While we were busy Sunday night talking to the co-owner of Derby Winner Mine That Birdabout the behind the scenes effort to block Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra from racing in the Preakness (Mike Allen confides that he thought about it, but won't enter a second colt just to block the filly), Greg Hall of the Courier Journal was posting a development with far longer reaching consequences for horse racing.

Churchill Downs will reportedly ask the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to allow the track to cut one day of racing per week during the Spring Meet. Churchill has been canceling some races for lack of enough starters, as horsemen appear to be racing at tracks that can offer bigger purses, subsidized by slot machine revenue.

For the World's Most Legendary Racetrack to have to cut races just one week after the Kentucky Derby is jarring. Will this make any difference to the politicians who fight any attempts to bring slots or other casino gaming to Kentucky racetracks?

---