TBA Standings
As many of you know, I’m proudly affiliated with the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance (aka TBA). One of the missions of the TBA is to promote the use of standings in thoroughbred horse racing. There are many reasons we support this, and rather than restate them I’ll simply direct you to our belief in the matter here.
Since I’m not on a self-hosted WordPress blog, I can’t seem to find a way to display the nifty table-driven standings you’ll see on many other TBA blogs. Instead, I’ll have to go about this the old fashioned way and regularly updated this page.
Edit: Updated 6/30/08
| Twinspires.com Older Horse | |||
|
. |
Heatseeker | 285 | Scratched from SAT: Gold Cup |
|
. |
Curlin | 240 | 6/23 CD 5f 1.03:80 (9/11) |
|
. |
Tiago | 235 | 6th Hollywood Gold Cup |
|
. |
Student Council | 225 | 3rd Hollywood Gold Cup |
|
. |
Go Between | 170 | 2nd Hollywood Gold Cup |
| 3yo Colt | |||
|
. |
Big Brown | 515 | Last in the Belmont |
|
. |
Smooth Air | 225 | Won Gr II Ohio Derby |
|
. |
Da Tara | 215 | 6/28 SAR 4f 51:22 (17/21) |
|
. |
Tale of Ekati | 200 | 6th Belmont |
|
. |
Colonel John | 170 | 6/25 SA 6f 1.12:20 |
| 3yo Filly | |||
|
. |
Golden Doc A | 350 | Last Gr I Acorn |
|
. |
Proud Spell | 305 | Bad Start, Pinched, DQ’d to 3rd |
|
. |
Bsharpsonata | 235 | LAST in G2 Black-Eyed Susan |
|
. |
Little Belle | 200 | 6/28 BEL 3f 36:01 (1/11) |
|
. |
Indian Blessing | 190 | 6/30 BEL 5f 59:10 |
| Filly & Mare | |||
|
. |
Ginger Punch | 235 | WON G1 Ogden Phipps |
|
. |
Zenyatta | 230 | 6/28 HOL 6f 1.14:80 (4/18 ) |
|
. |
Double Trouble | 210 | 8th Beverly Hills (Turf) |
|
. |
Dawn After Dawn | 160 | 8th last Gr II A Gleam |
|
. |
Golden Velvet | 140 | 2nd G1 Ogden Phipps |
| F&M Turf | |||
|
. |
Mauralakana | 135 | Won Gr II New York Stakes |
|
. |
Black Mamba | 135 | Won Gr II Beverly Hills |
|
. |
Precious Kitten | 130 | |
|
. |
Costume | 125 | 3rd Gr III Ouija Board |
|
. |
Ventura | 125 | |
| Turf | |||
|
. |
Einstein | 400 | 2nd in G1 Stephen Foster |
|
. |
Artiste Royale | 270 | 6/19 HOL 5f T 1:02.60 (3/4) |
|
. |
Dancing Forever | 255 | 6/29 SAR 4f 50:78 (6/10) |
|
. |
Out of Control | 230 | 6/28 BEL 4f 47:90 (3/38 ) |
|
. |
Daytona | 230 | 6th in the American Gr II |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| F&M Sprint | |||
|
. |
Intangaroo | 255 | 4th Gr II A Gleam HOL |
|
. |
Baroness Thatcher | 150 | 6/28 BEL 4f 48:66 (12/44) |
|
. |
Sugar Swirl | 120 | 6t Gr I Humana |
|
. |
Rite Moment | 110 | 6/28 AQU 6f 1.13:67 (1/2) |
|
. |
Society Hostess | 80 | 4th Gr II Bed O’Roses |
| Jockey | |||
|
. |
Gomez, Garrett | 2120 | |
|
. |
Bejarano, Rafael | 1850 | |
|
. |
Velazquez, John | 1280 | |
|
. |
Prado, Edgar | 1205 | |
|
. |
Desormeaux, Kent | 980 | |
I’m writing to ask…………..is there a horse named Z Fortune that’s a Kentucky Derby contender?
I watched some of the Wood Memorial and Santa Anita on TV over the weekend, but heard NOTHING, ZILCH about that horse, so I’m asking you about him.
Thanks….have a good day.
S. Brooks
Z Fortune is indeed real - he wasn’t in any of the races last weekend but he should be in the Arkansas Derby this weekend (specifically on Saturday 4/12). He’s trained by Steve Asmussen (who also trains Curlin and Pyro) and has been working out at Oaklawn getting ready for the Arkansas Derby.
