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)

Today it will be mostly on topic, as today’s list is a list of lists (what better list could there be) formalizing our recently formed Horses to Watch list.  As the season progress, the add and drops will continue to be provided once a week.  So on we go with:

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

• Listed – Court Vision, Into Mischief
• Knocking on the door – War Pass (won’t win Derby, but as 2yo champ he will be in our thoughts), El Gato Malo (want to see him longer), Cowboy Cal (needs to show dirt form), Giant Moon (needs to race open competition).
• Out – Everyone but War Pass that ran in the BC Juvenile.

Older Horses (4yo+)

• Listed – Curlin, Chatain
• Knocking on the door – Johnny Eves (new G-I winner, strong follow up)

F&M (3yo+)  

• Listed – Wait a While, Indian Blessing, Ginger Punch
• Knocking on the door – Nashoba’s Key (yeah, she’s a turf runner, but we’ll put her in anyway) 

Turf Male

• Listed – Champs Elysses

Sprint

• Listed – Midnight Lute, In Summation
• Knocking on the door - Benny the Bull

This weekend’s Sunshine Millions will do a lot to further shape our lists, so check back next Friday.

Closing out our On Topic comments, we cannot forget the critically acclaimed G-t-W Shot of the Week, riding back-to-back week successes.  Following the previously stated selection rules, therefore removing Ginger Punch and Nashoba’s Key in the US and Sacred Kingdom in HK from consideration, leaves a bunch of not-so-clear-cut choices.  But we will roll the dice and go with Dearest Tricksi to continue her recent streak of success in the Sunshine Millions F&M Sprint

But to stay slightly Off Topic, I need to mention how today’s Boston Herald banner headline reads: Pats fans are smarter, classier, healthier than those in NY.  I wonder if they were thinking of these classy Rhodes scholars when the article was drafterd.

Finally, we close out Friday with our favorite section, the Denise Milani Pic of the Week.  And since we skipped it last week, here is a two-pack for your viewing pleasure.  Although a four-pack is more representative…

(images courtesy of denisemilani.com)

Have a good weekend and enjoy the races.

Sorry for the delay, but I was traveling for work yesterday so all secondary activity had to wait.  But I did put together a quick Top 5 as I waited for my delayed flight out of Dayton…

Johan Santana – The latest rumors have the Twins ready to accept the Mets offer as long as they include their top prospect, Fernando Martinez, in addition to their current package.  I must admit at first I had a bit of a problem with the Mets basically trading their entire minor league system away for one player.  But the more I think about it, the more I am certain they have to pull the trigger.   Getting a bona fide #1 starter is hard enough.  But getting the #1 starter in the game is once in a franchise.  Yes this will handcuff any future trades, but it will also make the Mets the team to beat in the NL right now.  World Series now and BLEEPing later vs. consistent, yet never, all the way results?  Pull the trigger…

NFL Playoffs – If it was not for two measly play allowed by the awful Titans, we would have ended 3-1 last week.  But we’ll settle for 2-2 and say that our picks of the Giants, Pats, Packers and Colts will lead us to a sure 4-0.

Shot of the Week – As has been the case recently, not only did our shot not win, but he (Thorn Song) took the lead and was ahead heading for home.  Which meant nothing as he faded out during the stretch drive.  That’s okay, we’re used to it.  So to rebound, we are making Wait a While in the San Gorgonio the Shot of the Week.  And as a bonus pick, take El Gato Malo in the San Rafael.

Movies – Saw Shoot ‘Em Up last night and have to say that if you are in the mood for a (unofficial) satire of extreme violence, guns blazing, kill everyone movie in the style of vintage 80’s showings ala Cobra, put it on your Netflix queue.  I went in with low expectations and definetely enjoyed it.

Roger Clemens – Everyone is caught up reporting on Roger, did he do it or not, where’s the third ear and so forth, I’d rather bring up a different Clemens topic in relation to my Mets. No, not the infamous coming-out-of-game-6-in-86-moment, but the classic Mike Piazza / shattered bat sequence.  I do not know what was worse… Clemens lame excuse of thinking he thought it was the ball, which meant his first instinct was to throw the ball away and not to first, or that Piazza didn’t cram that bat handle up his BLEEP.

And last, but definetely not least, here is the Denise Milani pic of the week.. enjoy

Now to wrap up the weekend before the first gate opens, a quick yet meaningful Top 5:

NFL Playoffs – Giants, Redskins, Jaguars and Titans.  Long live the underdogs.

Mass Effect – My wife came through and ME was waiting under the tree on the 25th, and I can’t recommend it enough.  Keep your overhyped PS’s and childlish Wii’s.  For quality over quantity, give me Xbox any day.

January 7th Bowl – I can’t believe a two-loss team coached by Les Miles is on the cusp on winning the 1/7/08 Bowl (I refuse to acknowledge the BCS system as any short of championship system).

