Yesterday's Belmont and NHL, NBA Playoffs

Although I knew that the Belmont Stakes, thoroughbred  horseracing's third jewel in the Triple Crown, was taking place yesterday, I put the event to the back of my mind for a couple of reasons.  One was that I was driving down to Orlando and back to pick up Melissa from the airport and didn't think we'd be back in time for me to watch it.  The other was that very few horses from the earlier two races were competing...I was only interested in Tacitus and the Preakness winner War of Will.  As it turned out, I happened to be in the takeout section of my nearby Piesano's restaurant back in Gainesville when I tuned in to the race on my cellphone around 6:40 pm. It was pretty exciting to watch and very close...the eventual winner, Sir Winston, was at 10-1 and its rider skillfully rode past much of the field around the final turn, hugging the rails. And when he was blocked at the end he maneuvered to the outside and took the lead.  Had the race been a few feet longer I think favored Tacitus, who was closing in fast, would have overtaken him.  Although it was fun to watch, I doubt many people will remember this race...I only wrote about it here because I had written about the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and didn't want to leave the last one out...

We're nearing the closing of two pro sports league seasons for 2019, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association.  Both are in their final playoff series for the championship and the underdogs are in a position to close them out.  Tonight the St. Louis Blues will try to win their first ever NHL Stanley Cup championship as they play the favored Boston Bruins at home with a 3-2 series lead.  And tomorrow the Toronto Raptors, with a 3-1 series lead over two-time defending champion Golden State, will host the injury-plagued Warriors on Monday.  Will Kevin Durant return to the court after his left knee injury rendered him absent for the end of the Clippers series, all of the Trail Blazers series, and the Raptors series to date?  I'd like to see his return, but only if he's capable of playing at the high level that he needs to be at to keep his team in the series...

So that's it for sports...I also watch baseball games when they're on, which is good since we're running out of other major sports to watch...