Doga

Like everything 70's, yoga has made a big comeback the last few years. Of course, there are new extras this time around to keep it interesting. Pilates is a new version here in the States the last few years that wasn't popular in the 70's. And to continue my efforts to keep readers informed of the hot, new, different, and sometimes unusual trends in our world, I present you with Doga.

Dog + yoga = Doga. Very creative. For those pet owners who think even one hour is too long to be away from their dog, you can now enjoy your relaxing "me time" with your canine companion. I first learned of this new trend several months ago, and I am sure several of you have heard it mentioned in the media recently. It is not sweeping the nation as some would have you believe, but there are places outside of California that offer Doga. I have located a few classes in the Chicago area, but you might need to drive a good distance to participate until this really catches on.

Do the dogs do Downward Facing Human? I was ready to come up with humorous human/dog combo poses, but it turns out the real ones are hard to beat for entertainment value. Apparently, you place your dog on your knee, neck, back, or stomach while you go through a yoga pose. This is, of course, dependent on the size and tolerance of your dog. According to an ABC News report "owners help their pups facilitate different poses, and do their own poses using the animals as props. Owners also perform doggy massage and acupressure to help soothe and relax their pets." I am not making this stuff up. It is supposed to help you bond with your dog, although I find having the dog lay in your lap while you watch a movie works just fine. And there are a few drawbacks that have come up in some classes. It is difficult to wash away the stress of the day with someone else's dog yipping away nearby. And no one can maintain your balance and de-stress when someone (human or dog) is peeing on the floor next to you while you are breathing through your nostrils in the Tree pose.

Here are a few real Doga poses, plus a few dog/yoga poses I made up.









The first one is called the Wheel pose, and the second the Cavalier Warrior pose.


This one has to be downward facing human (and no, that is not Dakota).

Now we have Dakota modeling the Donut pose (for dogs only!) and the Pushup pose.

Next we have the Stair Stretch and the I'm Having a Really Bad Day pose.

These last two come from the face yoga sub-category (face doga in this case). Special thanks to guest model Tiki Barber from Minnesota. The first I call The Muppet pose. The last is the Christmas Decorations Come Out Earlier Every Year face.

Preakness

Preakness

Congratulations to Mine That Bird on his surprising victory in the Kentucky Derby. Rarely does a horse pass 18 others on a muddy track to win a horse race! If they run that race 100 times, I doubt he wins more than twice. But he did win the one that counts!

Preakness fun fact: Calvin Borel will ride filly Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness after piloting winner Mine That Bird in the Ky Derby. No other jockey in the 100+ year history has switched from the Derby winner to a different horse in the Preakness. (Calvin is honoring his commitment as the "permanent" rider on Rachel).

My thoughts on the Preakness:

The Derby winner often comes back to score in the Preakness, only to stumble in the Belmont marathon 3 weeks later. I don't think that will happen this year. While Mine That Bird is probably a better horse than most people thought (or than he showed in his first year of racing), it is unlikely the events will unfold for him as they did two weeks ago. Plus, the addition of super-filly Rachel Alexandra brings in a higher level competitor than most Derby winners have to face.

The Preakness often plays closer to form than the other triple crown races, and that is likely this year as well. I agree with the oddsmaker's assessment that Mine That Bird only merits third choice behind Rachel Alexandra and Pioneerof the Nile.

13. Rachel Alexandra She was not an unknown when she went off as the prohibitive 2-5 favorite in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on the eve of the Derby. For those who don't like to bet favorites, it must have been painful to watch her destroy the field by over 20 lengths.

9. Pioneerof the Nile It looked like he was set up to win the Derby, but could not match the winner's finishing kick after he was near the front for the quick 47.2 opening half mile. Obviously took to the dirt fine, and would likely be the favorite if Rachel was not here. Very consistent horse should be there right to the end and has a fighting chance to win here.

2. Mine That Bird The thing I like best about this one is that Derby winners do often come right back and win this race. But it is hard for me to see this race breaking the same way, although the weather forecast may provide the sloppy track again. This horse has only one win outside of Canada and a new jockey for this race. I suspect he will be disrespected again, so play him if you like to root for underdogs.

7. Papa Clem One of the horses I backed in the Derby, he finished a nice 4th at 12-1. Never quite put it all together that day, but he is likely to be overlooked here even though he was less than a half length back to Pioneer in the Derby. Value play.

1. Big Drama Popular upset pick, he scored a very fast victory in a 7f stakes race last time out at Gulfstream (but was DQed to 2nd). This frontrunner has crossed the finish line first in 6 straight races, so he know how to win. Should lead for much of the race unless he gets pinched at the start.

11. Take the Points This horse will be ignored, but I suspect he will be a live longshot who will be in the mix all race. Could be 30-1 or more, so if you like to play longshots this is your horse.

In summary, Rachel looks to be a special horse. If she runs her race she will be tough to beat. Pioneer, Papa Clem, and Take the Points all look to offer good value to win or in exotics with Rachel. What about Derby favorite Friesan Fire? Good question. I wrote that I would like him better in the Derby at 8-1 or better, and I would like to see 15-1 or better here to get interested. I suspect he will get some interest because he was the Derby chalk, but I think I will leave him out because of the tough field and the possibility that his form is off.

Enjoy the race!