the Jerry Bailey DVD

2006-10-30T20:12:00.001-05:00

Humor via Indian Charlie.

Jerry Bailey: The DVD!
Win with Jerry (well, about 23% of the time).

Pletcher Sending a String Out West

2006-09-20T00:30:00.000-04:00

Todd Pletcher plans to ship a string of horses to southern California starting with the Hollywood Park meet. Pletcher cites the installation of Polytrack at Hollywood and the desire of Michael Tabor, one of his Pletcher's key clients, to have horses train over the synthetic surface.

"The main reason is Polytrack is out there," Pletcher said. "We thought about going out there before, but one of the concerns was always how safe the surfaces are out there. Obviously, the purses are good. Mr [Michael] Tabor wants his horses training on Polytrack when possible.

It'll be interesting to see what horses Pletcher ships out West. The impact of Polytrack has on the SoCal circuit will be more interesting to watch. Will there still be a heavy emphasis on early speed on the new Hollywood surface? Will Pletcher alter his training and drill his horses harder to adapt to the "West Coast" style. And I wonder if Garrett Gomez, currently the leading rider at Belmont, will be lured back to SoCal with the promise of a steady stream of Pletcher starters.

DRF: Pletcher to have California string (registration required)

... and a Round Up

2006-09-13T00:55:00.002-04:00

NYRA will need a state cash infusion to keep running.
Blood-horse: NYRA Will Go Broke Without Cash Advances, Hayward Says

--
At the Eighth Pole and Pulling Hair & Betting Horses have the lowdown on the introduction of GPS horse race tracking at Woodbine.

Trakus, a Boston based company, is bring horse race tracking to Woodbine starting tomorrow, they promise to be able to provide accurate position of all horses in the race using a chip in the saddlecloth, similar to Turftrax in England and Stride in HK.

--
"Mattress Mac" sues Baffert and his bloodstock agents and lays out a sordid tale of "fraud by non-disclosure," including secret commissions, kickbacks, and lucrative double dealing (via Ray Paulick's Blood-horse editorial).

Based on the oral agreement McIngvale claims he had with the McKathans, they would have received $47,500 from him for recommending the purchase of the horse.
McIngvale alleges, however, that a check for an additional $95,000 -- equal to 10% of the purchase price -- was sent by the colt's consignor, Florida pinhooker Murray Smith, to the agents he assumed were acting in his best fiduciary interests. ... Smith, in comments to Daily Racing Form, denied having a "prior arrangement," adding that "it's more customary than not to send a form of appreciation. Some people send wine; some people send flowers."
And some people allegedly send $95,000.

--
And Catch up on the insanity at the Keeneland Sales with Tote Board Brad and Left at the Gate.

Showing Up...

2006-09-13T01:20:00.000-04:00

It looks like Barclay Tagg is keeping the Breeders Cup open as an option for Showing Up. Not that this horse is flying under anyone's radar but Saturday's third place finish was much better than it looked. Showing Up stumbled at the start (he's had trouble in most of his starts) and fought restraint all the way. And Cacique's blistering ~~11.95~~ 10.95!-second final furlong makes it clear that Showing Up wasn't so much slowing down or fading at the end as he was just overtaken by a very classy horse who had an ideal set-up.

From Belmont Park's press notes:
“He ran well,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “I think he should have been second, but he was running the other horse’s (Ramazutti) race trying to catch him.” Prior to the Man o’ War, Tagg said he would know where Showing Up stood after the race. Tagg said Showing Up would likely be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup Turf, but was not 100 percent sure on any immediate plans.
“We’ll see how he comes out of this race and make our plans as things go along,” Tagg said. “I think he’s good enough to run in the Breeders’ Cup, but I don’t know what I’m going to do yet.”

NYRA Freshens up Web Presence

2006-09-12T23:59:00.000-04:00

It looks like NYRA has launched an upgrade of its Web site in time for Wednesday's return or racing. The site looks much cleaner, and is easier to navigate. That quaint late-90s feel to the site is nearly gone. There aren't any major upgrades. You can now download the NYRA media guide and access overnights via the site.

The toteboard link (now outsourced to racingchannel.com) looks like the most promising upgrade. Hopefully this will mean easier (and more reliable) access to results and live odds including exacta and double probable-pays and will-pays. We'll have to see it in action tomorrow.

The Tragic Case of Stormy Do

2006-09-11T23:01:00.000-04:00

Breakdowns are a sad part of the sport, but last week's death of Stormy Do especially so.

Stormy Do, a 13-year-old gelding who had run in 119 races, was euthanized after he fractured both sesamoid bones in a race at Philadelphia Park last Tuesday (via the Philadelphia Inquirer).

When he went to the starting gate Tuesday on a dreary, rainy afternoon, Stormy Do had a $5,000 claiming tag. He had captured an incredible 26 races, including victories at Calder, Hialeah, Gulfstream, Monmouth, Delaware, Laurel, Charles Town and Philadelphia Park, and had career earnings of $531,896.

As usual, Stormy Do quickly went to the front and held a clear lead on the turn when he fractured both sesamoid bones in the leg and was deftly pulled up by Frankie Pennington.

With career earnings of more than half a million dollars, 23 victories and 12 stakes placings, it would seem Stormy Do deserved a peaceful retirement at a quiet pasture at 13 rather than running in a low-level claiming race at Philadelphia Park.

Philadelphia Inquirer: Tragic end to a long career

Back to Belmont

2006-09-08T00:39:00.001-04:00

The return of racing to Belmont starts on a flat note as Friday's planned General Douglas MacArthur stakes had to be shelved after drawing only three entries. Things pick up with three Grade 1's Saturday, including the Man o' War. Showing Up steps up to face older company in the Man o' War, including Bobby Frankel's Cacique and two other Gr. 1 winners. I love Showing Up's chances here despite the accomplished elders he faces. Showing Up has been brilliant so far, winning 5-of-6 races including the Gr.1 Secretariat. And that one loss, in the Derby, was better than it looks as Showing Up hung tough with Barbaro for nine of ten furlongs before giving way in only his fourth career start.

Fellow 3-year old Bernardini is drawing much of the sport's attention right now, but I think Showing Up's campaign becomes every bit as impressive with a win Saturday.