It's that time of year again

When Steve is about three times as agitated as usual, and when Martin and Kelly pop up outta nowhere, Travers Day cannot possibly be far off. Was pretty sure I'd be getting some sleep tonight, it didn't quite turn out that way, but I still have hopes of not wanting to completely die in the morning, so I'll tell you what I know quickly.

Are Shakis and Cosmonaut are unbeatable in the Bernard Baruch? Not at all, but if you use someone else, where do you quit? There's very little separating the next six or seven contenders, and there can be a case made for nearly every horse in the field if you don't cut after the top pair.

The King's Bishop, which nearly always seems to come up a tad stronger than the Travers, is much stronger than the Travers this year. As I said, the Teufster is the key horse, but First Defence is a hell of a horse, E Z Warrior is interesting, as is the Romans horse, Hard Spun's tough to dislike, and Most Distinguished seems to have turned a serious corner. If there's a place to spread, this is it.

Can't see anyone winning the granddaddy of 'em all other than Street Sensi or The Hopper. Sightseeing will come get a second or third as usual, but I think that it's quite possible to get a price like Helsinki or For You Reppo in the bottom third or quarter of the exotics.

Very interested to see what La Traviata does tomorrow, as she looks like either the single of all singles or an overbet, overrated filly. I'm heading towards the former. Wish me luck tomorrow and everyone have much fun and much winners!

Those thoughts I referred to

I think that the first half of the card is hideous.

I think that Vitruvius is the safest single in the late pick four.

I think that I'd like to single My Typhoon, but that I can never catch her on the right day, so I'll probably hedge with a few others.

I think that Wait a While is either going to be a last-minute inclusion or exclusion.

I think that I still didn't ask Barry what time I'm in tomorrow, so I'm assuming the late shift is my Thursday destiny.

I think that the sixth, seventh and ninth have hidden quality in both amount of talent and amount of betability.

I think that these two flies that have been buzzing around Byk's kitchen for the past two days are about to make me go batshit if I don't go to bed.

I think that I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully without horror stories from the windows, or at all for that matter.

What? I didn't go anywhere..

I've been here the whole time! My posts must not have gone through or something similar. My Blackberry is being a shithead as well, so here's what I've been dying to confess while at work.

The Ballston Spa is freaking outstanding, just about the best race I've seen this meet thus far. I vote to retroactively call the Diana the Ballston Spa and vice versa. If that's not a G-I tomorrow..

I think that Hard Spun has the potential to be a one-turn monster, but I get the sneaky feeling that he'll be way overbet on Saturday. I'd say 5/2 or better is fair value, but can't see him going off higher than 8/5, at which point Teuflesberg is tremendous value at 3 or 4/1.

Calling it right now, and if I'm wrong, it's okay, because this blog has very little credibility to begin with, but Grasshopper will beat Street Sense on Saturday. It's between those two and Sightseeing. String that with HS and the Teufster and now we've got a $6 in combinations with two legs to go in the pick four.

So yesterday Sonny, Mike and I were supposed to go shoe shopping in Manchester, and Sonny had been reminding me of it in about every morning during the previous week. Then he calls me at 11 a.m. yesterday to confirm. Three hours later, I kinda figured that there wouldn't be any shoe shopping for the kid today. See Sonny this morning, and verbatim his explanation, which is a million times funnier if you've ever heard the man speak: "I saw two kids playing in the yard next door, and I went and asked them if Joey lived in that other house" ... Sonny, I'm here six weeks outta the year, how the hell would they know? "Then Mike and I drove past and back around and called you and still didn't see you, so we kept going." Maybe it's me, but if you're gonna drive in a circle, stop and talk to some kids, you might try knocking on the door once. Thing is, Sonny's such a character, I couldn't be mad. It's flippin' impossible to be angry at Sonny. And I wasn't too keen on spending $250 on some loafers the way I've been going.

The bloodbath continued today, but you know what? The guns are coming out the next three days. Not all in per se, but balls to the wall to see if we can make something out of the meet on the wagering side. The cards are grand, and I'm leaving Monday or Tuesday, so I can't see why not.

'Capping heavy after a shower, and I know I always say this, but I WILL be back with a couple thoughts on tomorrow.