Isolation Thought

Yes!!! It's one of the best days of the year, as today it is the Breeders Cup. For the first time, the Championships are run near Dallas at Lone Star Park. This is the day that my Dad and brother and I go out to Thistledown for brunch (food as far as the eye can see) and drink gallons of iced tea. My Dad always hits the trifecta. Not at the windows, but at our table. He will bitch about getting the wrong program, rave about the ice cream station and will either invent a word or screw up someone's name, typically someone who has a rough name to pronounce, like Pat Day. Jeezus, at a brunch last week, he tried to say the word abacus. It came out sounding something like "azbascus". I looked at my brother who had the same look I had. You know the "Why is Jimmy Fallon on my TV?" look. Of course, we then busted up laughing when we determined the word was abacus. Then my Dad went into one of those uncontrollable fits of laughter where you think someone might eventually stop only because they are having a stroke. The head on table, pounding of the fist kind of laughing. So, he's there as a calming influence. And I can always rely on one of my absolute awful early bets to be a running joke the rest of the day. For instance, if my choice finishes up the track in race 1, after Race 3 someone will say how that horse just finished. Ha, ha. I still remember the time we were at Churchill Downs in 1998 and I picked Swain in the Classic. Swain comes to the top of the stretch in the lead and my eyes turn into these huge dollar signs. Then inexplicably Swain makes a right turn to buy a mint julep or a pizza or a commemorative hat or something and finishes third. I still have nightmares about that, where I actually see Swain in a line waiting to buy something. Sometimes these visits are profitable, sometimes not, but they are always fun.

And, of course, here are my early morning picks. Subject to change, but they are free and almost guaranteed to flop:

Juvenile-I'm hoping Tamwell can steal it. Like Cortez, lone speed is a killer (that's for the Neil Young fan in all of us).

Juvenile Fillies-I like Culinary. Oddly enough, that's my Dad's word for...

Mile-Whipper is my pick. Also the consensus pick of the Daily Fetish Form.

Sprint-A difficult race every year, so my dart throwing resulted in Kela. I also like Champali at a price.

Filly and Mare Turf-My Ouija Board spelled Ouija Board. I pick her. Film Maker is the longshot I like.

Juvenile-Afleet Alex better not give me afriggin' headache. I'm thinking Wilko goes off at 50-1 and I like their music. (I know they spell it Wilco, Roger).

Turf-Kitten's Joy might be the best bet of the day. Best 'Merican turf horse in a long time. Star Over the Bay provides the lone speed angle, but I know Buck's Boy. And Star Over the Bay, you're no Buck's Boy. (Hey, we're in Texas.)

Classic-Really tough, but I like Ghostzapper. His race in the Vosburgh in 2003 was one of the best performances I've ever seen. And he's even better this year. Perfect Drift is your longshot.

And I cavalierly toss a portion of my mega winnings out the window, all the way home.

Meal of Links

What has become of higher education? University of North Carolina will off a class in "American Idol". Let's hope what many might think is an easy A is really a difficult B.

My prediction is within 5 years, the beer companies will emphasize "Day of the Dead" celebrations. BTW, about 6 months to Cinco de Mayo.

They just found a new human species. Not those folks in Red Sox Title gear, but some sort of hobbitt-looking thing.

Exercise Yard

Apparently, Barry Bonds didn't like "the clear". Looks like the Giambis Greater and Lesser also had a postive test that BALCO arranged.

Visitor

44 Across: Piccadilly Circus statue (4 letters) Answer: Eros