More great horse racing coverage from the NY Times

[Calzone Lord]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/sp...pagewanted=all


An entire article about the color of Hansen's skin.

It's well written ...but so was Mein Kampf.

What good is writing any piece of work when the concept of the piece is so brutally stupid?

Occasionally I've had an editor call me or E-mail me and pitch me a column idea that I thought was terrible. If it's a halfway decent human interest story I'd insist someone in general Sports do it. If it's a real dopey pitch - I'll say something like "that's honestly a horrible idea" and try and sell him on a worthwhile subject.

I've never been pitched on any topic worse than the color of a horses skin. I can only imagine the brutality I would do if I ever attempted to write about a subject that freaking stupid. I really do admire the skill of that writer.

Meanwhile... in news slightly less interesting than the skin color of a horse... The last five Derby preps have been very mediocre.

100-to-1 shot won the LA Derby in a race that could've been timed with a sundial. Union Rags and El Padrino didn't get a setup -- but neither could catch a snail 2nd place finisher. Illi Derby was an eyesore.

Blueskiesnrainbows (off a 12 length drubbing by Fed Biz last time out) almost lasted in the SA Derby. The hapless Teeth of the Dog was a respectable 3rd in the Wood.

All five races failed to produce a figure near as fast as the Sunland Park Derby.

Someone should inform them that I'll Have Another's pony for the Santa Anita Derby was Lava Man...or they might do the next piece on barn goats or something. Maybe send them a picture of Shackleford's bloody mouth and they could do a big feature on horses who bite a tounge and run anyway.