SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. -- There is a lot going on for the racing fan and bettor this weekend. California Chrome, Horse of the Year in 2014, makes his first U.S. start since his powerful victory in the Dubai World Cup last March in Saturdays San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. This is also the first weekend of racing of the year at Saratoga, the biggest annual race meet in North America, and where the brilliant and undefeated Songbird, the leader of a terrific crop of 3-year-old fillies, makes her first East coast start in Sundays Coaching Club American Oaks.And thats just for starters.Yes, there is a lot of big racing stuff going on this weekend. But no matter how busy the game might make you over the next few days, it would be only right if you carved out a moment at some point and said a quiet thank you in appreciation for Steve Crist.Heres why: Crist, who retired Wednesday as an executive and columnist for Daily Racing Form, did much during a 35-year career in racing to improve various aspects of the game. But where Crist really left an indelible mark was in matters concerning the horseplayer, enriching our experiences in ways you might not be aware of, or have imagined. And this holds true no matter which way you engage in racing this weekend, whether it be at the track, or at a simulcast facility, or betting in your underwear from your living room.Consider the DRF past performances you use to handicap. Significant aspects of the pps everyone is now so familiar with were fashioned by a small group of people led by Crist in an office on Hudson St. in Manhattan in early 1991, weeks before these remade past performances were to debut in The Racing Times, for which Crist was founding editor-in-chief.The Beyer Speed Figures, which have become such an indispensible handicapping tool, were first made available to the public in the past performances in Crists Racing Times.You know that career box in the upper right hand corner of the past performance cut, the little area that packs a wealth of extremely useful information? The foundation of the career box was born under Crists supervision at The Racing Times.We now almost take for granted the italicized horse name in the past performance company line denoting a next out winner, which might suggest a given race was unusually productive. That innovation came after Crist took over stewardship of Daily Racing Form in 1998.Are you a user of Formulator, DRFs criminally underappreciated and incredibly rich past performance program? Formulator came to life (under a different name) way back in 1992 under the nurturing of Crist, the late Dave Ward, and one other character currently typing this, and was introduced for public consumption after Crists group took control of DRF.Do you like to buy your DRF past performances, Formulator or the classic version, online? Do you recognize the tremendous convenience that option offers? Steve Crist also made that happen for you.How about that simulcast signal you watch? Nothing resembling it existed until Crist, in his stint as Vice President of the New York Racing Association in the mid 1990s, introduced full card simulcasting, in-home race feed, and all day, race-to-race handicapping analysis. Really. Its hard to remember because the video presentation of racing that now feels like it has been around forever did not exist B. C. (before Crist). And his template has since been copied by every other racetrack on the continent.Steve Crist retired this week, and while those of us lucky enough to know him are happy hes happy, we also know this game we love now has a large void that cannot be replaced. It is astonishing how much better thoroughbred racing is for Steve Crists contributions, and the fear is it will take a long time for racing to unearth a forward thinker anywhere near his league.So that is why it is only right to say, Thank you, Steve. For everything. Authentic NFL Jerseys China . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. Cheap NHL Jerseys Adidas . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. http://www.nflauthenticchinawholesalejerseys.com/ .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. Discount Football Jerseys . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Wholesale Jerseys China . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach. RIO DE JANEIRO -- It was predicted. That didnt make it any less impressive, or any less contentious.Caster Semenya won the Olympic title in the 800 meters Saturday with no one close to challenging her, a result that will only stoke the complex debate over whether women with much higher levels of testosterone than normal should be allowed to compete unchecked.Semenya of South Africa won her first Olympic gold in a personal-best of 1 minute, 55.28 seconds, a national record and one of the top 20 times ever in the two-lap race. She said it was about running a race and winning a gold medal, and not about the debate over testosterone and the IAAFs desire to regulate it in some women.Were not here to talk about IAAF, were not here to talk about some speculations, Semenya said. Its not about looking at people, how they look, how they speak, how they run. Its not about being muscular. Its all about sports.Burundis Francine Niyonsaba took silver over a second behind the dominant Semenya, with Kenyas Margaret Wambui collecting the bronze for an all-African podium.As is her style, Semenya sat back behind leader Niyonsaba until the final 150 meters, then unleashed a powerful burst from out of the curve to pull away down the straightaway, leaving her competitors trailing and fighting for silver.Such is Semenyas dominance this year -- she ran her previous personal best last month -- it was exactly how everyone thought it would go.The coach told me to be patient, wait for the right moment, Semenya said. Obviously we know were quicker the last 200. We just have to utilize it.Since her arrival in track and field in 2009, when she won the world title as an 18-year-old newcomer, Semenya has been the unwilling face of one of the most complicated and sensitive debates for the sport. Do women who have much higher levels of natural testosterone than normal have an advantage over other women in athletics, and if so, is it unfair?Semenyas breakthrough world title seven years ago pushed the IAAF to introduce rules limiting testosterone in femalle athletes.dddddddddddd Semenya is believed to be one of several female athletes to compete at the Rio Olympics with very high testosterone -- caused by a condition called hyperandrogenism.But under a legal challenge, the IAAF was forced to drop the testosterone-limiting rules last year. Many believe that left Semenya, and others, free to run with their very high naturally-occurring testosterone levels unchecked.Many also believe it left Semenya, an outstanding athlete, unbeatable.Semenya, who appeared barely out of breath at the finish, popped a South African flag onto her shoulders and took a leisurely jog around the stadium to celebrate her first major title since her world championships gold in 2009 was completely overshadowed by a sex-test scandal. She also produced her trademark celebration: She pulled her arms up and flexed her bicep muscles, then brushed her hands across her shoulders -- the way she brushed off her rivals.In Rio, Semenya ran the fastest time over two laps by any woman anywhere for eight years.The race was a little bit quick, the first 400 we were pushing ourselves, it was great, she said. It was just about being patient and do what you do best.After silvers at the 2011 world championships and 2012 Olympics, Semenya was such a heavy favorite to win the 800 title in Rio de Janeiro that some of the other women competing in the earlier qualifying races said that they just couldnt keep up with her, and some even suggested a different category for hyperandrogenic women. Others refused to talk about the testosterone issue.Canadas Melissa Bishop, who finished fourth and broke a national record, told reporters after the final that she would not answer any questions related to testosterone.This racing is all going to come down to the last 50 meters, so much opens up down there, Bishop said. It was to be expected that everybody would be there. I just didnt get there with them. ' ' '