Thanks In Advance

Well this is one of the better Thanksgivings we've had in horse racing and horse racing betting. So like all the other bloggers, newspaper columnists and turf writers, let me give thanks for Rachel, Chip, Mike, Tim, Zenyatta, Goldikova and the Jayaramans. Thanks to Jerry, Ann, Julian, Jess, John and Gio. Thank you Steve, Hal, Quality, Bob, Garret, Kent, Sea, Rip and Dixie. Thanks to the Birdstone boys, Mine That and Summer and without sounding like a J.R.R. Tolkien character, thanks to my Presious.

But I'm also thankful for what looks like a potentially fun 2010. Rachel Alexandra is back in training at Steve Asmussen's barn at Fair Grounds in New Orleans and Mine That Bird is a gelding, so he's not going anywhere. I don't know that Zenyatta has been officially retired and we've got Quality Road, Summer Bird and the like to look forward to in the older horse ranks next year. It appears Gio Ponti is going to be America's best representative in the rich Dubai World Cup next spring.

We may not have another Rachel Alexandra coming along but if you're not exited about the potential of She Be Wild, Blind Luck, Beautician, Biofuel and Negligee not to mention Hot Dixie Chick and Awesome Maria.

And there is a host of boys coming along led by Lookin for Lucky looking for the roses come the first Saturday in May. Others include Aspire, Dublin, D' Funnybone and Vale of York is surely planning on a Kentucky invasion from Dubai.

So thank you optimism. And thank you horse racing for the perpetual gift thereof.