I liked him going into the year, but he hasn’t really panned out thus far in 2008. He’d need to bring his best effort to take the Arkansas Derby, as he’s likely to run into Gayego, Blackberry Road, and My Pal Charlie there.
Wondering if there will be any fillies in the Derby. How did Proud spell and Indian Blessing cool out of their last races? Have they ever raced against the boys?
That’s something I was wondering as well, Giovanna. Proud Spell in particular I know was nominated, so at some level they have to be at least considering it. That being said, I haven’t heard any indication that they are pointing her towards the Derby.
I’d like to see her go. With Rags win last year in the Belmont, I had hoped that American trainers would be more apt to dispell what in my opinion is a myth that fillies can’t beat colts. It also makes for great equine-interest (as opposed to human interest) story lines.
I’ve thought about this for a few months now. We need some “feel good” storeis. We need horses that people can rally behind and take a personal interest in. Who says it has to be a colt? A filly like Ruffian (granted their aren’t any since who have been anything remotely close to Ruffian) could do it. Especially if it happened at 3 years old and they put on a display in the Triple Crown races.
We’ll have to keep our eyes open on this. I think Proud Spell has over $800k in earnings, so she’d be an auto-qualify if they wanted to enter her.
Don’t have a cow but GAYEGO, WAR PASS, the poly-track horse MONBA, and perhaps PYRO [who ran terrible on the poly-track] will probably be up the track at CHURCHILL. Also TALE OF EKLATI does not look like he has the ‘closing kick’ to win the mile-and-a-quarter. ‘Tender feet’ of BIG BROWN is a detriment as is his running style of going to the front and demolishing his opponents. COLONEL JOHN is the only consistant closer who has shown decent times for the last 1/16 or 1/8 in his races. Right now look for COLONEL JOHN, BIG BROWN, PYRO, Z-FORTUNE in the exotics with COLONEL JOHN on top.
4 of the contenders were in the 2008 Breeders Juvenile (War Pass, Pyro, Z Humor, Tale of Ekati). Does that hinder or improve there Derby chances? (Street Sense was an exceptional horse to win both!!) Have they “peaked” going into May?
I just love watching Pyro - late fractional times very impressive!!
Re: Gayego
Welcome aboard and for the record Gayego played with Z fortune.
Again he ran the race in the 2 hole, off the rail ( no accidents thank you ) improved off the San Felipe and outran Curlin’s time in only 5th lifetime start for a “sprinter”. the horse loves dirt the only question is 1 1/4 but I havent seen any better. gayego is one special horse.
A mile and a quarter will only be a problem if Gayego goes too fast early. Stalking a suicidal pace could have him going too fast himself. He’ll be better off staying back in 6th or 7th. If the front runners are able to slow the pace down, he’ll have to stay closer. A slow pace could be trouble though because some of the speed horses are potentially the most talented horses in the race. Gayego needs them to get used up early if he is to run them down.
Knowing Pyro’s and Colonel John’s pedigrees I think that they will figure this all out (esp Pyro hating the polytrack) Looks like Colonel John has already figured it out. Both have Seattle Slew in their pedigree and he was very smart and liked to please (I know because I own a great grand daughter of his and she is the smartest horse I have ever handled). Pyro looks alot like Slew . Another colt who is impressive is Adriano (sp). I like his look -that barb nose and long ears showing good breeding. Wish I had bet on him in his last race!!
Too bad Georgie Boy is out, he looked more impressive then Gayego. Hard to get excited about this group of sup 100 Beyers, I guess it’s just going to be one of those years.
I don’t care if any of these horses are superstars. It’s still going to be fun trying to pick the winners and I’m sure the races will be very competitive. Wouldn’t it be funny though if one of these lackluster horses wins the triple crown and gets national attention? It would be interesting to see how far back he finishes behind Curlin in the Breeders’ Cup.
LOL- true indeed Jerry. I don’t think this year’s crop stacks up anything like what we were blessed with last year - but it will be interesting nonetheless. They may actually be closer in terms of ability from top to bottom this year than they were last year, with Curlin, Street Sense, and Hard Spun seemingly head and shoulders among the other Derby/Preakness runners. I find myself having a very hard time settling on “one horse” as my pick at the moment.
