Proposed Venue for 5/30
 

I looked at the cards for Santa Anita, Churchill and Gulfstream. Santa Anita has a 9 race card, but 5 of them are Maiden Claiming or Maiden Special Weight so that doesn't seem like the best option(although there is a single graded stakes on turf). Churchill and Gulf are similar, but Churchill has two Graded Stakes. Gulf has none. Both have 11 race cards with 4 Maiden Claiming or Maiden Special Weights races.

All that said, Churchill seems the best option, but that is not my decision alone since RQ and I tied. If there are other venues that seem more interesting, please weigh in.

After looking at Santa Anita's card I would eliminate that venue so it's Churchill or Gulfstream. What say you to Churchill Cal?

Churchill good for me. How many races is the question. Race one is a maiden, I think, so could eliminate that one and have 10 or include it. Doesn't matter to me.

Races 2 to 11 at Churchill sounds good. A nice compact 10 race card.

My friends, this is completely off topic, and I apologize to RQ and Cal for highjacking their thread. I wanted to post a link to a 4 minute presentation that our local symphony orchestra performed as a tribute to all of the usually unsung heroes of the current pandemic. Once you click on the link, just scroll down to the part that says "Thank you essential workers" and click on the arrow in the middle of the page. I was extremely moved by it.

https://hartfordsymphony.org/firebird/

Very well done. Kind of amazing how many people it takes for all of us to get by in this life. My son works for a TV station in Little Rock as a video editor. I'm sure he would appreciate the work that went into this little film. Not sure that he has ever done anything this elaborate though, but don't doubt that he could.

I enjoyed it. Very well done.

Off The Off Topic
 

As long as Joly decided to “go off topic “

I shall take this opportunity
to share something “Off The Off “ Topic

Apologies To Cal :)
But Real Quiet has + Loves Cats :{>:
So No Apology Needed

SATURDAY IS INTERNATIONAL HUG 🤗 YOUR CAT 🐈 DAY :{>:
MEOW 🐱 MEOW 🐱 MEOW 🐱

MAY THE PURRRRRR BE WITH YOU 🐈

WOW!
Just Watched The Video
My Eyes Needed A Good Cleansing!

Heartbreaking Times We Live In
A Lesson Indeed To Appreciate What We Have Everyday
For Tomorrow It May Be Gone :(

Hoping That All Of Our Forum Family Here
Are Safe, Sequestered, Serene + Sane! :{>:

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing, JolyB.

Final ## Races?
 

HAVE U GUYS DECIDED ON ## RACES :confused:

A] WHOLE CARD
B] PARTIAL CARD

Before I highjacked the thread, it seemed pretty clear that Cal and RQ had agreed to use Races 2-11 on the Churchill Downs card. Sorry for getting us sidetracked. Mea culpa. Back to handicapping.;)

Yes and every day is National and International Hug Your Dog Day!!!!!!:)

{DON = “Yes and every day is National and International Hug Your Dog Day!”

:{>: LETS NOT FORGET TO HUG OUR HORSE!!!!!!!! :{>:

Thanks for sharing this JB!!! BEAUTIFUL. We need a bunch of magical fairies right now to heal all the hateful minds and hearts and comfort the sorrow of so many Covid losses. Does anybody know where we can find a bunch of magical fairies? :{>::{>::{>:

Don, I'm not sure that they can be classified as either magical or fairies, but if you just look around I think that you will find many who do not have hatred in their hearts or minds and who desire just like you to find peace, solace and a reason for optimism. I have found courtesy and a gentle humor among fellow shoppers as we try to navigate the one way aisles in the grocery store during the early morning hours set aside for seniors; there seems to be an extra warmth in the exchanges of pleasantries when walking about the neighborhood, as a "how are you?" inquiry really is asking about the state of your well being and a concern for your health.

Perhaps if we can wean ourselves of cable news and the obsession with the contact sport of what passes for political discourse we can all find a little bit of that magic that you refer to.

I've experienced that also but it's sad we can't see a smile or give one back for others to see. We can only imagine. So true JB, and I thought nobody could be as big a cockeyed optimist as I am. I'd welcome you to the club but it sounds you've been for good long time!!! :tro:

I really miss seeing smiles. Not a big deal, I guess. But smiles convey so much.

I'll be talking with someone in the store or say thank you to someone and I'm smiling and in that moment it hits me they can't see my expression, nor can I see theirs. :(