The graded stakes are back but the Toboggan gets stuffed with 6 horses (before scratches) as race 3 while the Withers drew 7 runners, including a Philly shipper who's cross-entered into an optional claimer at Laurel.

This is so painful to see.

Gulstream has a decent card but 13 races are just too many to give me a thrill.

On the brighter side I took a ride over to the Home Depot and scored one of the few remaining 50-pound bags of ice melt (sodium chloride) for the snow/sleet/ice storm due in for late Sunday through Tuesday.

After lugging that thing into the garage up the icy driveway and the two 30-pound bags of sand that were in the trunk I feel like I've just gone 15 rounds with Rocky Marciano. Lugging stuff was easier forty and fifty years ago.

I'm playing Santa Anita today. Good card there today.