A case of Derby fever

I really don't care who wins the Blue Grass Stakes or the Arkansas Derby tomorrow. I'm looking ahead to the first week in May, that magical stretch of days when the Kentucky Derby horses work out, get their post positions drawn, and finally run in the most exciting race of the year. Sure, the Breeders' Cup is a handicapper's treat, but nothing can hold a candle to the Derby, in my estimation. I'm really happy that Rick Porter's Hard Spun had a great spin over the Churchill Downs surface on Thursday, 'cause he'll give us folks in the Delaware Valley another "local" horse to root for. I think it's much more fun to have a horse with local roots in the Derby, like Smarty Jones in 2004, Afleet Alex in 2005 and Barbaro last year.

Those of you who follow Philly Park action know that trainer Ramon Preciado is adept at popping with horses the first time they run under his name. Some of them are square prices, too. In tomorrow's seventh at the Phabulous Pha, pay attention to Tonybeatathegate, who is making his Preciado debut. I like this horse with the John Servis-trained Waki Cherokee and Road to Richmond in the gimmicks.

Speaking of the Pha, I understand they've asked the state for more casino floor space. My main concern is that they are going to put the squeeze on horseplayers - not that they haven't been squeezed already. I may be in the minority, but I think betting the horses is so much more fun than mindlessly pumping quarters into a stupid slot machine. With the horses, at least you've got a decent shot at turning a profit. I will never understand what motivates people to spend hours sitting in front of a ringing, dinging neon monster that eats money faster than you can say, "I'm broke." But to each his own, so goes the old cliche.