Staying Connected: Twitterin' Joe Talamo and the blog of Garrett Gomez

For the past year, racing fans all over the blogosphere have been making noise about the industry needing to connect with the fans. Well, it seems as though change is happening. I logged into my Triple Dead Heat account on Twitter the other day and discovered that none other than Joe Talamo has added me as a friend! Now if that's not at attempt to connect with racing fans, I don't know what is. On Talamo's Twitter page you can find all sorts of neat insights and I hope he keeps running with it. Check out a sample below.


If you're looking for a more personal account of one of the true stars of racing, then why not check out the Garrett Gomez blog. How relevant is this blog? It's so relevant, it's where Gomez made his announcement to the racing world that he would be choosing (correctly) Pioneerof The Nile in the Derby rather than Dunkirk.

As well, we've seen the TV show Jockeys welcomed back for a second season which surely means someone must be watching. I think it's a classy touch that Jockeys has a prominent spot on their website to promote sponsoring a thoroughbred.

I can personally attest that the return of Chantal Sutherland to Woodbine has provided a certain spark to this meet. Sutherland has become a bona fide star courtesy of Jockeys and you could really feel the excitement on opening day at Woodbine.

Top notch stallion farm Three Chimneys has put their best foot forward by launching Club Three Chimneys to provide fans with email updates, free merchandise and farm tours.

The Daily Racing Form is stepping up by providing us with Derby Contender Workouts!

There are some excellent user groups on Facebook such as Down The Stretch and the brilliant Thoroughbred Racing in In New York which features photos and member write-ups courtesy of Ernie Munick.
Facebook also provides a home to Derby contender Quality Road.

All in all, between Tweeting, Facebook and live streaming video of races it's a pretty good time to be a racing fan. If you're willing to make the effort, there is a lot of information right at your fingertips. Those of you watching from home should really make the effort to get out to your local track!

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The Woodbine Watch List had its first competitor this past week when Dick Whittington doubled up in class and finished out of the money. Slade Callaghan kept the cat up close to the top of the stretch before fading badly to finish sixth. A classic case of a reach in terms of class.

Caledon Cat will be next up on the Wooodbine Watch List racing 7F on April 24th in Race 8 . This one stays at the $10K claiming level and should fair much better. The WWL note states:
"Race 10, 5F - Caledon Cat languished lazily early on contentedly tenth at the top of the stretch before pouncing at the wire to finish third behind Wild Diamond and Trevon’s Glory. An extra furlong could see this cat nip a win next time out."
Here is the official entry.

One horse I've really been waiting for is Queen ofthe Castle who absolutely bombed down a slow rail in her last outing. According to the WWL note:
"Race 5, 5F - Tenth of ten in the early running, this first time starter figured things out too late but made a great run deep in the stretch railing home to be fourth."
Queen ofthe Castle returns on April 24th going 5 1/2F. Tough competition in this $69K MSW, but she should be there in the late going. Here is the official entry. *Note the first time lasix.

This week's toughest trip belongs to Up Up. Oh, what could have been. At 100-1, Up Up broke in air forcing jockey Krista Carignan to sit 12th of 14 runners in a seven furlong affair. Still tenth at the top of the stretch, Carignan rallied the Jim Day horse through traffic to sixth in a tight finish with three necks and a couple spare lengths in front of her. At 100-1, I’ll take a little show action next time out.


April 21 - Woodbine Watch List

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There were not as many Outrageous Odds to report this week, though April 18th's fifth race provided a particularly juicy $165,856.25 Superfecta available for a buck when 5-1 shot Bear's Practitioner beat 60-1 shot Dr. Funkenstein to the wire in the fifth race on April 18th. Chantal Sutherland got 30-1 bomb Quiet Approval up for third with Patrick Husbands hustling Gallant (6-1) to the wire fourth. It should be noted there was only $45,079 in the pool. Still, that's one heckuva payout!


April 21 - Outrageous Odds

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One final note, April 19th's 1st race featured a horse with a name officially approved by Triple Dead Heat. The horse in question is Lost In The Blog. Ridden by Matt Moore, Lost In The Blog finished last at 5-1. Nowhere to go but up!