First Post: Saturday, May 25, 2013

Dortmund über alles

All right, all right, ya fútbol fansz! The last meaningful game of your 2012-13 season, and it is a throwback to the old PBS programme called Soccer Made in Germany. Remember that show? Way before Jeff Smith as The Frugal Gourmet, way before I, Claudius. Yup, Soccer Made in Germany on PBS. Remember it now?

So, today it’s the Pride of Bavaria, Bayern München v. Borussia Dortmund. The man in the picture is Dortmund’s manager, Herr Jürgen Klopp. How can you not root for this guy? After all, he is the underdog. After all, he said the unchecked spending going on at Bayern is making that team like “a James Bond villain”. And he’s not afraid to weep soulfully. After all, when one of his top players last year, the Japanese firecracker midfielder Shinji Kagawa, had no option but to accept a move to global giants Manchester United, Klopp admitted, “We cried for 20 minutes, in each others’ arms, when he left.”

If the Arse are smart, they will sign Klopp to manage after Wenger finally leaves the scene.

Free ones: Rundown…

Golden Gate 6, 8
Calder 2, 7, 11
BFHollyPark 4, 5, 6, 9

Pay-side: Today…

Churchill 5, 6, 8, 10, 11
Woodbine 8, 9, 10
Pimlico 2, 3, 10
Arlington 4, 8, 10
Louisiana 1, 6, 7, 10
Lone Star 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9

Today’s Stakes Pageantry:

On the pay-side today: AP 10, CD 10, WO 8.

Apt Name of the Day: #2 Obviously in Hol 3, the Grade II American. ’murrikun!

Looks good after dark for a surprise by #2 Jax and JILL in CT 8, the Fancy Buckles.

Wild heat at EvD, Race 9, the Opelousas. A Bonkers-type scenario is in prospect via #1 Patty’s Pride and #4 Cho Cho Cat.

Down to three horseys at Keystone for the ninth, the My Juliet. #1 Winning Image should run to that billing.

Yesterday’s Activity: Nibbles in the Night. Nocturnal Submission frustration! As always, Welcome to The Home of The Runner-Up Finish!

WMF Report:

Early
Churchill 6f
Chas. Town 6½f
Emerald 5½f, 6f
Evangeline 6f
Finger 6f
Exhibition 6½f
Louisiana 6f
Mountain 5f, 6f
Monmouth 6f
Northlands 6f
Keystone 6f
Prairie 6f, 1m (!) (WMF 157)
SunRay 4½f

Nocturnal Submission: Chas. Town 6 (9:31 p.m. EDT / 6:31 p.m. PDT) has #7 Pigeon Chris ready to…fly? …Race 7 at EvD (9:10 / 6:10), and #12 Only the Strong and #2 Undesided are not as bad as the mopesz project. …

Thank you. Best wishes. Goodbye. So long.