Some of racing's biggest names will take to the track this weekend, starting off Saturday in the Gr-III West Virginia Derby, where Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird (below) returns to the track after his third place finish in the Belmont Stakes last month.

MTB will be the first Triple Crown race winner to ever race in West Virginia's Mountaineer Racetrack.  But this will be no means be a cake walk, as he will face off against (disqualified) Gr-II Swale Stakes winner Big Drama, in his first race since finishing 5^th in the Preakness... MTB has been installed as the odds-on favorite, but if Big Drama gets off to an easy early lead, he will be very hard to catch. Granted, he's not yet won over two turns, but he has shown the talent to go all the way. Reminds me of the 2007 Kentucky Cup Classic, when Hard Spun took an early uncontested lead, then was able to hold of Derby Champ Street Sense down the stretch...

Next up is the first of three Gr-I's this weekend, the Gr-IT Diana Handicap.  Leading the charge is defending race winner and '08 F&M Turf champion Forever Together.  She is coming off a surprising second place finish in the Gr-IT Just a Game, will once more have to fend off fellow Gr-I winner Rutherienne, who she beat by a length in the Jenny Wiley back in April, but who bounced back to romp in the Gr-IIT Nassau Stakes in Canada... These two are the class of the field and the race should come down to them.  FT should take the lead down the stretch with Ruth' coming on strong.  Whoemever makes the first move might be the one to take it...

Also of note on Friday is the ungraded Wickerr Handicap, at one mile on the turf, where last year's Santa Anita Derby and Travers winner Colonel John makes his return to the races after a 7 month layoff following an injury sustained last December after his fourth place finish in the Malibu Stakes... The Colonel' was a very underrated race last year, and will use this race as a much needed prep for the major stakes coming up in the late summer and fall.

Moving on to Sunday, we have the most anticipated race of the weekend, the Gr-I Haskell.  Here, super filly and Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra will square off against Belmont Derby winner Summer Bird, as well as Arkansas Derby winner Papa Clem. With only 6 horses expected to start, and no true front-runner, this will be a very tactical race.  Expect Rachel' and Papa' to be at the head of the pack with 'Bird laying far back waiting to see how those two go at it.  Should come down to the finish... Rachel has already sown up the 3yo filly crown, and a win here would solidify her spot at the top of the Horse of the Year race, while a win by Summer Bird would catapult him to the top of the 3yo colt division.

This race was won in 2008 by Big Brown, one of his four Gr-I's, on his way to the 3yo Champion crown.

The Gr-I Go for Wand will also be run Saturday, with Gr-I Apple Blossom winner Seventh Street ... first or second in her last six, the likely favorite alongside multiple Gr-II Miss Isella, coming off wins in the Fleur de Lis and Louisville Handicaps... No household names, but two quality fillies facing off.  Neither is in the class of division leader Zenyatta, but a win by either would put them close to $0.75M in career earnings.

Ginger Punch won this race both in 2008 and 2007.  She was retired after the Breeders Cup last year, following an outstanding career that had her the Older Female Horse champion in 2007, and a winner of 12 of 22 races, and in the top 3 20 times, and over $3M.

Also on Sunday will be the Gr-II San Diego Handicap, which is part of the Breeders Cup Challenge, the winner earning a spot in the BC Mile. The headliner is the returning Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed, in his first race since demolishing a tough international field in that race back in March.  He also won this race back in '08.  His main challenger figures to be the filly Life is Sweet, last out a very game third against older males in the Gr-I Hollywood Gold Cup, coming ahead of some of the other entries here...  If all goes well, Well Armed should wire the field without much difficulty.  But nothing is ever certain, and it has been over 4 months since he last raced, so endurance might be a factor.

Finally, we close out with the Gr-II Amsterdam on Monday, where we will see another long awaited return, this time that of Gr-I Florida Derby winner Quality Road, at one point one of the pre-race favorites for the Kentucky Derby, but out with quarter cracks within a week of the big race.  Yet, it will not be easy, as he will be taking on multiple graded winner Capt. Candyman Can, whom he beat in the Fountain of Youth, but who has looked sharp in his two wins afterwards... According to plan, this should be a prep on his way to the Gr-I Travers at the end of August. 

