Thanks Dolphus!

I wondered after the Preakness if running Rachel Alexandra had cost the fans a chance at a Triple Crown. Mine That Bird had validated his win in Lexington on the first Saturday in May with a runner up performance to Rachel in the Preakness. Had Rachel skipped the Preakness, Mine That Bird would have won the second jewel of the crown and been one victory away from eternal fame. It's a big assumption I know, but the opportunity would have been there.

After watching Rachel Alexandra win the Haskill over the weekend I am now convinced Rachel cost the fans a Triple Crown, Hers! Alright I know the filly had no say in the matter so lets blame Dolphus Morrison. Had Dolphus decided to run Rachel in the Derby, I don't know if this was even considered, she probably would have won. She won the Preakness and handled Summer Bird, the Belmont champ, fairly easily in the Haskill.

Alex Waldrop over at the NTRA and the board of director's at the Breeders Cup probably want to put a bounty on the head of old Dolphus. I imagine a few race track execs would chip in too. I can't even begin to estimate how much a Triple Crown winner, especially a filly, would have generated for the sport. Not only financially, but thoroughbred racing would have been in the national eye again.

So the sport is left to struggle along with just passing interest in Rachel from the people not really into the game and the rest of us wonder how much the take out is going to increase next year. Thoroughbred racing may not even survive in Michigan next year, but Dolphus doesn't have anything to do with that, or does he?