Three year olds most likely to claim the derby

All six, which won those races, rank no lower than 16th of the top 20 in graded stakes earnings guaranteed to start in the $2 million race. Do any have a real shot at claiming the 132nd Run for the Roses? You bet! For instance, Lawyer Ron, with John McKee aboard, has dominated opponents while convincingly winning six in a row. The son of Langfuhr captured a $50,000 optional claimer by 11 lengths last year at Louisiana Downs. Lawyer Ron’s pedigree doesn’t scream stamina, but he’s done everything asked of him. He’s following the same path as Smarty Jones, who smelled the roses in ’04. Steppenwolfer, who chased Lawyer Ron home in all three preps at Oaklawn Park, finished third in a $50,000 optional claimer as a 2-year-old, but won another, both routs at Louisiana Downs. The son of Aptitude, settled in at Churchill Downs several weeks ago, is among closers that obviously will benefit from a hot pace on Saturday. Unlike Lawyer Ron, who posted the third highest speed rating of top contenders in their last prep, according to Brisnet, Steppenwolfer never earned a triple-digit speed figure. The highest speed rating belongs to Sinister Minister, who sprinted to victory by eight lengths in a $62,500 maiden claimer earlier this year at Santa Anita. The son of Old Trieste ran away from the eight challengers in the Blue Grass Stakes, more than 12 lengths ahead of runner-up Storm Treasure. The last winner of Keeneland’s premier race to repeat at Churchill Downs was the sire of Bob and John -- Strike the Gold in ’91. Trainer Bob Baffert decided the ride on Sinister Minister goes to Victor Espinoza, who guided the conditioner’s War Emblem to a wire-to-wire victory in ’02, after posting the second highest speed rating by Derby winners in preps since ’90. In Sinister Minister’s case, however, there are at least two horses that will challenge for the lead from the start: Keyed Entry, pacesetter in the Wood Memorial that faded to third, and Sharp Humor, who led into the deep stretch until edged by Barbaro in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream. The second highest speed figure in his last Derby prep belongs to Sweetnorthernsaint, who thrashed nine others in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne by more than nine lengths. The son of Sweetsouthernsaint captured a $40,000 maiden claimer as a 2-year-old at Laurel. His close third in the Gotham Stakes was a game effort after traveling wide on both turns at Aqueduct after breaking from post 10. Deputy Glitters, who won a $50,000 maiden claimer last year at Saratoga, finished a distant sixth in the Wood Memorial after taking the Tampa Bay Derby. Garrett Gomez will ride Bob and John, another Baffert trainee that was victorious in the slop over the late-closing Jazil and fading Keyed Entry. The last Wood Memorial winner to repeat in Louisville was Fusaichi Pegasus in ’00. Point Determined, who captured an $80,000 optional claimer at a mile on a wet, fast Golden Gate Fields surface, finished 3 ј lengths behind Brother Derek in the Santa Anita Derby. Brother Derek, the early Derby favorite, won four stakes in a row. While the last winner to repeat at Churchill Downs was Sunday Silence in ’89, six of the last dozen that hit the board visited the winner’s circle. Here’s how I see the order of finish in America’s Race: Sweetnorthernsaint and Brother Derek ran the fastest three furlongs of the six major preps. Sweetnorthernsaint posted 36 3/5, a tick faster than Brother Derek. In addition, both had reasonably good times for 1 1/8 miles, while Sweetnorthernsaint covered the last furlong fastest of all – 12 ј. Both recorded triple-digit speed figures in every outing this year. I favor Sweetnorthernsaint because, not only does he sit off the lead, but he exhibits the needed running style to triumph. His acceleration from the final turn into the stretch will mean victory, and two-time Derby winner Kent Desormeaux in the saddle is a big plus. Brother Derek, with Alex Solis in the irons, will rate because of the likely fast paced scenario. He has defeated several classy contenders from the West Coast: Bob and John, A. P. Warrior, and Point Determined. For third, I like the forgotten horse, unbeaten Barbaro, winner of the Florida Derby, trying to become the first horse in a half-century since Needles to smell the roses after a five-week layoff. Trainer Michael Matz made sure the time off has been well spent, and Barbaro is training very well. I believe Lawyer Ron or Sinister Minister will finish fourth, but quite a few others could round out the superfecta. All in all, luck often plays a role when there’s such a large field. Most important is a clean trip around the Churchill Downs oval. Let’s hope the best horse does win. Bet on the Triple Crown @ WagerWeb Racebook

