Dan Illman

 True champions overcome adversity.  BLACK CAVIAR is a true champion. Forget that she was odds-on to defeat an inconsistent group of European sprinters in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.  Instead, let's understand that she traveled halfway across the world to race over testing course conditions in an unfamiliar climate (it's winter in her native Australia).  Let's consider that she may have injured herself rather severely during the running of the race and that her jockey almost misjudged the winning post.

Simply fabulous.

Let's take a look at some of the weekend's major stakes races:

This week's HandiGambling 286 exercise is Friday's fourth race at Penn National, the $75,000 Lyphard Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE DECLARED THE WINNER OF THE HANDIGAMBLING EXERCISE; PLEASE CONTACT FORMBLOG@DRF.COM WITH YOUR DRF LOGIN AND PASSWORD IN ORDER TO ACCESS YOUR PRIZE PACKAGE.  PAST PERFORMANCES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PREVIOUS BLOG POST.

The Triple Crown series consists of 31.5 furlongs of grueling competition at three racetracks within a five-week time period.  Is it any surprise that a horse hasn't swept the Big Three since Affirmed in 1978? It's been a wild season thus far for the 3-year-old crop.