First Post: Thursday, August 25, 2011

AT 1100 AM EDT…1500 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.9 NORTH…LONGITUDE 76.8 WEST.
IRENE IS
MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH…20 KM/H. THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT WITH A TURN TOWARD
THE NORTH BY EARLY FRIDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CORE OF THE
HURRICANE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS
TODAY…AND PASS WELL OFFSHORE OF THE EAST COAST OF CENTRAL AND
NORTH FLORIDA TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY. THE HURRICANE IS FORECAST
TO APPROACH THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA ON SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH…185 KM/H…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. IRENE IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
HURRICANE WIND SCALE. SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE TODAY AND
TONIGHT.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES…110 KM…FROM
THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 290
MILES…465 KM.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE
HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 951 MB…28.08 INCHES.

Free ones:

Rundown
Saratoga Race Course 4, 6, 9
Calder 2, 5, 7
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club 4, 6, 7

Good throughout, even at no-turf Calder.

Pay-side:

Rundown
River 2, 7, 8
Woodbine 1, 5, 7
Arlington 5, 8, 9
Louisiana 1, 4, 9
Remington 4, 6, 9
Retama 2, 4

Here we are a little lacking. Finally off the turf at Bossier City. The finale at Arlington Heights is a doozie; indeed, it gives rise to the first Bonkers Pentafecta Box in the long and shuffling history of the pay-side Live Longshots. Leave it to the southwestern part of the United States to redeem the longshot players tonight.

WMF Report: Speed-track of your evening has to be the Canterbury. As always, Rexdale-Etobicoke International punishes any frontrunners daring to get to the lead in races beyond 6f.

Speed
Canterbury 5½f, 6f
Emerald 6f
Louisiana 6f

Rally
Woodbine 7f (WMF 8 )

Rally (Honourable Mention)
Woodbine 1 1/16m (WMF 26)

Nocturnal Submission: The opener at the Evangeline (6:40 p.m. EDT / 3:40 p.m. PDT) is a collection of 14 straws of equal length, which means #10 Diablo Act and #11 Promissory Dance are worth drawing. …Similarly random in the sixth there (8:55 / 5:55), and the insane duo this time couples #12 Bite of Sunshine and #4 Sefa’s Dynamo. …

Thank you. Best wishes.