I like Big Brown, but the pace could tax him. I like Pyro, but he may leave himself too much to do in a 20 horse field. I like Gayego, but I totally agree with what you said a few comments above (sorry to just be replying now as I was away on business all week) and worry that he might be too close to suicide fractions. I also like CJ, but am worried that he might not have the best turn of foot…..no to mention we haven’t seen him on dirt.
There’s going to be about 6 or 7 I could make a decent case for, but all would have an equally compelling case against them.
On the bright side, this ought to equal a smashing betting opportunity for those that can get it right.
WITH ‘BIG BROWN’ + ‘COLONEL JOHN’ decidely the 2 keys in the exacta DERBY[depending on how far speed takes/goes for BIG BROWN in the mile+quarter race] it is up to ‘WORKS’ and how much horses ‘like’ Churchill Downs surface… GAYEGO, Z-FORTUNE who made up 5 lengths from the 3/4 pole, BOB BLACK JACK who ran a good 2nd to COLONEL JOHN, PYRO who may comeback from his dismal polytrack race, and post positions aside from ‘all-important’ works WILL DETERMINE WHO WINS THIS DERBY AMONG THESE 6 AND WHO COMPRISES THE SUPERFECTA. GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL.
Look for COURT VISION + maybe ADRIANO to be factors early in the DERBY[because of exceptional works] - but doubt either will be there at the end - but will either ‘take enough out of’ BIG BROWN to cause him to lose??? DUNNO - THAT IS WHY THEY CALL IT HORSE RACING.
I like your analysis Zyskandar. Court Vision turned in a really sharp work recently so it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him turn in his best effort. Adriano I’m not so sure of. I’m just not sure if dirt is his best game. I do love Graham Motion though as a trainer - and would be happy to see him get a big upset win.
dear KEVIN + others - POST POSITIONS and ‘WORKS’ as always will determine the finish of the 6 i listed - yeah i like certain ‘trainers’ also[DUTROWS has been a master of older claimers/runners not so much with 3 year olds re:BIG BURN and COLONEL JOHN has EOIN HARTY and both have 'raceriders' in DESORMEAUX + NAKATANI] but PYRO may come back from the dismal polytrack effort but BRIDGEMOHAN although capable is not of the same cut as the other 2 riders while SMITH i think ‘won’ the last for GAYEGO although he had a pretty easy trip and GOMEZ is always ‘live’ on Z-FORTUNE!!! BOB BLACK JACK is a live closer for FLORES - so there you have it - we have to wait for the post draw and take our chances.
“BOB BLACK JACK is a live closer for FLORES.” I assume you meant Behindatthebar? If so, I agree with ya.
My mistake meant MIGLIORE - was not impressed with PLETCHER’S BEHINDATTHEBAR even though he won aginst ‘lesser competition’ - that is why people differ in opinions and analisys - that is why there are no ‘true running machines’ except maybe since RIBOT. GOOD LUCK.
Big Brown (who is a bay) has an issue w/ his left front foot. I could see it in the stretch run in his last win . They need to be careful w/him he could break down easily. Prado will be riding Adriano and depending on the post position they could be hard to beat. My other picks are Colonel John and Pyro. Both have the breeding and the “look” to win. When I check out the works this week will have a better idea . Also interested to see who will be in the field. Will Proud Spell run in the Oaks or the Derby?
Shame on Zito for not seeing that his colt had a fracture. So many of these trainers are not horsemen, just money makers. War Pass should not race again in spite of what Zito says. The colt has proven himself already. He should be put out to stud.
Big Brown’s feet are indeed a very real concern. I know some folks that think they won’t hold up over the Churchill surface. Gotta love the additional drama/uncertainty such a consideration brings to the table.
I’d actually like to see War Pass come back though, provided he can heal up. I’d like to see them shorten him back to 1 mile races and let him win a few more stakes if he can. I’m not really a fan of horses retiring so early in their careers in general - but certainly if it’s beneficial to the animal’s health I’d be in favor of it. Plus, I can understand the lure of breeding money with a colt that was a 2 year old champ.
