Jay Hovdey

The ballots for Eclipse Awards will be sent out this coming week, to a list of 247 voters who represent such diverse constituencies as Equibase chart-callers and field reps, racing secretaries, turf writers and a whole slew of folks who work for the Daily Racing Form, which is as it should be, since the Racing Form is one of the sponsors of the awards. So there.

The next time Big Mama makes a splash should be the spring of 2012 when she's got her first foal by her side. Save the day. In the meantime, take or leave this opportunity to say goodbye to one of the mostest hosses of a lifetime, and figure that Dylan was singing about her when he wrote the last part of "Eternal Circle" -- As the tune finally folded/ I laid down the guitar/ Then looked for the girl/

Fair is fair, so if I am going to poke Seth Hancock and Edward Evans for retiring their perfectly sound and happy 4-year-olds Blame and Quality Road to stallion duty, thereby depriving racing fans of two bonafide stars who provided both continuity and reliable pari-mutuel investment, then it is only right to rattle Mike Pegram's cage about his sale of 3-year-old Lookin at Lucky to the Coolmore stallion machine. 

Rather than looking at the glass as half full, or half empty, I am going to consider the finish photo of the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday as if it were a glass made of pure Baccarat crystal, forever sparkling beneath the artifical lighting of Churchill Downs.

Oh yeah. They're about to start this Breeders' Cup thing, Day 1, and before they do, a promise: You will not hear a peep from this spoiled, sun-drenched Californian about the weather, which is brisk, but there are a lot of fine folks who must deal with frozen toes and noses who do not have the diversion of watching Zenyatta, Lookin at Lucky, Goldikova and Workforce perform for their pleasure. I feel obligated to explain, however, that because I can't feel my fingers I am typing this with a pen clenched in my teeth. There, I went and complained.