Printed Form still holds value

The Daily Racing Form has some questions for its audience, in the form of a survey I completed last week at some prompting from drf.com.

It was the most interesting survey I've ever answered on the Internet. And, considering I've completed somewhere between a hundred and a hundred million surveys since getting our first dial-up connection at home in 1994, that's saying something.

From the tenor of the questions, two things seemed apparent:

1. The Daily Racing Form is serious about understanding its audience; how they function as readers and online users today and how they might best be served in the future.

2. Somebody's wanting to take an ax to the print edition of the Daily Racing Form, "America's Turf Authority Since 1894."

I could be sounding the alarm a bit too soon -- or too loudly -- about the latter point. But it's clearly on their minds at DRF; whether the printed form is serving enough devoted readers to maintain in its present form or to worry about continued improvements.

That doesn't mean the printed Daily Racing Form is being canceled tomorrow or anytime really soon. But the way the print media has reacted to both changing tastes in information-gathering among the public and to the sour economy -- that is, reacted by slashing newsroom staff and both the format and number of printed pages -- such a reaction is certainly a consideration at the Racing Form's business offices, as well.

The survey also included a lot of questions about whether online users take advantage of DRF's Formulator PPs, and if not, what it might take for them to switch over from PDF downloads of traditional PPs.

But, since I'm on the road and I usually write too lengthy anyway, I'll not get that involved in the survey evaluation in this post.

I'll just go on record as saying that, for me, the printed version of the Form is at least as valuable as any information I purchased, downloaded and printed from online, whether that was at Brisnet, Equibase or drf.com. It's in a format I like, in no small part because I can roll it up and tuck it under my arm while in line at the wagering kiosk, or the concession stand, or the john; something not as easily done with a thick stack of loose, letter-sized pages printed off my PC.

And, I never throw that Racing Form away. Since my visits to the track are infrequent, it's still a bit of an adventure each time for me and the Form I bought is a souvenir -- just like the bookshelf in my mom's basement full of programs from dozens of Kansas City Royals games attended through the years, with my childish but slowly maturing efforts to keep score of the game scrawled in pencil on the lineup cards.

So, what about this blog's readers? Do you still buy a printed copy of the Daily Racing Form? Or has it outlived its usefulness in an Internet age?

Please respond in the poll at left.

One of the last new foal photos you'll see this year

Pictures are in, and stepping into the light for his close-up is the birthday boy ... as yet unnamed. But it's early. He's only 18 hours old.

Sarah Warmack of Hilltop Farm VA said he was a bit slow to nurse, so she milked the dam and syringed colostrum for him. And his IgG test came in over 800 this afternoon, so he's well-stocked with immunities from mama. Good job, Sarah!

Mom did stand a bit soon and pulled on the umbilical cord, so they're watching him for development of a hernia, but he's begun nursing well, so all seems to be good for now.

"He's a handful," Sarah writes, "loves to whinny and likes to play in the water bucket. He's very intrigued about the water buckets. Very odd for a newborn."

Sarah also says he's a "pensive" foal, maybe a bit of a thinker.

That's interesting, because while I was expecting a filly, the name that I had settled on was "Innermost Thoughts." ... Remember, the sire is Inner Harbour (Capote-Blue Sky Princess, by Conquistador Cielo) the dam Lady's Wager, by Valid Wager, out of Lear's Lady, who was out of the mare Idiomatic (by Verbatim).

"Idiomatic" means "peculiar to," particularly in the case of language (i.e., "idiomatic English"), that is, an expression often hard or impossible to define except in its common contextual usage within that language. Example of an idiom: "Beat him to the draw," a North American English phrase derived from gunfighting in the Old West.

It also can describe someone able to speak a language fluently when it is not his native tongue: "Though raised in Los Angeles, he spoke idiomatic French."

A third applicable definition involves displaying a distinctive style, for instance, "an idiomatic composer."

Anyway, perhaps it was a stretch, but "Innermost Thoughts" seemed, to a degree, to play off both sides of the pedigree. But, at risk of sounding -- I dunno, chauvinistic? -- it sort of seems too touchy-feely for a colt or gelding.

A couple of names popped to mind, considering he's a chestnut and his dam's name is Lady's Wager.

First, and sticking with me all day, "Bet It All On Red." ... Per Brisnet, seems to have never been issued by the Jockey Club. But doesn't really pay any homage to his sire.

Then, just now it hit me, "All In On Red." ... We get some "In" for Inner Harbour, and the spirit of the "Wager," as well. ... Likewise appears never-issued by the JC.

Those who have never been the breeder of a foal, nor the purchaser of an unnamed foal at the sales who still needs to be registered, probably had no idea how much thought goes into the naming process. At least, how much can go into it, depending on the person doing the naming.