Re-watched the races for the umptenth time - most impressed by BOB BLACK JACK, COLONEL JOHN -closing kicks. Also watched Z-HUMOR come to GAYEGO and ‘flatten-out’. BIG BROWN was very formidable going wire-to-wire fro, 12hole in FLORIDA DERBY dirt. PYRO was a ‘flop’ on polytrack. LAST POST UNTIL DRAW AND WORKS LATER IN THIS WEEK.
liked Eight Bells work 4/27-she is impressive. Proud Spell looks off (again the left front) hopefully they have xrayed her recently -think the Oaks is better suited for her(if she is sound). Adriano and Pyro look very laid back in the works. Colonel John impressive
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE DERBY[fast track only]
COURT VISION gets a part because of brilliant work on Apr 17 and brilliant jock GOMEZ. Filly EIGHT BELLES has never won at more than 1mile+1/16 despite workingbrilliantly over the surface. BARCLAY TAGG will Not repeat with another NYBred BIG TRUCK. PYRO will not return from the dismal effort on polytrack. COLONEL JOHN has NAKATANI and is bred to go the distance - also worked splendidly on CD surface, BOB BLACK JACK has the ‘MIG’ replacing Flores and should grab a share. GAYEGO should break-well with SMITH but has to challenge BIG BROWN immediately to get position. If GAYEGO tries too push too hard - he will not finish as well as he has previously. BIG BROWN must be in front - if he gets dirt thrown in his face he could stop on a dime. Good blow-out in 35.4 Thursday morning seys this DUTROW trainee up for possibly a winning trip wire-to-wire. Someone anyone must come to him to stop this - the question becomes does anyone have enough speed to match him and will they want to sacrifice their horse to set the race up for the closers???[Don't think PYRO has come back and think TALE of EKATI with COA and ADRIANO are too slow] ORDER OF FINISH: BIG BROWN, on top of COURT VISION, COLONEL JOHN, BOB BLACK JACK, GAYEGO[boxed in super and trifectas] If BIG BROWN falters any of the other four. Of course i’ve been wrong before - liked PITTSBURGH over DALLAS in one SUPERBOWL which i lost and liked the PATRIOTS over GIANTS last year - but i did think RAGS-TO-RICHES was a mortal lock in the BELMONT despite being trained by PLETCHER!!! GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL.
The other REASON i like BIG BROWN is because it is exactly 20 years since i bet another wire-to-wire winner WINNING COLOURS in the DERBY. BIG BROWN’S BIGGEST DETRACTIONS ARE HIS INEXPERIENCE AND DICK DUTROW’S OUTSPOKEN HUBRIS!!!
BIG BROWN did not win the way i thought he would - BIG BROWN was more impressive. None of the other picks hit the board. WATCH OUT FOR THE PREAKNESS AND POSSIBLE 2 OUT OF 3 OF THE TRIPLE CROWN. WHO KNOWS???
The media does not want the public to see the damage that horse racing does to 2 and 3 year olds. It is just like the damage done to high school foot ball players whose growth plates are fully formed. They (both the horses and kids) get injured -some kids never recover and many many TBs are put down or taken to auctions to be sold as dog food. If the horse racing industry would wait one more year to race horses start as 3 yr olds then many more horses would stay sound and maybe keep their lives or more onto other careers. Eight Bells death marred the Derby for me-I am too much a horsewoman and know too much about TB racing (and what happens to ex-race horses) to feel excitment about this sport any more. I know that TB’s have been bred to race but money and fast results have ruined the sport. These horses have more heart, spirit, and trust than any breed on earth . Yesterday Eight Belles proved that with her life.
Although everyone should be ’saddened’ by EIGHT BELLE’s demise - severly breaking both her ankles could have happened at any time in any race. Constant x-rays are taken of 2 and sometimes 3 year-olds to determine if their joints [especially ankles and knees] are fully formed and closed. To assign this tragedy to the running of horses as early as two or three years of age is specious. WHY HAVE RACING AT ALL FOR YOUNG HORSES??? THIS WOULD BE THE MORE PRACTICAL SOLUTION ACCORDING TO YOUR LOGIC - BUT IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN ANY NOTICEABLE DEPRECIATION OF INJURIES. Am in full agreement with you that thorough-breds are spit-up used-up in the racing game. AND THINK IT IS DESPICABLE THAT HORSES ARE STILL CONSIGNED TO THE ‘KILLERS’ FOR DOGFOOD!!! Unfortunately MONEY rules all our ‘better instincts’ not just the racing industry!!!
Your points are well taken Zyskander. I think if the horse business refuses to change (although I still dispute that growth plates are closed in 2and 3 yr olds need to consult my equine vet on this) then these wealthy tb owners should contribute funds -(a good percentage of funds) to tb non profits for retired horses. These include CANTER and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation . It is a worthwhile tax write off . These non profits are underfunded and out of space to take more horses since 60,000 ex-race horses are put down every year.
