PREAKNESS RESULTS AND METS/YANKEES

Welcome. It is the evening of 5/20 and the Preakness and the 2nd Mets/ Yankees game is over. I've got some comments and complaints

THE PREAKNESS
What an absolute shame. Poor Barbaro broke his ankle (sesmoid bone) apparently coming out of the gate and pulled up lame on the front stretch. As I write this the horse is undergoing surgery to see if they can even save him. What a terrible turn of events for such a great athlete. I really think this horse had a chance today, but we'll never know. The jockey of the winning horse, Bernadini, who didn't know that the horse brike down, said he kept witing for Barbaro to come, so he could spur his horse into action. When Barbaro never came, he decided to make his move anyway. Something like this reminds us of how fragile life can be and how fragile race horses can be. Over 1000 pounds of animal running on such thin legs, pounding along trying to keep pace or set one.

This reminds me of The Breeders Cup Distaff race of 10 or 12 years ago when the 2 best fillies at the time Go For Wand and Bayakoa raced each other. They broke from the gate and quickly took the lead, leaving the other horses far in their dust. The two great fillies dueled neck and neck the whole way. As they came around the last turn and started down the stretch, the crowd at the track and at the OTB Teletheater where I was watching it, stood, realizing that this was a race for the ages, a classic. They were tied the whole way, with neither horse pulling ahead by more than a nose. 50 yards from the finish line, pounding down the stretch, giving their all, when suddenly Go For Wand's front leg snapped almost in two and the beautiful horse went down. The crowd gasped loudly and then became absolutely silent. The television cameras showed the horse trying to stand and flopping around before falling back down. The poor animal was terrified, and the horse ambulance sped towards her so they could put her down humanely. It was an absolutely heartbreaking sight and many people had tears in their eyes. It is something I wish I had never experienced, and something I'll never forget. Go For Wand is now buried at Saratoga race track in upstate New York.

Hopefully Barbaro will not need to be put down and can be saved with surgery. Either way, he'll never race again. Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained?!

On a lighter note, I truly showed why I am not a handicapper. The two other horses I really liked, Like Now and Diabolical finshed 7th and 8th in the 9 horse field. The horse I said was never going to impress, Sweetnorthernsaint, finished 2nd. I hope you didn't bet your mortgage payment on my recommendation.

METS/YANKEES GAME 2
After last night's thrilling come-from-behind victory by the Mets in the bottom of the 9th, I was encouraged to be watching the Mets/Yankees go to the top of the 9th with the Mets leading 4-0. Pedro Martinez had pitched very well again, and his team gave him support. Mets manager Willie Randolph had Duaner Sanchez pitch the 8th inning and he got thru with no problems. Unfortunately, Willie thought it necessary to bring in fireballing closer Billy Wagner to pitch the 9th. Sanchez pitched well in the 8th, why take him out and have Wagner pitch the 9th? It was not a save situation. The game wasn't tied and wasn't a 1-run game.

Wagner proceeds to give up a couple of hits, walks a guy, then hits a guy and all of a sudden it's Mets 4 Yanks 3. That was enough for Randolph, who removes an ineffective Wagner and brings in another guy who promptly induces a double-play ground ball from Johnny Damon. Unfortunately Damon beats the throw and the tying run scores. The game stays that way till the 11th, when the Yanks push across a run and win 5-4.

Willie, what the freak were you thinking bringing in Wagner at that point? Sanchez was doing fine. Why didn't you just have Sanchez start the 9th and THEN if he got in trouble, you go to Wagner to save it. Now you've possibly allowed Wagner to lose confidence and effectiveness. We don't need another year of Braden Looper or Armando Benitez. You, Willie, you lost that game today, not Wagner. Yes, he pitched like crap, but he was clearly brought in at the wrong time. That's your fault. We could have swept those guys and now they (the Yankees) could end up winning 2 out of 3, instead of the other way around. It's not always necessary to flex your muscles. Sometimes finesse and confidence in what's working is the way to go. We had the Phils and Braves down, and you gave them new life, or at least gave back what we gained last night. Nice job.

More later this week folks. Horseracing aside...Len Is Right.

Our good friend John Pitcheralle passed away today of pancreatic cancer. We at Amtrak in Rensselaer, NY will miss our very good friend, especially his love of the ponies and baseball. Rest In Peace my friend...we will not soon forget you.

I am
Len Tollerton