The BulleTin • Thursday, May 13, 2021 A7
HORSE RACING
DEAR ABBY
Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com
or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Dear Abby: I have been
married more than 25 years
and have kids. I’m also gay. I
always have been, but when
I was a teenager, it wasn’t
acceptable and I always be-
lieved I would just outgrow it,
or learn to live with it. Then
came the computer era and
the internet — things I never
dreamed of while growing
up. They changed my life, yet
I’m still closeted.
I have had two gay rela-
tionships. Both lasted less
than a year. I feel like my
whole life has been a lie, and
I pretty much screwed up my
wife because of it. I did pro-
vide her with all the creature
comforts financially, and gave
her two beautiful kids.
I just don’t know if it’s
worth coming out at this
point in my life. I’m also re-
luctant because I don’t have
a guy in my life right now, al-
though I am looking. It’s just
so difficult. I’m torn about
how to live the remainder of
my life. Please help.
— Closeted in the Midwest
Dear Closeted: Because
you are looking for a part-
ner, it looks like you really
don’t plan on sticking around
once you find one. Tell your
wife the truth so she can de-
cide how she would like to
spend the rest of HER life.
She may need help from a li-
censed therapist to deal with
the ramifications of your dis-
closure, so be prepared be-
cause it may be a shock when
she learns the person she
has spent the last quarter of
a century with is not exactly
who she thought he was .
Dear Abby: I was adopted
and recently came across my
biological family. It’s huge. I
suffer from severe depression
and now know that most of
my bio family does, too.
During the past year, my
husband and I decided to
tackle it head-on with medi-
cation, and there has been a
noticeable change in me. My
husband is very supportive,
and we are close. Problem
is, I want to meet my out-of-
state bio brother alone. He’s
the only full sibling I have,
and our connection is un-
canny.
My husband is a hyper ex-
trovert, and I don’t want his
charming antics to distract
from this moment (although
usually I love it). He, how-
ever, says he can’t agree. He’s
afraid something with the
new family will set off a de-
pressive episode, and I’ll be
too far away for him to get to
me. That’s understandable.
But what do I do? I still feel
the same. Is he right or am I?
— Connecting in California
Dear Connecting: Not
knowing how serious your
depressive episodes have
been, my instinctive reac-
tion is to advise you to lis-
ten to your husband. Surely
he wouldn’t have to be with
you every minute and could
stay at a nearby hotel or mo-
tel while you are seeing your
sibling.
That said, if there is any
chance that an episode could
result in you becoming
self-destructive, it is import-
ant to discuss this visit with
the therapist who prescribes
your medications before
making any plans to go. Do
tell your husband that if he
accompanies you, you would
like him to tone down his
need for attention so he won’t
distract from your experience
or your brother’s.
YOUR HOROSCOPE
By Georgia Nicols
Stars show the kind of day you’ll have
DYNAMIC | POSITIVE | AVERAGE | SO-SO | DIFFICULT
MOON ALERT: There are no restrictions to shopping or important deci-
sions today. The Moon is in Gemini.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021: People
are entertained by your great wit. You’re clever, intelligent and well prepared.
You take pride in your professional approach to things, and you hope that
others will do likewise. In the year ahead, many of you will make a decision
that will lead to a major change in your life. Stay flexible so you can size up all
options.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
You’ll be surprised to experience something fresh and different in
the next two months. Your capacity to learn more about the spiritual dimen-
sions of your life will increase as you come in touch with deep, meaningful
values. (This might sound trippy, but it’s true.) Tonight: Enjoy daydreams and
wishful thinking.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Your popularity will increase in the next 10 weeks. Not only will you
enjoy the company of friends and groups, these people will actually benefit
you. This same window is an excellent time to ponder your hopes for the
future. Tonight: Be careful of extravagance.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Something good is coming down the pipe! For the next few
months, you might receive a promotion, public recognition, kudos, an award
or admiration for your achievements. Some might travel because of work.
Mucho excitement! Tonight: Stay realistic.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
In the next few months, many opportunities will come to you that
expand your view of things and expose you to a broader world. Some of you
will travel to foreign countries. You might explore philosophical and religious
ideas. Tonight: Don’t be led astray by fantasies.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Your financial scene will improve in the next few months because
money from other sources will come to you. Ka-ching! This could mean mon-
ey back from the government, or you might benefit indirectly through your
partner. Maybe an inheritance? Tonight: A friend might confuse you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
You have a wonderful opportunity to enjoy one-on-one encounters
in the next few months. Relations with others will be upbeat and friendlier.
