26/ 05/ 00 -- Vancouver:
 
While Monarchos was able to run a decisive race in the Kentucky Derby, he came up short to Point Given in the Preakness.  This was not surprising, given the distance of the Preakness and the running surface he had to contend with at Pimlico.  Pimlico also has tighter turns than Churchill Downs, which can throw horses off.  Point Given did run his race, and no one can take his victory away from him.  A.P. Valentine also produced a big run that few expected, and I had cautioned several of my track buddies to keep him in the mix.  They didn't.  So, while they had Point Given and Congaree on their trifecta ticket, they came up short at the finish.

Now it's on to the Belmont Stakes and we may see yet another outcome.  The distance is longer, the track surface is more reliable, and stalkers will have a better shot in the stretch run. Look for Monarchos to run a stronger race this time.  We may also have a shot at some long odds, so keep your eyes fixed on the DRF and try to find horses that are being overlooked, and that like the Belmont surface.

In other racing news Hialeah Park has just concluded a successful meet, which could be its last, because of deregulation of Florida's racing dates.  Calder Racecourse and Gulfstream Park could cut Hialeah out of the picture entirely.  Hialeah cannot compete with the purse levels of the other two tracks.  Hialeah did close the year on a high note with a 13% increase in live handle.  The loss of Hialeah would be a disaster, because it is at the very heart of American horse racing.  There has been so much racing history made at Hialeah, and quite frankly, it is one of the most even tracks to handicap.  Hialeah owner John Brunetti intends to continue the fight to save his racetrack, and I, for one, hope he succeeds.

Meanwhile, back at Hastings Park, congratulations go out to jockey Chris Loseth who has just been awarded the Avelino Gomez Award. This putsLoseth right up there with other Canadian jockeys like Ron Turcotte, Sandy Hawley, and John Longden, all of whom were also award recipients.

Finally, for you web cruisers, check out Charles Town Races at www.ntra.com.  Charles Town is in West Virginia, and is a bullring like HastingsPark.  Their site has some neat slot and horse racing games on it.

Until my next column, all the best of racing luck to you.