Chris of Female on the Horse & Carol Cedeno at Monmouth Park (Chris Forbes)

As someone who watches their traffic regularly, I had been noticing that jock apprentice Carol Cedeno has been the most frequent search term used to arrive at GbG by way of Google.

How frequent? In the past month I’ve had 34 visits that resulted from searches for the young Miss Cedeno with the next most regular search term, Chantal Sutherland, totaling 5 visits (Saratoga Russell also clocks in with 5). And it’s not like it’s her mother searching over and over again, they’re from all over the place.

Those yearning for more info the popular apprentice lucked out this week when Bloodhorse published an article on her.

Speaking of female jockeys, while trying to scare up a picture for this post I stumbled across the Female on the Horse site. The author of the site (pictured above) works track security and has been compiling a giant archive of interviews of female jockeys!

Also check out his rather impressive photo galleries where his M.O, as demonstrated above, is to get them to pose with him giving the thumbs up.

It sort of reminds me Star Struck by Gary Boas, an astonishing archive of photos of the author with celebrities… also worth checking out as an interesting artifact of fandom & period piece (the photos were taken from the mid-sixties to 1980).

I was just reading today’s Crist Blog post via RSS. I didn’t make it any further than the Landaluce part as I immediately went over to You Tube to see if there were any race replays (not realizing that the lone race replay was in his post).

I only knew of Landaluce because of the Landaluce Stakes so finding out her story was incredible! The subject came up as it was the 25th anniversary of her passing yesterday, the 28th. What a talent. Definitely go check it out if don’t know the story, and if you do, here is the lone race replay currently on You Tube.

While I was at You Tube I noticed a video entitled Hollywood Park Earthquake. It didn’t look to me like the winning horse’s name was Earthquake so I wondered if it really could a race run during an earthquake. When I was visiting Cali in the spring and went to Hollywood Park I wondered what happened if an earthquake occurred during a race…

The call is hilarious. It looks like it really doesn’t matter too much to the horses as long as the earth isn’t opening up on the track. I have to also commend them on steady camera work!

Rafael Bejarano & Precious Kitten winning the Matriarch at Hollywood Park (Charles Pravata)

I was channeling The Church Lady when I typed that headline.

You all read other TBA blogs, right? Download free past performances from the TBA homepage? Yes, I thought so.

Well in that case, you should click on over the TBA homepage and take our series of quick, painless surveys that will help us to help you (well, really help you help horses by getting us more ad money that we can then donate to Old Friends).

Daaher & Midnight Lute in the Cigar Mile (Sarah K. Andrew)

A few days after the Cigar Mile I remembered seeing the headline “Midnite Lute scares away most Cigar Mile Nominees” prior to the race.

It’s too bad they didn’t show up, there were 2 1/2 lengths in between Daaher and Midnight Lute that any number of horses could have fit in. I’d like to think that if I were an owner (something I’d really like to be someday), that I wouldn’t shy away from competition… look at well at worked out for Daaher’s connections.

Channing Hill at Belmont. (Sarah K. Andrew)

The young Mr. Channing Hill had 3 wins, 2 places and 1 show on the Aqueduct card today.

Two of his 3 winners payed $19.40 each! He’s gotten quite a rep for his consistent ability to bring home longer shot horses.

I only saw one of his rides today, the 5th aboard Striking Rizzi. He urged a very game Striking Rizzi to split rivals just in time to get up for the win… very impressive.

Sea Chanter and Mike Smith winning the Miesque Stakes. (Charles Pravata)

Just wanted share this fantastic shot of Sea Chanter, another promising youngster, winning the Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Shutting down the city’s more than 60 OTB offices appeals to Mr. Bloomberg on both financial and moral grounds. Put simply, he believes that the city should not be asked to sustain a system that encourages people to squander the rent money or, worse, their lives.

– NY Times Editorial

I won’t argue that there are issues, however, there’s no need to be so damn judgmental about it, particularly when:

A) the old Grey Lady has become a star struck joke too afraid to really report on what goes on in this country and

B) Mr. Bloomberg’s beloved stock market encourages charlatans to squander people’s rent money, or worse, their lives.

