Patriots win, don't cover

The high holy day of professional football and 100-square pools is at hand. Having been born in Buffalo, I still root for the Bills, though I would pull up short of calling myself a “fan.” It is indeed difficult to work up much excitement for the Buffalo Bills, whose most ardent followers tend to support politicians like Ron Paul.

So, rooting for neither side, since I have no betting interest, the perfect result to this Super Bowl: Patriots win, but do not cover the spread in a generally dull game, thereby disappointing those who backed the undefeated New England dynasty but lost money and supporters of the Giants, who may win a some money but without the satisfaction of bringing a Super Bowl title to New York.

Super Bowl Sunday, oddly, is also the day chosen for release of the list of three-year-olds whose ever optimistic owners have nominated their horses to the Triple Crown. Others will follow the first 448 nominees at later deadlines. So, with several races for three-year-olds having been run on Saturday, this is also the perfect day to launch the periodic at-the-races ranking of Kentucky Derby contenders.


1. War Pass
2. Pyro
3. Court Vision
4. El Gato Malo
5. Tale of Ekati
6. Crown of Thorns
7. Cowboy Cal
8. Majestic Warrior
9. Anak Nakal
10. Eaton’s Gift

Of the 448 Triple Crown nominees, 31 are trained by Todd Pletcher, 19 by Nick Zito, 13 each by Barclay Tagg, Richard Mandella and D. Wayne Lukas, a dozen each by Steve Asmussen and Ken McPeek and 10 apiece by Bob Baffert and Bill Mott.