To fund a good cause start your own foundation

What can you do to make the world a better place? One of the best things you can do is create a charitable foundation to contribute to a cause that's near and dear to you. Establishing a foundation is no longer an activity confined to the wealthy. By definition, a foundation is simply a philanthropic organization that contributes financially to designated causes. Anyone - regardless of income - can set up a foundation, according to the National Heritage Foundation. In fact, the organization's mission is to help individuals and corporations do just that. Established in 1968, the National Heritage Foundation provides the tools and support needed to set up foundations for charitable, educational, scientific or religious activities. It takes care of all of the administrative tasks involved in running a foundation, including receiving all donations, making disbursements, sending charitable receipts for donations, and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. It also can help with marketing and fundraising strategies. To date, nearly 9,000 foundations have been created under the National Heritage Foundation umbrella. Here are some examples of foundations you can start. * A foundation for your community that contributes to beautification projects, public works and safety initiatives, and recreation programs. * A foundation for athletes. * A foundation for the disabled. * A foundation that helps fund projects in foreign countries. * A foundation to benefit a school, college, hospital or place of worship.

How to save money at the petrol pump

You may be surprised to find that there are many ways which you can help yourself to cut down the cost of running your car. But we are not talking about shopping around for car insurance or trading in your flashy sports model for a little run-around - we are talking about fuel! By paying a little attention to your car and treating it correctly you can save money at the petrol pumps. Here are some excellent tips to help you get on top and start cutting down on the cost of your fuel. First of all, make sure that you get your engine tuned on a regular basis. By keeping your engine in tip-top shape you can help to save yourself money. The most important part when it comes to saving on fuel this way is the oxygen sensor, this alone can increase or decrease your car’s efficiency by as much as 40%. Always make sure that you keep an eye on your tyres. A once a week check is ideal. Inflate them when necessary as under inflated tyres force your car to work harder on the road. So always make sure that when you fill up your car that the tyres are optimal for the recommended pounds per square inch. Using the right motor oil in our car can help to save you money too. Using the correct motor oil can help to make your car run much more efficiently which in turn saves you money. Getting rid of any extra weight that doesn’t need to be in your car can help greatly to reduce the amount of fuel which your car uses. So this means that its time to clear out the boot of your car and get rid of the junk! Finally, sign up to a website that has fuel price alerts - they can tell you the cheapest fuel prices near to your postcode.

Believe you can

In any therapeutic intervention that is designed to achieve change, it is important to have an understanding of the beliefs and values held by the person wishing to change. NLP therapists are able to work with clients to eradicate limiting beliefs. NLP therapists are available to provide NLP in Herts. Have you ever taken the time to stop and think about your beliefs and values. Ask yourself – where have my beliefs originated? How do they guide how I live my life? Do my values and beliefs serve me? Beliefs and Values form the essence of your identity and you should ask yourself these questions for the following reasons: Beliefs are like a pair of glasses: Put your glasses on and they filter how you view the world. Beliefs act in the same way. You will have beliefs about yourself, your skills and capabilities, how others see you and what type of person you are. You will also have beliefs about other people, how they operate, how to communicate with them, what drives them. Basically, you have beliefs about everything, including the world, politics, social issues, concepts, and religion. Beliefs underlie your internal representations, which is your map of the world. Your beliefs also filter sensory data that you take in from the environment and favour sensory data that supports and confirms your beliefs. We know form NLP models that the internal representations people hold effect their emotional state and behaviour. Therefore, beliefs have an influence on your emotional state and behaviour. Beliefs and Values are your motivators: The core beliefs you hold are your motivators, they are the basis from which you function in the world. People tend to works towards things that they value. For example, if you value having a high-powered career this may take priority over other aspects of your life such as time with your family. Beliefs distort how you view the world: Every belief and value is basically a generalisation that you have made abut the world. Generalisations are distortions. Often when a client presents with a problem, there is a distorted belief or value behind it. For example, “my partner doesn’t phone me enough, this means he doesn’t love me”. Once you are able to become more aware of the distorted beliefs you hold, it is possible to begin to question them and challenge them. NLP therapy has a specific tool called the meta-model that is able to uncover the troublesome distortions and generalisations that people are making. Beliefs and values determines what happens to you Beliefs about the world and yourself can actually determine what happens. They are not just thoughts but effect what you focus on. We know in NLP that what you focus on your more likely to get. This is because your unconscious mind cannot understand negatives. So for example, if you focus on not being in debt, your unconscious mind will be on the lookout for debt in the environment and various ways to bring debt to your attention. NLP therapy teaches people the importance of communicating in the positive when you are thinking. This means saying what you do want not what you don’t want. Most people have heard of the placebo effect. This is a phenomenon in which a pill is given which contains no active ingredients. There are many studies that show that people given a placebo will experience a therapeutic benefit and in some cases get well based on the belief that they will be well. Changing your beliefs: As an NLP therapist, people often come to see me at my OT, NLP, CBT and hypnotherapy practice in Herts because they are having problems with limiting beliefs, e. g. “No one could find me attractive”, “I cant lose weight or give up smoking”, “I’m useless in social situations”, “I’m bad at presentations”. Of, course, they are often not aware that their belief is the source of their unhappiness when they initially come to see me. Limiting beliefs hold people back and prevent them from doing things they want too. When we believe we cant do something our behaviour will usually confirm this. As discussed above, you will act in a way and look out for evidence to confirm your beliefs. NLP and CBT therapy has effective techniques for changing illogical and limiting beliefs that can allow you to move on and experience the world through a new pair of glasses. There is no excuse to let your limiting beliefs hold you back any longer!

