NEWS - Tuesday, July 25, 2006

[PaceAdvantage]

The Seven Year Itch:

PaceAdvantage.Com Turns Seven This Week!

Really? Has it been seven years already? It seems like only yesterday that I started a website in response to a certain popular message board discontinuing the policy of allowing folks to post without having to register. Of course, I soon realized that I wouldn't be able to maintain any type of sanity on my new message board without some sort of registration policy in force, so I committed the first of many somewhat hypocritical acts, and required my users to register in order to participate on the forums. Thankfully, not many folks ran away screaming when the LOG IN box first appeared, and we've been talkin' horses ever since.

In case you're wondering how things looked seven years ago, check out this nifty link: WayBack Machine!

I wish to thank each and every person who has ever participated on these forums, and along with me, has expressed the delight, the wonderment, the curiosity, and the downright obsession that goes along with our wonderful little game. Here's to many more years!

==PA

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3-Year-Old Stars Work for Upcoming Stakes
Bernardini, Bluegrass Cat, and Strong Contender, three of the main headliners for the July 29 Jim Dandy (gr. II) and Aug. 6 Haskell Invitational (gr. I), turned in sharp breezes at Belmont Park Monday. Blood-Horse

Barbaro stable after uneventful weekend
Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Barbaro had an uneventful weekend and was comfortable on Monday, according to his doctors at the University of Pennsylvania's George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the New Bolton Center. Thoroughbred Times

Official Recommends Queen City Oaks Be Rerun
The executive director of the Ohio State Racing Commission has recommended the July 22 Queen City Oaks, marred by a starting gate malfunction that delayed the start for seven 3-year-olds fillies in a field of 12, be rerun Aug. 13 at River Downs. Blood-Horse

Drysdale eyes two races as next possible start for Aragorn
Trainer Neil Drysdale is considering two races as the next start for Aragorn (Ire), who set a course record at Del Mar while earning a four-length win in the Eddie Read Handicap (G1) on Sunday. Thoroughbred Times

New York Racing Association cancels Saratoga Showdown contest
The New York Racing Association has cancelled its popular Showdown contest for Saratoga Race Course's upcoming meeting while it redesigns its website. Thoroughbred Times

U.S. Handle Stable, Purses Up During Second Quarter
Pari-mutuel handle increased 0.56% to slightly more than $4 billion during the second quarter of 2006, compared with $3.99 billion during same period in 2005, according to information released Monday. Blood-Horse

Ouija Board may make next start in Nassau Stakes
Trainer Ed Dunlop and owner Lord Derby will not supplement Ouija Board (GB), 2004 champion turf female, to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-G1) on Saturday at Ascot, opting for the Nassau Stakes (Eng-G1) on August 5 at Goodwood instead. Thoroughbred Times

Jockey O'Neill apologizes for head-butting mount
Jockey Paul O'Neill apologized on Monday for an incident in which he head-butted his mount, City Affair, for unseating him prior to a race at Stratford on Sunday. Thoroughbred Times

Forty Niner Experiencing Breeding Difficulties
Japanese stallion Forty Niner might be at the end of his stallion career. Blood-Horse