If you marry in the next few months, your partner might be older, richer or
more established. This is a good time to see an expert. Tonight: Be extra clear
in communicating with authority figures.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Good news! Your health will get a lovely boost in the next few
months. You will feel stronger and more vigorous and pleased with yourself.
Many of you will improve your job or get a better paying job. Some of you
will explore work-related travel. Tonight: Don’t fall for propaganda.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Lucky you! In the next 10 weeks, you have more opportunities to
express your creative urges. Romance will blossom! New romance is possible.
Relations with your kids will improve, and some might slip away on a vaca-
tion. Tonight: Double-check banking and financial matters.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Different scenarios related to your home and family will please you
in the next 10 weeks. Family members will be more loving and generous to
each other because something will happen that makes you enjoy your home
more. You might benefit through real estate. Tonight: Family discussions
might be confusing.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
You’re entering an exciting window of about 10 weeks when your
plans for the future will be more ambitious. You might learn something or
get further training. Relations with siblings and relatives will be happier. Get
ready for an upbeat time! Tonight: Daydreams and fantasies are par for the
course.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Lucky moneybags Jupiter has just moved into your Money House
for 10 weeks, which means you will boost your earnings or increase your
assets in some way. You will likely get richer! Explore moneymaking ideas.
Tonight: Resist extravagant spending.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
For a brief 10 weeks, lucky Jupiter is in your sign for the first time
since 2010. (A marvelous bonus!) It signals the beginning of a new cycle in
your life, especially one of gaining new experiences. You will attract people
and resources. Tonight: You’re in a dreamy state of mind.
Doping law not in play until 2022
results from that sample, but
authorities in Maryland and at
Pimlico Race Course in Balti-
more, where the Preakness is
held, have been on a more ur-
gent timeline. They had to de-
cide whether to allow Medina
Spirit to the post Saturday.
“The takeaway from this is
that, right now, we’re in this
cloud of uncertainty,’” said Bill
Lear, a Kentucky attorney who
was a key architect of the law
that was passed last year. “You
don’t know a lot of things you’d
like to know, and we’re coming
up on the second race of the
Triple Crown.”
Because of the uncertainty,
horse racing powers in Mary-
land were forced to weigh the
specter of legal action that
could come if they oust the
horse against the cloud of sus-
picion that would exist if they
let him run. Their decision was
to let Medina Spirit run, albeit
with an additional layer of test-
ing scheduled for earlier in the
week.
All this comes against the
backdrop of a sport built for
gambling. Millions of dollars
will be wagered Saturday on a
race that could include a horse
less than two weeks removed
from a failed drug test. Those
who won (or lost) money on
Medina Spirit in the Derby
needn’t worry — there will be
no returns, despite the now-
murky nature of the victory.
“You can’t get the money
back, and I don’t think anyone’s
going to succeed in challenging
that,” Lear said. “But the fact
that wagers are paid immedi-
ately after the races are official
heightens the need to do every-
thing possible to not have an
(antidoping) violation skew the
results of a race.”
town would be a win-win for
the group and the city. Also,
it’s one of the few options that
wouldn’t require realignment of
the American League West. But
I’m just not sold that the Mayor
of Portland and the current
band of City Commissioners
will stand tall to support a proj-
ect that absolutely demands it.
This effort feels like it’s miss-
ing a key ingredient — politi-
cal will.
I so badly want to be wrong
there.
A ballpark in Portland would
create a pile of jobs, could be
utilized as a financial catalyst to
help address a troubling home-
lessness problem, and would
enhance the blighted image of
our city. City leaders could eas-
ily invest millions in a rebrand-
ing and marketing campaign
that announces to the world
that Portland is cleaning itself
up. Or it could simply break
from character and help the
Portland Diamond Project land
the A’s.
Fisher and the A’s appear to
be over trying to find a solution
in Oakland. The competition
doesn’t have the head start that
Cheek and his group engi-
neered over the last few years.
Simple geography and the ri-
valry that would be created
with Seattle vs. Portland make
our city an attractive option.
Yet, we don’t feel anywhere
near ready to bring company
to Portland and showcase the
city. The garbage is piled up.
