Monmouth must say thank you, thank you, thank you!

From my days as working as a waiter at the Downhill Grill in Lake Placid, I am privy to the male culture and what women do to them. Cooks peer through the tile-sized window from the kitchen and out to the dining room and gawk at attractive women. The owner, normally sitting in front of the bar with BV and Coke, will cordially jump behind when a vixen should be served.

There's a reason why the Russian empress Catherine the Great wasn't just Catherine.

(Perhaps it had more to do with Peter the Great and being a descendent of the Romanov dynasty, but that's neither here nor there. Carryover the Great? Not so much.)

Once again the woman in the room, Rachel Alexandra, has made everything worthwhile. Life seems worth living again! The Haskell, normally just a rich table setter that lacks fireworks and panache, has the bases loaded — and I mean loaded — with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth with Albert Pujols up and Screech on the mound.

Papa Clem, fourth in the Kentucky Derby is committing. Atomic Rain, 45th in the Kentucky Derby is committing. Munnings, winner of the Woody Stephens and Tom Fool, is stretching out again (Toddy, buddy, you've got a sprinter. You trained his dad, Speightstown, give it a rest). Summer Bird, winner of the Belmont Stakes, is committing. And now Rachel Alexandra threw her garter into the ring and will be the prohibitive favorite. Saratoga's Go For Wand and Fourstardave on the same Sunday will take a hit from those in attendance who will — and should — point their eyes and ears at the screen for the Haskell.

Everyone in attendance at Saratoga should be rooting for her because her next start will likely be in the Grade 1 Travers presented by the Middle East.

Guys, stop gawking. Be cool!

Women love confidence, confidence and poise. Money doesn't hurt either, among other things.

But we don't choose these things.

They choose us.