CANTER and the TRF are both worthy causes.
Anyone interested in contributing to CANTER or learning more should visit their site here:
http://www.canterusa.org/
To visit the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, use this URL:
http://www.trfinc.org/index.php
Both groups are always in need of additional support.
Thank you for mentioning them, Giovanna.
Two great ’causes’ CANTER and TRF too be sure!!! The ‘HORSE-RACING INDUSTRY’ is just a ‘tax-adjunct’ in too many states financial plans. THEY ARE TAX MACHINES - EATING-UP HORSES AND ONLY ACKNOWLEDGING ‘RACING’ FOR WHAT IT CONTRIBUTS TAX WISE!!! How many among the ‘posters on this site’ have experienced the glories of a mid-summer day at SARATOGA, or the majestic vistas surrounding SANTA ANITA, or experienced ‘the silence’ of the races at KEENELAND[as it used to be]??? ‘RACING’ is ‘big business’ - and rarely only in times of financial crisis does anyone pay attention to the horses, trainers, jockeys, exercise boys[now mostly girls/women], grooms, hot-walkers and others that labor from 4 A.M through hours sometimes late at night - so that we can enjoy ‘this sport’ that occassionally ends in tragedy and heartbreak.
Perhaps the KY Derby could be changed to a race for four year olds only. I realize that owners of cheaper horses must begin making money on their horses as soon as possible or they’ll go broke, but the elite horses could wait another year for the Classics. With so much concern over age, a race named the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile sounds bad. That could be changed or done away with.
Whips could be banned. I don’t think it would make the horses safer, but whips do make the sport look bad. When I tell my friends to watch a race and all they see is a bunch of horses getting whipped. It puts a bad taste in their mouth.
The move to synthetic could be hastened. It sure can’t hurt, and seems to help prevent injuries.
Methods of treating bucked shins such as pin firing, and any other inhumane treatments should be banned if there are humane alternatives available.
I still don’t know if these things would prevent many of the accidents, but since we love the horses and this sport, it’s what we need to strive to do. Changes certainly need to be made quickly to keep fans and heighten the integrity of our sport.
Another idea is to make heve all the folks that bet pay a % to the above foundations. Did any one see the interview on the Today show w/ Matt , Jones and the track spokeman’s vet? It was bogus! They talked about the horses that go down before our eyes -not the ones that get injured. It is very difficult to find a sound ex-race horse-usually the ones that do not run well are the most sound (makes sense). As far as I know pin firing is no longer allowed. Horse slaughter is no longer allowed in the US however these horses are bought at auction and shipped to Mexico and Canada where it is legal. Many of these ex-race horses are very well bred. I have a 5 yr old mare who was left at Suffock when the trainer could not pay his track fees.(she came in dead last in 3 starts). She has Affirmed and Seattle Slew in her pedigree and is a doll!! She is sound except for her rt hind stiffness and has scars on her hocks and rt side from the starting gate. Her half brother was bought at auction in Jersey and has Storm Cat in his pedigree. He is now being ridden as a trail horse by a teen. By the time ex-race horses end up at the auctions it is likely they are going to slaughter. Most rescues happen at the track.
This incident on Sat. has made people more aware of how people are using these horses-and I agree the whipping down the stretch was too much for a senstive thin skinned TB who already was exhausted -who was that jockey!!
‘SUFFERIN DOWNS’ eh??? Up in REVERE MA. just on the outskirts of BOSTON - where the ‘Mob’-read MAFIA as in RICHIE CASTUCCI down on REVERE BEACH used to own 8 out of the 10 horses in a race -and still lost!!! The jockey’s name was SAEZ - a twenty-year-old - AND his actions did not cause the ‘break-down’ of EIGHT BELLES.[IF YOU WATCH THE RE-PLAY OF THE STRETCH RUN HE PROBABLY WHIPPED EIGHT BELLES 5 OR 6 TIMES WHILE 'SHOWING' THE WHIP TO HER ON THE UPSCALE MOTION] If that is your major complaint - than why not make whipping a horse ‘illegal’. DO NOT TURN IN A HALF-ASSED LAW LIKE IN THE U.K. WHERE ‘EXCESSIVE’ WHIPPING IS ILLEGAL - WHAT DEEMS ‘EXCESSIVE’??? TOO SUBJECTIVE.
