An outlet for a new thoroughbred horse racing enthusiast...
with a little experience there's no telling what could happen!
Formerly known as "Just Thoroughbreds".
Rick Violette gets his first win of the meet in the second at Belmont with a wire to wire romp by Globalization (I’m still alive in the early pick 4!). I was starting to wonder when he’d get a win. My note on Globalization was that he had a jock change + his last work was an endurance builder… I thought both were encouraging.
On a bias note, both wins so far were from the 5th post position and wire to wire.
Wow! Sadly, I had the wrong upset winner… Rosinka, but for a moment there it looked it really good for her! Lahudood, how about it! That’s the last time you’ll get her at 21-1. What a great inside move… I have to admit I dismissed her totally… my only note was that her last race was too big of a jump in class… not this time!
On a bias note, Alan Garcia/Kiaran McLaughlin have now won 2 today. And it’s Alan Garcia’s first G1, congrats to him, it was a great ride!
For the reasons well mentioned many other places, I like Hard Spun to win the Kentucky Cup tomorrow… how about you?
Sorry for lack of posting, I’ve actually been putting the finishing touches on the new and improved GbG, hopefully launching this weekend.
Off to handicap… good luck to everyone tomorrow, especially Hard Spun!
The Hennegan Brothers! Well, virtually speaking that is, on Facebook. Who knew that site could actually be used for things other than getting bitten by zombies and sending people virtual drinks! If you don’t already know, they’re the film making brothers who directed the genius and yet to be released First Saturday in May. Swifty and I were lucky enough to see it at the Tribeca Film Festival.
I mentioned it here as part of a larger point that there are plenty of things that could be done to bring casual fans into the fold, such as play their film on TV every year around Derby time to make the connection to casual fans that the Derby doesn’t “just happen” in hopes getting them engaged the following year.
Steve Crist also wrote a really great article on the film (within a week of my blog post, Coincidence? More than likely).
They also have a collection of nice clips, some outtakes and some from the film, of Barbaro. I’m gonna ask them to post some Lawyer Ron clips as well… he and Jazil were also featured in the film.
All my unsuccessful attempts to hit the pick 4’s and pick 6’s this past weekend, especially the carryover, have kept me from a few posts. First off, I have to thank Steve Crist for his I, Idiot post. It made me feel so much less idiotic about my multi-race exotic follies. Mind you, I was out of Sunday’s Pick 6 in the first (5th) race and didn’t have any picks in the 2nd (6th), but I did have Giveityourbestshot! Mia blew my chances at the meager Pick 4. I should have gone with her instead of The Ag, solely based on Pletcher’s cold streak.
Speaking of which, my favorite handicapping god Steve Davidowitz, has a DRF+ article with a lot of great insights, such as when to avoid a horse based on a good trainer with a cold streak. Other salient points include the fine points of subtle class drops & class relief + when to bet a bridesmaid to win. All points that could have helped this past weekend, but I can’t wait to put to use this coming weekend!
Published late on friday was a little articleabout NYRA agreeing to “try” to keep the track soft.
Hopefully they really will try. [DRF]
And, one of my favs from early in this year’s Derby trail, Belgravia is back on the work tab! He was a promising 2 year old last year who won the Hollywood Prevue and seemed well on his way to the Derby trail. Here’s a profile of him at Thoroughbred Times’ Road to the Triple Crown. A quote from his trainer caught my eye…
[quote]
“He doesn’t need it (Lasix),” Biancone said. “Simple as that. I will not judge other people. So far, so good, he hasn’t needed it. We never used it with Lion Heart. I mean, if a person trained with aspirin every day, and did not need it, eventually it loses its effectiveness and does not work.”
[end quote]
Dick Powell has an article at Handicapper’s Edge about the unnecessarily over sealed track at Belmont and all the injuries, including Rags to Riches.
[quote] Rags to Riches’ injury is one of numerous ones, some catastrophic, that have occurred since racing returned to Belmont. Despite what track superintendent John Passero says, the track is too hard from the constant sealing. I know that this time of year, it is hard to maintain Belmont since the angle of the sun becomes more severe and some spots dry out differently than others. But based on the running times of Saturday’s early races and the account of how the track was groomed Friday after the last race, we lost a racing superstar to an injury that could have been avoided.
[quote]
It’s not like this is first time this has been pointed out (and in this case, directly to NYRA) … but clearly it’s waaaaayyyyyyyy more important to have a FAST track.
Excellent with a capital E commentary by Dan Liebman of Bloodhorse on breeding and the new gold (sub) standard.
Superfecta pointed this out yesterday but I just now read it and have to give it 4 thumbs up. It’s always satisfying to not only see someone point out something hideously wrong, but to also point who and what’s to blame. You go Dan Liebman.
I was just over at Left at the Gate and thought I’d share a comment that pretty sums up something I’ve blogged about many times.
[quote]
Alan, I’m so glad to see you blogging at the official BC site about the detrimental effect that today’s sparse campaigns are having on the sport. I’ve been a fan since I was seven years old, but in recent years my interest has dwindled to the point that most weekends I don’t even know what stakes are being run, let alone try to watch them. (Of course, the new baby has something to do with that.) It’s impossible for me to get excited about a horse I can only expect to see run a few times a year, and can only expect to see run against top competition in the classics and Breeders’ Cup. (emphasis is mine).
[end quote]
And if it’s hard for lifelong fans to stay enthused, forget about getting and sustaining new ones.
Not only has IWCG never run on turf, he trained on it for the first time on Monday. Looks like it went well, No Biz liked it and Teuflesberg did alright… now if we could just get Hard Spun on the Turf!
Buried in a Lawyer Ron update was some info on The Monkey.
[quote]
Pletcher said The Green Monkey came out of his third-place finish in a six-furlong maiden race at Belmont Sept. 15 in good order. The Green Monkey’s debut was regarded as a highlight of the racing card because of the $16 million he brought at auction last year as a 2-year-old.
“You would think a horse that worked as fast as he did at the 2-year-old sale would be a little quicker,” Pletcher said. “But I liked the way he finished the last sixteenth and the way he galloped out. I look forward to running him [at longer distances].”
[end quote]
I love that he came out and said the obvious, you’d think he would been a little quicker with that scary 2yo $16 million deal sealing workout. It’ll be interesting to see how he stretches out, and develops.
Just noticed stretch running grey gelding Imawildandcrazyguy is entered in the Needles S. this saturday at Calder. It’s a 1 1/16th mile on the Turf. I’m pretty sure this will be his first Turf outing.
There was another sad and needless death of a carriage horse this weekend near Central Park. The horse, Smoothie, was startled by a snare drum from a group of performing break dancers and bolted.
I found the story as I was going to one my fav sites, Gothamist (a NYC blog), to see if they posted a story about R2R being back at Belmont. They had covered the Belmont Stakes and R2R in the spring so I sent them a tip about R2R being back at Belmont… if the NYRA won’t do it, I will.
Not only did they not post anything about R2R’s returned, I was horrified to see this story. Warning, there’s a disturbing picture of poor Smoothie laying in the street, clearly deceased. I’m glad that they’re showing how mortifying it really is and are pointing people to the petition, but be warned, it’s upsetting.
Please, please sign this petition and send the link to your horse loving friends.