So have a fun and see ya' at the races!

Major racing action kicks off early this week over in England with the running of the Gr-I Sussex Stakes, for horses 3yo+ over one mile, and featuring three Gr-I winners in '09. 

The most interesting entry is the filly Ghanaati, coming of wins in the Gr-I's English 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes (above), but who will be facing colts and older horses for the first time.  Her main rivals will be Lord Shanakill, coming off a win in the Gr-I Prix Jean Prat, and Paco Boy, the Gr-I Queen Anne Stakes winner and recent late running third in the Golden Jubilee... It will be a very tall task, but if the filly can win, she will establish herself as the favorite in the Euro 3yo Division plus put herself into Horse of the Year discussions...

Last year, this race was won by Henrythenavigator in what was his fourth Gr-I of the year before closing the year with a game second in the Gr-I Breeders Cup Classic.

Tune in within a day or to for the weekend preview.

(updated Wednesday, 11:00 am)

After falling short in four straight Gr-I tries, 3yo Irish colt Rip Van Winkle powered to the lead at the top of the stretch and drew away for a solid victory over a tough group of more accomplished racers to win the Gr-I Sussex Stakes this afternoon. 

Paco Boy came on late for second, while filly Ghanaati was a non-threatening third.. Up until now, Rip' had been all promise and no delivery, but he finally stepped up impressively over a top notch group.  Is he this year's Raven's Pass, promising yet falling short early in the year then turning it on in the second half of the year?

A pair of upsets highlighted the major racing action in the US this weekend, starting with the Gr-IT Eddie Read Handicap, which was highlighted by a pair of weid occurences.  First, Thorn Song took the early lead and was coasting along the first quarter mile.  Then, for whatever reason, he saw something and ducked out, almost throwing his rider and having to be pulled up.  This in turned spooked favorite Monterrey Jazz, who was stalking a couple of lengths back.  Monterrery' then took off like a shot and sprinted to a 6-7 length lead along the back stretch against the urging of his jockey.  By the time he hit the home stretch, he was zapped... allowing the late running Global Hunter to come storming from the back of the pack to overtake the leaders and pull away for a comfortable win.

 The win was the first in the US for the Argentine-bred after four straight losses... Too bad the race evolved as it did, as both Thorn Song and Monterrey Jazz had been apparently hitting their peak and it would have been a great race under normal conditions...

A milder upset came then in the Gr-I Coaching Club American Oaks, as Funny Moon also closed strong from way back, taking the outside route around the final turn, then picking off one horse at a time, taking the lead as they neared the wire then holding off charging Don't Forget Gil...

 The win was her first career stakes win... A nice win for a good looking filly, but being in the same division as Rachel Alexandra, they all are running for second place...

Finally in England, the favorite, multiple Gr-I winner Conduit broke a mini two-race '09 losing streak, taking command of the Gr-I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes with furlong to go, then outfighting stablemates Tartan Bearer and Ask down the stretch before pulling away for an easy win.

 The win was his 6th in 12 career starts, and third Gr-I, for the Irish-bred and raises his career earnings past $3.4M.

Finally, in a battle of Puerto Rico's last two Horses of the Year, the mare Batalladora, the '06 HOY, went gate to wire, besting heavy favorite and '07 and '08 HOY Defensora with ease in the Gr-I Clasico Constitucion...

Batalladora had been struggling this year, winning only 2 of 5, but was allowed to bound to front and set an easy pace and when Defensora tried to make a move, her rival was just let loose and she won by 3+

Tune in later for previews of the upcoming weekend's action, which will feature major races from Saturday through Monday, and will feature Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra vs Belmont winner Summer Bird in the Gr-I Haskell, Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird in the Gr-III West Virginia Derby, and the return of Florida Derby winner Quality Road... who we had rated as the top 3yo before his injury... in the Gr-II Amsterdam Stakes.

In the most amazing, successful stretch in a month and a half... funny how things look once you lower your expectations... the Mets Spring Training Split Squad broke even at 3-3, even taking a series from the Astros in the process.  As for the low, and even occassional, highlights...