Lots of great suggestions here and I definitely feel the passion from all of you. I’m not sure what the “right” answer is to many of these issues, but certainly there is common ground we can stand on and I think the time is right to push for change.
@Jerry - well said, I basically agree with everything you’ve stated above.
@ Giovanna- I missed the interview with Jones and Porter. I think it makes sense that anyone earning millions fo $$$ from horse racing should be giving back to charities. For all I know though, they do already.
@Zyskander - I agree -whatever is done must not be done in a half-assed sort of way. The question of over-whipping is subjective. For the record, I don’t think Eight Belles was abused with the whip from what I could see. I tend to worry more about the $5,000 maidens and claimers that no one really cares about when it comes to that kind of abuse. That being said, I’d prefer to see the whip go, personally. I don’t enjoy watching a horse get whipped at all.
Keep ‘em coming, guys. You guys have encouraged me to be a bit more pro-active in speaking up about this kind of stuff. The timing just feels right.
To KEVIN and all the rest of us/you - perhaps the ‘greatest problem’ to thoroughbred unsoundness is being overlooked - that is all ALL pf the 20 horses competing in the DERBY this year could trace their linegae and inbreeding cross-breedings to NATIVE DANCER. A HORSE FORCED TO QUIT RACING BECAUSE OF ‘BAD ANKLES’!!! Continued breeding to just one or two stallion lines will result in less sturdy horses. 20 or so years ago there were many more stallions to ‘breed’ too - but with owners/farms desperately seeking returns on investments - the stallions who ‘throw’ winning runners are unfortunately very few of those horses allowed to sire offspring. THE BREED DESERVES MORE HARDINESS/DIVERSITY BESIDES THE SAME OLD SIRES THROWING INCREASINGLY FRAGILE HORSEFLESH BECAUSE OF GENETICS!!! This is one of the major ‘unspoken/unwritten’ problems of why thoroughbreds break-down at a greater % in major races!!! [If you were too analyze the % of horses 'breaking-down' at smaller tracks/in claiming or 'smaller races' - you would probably find the horses have been 'raced/run' too much because of economics both the trainers/owners fees/costs - and to fill races at the track to make a full card ensure tax-monies to the city/state!!!]
Good point Zyskander - that’s what Val and others were getting on about in the other thread. I think it’s starting to actually get some discussion now (I hope) and will likely come under closer scrutiny.
The Favourite of the Crowd
(The destruction of the 3-year old filly ‘Go For Wand’ on Saturday,
October 27, 1990, at Belmont Park Racetrack, Elmont, N.Y.)
Time is at hand…Time is at hand…
Time for the favourite of the crowd
To parade her chestnut coat
Dappled and gleaming
She dances in late afternoon’s
All too fleeting shadows
Sinews regally slender
Ears pricked…Eyes alert…
Sculpted nose flaring with excitement
Jockey mounts grabbing fistfulls
Of carefully groomed mane
Bringing all to the moment
Performance time at start-gate
At the clang of life’s bell
Bred to race…Bred to race…
The favourite of the crowd
Breaking quickly
Fragile feet flicking ever so lightly
A blur of motion and colour
Your finish in sight
A brief moment’s hesitation
Fine shards splintering through
White stockinged legs
Time is at hand…Time out of sequence…
For a broken ballerina
Now lunging in a final drunken wobble
Teetering on that fractured front fetlock
The snap—
ping of bone
The favourite of the crowd
Her broken leg dangling uncontrollably
Waving a final salute
To the clubhouse waiters
Pouring out the rose wine of death
Into sparkling crystal glasses
As your backlegs still pumped
While you crashed to earth
And aloof teenage school boys
Imperiously attired in blazers
Asked their well-dressed mothers
Why they wept and hid their eyes
From a wingless Pegasus falling forever
Never assuming death happens
On a beautiful blue sky autumn day
Suddenly turned grey cloudy and dull
Framing your shattering on color televisions
Repeated freeze frame and slow motion
As the momentary gasp of the crowd
When an acrobat plummets
With no net to catch
And the echoes fade into autumn
And then is there no more
That favourite of the crowd
As momentary as discarded losing tickets
Blowing in the wind
At the end of a race.
50 % of bloodlines come from dams . I think breeders overlook the importance of soundness in mares -they only look for stakes winners for breeding and most of them were retired because of unsoundness. I bet Rags to Riches was unraceable after her Belmont win and that is why she was sent to the breeding shed.
