More horses, birds and other things

Two more Derby preps.

Here is something I don't understand:

High Limit wins the Louisiana Derby. He's pretty impressive doing it. But his final time for the mile and a sixteenth is slower than those of Declan's Moon in the Santa Catalina and Uncle Denny in the El Camino Real. Nevertheless, it equals the stakes record.

Is Fair Grounds a really slow track? Are the California tracks faster?

Because, with Declan's Moon injured and my reservations about the way High Fly finished in the Fountain of Youth, High Limit and Uncle Denny are the foremost competitors in my mind at this point. And of the two, I think Uncle Denny, who was on a pressured pace the whole way and ended up with a faster time, was more impressive.

A Derby winner for Northern California would sure be nice.

In the meantime, spring is here. Every bird in the world, it seems like, is singing loudly about sex and territory. This morning I got a great look at singing male Common Yellowthroats -- not so easy to see them, except at the time of year when hormones reign -- they're gorgeous things. Also, a California Thrasher came to my scattered seed again.

I have nothing to say about writing, because what with my grad school work, I haven't been doing much. I hope that will change soon.