Even though coming off a win against the NL Central leading St. Louis Cardinals, the Mets June swoon continues, as they have lost all 5 of six series this month while compinling a 7-12 record. 

Fortunately, the one team that has actually played worse are the East leading Phillies, who are in the midst of a 6-game losing streak, and 2-8 stretch.  So after all that, the Mets have... unbelievably... cut the Phils lead to 1.5 games!

Of course, the voodoo doll will have none of that, sending Carlos Beltran to the 15-DL yesterday with a bruised knee.  To make matters worse, word out of NY is that he might be out longer than two weeks and through the All Star Break... This is the same injury that we worried about last May, and a cause for a lot of concern, as the Mets are now fielding mostly a minor league roster.... David Wright should just purposely fall down the stairs and get his injury out of the way early...

So for the time being, the box score will feature prominent appearances by Jeremy Reed, Alex Cora, Fernando Martinez, and Nick Evans, with an out of place Dan Murphy and an aging Gary Sheffield (the team's saving grace though), while Elmer Dessens and Pat Misch wait the call from the bullpen, and Fernando Nieve takes to the mound again... In his defense though, he has been the Mets top pitcher the last two weeks...

So what does this all mean?  No the negativity we seem to be spewing most of the time, but a glass half full attitude.  If the Buffalo Bisons... or the team that is showing up at Citi Field these days... continues to stay in the mix as they have been, voodoo doll be damned, when the DL is finally cleared, this team just might make a serious run... Because no matter what players are out there to be traded, it would be hard to top an influx of Reyes, Delgado, Maine, Putz, Beltran and even Wagner... Sorry Ollie, I know you're coming back to, but you just got lit up at your last minor league assignement, so stay down there...

So say it once, say it twice... You gotta believe!

Had some troubles last week posting, but everything seems to be resolved so ToTT is back in the saddle (sorry, bad pun)... In any case, there were some big races last weekend and a few big more coming up, so let's look back before we look ahead. 

First on Saturday in the closing day of the Royal Ascot meet in England, longshot Art Connoisseur (blue cap/white spots) roared from the back of the back to run by what was one of the most talented group of sprinters ever to face for a massive upset win in the Gr-I Golden Jubilee.

The favorite, South Africa's JJ The Jet Plane took the early lead but faded without a fight, while Hong Kong's Sacred Kingdom and Greece's Ialysios where never in contention.  Australia's Takeover Target was a late scratch with a fever... The win was his fourth in six career starts, but first since taking the Gr-II Coventry at Ascot last year, as he suffered a bone fracture not long afterwards. In his lone prep, he had finished sixth after a 6-1/2 month layoff. Very dissapointing by the big names, as not only did they lose, but showed nothing in the race.

The action Sunday revolved around Canada's Woodbine Park, and North America's longest, continuosly run race, the Queen's Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.  This 150th edition was won by favorite Eye of the Leopard (red,outside) who out fought front running Mr. Foricos Two U down the stretch while holding the late charge of the filly Milwakee Brew...

The win was his third in four career starts.  The second leg of the Triple Crown is the Prince of Wales Stakes on July 12.

Finally, regarding a horse that we talked about last year but have neglected to check back on is Puerto Rico (relative) super filly Defensora, their two-time Horse of the Year, and who on Sunday continued to expand her record for most stakes win by a PR F&M, this being her 11th, by easily taking the Gr-I Confederacion Hipica for her third victory in three starts this year. 

The local record is 17 by Vuelve Candy B... She has now won 20 of 24 career starts, with two seconds and two thirds, and is on pace to go down as the greatest PR filly ever...

Big things are also afoot this coming Saturday, as two of the best runners in the US take to the track.  First, super filly Rachel Alexandra returns to the races for the first time since her thrilling Preakness win to headline the Gr-I Mother Goose Stakes, while undefeated champion Zenyatta will look to defend her title and make it 11 wins in a row in the Gr-I Vanity Handicap.  Both will be deserving heavy favorites as they continue on a collision course for the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic.

So good luck, and see ya at the races.

The big race of day 4, the Gr-I Coronation Stakes for 3yo fillies over a mile, in the books... one that we absent-mindedly did not included in our preview... and Ghanaati, the surprise winner of the Gr-I English 1000 Guineas but favorite of this race, did not dissapoint as when she was asked to run she left behind French 1000 Guineas winner, and second choice, Elusive Wave and Irish 1000 Guineas winner Again in her wake.  These two were dissapointments, as they faded to 4th and 10th. 

The win was her third in four career starts, while setting a track record in the process. 2yo Filly Champ Rainbow View, still trying to regain her old form, rallied to take third.

At the very least, Ghanaati is the second best filly in Europe, behind undefeated Stacelita, and tops in England, and one of the top milers.  Hopefully their paths will cross at some point and the debate settled..

History was made earlier today at Royal Ascot, as the great Yeats won a record fourth consecutive Gold Cup, running early behind front runners before making a move as they approached the home stretch to win going away. 

The win was his 15th in 23 career starts, and 7th Gr-I... If there was any doubt before, there is no longer, as Yeats will go down as one of the greatest stayers of all time... 

And in an age where horses are retired seemingly as soon as they show some promise, it is great for the sport to have a true champion contining to stay on the track.  He hass definetely earned his post-racing career more than most.  And being a son of the late Saddler's Wells, arguably the most influential sire in recent European history, his offspring will be in high demand...

Stay tuned for more details...

Action kicked off today at Ascot with a 10-1 upset, as English filly Spacious, making her '09 debut, came away with a win in the Gr-II Windsor Forest Stakes in a thrilling finish, as she edged stablemante Heaven Sent ... also second last year... by length after a strecth long battle. 

Favorite Lush Lashes was a non-contending fourth, perhaps suffering the effects of giving 5.5 lbs to the rest of the field.... Spacious's previous claims to fame was a Gr-II win at 2 and second in last year's Gr-I English 1000 Guineas.  Perhaps she's matured with age and made the leap to the next level.

(updated 11:15am)

France's Vision D'Etat (left) has just scored the Gr-I Prince of Wales Stakes, his second Gr-I in a row and 8th win in 10 career starts, running at the back of the pack early before closing with a strong rush to just corral the battling Tartan' Bearer (middle) and Never on Sunday, to win by half a length...

And formally stamping himself as the top older horse in Europe, and one of the early favorites for Horse of the Year and the Arc de Triomphe...

Stay tuned for more updates.