Sudden Death – I believe I’m not the only one who is convinced we will see a nationally televised heart attack sometime in the near future during a Kansas football game.

Shot of the Week – After our pathetich attempts at multiple predictions backfired, we are starting the year of small and focusing only on one Shot of the Week.  The only subjective rule is that it cannot be an overwhelming favorite or champion, unless he/she is going against at least one more horse of similar stature.  For example, we are not allowed to pick Defensora in PR’s Clasico de Hostos nor Wait a While in the San Gorgonio (watch them both lose now).  So having set the stage for our failure, G-t-W selects Thorn Song in today’s Canadian Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Never worse than second since moving to the turf, except to see the gray in front once more at the end.

Finally, G-t-W will today debut Off Topic Friday’s new weekly article, the Denise Milani pic of the week.  Why? Again we ask, why not?

For the final Friday column of the year, we’re dishing out on various topics near and dear to us, even including the rare “on topic” item.  So since we are looking forward to starting our weekend early, no more chatting and on with the the Top 5:

NY Giants – To say they BLEEPed last week would be an insult to every other team that BLEEPed last week.  That’s how bad they were. Yet somehow they still control their own destiny, including the eventual one-and-done playoff future.  This week they travel to Buffalo without Jeremy Shockey and an overachieving Buffalo team still in the playoff hunt.  Now they’ve managed to come through each time they’ve been embarrased, so this is the week in which I should decide if I should start wearing a paper bag over my head or not.

Fantasy Football – My league’s championship game is this week, and I am in prime position to defend my title.  So if you have to cheer for someone outside of your own team, channel your positive energy towards, Philip Rivers, Ernest Graham, Jamal Lewis, Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, Jason Witten, Mason Crosby and the Minnesota Vikings defensive and special teams units.

Parking at the Mall – Like most of you reading this (all two of you), I’ve been hitting the mall and stores recently for last minute Christmas shopping.  Yesterday, I overheard someone saying how they circled the parking lot for 20 minutes looking for a good spot.  To him and everyone else I saw doing this I pass along this small bit of common sense… You can walk close to a MILE in 20 minutes.  If you just take the ‘far’ spot and walk your lazy BLEEP to the store, you’ll save most of the time you will spend in the car looking around... and get some rare exercise for no additional charge

Perth Cup – I don’t know why I found this so interesting that I felt I had to break with the “off “ topic tradition of this column, but I’ll post it anyway.  No horse has won the grueling two mile race while carrying over 54.5 kg.  So on that note, say ‘you have no chance’ to highweights Rosskaen, Sentire, Daka's Gem and Pantani.  But even more interesting (to me at least) is that only 1 Perth Cup race winner has even gone on to win another race in the last 10 years.  So keep that bit of handicapping knowledge in your pocket, as odds are those celebrating on New Year’s Day will not be doing so ever again.

Denise Milani – To close out the last Top 5 of the year, G-t-W brings you another image of Denise Milani.  Why? … Well, why not?

And so with that our year (sans some recaps this weekend) comes to a close.  G-t-W wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your loved ones.  See you back at the track in ’08.

(edited 3:05 p.m.)

Okay, one more ‘final’ topic and that’ll be it… I was checking out a rival website to Foxsports (sorry) and read a thought provoking article on how Tony Romo ‘dropped the ball’ by ‘downgrading’ to Jessica Simpson from Carrie Underwood.  The basis for the argument was that Underwood is a talented artist and true A-list celebrity, while Simpson is an overrated, brainless, no talent D-lister. So I feel I must stick up for my (indirect) fantasy team meal ticket (one more big game from Owens and Witten is all I ask for) and say to the author… Your points are relevant how? I don’t think anyone would debate what you said, Romo included.  But I dare you look below, glare at the reason for the ‘downgrade’ and tell me that you or anyone else would have done differently?

Downgrade, I think not.

Paper or plastic, Conservative or Liberal, DH or no DH…. Some issues have plagued and divided mankind for generations, splitting friends and family along bitter party lines.  And now we will put forth for debate another hotly contested topic… Blonde or Brunette?  So today the champions from each camp as ranked in the G-t-W World Rankings face off against each other …In the dark-haired corner we have Miss Bikini World 2007 Denise Milani…. 

Doing battle with her in the fair-haired corner is Ultimate Hollywood Blonde Pamela Anderson…

So for this week’s Top 5, we showcase five comparative images from each contestant, which hopefully will help in settling this difficult dilema. And with that, on with the list… and remember to get out and vote.

Exhibit 1

Exhibit 2

Exhibit 3

Exhibit 4

Exhibit 5

Now if you have read this blog before, you know who our favorite is... but voice your support nonethless... 

