I dunno, no amount of sportswashing is going to change the spots on that leopard:
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/intimidating-dubai-ruler-tried-buy-30-mln-pound-estate-next-ex-wife-2021-10-06/
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Lol, years ago my brother was DETERMINED that Bellamy Road had it and wanted to bet money with me. BR was 5-2 so I agreed to $2 and picked a horse. Just as horses went by in the parade, I was THIS close to changing mine to another but didn’t. The one that tempted me was Giacomo who won at 50-1 
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I don’t think anyone here is trying to sportswash the owner as much as try to enjoy the horse and the race and acknowledge the complexities of how the stable generally has a good reputation for treating its staff well and ensuring horses are cared for every step of the way even though the human who owns the stable, yes, is not even in the same zip code as a good human being.
EDIT: That’s not to say “gloss over the issues” or “don’t hold those who are the actual problem accountable” but…what do you want a bunch of nobodies on a horse forum to actually do? Even those who are involved in racing, I doubt they’re on a high enough level to actually fix the issues plaguing the sport. Much like how those involved in sport horses who hang out here aren’t necessarily poised such that they can move the needle in their disciplines with regards to those issues.
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I have not read this whole thread, but I just saw this article, and it seemed like this would be the appropriate place to post it.
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Here is the official chart:
https://www.equibase.com/premium/chartEmb.cfm?track=CD&raceDate=05/03/2025&cy=USA&rn=12
I counted eleven references to “bumping” in the footnotes. Well, 20 horse field. Glad everyone returned safely.
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The only thing I hate about the derby is the size of the field. It is the only race with up to 20 starters in the entire country. They increased the size years ago. They have larger fields in the UK but their tracks do not run in flat ovals.I will always watch the triple crown and Breeder’s Cup, but I don’t follow racing like I did 20 years ago.
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That 20 horse break at the starting gate is what IMO makes this such a difficult race to call because there is so much luck involved with a clean break in that large a field.
I think other races can be a better test of caliber when you don’t have to worry so much about starting in a field quite that large, at least the way we do flat racing.
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Desert Flower just won the 1000 Guineas, giving Godolphin a sweep of this weekend’s 3yo Classics.
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Wow.
He looks very relaxed.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1082542317234573&id=100064364456945
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He looks like his dad.
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A very handsome and cool dude.
Thought the track announcer did a top notch job of calling 20 mud plastered mostly bay horses with 20 mostly mud plastered silks correctly…never was cap color so important.
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It was funny how there was one jockey in white who stayed very clean throughout the race. I think he finished around fifth. So he must have been in front most of the way, and then managed to not get dirty in the last furlong or so when the others passed him.
When he went to hug the winning jockey, I was thinking he was going to get much dirtier from that action than he had from the whole race. Lol.
I think it was Justify who won one of his big races by staying in front the whole time. I remember there were head on pictures at the end of the race that showed the horse and his jockey completely immaculate and all the horses behind them covered in mud.
It could have been a great ad for either a laundry detergent or a horse shampoo. Or both.
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That’s an amusing read 
(Wouldn’t be if anyone/horse was badly hurt of course) My favorite is my sentimental pick Coal Battle:
COAL BATTLE required a shoe repair in the paddock, was bumped by an inner rival at the start, recovered to pursue from midpack four to three wide around the first turn, chased while getting outmoved by outer foes around the far turn, but steadied when put in tight quarters between horses in the five path at the five sixteenths pole, moved to the seven path spinning into the lane and lacked a bid.
Yeah, no kidding he lacked a bid after all that! 
I do think the distance is too much for him regardless, but that amused me.
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I think Citizen Bull wants shorter distances.
I’m glad Neoequos (tough horse - he was really trying hard down the stretch) went with him and forced an honest pace.
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Wow. Nine seconds sounds like a long gap between first and last.
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my guy did it!! yay!
I thought the start this year was a mess. Citizen Bull just about hacksawed post position 2 through 5. I can’t believe no one clipped heels but it seemed to be intentional. Martin Garcia kept him well off the rail after that.
Baeza is very talented, just needed a cleaner trip.
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