Wood Memorial Day

- A great day of racing has been carded for Aqueduct on Saturday. Featured of course is the $750,000 G1 Wood Memorial. Nobizlikeshobiz takes on Any Given Saturday (not Circular Quay), Summer Doldrums and Cowtown Cat. All-world jock Fernando Jara gets the mount on Cowtown Cat.

Corinthian comes back to New York to run in the $200,000 G3 Excelsior Breeders Cup Handicap. I'm looking forward to seeing Corinthian in person for the first time and I hope he and Magna Graduate fight it out for and exciting stretch run.

A big day for us as the Bugboys' favorite stallion, Malibu Moon, has two entries on the card. Ah Day runs in the $300,000 G1 Carter Handicap at against tough competitors Keyed Entry, Diabolical, Silver Wagon and Latent Heat. And Malibu Moonshine competes in the ungraded $75,000 Pleasant Colony Stakes.

In the $150,000 G3 Bay Shore Stakes, Les Grands Trois tries to stay undefeated against Wollaston Bay and Bill Place.

All of this excitement and Belmont isn't even open yet. Last year on Wood day you could see me from behind along the rail on the ABC coverage. I also was peripherally in a picture of Bob and John being led to the winners circle that was published in the Bloodhorse. This year I just hope to cash a ticket.

- The State of New Jersey will be hiring a consultant to analyze the effect on Atlantic City if they allow Video Lottery Terminals at the Meadowlands Racetrack. The State has previously not seriously considered permitting gambling elsewhere in the state because it may take revenue away from A.C. The problem in northeast New Jersey is that Yonkers Raceway in New York opened a VLT parlor last year and it has been pumping big dollars into purses at the harness track. All of the best horses and trainers are moving to Yonkers for the big purses, to the detriment of the Meadowlands. The State of New Jersey has to move quick to increase their purses too, or harness racing will be decamated like thoroughbred racing previously was. I wonder how many slots facilities can be sustained in the area. They are opening up all over Pennsylvania, the on-again-off-again Aqueduct project seems to be on again, and the bidders for New York racing are discussing VLTs at Belmont.