As noted above, this version of the midweek column has been temporarily re-titled as we present the second phase of our continued public service announcement, which began last week after the sobering (no pun intended) release of Tony Larussa’s DUI arrest and subsquent butchering of the alphabet  during his field sobriety test. We will also throw out three quick hitters on recent happenings around the world of sports…

So now, we give you verse # 2.  Enjoy responsibly…

H as in Hayek, Salma

I as in Ireland, Kathy

J as in Johanssen, Scarlett

K as in Kardashian, Kim

L as in Longoria, Eva

M as in Milani, Denise

N as in Nolin, Geena Lee

O as Ostrosky, Beth

P as in Price, Katie

Now if you can take 5 minutes and temporarily put those cliff notes aside, here are some parting thoughts…

• Bobby Petrino – Resigns from Falcons after a baker’s dozen to take job at Arkansas. Hey Razorbacks, I hope you did not discard the template you used to create the want ad that he responded too.  When the guy you hired is now in his 14th job in 15 years, you likely will be needing it soon.  For starters, I’d prime it again right after McFadden declares for the draft.  Maybe you can get Nick Saban after.  Even if he said he was committed to the Tige… I mean Dolphi… no, the ‘Tide.
• Les Miles – States for the 314th without being asked that he is not a candidate for the Michigan job and that he will coach LSU next year.  So the way thing are, he is a former Michican student, football player and assistant coach, and he met his wife there… And he is one of the most overrated coaches in the NCAA, now being linked to one of the glamour positions available… Me thinks he doth protests to much… On the other hand, I guess the BCS Championship is next year so maybe he is on the level
• Paul LoDuca – Forever renamed to LaVoca (the mouth) at G-t-W, signs free agent deal with Washington Nationals, cites as one of the reasons 'getting to play the Mets 18 times'.  So LaVoca, if I read between the lines correctly, you’re still sore the Mets chose not to re-sign  a soon-to-be 36 year old catcher coming off his lowest BA and OBP in any season he’s played over a 100 games, not to mention his lowest slugging percentage in 4 years and fewest games played in 7… right?  Sure, I see your beef.  Just checking.

Hello again, and welcome to our weekly reprise from the serious and mundane by combating it with the humorous and immature.  First, warm up with the humorous with what I would say constitutes a line of trust that I am not willing to cross…

… then followed up with this refresher course on proper horse / equestrian terminology.  For example: " Feed - Expensive substance utilized in the manufacture of large quantities of manure." I must admit I had quite a few of these misunderstood.  All above are posted in / courtesy of Matt’s Mindless Musings…

Moving on to the immature and sophomoric… Thanks to the BLEEP writer’s strike, my favorite show, 24, is on hiatus…

So I am trying to hold off on joining Grandpa Simpson’s strikebreakers and rather catch up on some important facts about Jack Bauer that I bet you did not know.  For example, “There are three leading causes of death among terrorists. The first two are Jack Bauer, and the third one is heart attack from hearing Jack Bauer is coming for them.” 

Closing out the day’s ramblings is the critical “… and more” section promised in the post’s title, which this week can also be filed under the immature section.  And today we highlight horse racing in the Czech Republic.  Why and why is that immature? Read further… The three major races in the Czech Republic are the Ceske Derby, Ceske St. Leger and the Jarni Cena (2000 Guineas), which this year were won respectedly by Irish-bred Medeo, Polish-bred Savignon and German-bred Hanover Lady.  Last year’s Horse of the Year was steeplechaser Kolorado, the top 3yo colt and miler was De Roberto, the top older horse and sprinter was Scyris, and the best local bred horse was their 3yo filliy champion Vltava.  And why is that immature or even relevant? Because it allows G-t-W to say… “and speaking of the Czech Republic, here is another picture of Czech-born Denise Milani (most lately featured in Off Topic Friday).”  

Anyway, thanks for tuning in and check back later from more actual “on topic” posts…

Being in such a good mood due to the ongoing four-day, holiday weekend, this week’s Top 5 list will be a light-hearted one.  So we will stea… leverage from our favorite FoxSports blog, $8 Beers where they are running the critically acclaimed Hot 16 tourney, and put together the perfect female body, using a field of celebrities as inspiration.  As for what is meant by ‘celebrity’, we will expand Webster’s definition a bit so as to include not only the garden variety Hollywood type, but also anyone heavily downloaded by our demographic, the all important superficial males age 19-to-35 category. So with that agreed to, on with the List from a toes-to-head angle:

Legs – Stacey Kiebler

A no-brainer, as the mere sight of them makes the average male be willing to get in the ring and risk spinal injury and brain concussions on the off-chance of being smothered to death by the crushing application of leg scissors to the head.

Posterior – Kim Kardashian

Another no-brainer.  If Helen of Troy was “the face that launched a thousand ships”, Kim’s caboose is one that would accomplish the same feat.  Not to mention that it would have made for a far roomier Trojan Horse.

Stomach – Kate Hudson