Too many windows are still
boarded up. Not enough has
been done to help people strug-
gling to find a safe place to
sleep. The timing of this feels
wrong, but it’s not everyday
that an MLB team looks ready
to visit so what we have to do
is straighten up, get busy fixing
the issues, and get it done.
The whales who back the
Diamond Project must have
celebrated the news on Tues-
day night. They have a chance
to make a legacy play here, ei-
ther by partnering with Fisher
and building him a stadium or
buying the team outright from
him. But if they’re like me,
they’re a little uneasy, too.
I keep thinking about the late
Harry Glickman. The vision-
ary brought the Trail Blazers
to Portland and almost pulled
off the Delta Dome project that
would have made the NFL’s
Seahawks ours, too. Glickman
made no small plans. He also
had the heart of a lion and a
booming voice that sounded
like a box of gravel when he di-
rected it at you.
“If Portland wants a baseball
team,” Glickman once barked
at me over coffee, “it will need a
champion in City Hall.”
Is there one out there?
BY EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer
For five years, a bill that
would place the U.S. Anti-Dop-
ing Agency in charge of fight-
ing illicit drug use in horse rac-
ing went nowhere in Congress.
In 2020, it finally passed — but
that milestone came too late to
resolve the crisis that enveloped
the sport and its latest Ken-
tucky Derby winner this week.
As of Wednesday, Me-
dina Spirit was entered in the
Preakness Stakes, set to go for
the second stage of the Triple
Crown despite a doping posi-
tive at the Kentucky Derby that
has shrouded its success and
future, and further muddied
the reputation of its trainer,
Bob Baffert.
In the doping world, posi-
tive tests traditionally have to
be corroborated by a “B” sam-
ple — in this case, a separately
held specimen of the same
blood sample that came back
positive. It could take weeks
for Kentucky authorities to get
Canzano
Continued from A5
Pick one of those quotes and
go with it today.
They both work.
Also understand it will take
a pile of critical things lining up
to make Portland a true can-
didate in the race to land the
A’s. The city needs a massive
clean-up effort. The MLB to
PDX group needs a visible lead
owner to emerge and push the
charge. A more realistic and
viable stadium site needs to be
locked down, too. But most
of all, what the effort to bring
MLB to PDX needs is a cham-
pion inside City Hall.
I’d normally be concerned
that Portland was being used as
a pawn to get the stadium deal
done in Oakland, but there is
something different about the
way this one feels. Oakland has
already lost the Warriors (to
San Francisco) and the Raid-
ers (to Las Vegas). The trend
is Portland’s friend here. And
I keep thinking that A’s owner
John Fisher has simply had
enough and knows this ends
with moving vans involved.
Legend has it that the list
containing the names of the
Portland Diamond Project’s
whale investors and billions in
collective financial commit-
ments was shared with Port-
land Mayor Ted Wheeler a
couple of years ago. Wheeler
added up $2.5 billion in finan-
cial commitments and told The
Oregonian/OregonLive, “They
know what they’re doing.”
Terrific.
Does the city know what it’s
doing?
That’s going to be an import-
ant question in the race for the
A’s. Because Las Vegas, Mon-
treal, Vancouver (B.C.), Char-
lotte and Nashville present for-
midable opposition and they’ve
all got more focused political
backing. This is now a recruit-
ing job. It’s why Vegas, for ex-
ample, emerged as the favorite
on Tuesday.
Literally, an offshore sports
book made odds on destina-
tions for the A’s:
Las Vegas +150
Montreal +250
Portland +500
Nashville +750
Charlotte +800
Vancouver (BC) +1200
“Sin City” has no orga-
nized ownership group on the
ground. They just sunk mil-
lions into constructing a new
Triple-A baseball stadium in
the suburbs. Las Vegas feels
saturated with the addition
of NHL and NFL franchises
that have recently harnessed
the enthusiasm of the city. It’s
also about 150 degrees in the
summer there and adding 81
home baseball dates to the
spring-summer calendar feels
like a big ask of the market.
Still, Vegas opened as the
clear favorite for one reason —
it’s the best recruiter in the land.
We all know the city, state and
county political leadership will
open their arms and make the
A’s feel like the only high roller
in town.
Portland’s sports market is
underserved. The local own-
ership group is well organized.
Constructing a ballpark district
that would revitalize down-
Julio Cortez/AP
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit after a morning exercise at Pim-
lico Race Course ahead of the Preakness Stakes Tuesday in Baltimore.