Both last year’s BELMONT winner RAGS-TO-RICHES and the year before last JAZIL were produced by the mare BETTER-THAN-HONOUR!!! Quite a feat which may never be duplicated!!!
I am curious as to why only one horse from the Derby is in the Preakness. What happened to the rest of the field? Did they all turn up lame? Does any one out there know?
GAYEGO may run. It should be obvious that none of these DERBY ‘hopefuls’ wants to get ‘beat’ so decisively once again by BIG BROWN. UPSETS DO HAPPEN - WEATHER - MIS-STEPS CAN HAPPEN. But BIG BROWN LOOKS LIKE THE OVERWHELMING FAVORITE. TRAINERS/OWNERS are saving their horses for other high-dollar races.
Gayego!
What wonderful news, I always said he ‘d be great bet in the Preakness. It was Mike Smith and blinkers on that changed the connections’ mind to run, this will be exciting. Proof that Arazi uh i mean Big Brown beat very little is none of those mules are coming back. That was racing luck for BB and a weak field, for sure. Now if gayego doesnt check twice and gets a rabbit, I expect to cash LARGE, good luck all
With the added dimension of BIG BROWN not having to be in front - he will be very difficult to ‘beat’. [Perhaps if the track comes up 'sloppy' who knows whether he will take to it???] It should be interesting watching all those horses race to the front to try and ’steal’ this race??? WE ALL WILL ‘SEE/WATCH’ JUST HOW GOOD OR NOT BIG BROWN IS OR CAN BE.
With the overwhelming BIG BROWN on top add MACHO AGAIN, ICHABAD CRANE and GIANTS MOON in no particular order.[Fast track only]
Macho Again keeps coming up everywhere I turn. I wasn’t considering him at first but am rethinking that strategy. Didn’t hear good things about Gayego thus far since arriving - but that all could change. I like Ichabad Crane a lot - I’m just a little higher on Hey Byrn and Kentucky Bear at the moment.
One thing’s for certian - with the favorite keyed on top, it shouldn’t be too pricey to look for some value underneath.
The last time i remember a trainer ‘blowing-out’ a horse through-the-lane on race-day — the horse won by 7 in a romp!!! But that was just an open allowance race - not the PREAKNESS. BIG BROWN should demolish this ‘middling’ field even from the inside 6(post draw #7). WE SHALL SEE IF 1-9 FAVORITES CAN GET THE JOB DONE. [The steroid 'winstrol' and different derivations has been given out to horses for 30 years now - ask PLETCHER, BAFFERT, LUCAS,CAMPO, BARRERA, MARTIN and others]
The most interesting scenario is now in place. CASINO DRIVE, originally stabled in JAPAN and winner of last week’s PETER PAN -is the third in a series of foals from the mare BETTER-THAN-HONOUR. The 2 other foals being JAZIL and RAGS-TO-RICHES — who both won their BELMONT’s!!! Now along comes undefeated BIG BROWN who gets to face off with CASINO DRIVE — to see whose genes will triumph-out???[CASINO DRIVE is also lightly raced and undefeated] TALK ABOUT YOUR ALL-TIME RACE SCENARIOS. THIS SHOULD BE EXCITING. Will we have the first TRIPLE CROWN CHAMP in 30 years - or will bloodlines/genes of the dam prove unbeatable??? As JAZIL, RAGS-TO-RICHES, and CAINO DRIVE are by different studs - will the ‘worth’ of a dam’s bloodlines finally take center stage??? WE SHALL SEE.
Looking carefully at both BIG BROWN and CASINO DREAM’s bloodlines you will find the NEARCO bloodlines in both. Prominent in CASINO DREAM’s is the ‘crazy’ NASRULLAH line. In BIG BROWN’s you will find such notables as BOLD RULER, DAMASCUS. etc. While CASINO DRIVE contains the prolific stakes sire the ‘AGA KHAN’s’ BLUSHING GROOM. SHOULD BE AN EXCELLENT TEST OF HORSES, TRAINERS, JOCKEYS, and whose BLOODLINES are more potent.
Will await until after May 31 when BIG BROWN ‘works’ again but at the moment the $20dollar-or-less? cold trifecta looks like BIG BROWN - CASINO DRIVE - EL GATO MALO. PERHAPS ‘WEATHER’ WILL PLAY A FACTOR - WHO KNOWS??? But the exacta and trifecta appears to be coming-up the shortest returns in the BELMONT on record.
