First Post: Thursday, March 7, 2013

To adapt a quotation from the late, great Chas. Bukowski: “Some people have never heard of Leonard Cohen. What truly horrible lives they must lead.” Perhaps.

“Chelsea Hotel” has always been a favorite, and this version by a great Cohen idolizer, the soulful Lloyd Cole, puts a nearly perfect musical expression to the lyrics. Cole himself blows a plaintive harmonica, and Robert Quine’s guitar solo fairly weeps. But the clincher is the following bit of poesy:

You told me again that you preferred a handsome man
But for me you would make an exception.
And clenching your fists for the ones like us
Who are oppressed by figures of beauty,
You fixed yourself, you said, ‘Well, never mind,
We are ugly but we have the music’.

Thank you for the song, Mr. Cohen. Thank you for your rendition, Mr. Cole.

Free ones: Rundown…

Aqueduct 4, 8, 9
Gulf 7, 8, 9, 10
Santa Anita 4

Pay-side: Today…

Laurel 5, 7
Fair Grounds 5, 6, 7, 10
Oaklawn 3, 5, 7, 9

Today’s Stakes Pageantry: A tough one this evening in Race 8 at Delta, the Azalea. No recommendations.

Yesterday’s Activity: As always, Welcome to The Home of The Runner-Up Finish. Gulf 4 found the touted Dan the Irishman no match for the streaking winner, settling for best-of-the-rest status at 15-1. That winner was 2½-1 and a qualifier on LifeLiner, with the exfecta returning $107.20 (for $2). Third-placer also was sanctioned by LifeLiner, and the $2 trizacta payoff was $377. Fourth-placer also was sanctioned by LifeLiner, and the $1 super-duper came back $717. Obviously, the oddball Dan the Irishman keyed the reasonable prices, given that the other three around him were your top three choices in the wagering. Next time!

Over at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, first-timer and First Bonkersmate Ouimet took the finale at $23.60. Of course it was a hellaciously random event, and Ouimet had sufficiently solid T/J/TJ numbers behind his debut. Ha! The race-fave was the runner-up at 11-10, but LifeLiner said nope. Yeah! No! Yeah if you were trying to work around the chalk, no if you were unforgiving in leaving him out of exotics consideration. What are you going to do?

More King of The Netcapper goodness at the closer at Hawthorne. It was Quiet Rebel going coast-to-coast in the (blue!) flyover state of Illintucky. You don’t often get an easy score at 7-1, but Quiet Rebel was it. Rats to the runner-up about whom LifeLiner had nothing good to say.

WMF Report:

Early
Aqueduct 6f
Laurel 6f, 1 1/16m (!) (WMF 162)

Nocturnal Submission: Staying up late for the finale at PennNat (9:37 p.m. EST / 6:37 p.m. PST); in it, maybe #7 No Detour can find a direct path to the winner’s circle. …

Thank you. Best wishes. Goodbye. So long, Marianne.