Finally Blemont Week . . . whadaya think?

[JolyB]

Having a stretch of 9 Grade 1 (well, the Brooklyn is a grade 2, but it was once a grade 1, so please allow me a bit of poetic license) races in a row is a type of horseplayer heaven, and a number of the stars that will be running tomorrow should make for a fun day. Right now, the weather looks ideal.

The only fly in this ointment is that with so many very small fields, I suspect that many of us will be making virtually the same picks in a majority of the races in the points contest. There are such a limited number of alternatives, particularly since the points contest offers no premium for picking a horse with value. Of course Echo Zulu, Jack Christopher and Flightline appear in almost everyone's top slot. I wouldn't be surprised if the points winner is the player who does that best job of picking his or her way through the puzzles offered by the Jaipur and the Manhattan, two races that so far remain a mystery to me.

Notwithstanding all of that, I hope that all of you have an enjoyable and profitable day.