Welcome back and glad to see you’ve almost made it through another week.  As we mentioned last week, the first half of this column will continue to focus on our recently formed Horses to Watch lists.  We have some up and some down, and some staying put.  Updates will be bolded, so let’s get on with the show:

Kentucky Derby Trail  (not be confused with top 3yo)

• Listed – Court Vision, Into Mischief
• Knocking on the door – War Pass, El Gato Malo, Cowboy Cal, Giant Moon, Z Fortune 
• Out – Everyone but War Pass (for now) that ran in the BC Juvenile

Older Horses (4yo+)

• Listed – Curlin, Chatain
• Knocking on the door – Johnny Eves, Go Between (needs to prove his SM Classic was no fluke, but he did set a new track record.)

F&M (3yo+)

• Listed – Ginger Punch, Wait a While, Indian Blessing
• Knocking on the door - Zenyatta (undefeated, beat two G-1 winners last out in first graded stakes try)
• Out – Nashoba’s Key (Lost two in a row, needs to get back on track)

• Listed – Champs Elysses, Daytona (forgot him last week, has won three stakes in a row, two GR-II and one Gr-I)

• Listed – Midnight Lute, In Summation, Benny the Bull (showing top form in winning back to back stakes), Dearest Tricksi (has now won 8 of 9, and set the track on first in the F&M Sprint)

Look for the results of this week’s bevy of Derby Prep races and major Handicap Division stakes to shake up the list next week

G-t-W Shot of the Week – After hitting the mark three weeks in a row (with four picks nonetheless), we at G-t-W are feeling confident in our handicapping abilitiesagain .  This week, we will change things up a bit and focus our attention overseas.  Specifically Australia, where we will pick the mare Gold Edition to come home ahead of the males in the Gr-I Lightning Stakes

But to stay true to the column title, let’s get Off Topic and take a few minutes to read this story: Senator Arlen Specter, the ranking Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will eventually call NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in front of the committee to address the destruction of evidence related to spying by the New England Patriots.  Now as you know, I don’t care about the Pats one bit, but if there currently is a bigger waste of tax payers money than having Senators looking into this, I can’t think of it.  Hey Specter, if you want to get on the new, just proposition an undercover policeman in an airport bathroom and call it a day

Now continuing off topic:

Super Bowl – NYG 27, NE 24… Believe it! The Giants have been the NFL’s best team in January and that is who wins the Super Bowl

Super Bowl, part 2 - NE backup QB Matt Cassell played in the Little League World Series final, won two BCS titles at USC while backing up Matt Leinart and doing nothing, now he's part of the undefeated and heavy Super Bowl favorites while backing up Tom Brady... and doing.  I think Matt is a guy we want to bring to the track for luck, as long as he just sits there and does nothing.

Santana / Mets – Less than eight hours to go until the signing deadline.  If the deal does not get done, no need to plan a demolition of Shea Stadium prior to opening Citi Field.  The current crop of Mets fans will have that finished by tomorrow afternoon

Finally, as always, the Denise Milani Pic of the Week.  No need to say anything else.

(image courtesy of denisemilani.com)