- The series against the Nationals was truly pathetic, with the NYM STSS scoring three runs in two losses

- On the flip side, the bats came alive against the previously streaking Astros, getting 38 hits and 22 runs in 3 games!

- Rookie Jon Niese was solid on Saturday, allowing one run and 4 hits over 7 innings, hopefully finally earning a permanent spot on the rotation.

- The oddest aspect of the week though was the Gary Sheffield saga, who's been out for close to a week with a leg 'cramp'... then arrived on Saturday and pronounced himself ready to play... only to find out that he had been put on the deal... only the Mets...

This latest saga is the perfect example of the continued, apparent, ineptitude of the team in handling injuries.  Once more, they keep a player out with a 'minor' injury that can be addressed through 'rest', play shorthanded for days on end just for kicks... then end up putting the player on the DL anyway.... what?!!!....

Right now, Alex Cora is 'resting' his re-injured thumb, so the NYM STSS was actually playing 2 short for fun... Be careful Alex, you'll likely require surgery and/or amputation.

The team kicks off a 10 game homestand today  against the wild card leading Rockies, standing 10.5 back of the Phils in the NL East and 7.5 behind in the WC race.

While these last couple of games where very enjoyable to watch, we will not put the blinders back on just yet... And with Sheffield out, we are on the verge of downgraded to Extended Spring Training team. 

It does sound like Jose Reyes might start playing some rehab games soon and his return might not be until 2011 as some of the others seem likely to. 

So let's keep our fingers crossed and Let's go Mets STSS!

(updated 7/28 - 6:00am)

Did we say anything about drama, weirdenss and games being 'enjoyable to watch'?  Well the last 16 hours have brought plenty of it and then some...

- First, the Mets fire VP of Player Personnel Tony Bernazard, he of the shirtless fight challenge... no big surprise there, particularly as it was rumored this was not his first clash with players, including one with closer Fransisco Rodriguez earlier in the season....

- To announce this, the NYM calls a press conference... still normal... in which GM Omar Minaya gives the details of the firing and then... goes on a bizarre rant, basically accusing Daily News Mets beat writer of Adam Rubin of basically plotting the whole thing, from supposedly lobbying for a job with the Mets which he did not get to exposing Bernazard's actions... what, what, what?.... Minaya tops it all off by blaming Rubin for forcing him to fire 'his friend Tony' and saying to Rubin 'if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me'... huh? Again, only in the dysfunctional Mets does this sort of stuff happen... publicly at least.  Early returns are that this has been so poorly perceived, that Minaya might not survive it....

- Then to boot, the Mets STSS rallies from a 3-1 defecit... Ollie, Ollie, Ollie can you please go more than 5? .... to beat the Rockies on a pinch hit grand slam in the 8th by Fernando Tatis! .... what, what, what?!  ... for the team's third straight win.

And July is not even over... stay tuned because the soap opera will get more interesting... unfortunately, that is both funny and sad...

Well, we were going to wait until this weekend's series with the surging Astros was over for our weekly review, but why waste time. 

Last night, the Mets Spring Training Split Squad team lost to the MLB-worst Washington Nationals 3-1, on the heels of a 4-0 loss the night before.  The lineup, well take a look below and try not to laugh too hard:

1. A Pagan, CF
2. L Castillo, 2B
3. D Murphy, 1B
4. D Wright, 3B
5. J Francoeur, RF
6. C Sullivan, LF
7. A Berroa, SS
8. B Schneider, C

The Mets are now 10 behind the Phillies in the NL East and 7.5 behind the Rockies in the wild card.  And although neither is totally impossible to overcome, don't worry, the gap will be larger soon.  And with that, we proclaim the 2009 season officially over.

And we don't say it with anger, as no team could have withstood the devastating rash of injuries the Mets have had to deal with.  The trade deadline is next week, and there is no one trade... or two trades... that will right this ship.  So we will take off the rose-colored glasses, watch every game still out of morbid curiosity and take up the time honored mantra...

There's always next year!