And let’s not forget our highly respected predatory lenders!

Mushka and Johnny V make it look easy in the Demoiselle. (Sarah K. Andrew)

Buried in the DRF article about Court Vision:

Thirty minutes before Court Vision’s victory, Mott saddled Mushka to a last-to-first victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Demoiselle for juvenile fillies. Under John Velazquez, Mushka won by 4 1/2 lengths over Elusive Lady, the 5-2 favorite.

It was 3 1/4 lengths back to Melissa Jo in third.

Mushka, a $1.6 million daughter of Empire Maker owned by Ahmed Zayat, lingered at the back of the pack while Be Fruitful set fractions of 23.35 seconds, 47.91, and 1:13.23. Mushka launched her bid entering the far turn, and despite having to swing five wide at the quarter pole, she swept past the field straightening for home. Mushka covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.61 and returned $10.40.

Jockey John Velazquez told Mott that he was riding the filly early on, but she “was just going to do what she wanted,” Mott said. “He was riding and all of a sudden she took off on her own.”

She got her own headline at NTRA…

Court Vision & Eibar Coa win the Rodeo Remsen. (Sarah K. Andrew)

It was great to be back at “the office”, where Swifty and I spend the Aqueduct winter meet. I handicapped the 4th – 9th races + the De Francis Dash while Swifty had done races 8, 9 & 11 at Churchill + the Cigar Mile.

I was taken out of the Pick 6 immediately by Regal Prince, a first time starter in a state bred MSW. However my best play of the day followed shortly after with the trifecta of Now a Victor, Shopton Lane & Dr. V’s Magic in the G3 Discovery.

I wasn’t sold on Helsinki or Buffalo Man and could make a case for each of my trifecta picks. I really liked Shopton Lane as a front runner with some endurance works poised to make a jump up. Now a Victor was a deserving favorite and Dr. V’s Magic had a nice last race at the distance and two really nice last works. In addition to my tri-box I had Shopton Lane to win, and he almost did. I also have give props to Maggi Moss and her team as this time last year Shopton Lane was running as a claimer. They’ve done a great job bringing out his talent, prior to this race was 4 for 4 on the year and this was his stakes debut. I’m looking forward to seeing more of him.

The most impressive runs of the day belonged to the youngins in the Demoiselle and the Remsen.

Empire Maker filly Mushka was incredibly impressive in the Demoiselle, she broke so slow that I thought she got pulled up. She sat really far back as if she wasn’t even gonna try and then came on with a giant run going about 4-5 wide around the field to blow by everyone and win by 4 1/2 lengths. Like all great horses, she made it look so easy and she definitely didn’t look like she was only running in her 3rd start. I didn’t have her in any of my combos but I did like her, specifically that she was the only one that had shown that she could sit off the pace and win, albeit not the 10 or lengths she sat today! Elusive Lady has to also get a nod here as she ran wide on both turns up close to the pace and held on well to place.

The Remsen was a like bumper car ride! Tide Dancer led about half of the way while heavily favored Court Vision was bottled up on the rail surrounded by Springs Road & Big Truck. Attoned was racing close but clipped heals on the first turn and fell back a bit while Trust N Dustan was pulling a Muska sitting way way back. Attoned got his run going and took over the lead going into the stretch just as Trust N Dustan came on wide, again almost replicating Muska’s run. Court Vision was squeezed while Trust N Dustan was banging into him going into the stretch. At this point Attoned was pulling away but Court Vision broke free and poured it on to catch him at the wire. What a tough bunch! I’m looking forward to seeing all them again!

I suppose Daaher was no surprise given that he went off at 2-1, and he looked great too. I felt bad for Midnight Lute struggling in the stretch. Speaking of BC sprinters, Benny the Bull finally had his day in the De Francis Dash. I had him over Miraculous Miss and Miraculous Miss to win but that pesky Talent Search put in a nice run and held on to place! I thought all three of them ran well and was kicking myself a bit for not playing that as a tri box.

I also ended up hitting the low paying late Pick 3 with the win of Premier Perfection in the 9th. While not a great day at the windows it was a great day to catch a glimpse of the excitement and talent coming our way.