A simple way to create 7 effective autoresponder messages

Email is the Net's most powerful marketing tool. And autoresponders are the best idea yet for marketing with email. There is an old saying that the first ad rarely sells. You have to put your product, service, or idea in front of a prospect several times before she buys. Autoresponders are designed specifically to get your message back to the same prospect over and over. That's why most autoresponder packages come in groups of 7 messages--from the 7 message marketing rule that has been the rule in advertising since our grandparents were in diapers. But what do you say in your 7 messages? We've written autoresponder series for hundreds of customers. Here is one method that always works. This method is called REMIND 'EM. People don't read your sales letter as carefully as you think. They tend to skim. They read the first message, but miss the second and third message. The prospect may not tune in again until message five. It's so easy for people to completely miss your main points intended to lead to a sale. It's important to *repeat* your main message over and over. Say it once, twice, three times in your first message. Say your main message in a different way in the second message. Re-cap your main point again in the third message. That way, people who aren't paying attention still get your important ideas. Here's an example of how the "remind 'em" formula works for a 7 letter series promoting personal security products. Message (1) The world is a dangerous place. You need new innovative security products to insure your protection. Message (2) More details on how and why the world is a dangerous place. List places or situations that are especially threatening. Message (3) Recap how the world is a dangerous place. Give more details on the key new security products that have come out. Now start the middle section of messages. Note how they become more instructional telling people how to use the products. Message (4) Protect yourself from the dangerous world with Product A. Here's how to use Product A. Here's why you would use it. Here's where to use it. Message (5) Protect yourself with Product B. Here's how to use it. Here's what happy customers say about it. Tell a hair raising story of how Product B saved a customer's life. Now comes the wrap-up and reminder, especially important for people who never got around to reading your earlier messages. Message (6) Go back to your main sales letter used in numbers 1 and 2. Start all over reviewing your main points and highlighting your most popular products. Message (7) This is the final follow-up email. I usually have it come two weeks to one month after message 6. It's designed to scoop up all the people who weren't ready to buy in the beginning, but may be ready to buy now. It can start with "For the past few weeks I've been sending you important information about how to protect yourself in threatening situations. I know you are busy and may not have had time to consider how these products could improve your life and confidence." At that point, you again review your main points. Repetition is the key to advertising success. Find creative ways to keep the main message going week after week and you will have as many customers as you can handle. Busy prospects simply need time for your message to sink in. As we used to say when I worked in media, it's just when you and your staff are sick to death of a commercial that the audience is just beginning to notice it.

