It's a spoof, of course. There are no BC races on Sunday, and no horse named Ship's Captain is entered. But The Onion was picking up on for-real news stories about the sexual orientation of this and that stallion, notably Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem, who was not too interested in mares. The video is worth watching -- The Onion did a good job of nailing the reasons why athletes shouldn't have to put up with homophobia. And judging by remarks on bulletin boards across the country, a few people fell for the gag and went, "Wha?"

Meanwhile, the Breeders Cup is guilty of some phobia of its own. Femiphobia. This year the event went to two days, and they decided to polish off the filly-and-mare races on Friday -- leaving Saturday for the "really important races," namely the ones with mostly masculine horses entered. Good grief. Saturday is the traditional day for big stakes races to be run (relic of the days when the U.S. had blue laws and no racing was allowed on Sunday). So the Breeders Cup sends a message that the ladies are running in second-class events.

Is there no end to the crannies of American life where prejudice lurks? I wonder if there have been any complaints from politically sensitized fans.

All the more reason why I hope Precious Kitten beats the pants off the boy horses in the Breeders Cup Mile on Saturday. The handicappers give her a shot -- she's a speed horse, and she loves to run on grass. (Not many female horses can beat male horses one on one, for the same reason that human females don't even compete against males in track & field -- that difference in muscle strength.)

Well, bye. It's 5:30 a.m. and my friend Roberta and I are off to Santa Anita shortly, to have breakfast at Clockers and watch some of the works. But I intend to watch the races -- both days, of course -- from the comfort of my media room.