Looks like El Gato Malo is headed to Hollywood Park for the Swaps:
http://www.ntra.com/content.aspx?type=news&id=32580
Another selection must be made - if i was EL GATO MALO’s trainer-or-owner i would opt to avoid BIG BROWN + CASINO DRIVE also.
I’ll take the cold trifecta BIG BROWN with CASINO DRIVE then DENIS OF CORK then add intersperse either MACHO AGAIN and ICABAD CRANE as the 3rd or 4th picks with D OF C. EXACTA,TRIFECTA, and possibly the SUPERFECTA will be very short - if they hit if they all run???
That looks like a good one. I really like Macho Again and Icabad now that they’ve helped bring home a decent tri for me (considering a 1-5 favorite on top).
Ah to hit a probably a $4 EXACTA or a $10 TRIFECTA or a $20SUPERFECTA at the BELMONT - how scintillating!!! But better than losing and tearing-up throwing away tickets!!!
Will the ’slight’ injury and loss of ‘training time’ to one of BIG BROWN’s hoove’s affect whether he runs in the BELMONT or not??? The scenario of the race becomes even more interesting.[If BIG BROWN opts out - is this CASINO DREAM's to lose???]
Hopefully Big Brown will be good to go. If not, then I think Casino Drive, Tale of Ekati, and Denis of Cork become the major players.
Is TALE OF EKATI still running - trying to finish his DERBY RACE??? T-OF-E JUST TOO SLOW - If BIG BROWN opts out this will become a jockey’s tactical race WHO KNOWS???
So with the quick-to-heal BIG BROWN back in training - is BIG BROWN a ’super-horse’ both physically/mentally??? The cold exacta-trifecta-superfecta for the BELMONT — BIG BROWN - CASINO DREAM - DENIS OF CORK - MACHO AGAIN.
Perhaps heeding the ‘brash’ DICK DUTROW about his views of the BELMONT — BIG BROWN will certainly win and just maybe just maybe the trainer DUTROW is correct AND CASINO DREAM is not a ’sure thing’ for second??? In that case PRADO may not extend CASINO DREAM just to get beat by the next TRIPLE CROWN ‘WINNER’ BIG BROWN.
For all those who ‘think’ BIG BROWN is less than a champion - the only horse to win the DERBY + PREAKNESS each by more than 4 lengths is a guy named WHIRLAWAY!!! BIG BROWN will gallop in the BELMONT and win by as many lengths as his jockey and trainer/owners feel comfortable with[taking care not to exacerbate his quarter crack by an inordinate display of horseracing prowess] Also CASINO DRIVE is reportedly off in his left hind. Pick for exacta is DENIS OF CORK - then MACHO AGAIN - and then READY ECHO.
It’s a shame they took Calvin Borel off Denis of Cork. Apparently it was the owners’ wishes. His ride aboard Street Sense in the Derby had to be about the greatest (if not luckiest) ever.
Horses are not machines. The failure of BIG BROWN in the BELMONT should make that quite clear. Now the questions must be asked about ‘STEROIDS’ - IS THIS WHY ‘BIG BROWN’ RAN SO POORLY NOT BEING GIVEN HIS USUAL DOSAGE??? For years it was ‘rumored’ that BAFFERT, LUCAS & OTHER LEADING TRAINERS administered ‘drug cocktails’ to allow their horses to run so much better as if ‘magically’ having them in their barn made average horses super stars - is it time to stop ‘pussy-footing’ around STEROIDS in horse-racing and DEMAND that this sport be drug free??? YES I WROTE DRUG FREE - AND THAT INCLUDES THE SUPPOSED ANTI-BLEEDING MEDICATION LASIX WHICH IN TRUTH HAS THE ABILITY TO MASK OTHER DRUGS!!! Feed, hay, vitamins and the occassional ‘jug’ [of proteins, nutrients] should be in horses that’s it!!! Will BIG BROWN race again - at this point don’t know don’t care. ‘Crushing defeats’ like this are hard to take or just to watch - true champions try harder no matter the outcome. Had more respect for SECRETARIAT being beat first by his stable-mate and ‘rabbit’ ANGLE LIGHT and then ONION than what i saw at yesterday’s BELMONT. BELMONT is indeed the ‘graveyard of prospective champions’. CONGRATS TO ZITO AND ALL THE OTHER TRAINERS/OWNERS HORSES WHO FINISHED AHEAD OF BIG BROWN IN YESTERDAY’S RACE!!!