Positive thinking and effective marketing go hand in hand

Copyright 2006 Joel Sussman Successful sales and marketing requires persistence, continuous improvement, and the expectation of a positive outcome. If one doesn’t approach every aspect of marketing with enthusiasm, creativity, and a positive mental attitude, then it’s like embarking on schooner race with no wind in your sails. You’ll have no momentum or direction, and the competition is guaranteed to overtake you. Attitude has an insidious way of infiltrating everything we do; and it can lift us up to great heights or pull us down to the depths of failure. It can energize us to do and say all the right things at the right time, or it can undermine our motivation and cause us to sabotage our own best laid plans. The bottom line is this: either we own our attitude or our attitude owns us. Every now and then, it’s necessary to make a conscious decision to take charge of our thoughts, attitudes, and habits. An unfocused effort, whether it involves marketing or any other aspect of business, is sure to produce inferior results. Allowing negative thoughts to infect your mind creates a cascading effect of self-defeating behavior. In direct sales, one needs to have a winning attitude and a magnetic personality to influence and persuade prospects to become customers. That’s only the tip of the iceberg, though, because a successful salesperson also needs to have the finesse and people skills to win back lost customers, negotiate the best deal, ask for and get sales referrals, inspire teamwork, and have the energy and optimism to overcome setbacks and keep moving forward in the face of temporary failure. Without a positive mental attitude, none of that is going to happen. Cultivating a positive attitude also feeds the creativity and optimism necessary for nearly every other aspect of marketing ranging from sending out press releases and sales letters to placing ads or launching a web site. If you don’t believe it’s going to work, either you’re not going to try at all—or your efforts will be weakened and half-hearted. In both cases, you’re doomed to failure before you even get out of the starting gate. On the other hand, if you make up your mind to be an ‘eternal optimist’, you’ll be willing to take calculated risks and put your best foot forward. Getting there may involve an integrated program of reading motivational books, listening to self-improvement CDs, making a concerted effort to identify and avoid (or filter out) a lot of the negativity in your environment, and establishing daily habits that will tend to attract beneficial people and circumstances into your life. Being an entrepreneur and running your own business is an intrinsically risky endeavor. If an expensive marketing campaign falls flat or a major client signs on with the competition, you might find yourself scrambling to make up for the loss. A positive state of mind not only helps you be creative, resourceful, and energized, but it also enhances your ability to anticipate, adapt, and regroup. While many aspects of marketing are considered a gamble by anyone’s estimation, the best way to hedge your bets is by adopting a focused, optimistic, and positive mental attitude

Think forex and consider these two factors

In this article I will cover two important advantages that the Forex market offers to traders. Daytrading with a small account If you want to daytrade with stocks and you have less than $25.000 on the account, you are likely to have a hard life. The reason is that a rule called "pattern day traders" allows you to daytrade freely only if you have that amount or more on your account. If you have less, your daytrades (positions entered and exited the same day) are limited to three in any five trading days period. Your broker should monitor your activity and make sure you do not execute trades that are not allowed under the "pattern day traders" rule. This regulation applies for stocks and stock options. The Forex market at the time of this writing is not involved. Risk Control The Forex market has two characteristics that may translate in a better risk control on your trades. What I mean by risk control, is the possibility to define your maximum loss should the market move agains you. If we do not consider the use of options or other tools as a hedge, the way to take control of losses is by using a stop loss order. Nothing new, up to here. The problem that at times traders face is that a stop order can be executed at a price much worse than the one intended and originally set. Generally, there are two situation where this can happen. The first has to do with the liquidity of the market. Within this article, we can consider liquidity as a synonymous of trading volume. If liquidity is poor in a market, there might be a significant price difference from one execution to the next one. You can notice this easily in any intraday chart of a small volume security: the price does not move in a continuous an harmonic way, like it does in a very liquid market; rather, it has a tendency to "jump" from one level to the next. This can affect the execution of your orders in a negative way. The phenomenon is also referred to as "slippage". Here we consider in particular the exit order, but slippage can affect your entry order as well, and this could translate in for example in a buy order executed at a higher price than the one you wanted to buy. The Forex market does not fear competitors about liquidity. 1.5 Trillions dollar are traded in Forex every day. The other markets follow at a big distance. The second factor that gives trouble to risk control is in the occurence of price gaps. Say your stock closes today at 63, and your stop order is at 61.5. In theory, your maximum risk is 1.5 points per share. But the stock for any reason tomorrow opens for trading at 57, and you will be stopped out at that price, so the actual loss will be 5 points per share. Gaps are common in stocks whenever an important news is announced when the market is closed. Sometime an important news can cause a gap even intraday, especially in a not so liquid market. Some other times, the trading in a stock is suspended just in the wait of an important pending news. A gap in almost assured when the news is released. Of course, your position can also benefit from a gap, if the gap direction is in your favour. But the point here is that the occurence of gaps reduces your power to control risk with a stop loss order. The Forex market is virtually always open from Monday to Friday. There can be wild intraday moves caused by news, but the occurence of gaps is very rare within the week. These are just two of the potential advantages the Forex market offers to traders. There are many others that I will not cover here, from the cost of trading (commissions are often zero), to the amount necessary to open an account (which can be very low). All these factor explain why the Forex market is attracting more and more traders. Good trading Roberto Zarotti