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Monday, January 22, 2007

Notes

- World Cup Abuzz Over Invasor-Discreet Cat Clash reads the headline on Bloodhorse.com, but personally, I'd be rather surprised if the two really do meet on March 31 in the Kingdom of Dubai.

Invasor, or, as I prefer, EEN-VA-SOR! is certainly being pointed for the race after his scheduled season debut in the Donn. But, according to Alan Shuback in the Form, Discreet Cat is also nominated to the Godolphin Mile and the six-furlong Dubai Golden Shaheen. Given the way they've campaigned this horse, I just can't see them running him at a mile and a quarter in March, especially against Invasor at this point, his decisive win over that one in last year's UAE Derby notwithstanding.

- Sweetnorthernsaint is screwed after drawing the 12 post in the Sunshine Millions Classic.

None of the six horses at Gulfstream who broke from post 12 going 1 1/8 miles in 2006 and 2007 finished better than third. In fact, only one horse from 29 starters has won a race from beyond post 9 during that same period. [Daily Racing Form]
Lava Man also drew poorly in the...and let's get this exactly right...the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino Stakes (formerly the Millions Turf), drawing the 11 hole. But he'll have the entire length of the stretch to establish position before the first turn. Besides, there ain't much in the race that Lava Man shouldn't be able to handle.

- Liquor Cabinet got a 112 for his facile win in the Aqueduct Handicap while racing with an aluminum pad. He's headed to the Fairgrounds for the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap on March 10.

4 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Good grief. Almost 5 months after they passed the Breeders Cup, Discreet Cat STILL won't be ready to go 1 1/4 miles? When the hell will this horse be ready for anything? I'm so fed up with this horse being babied, i could pull my hair out. Just go ahead and retire his sorry ass right now. Good riddance.

In case i haven't mentioned it, Wynn has him @ 4/1 to win the Breeders Cup Classic. Anyone who sells a ticket at that price oughta be holding a gun and wearing a ski mask.

Anonymous said...

I am still smarting after having a future book on Discreet Cat at 35-1 for the recently departed Breeder's Cup Classic. I can't bear a do-over, at 4-1 or any other price....

Also, if Discreet Cat showed up "ready" for the 9 furlong UAE Derby last year (ie., a trouncing of Invasor), what's to say that he couldn't be "ready" this time for an extra furlong?

Calgary, Alberta

Alan Mann said...

I just get the feeling, based on the way the horse was handled, or should I say, babied in 2006, that they'll try and build him up throughout the year to the mile and a quarter Classic.

But I'm just speculating here, and I could be completely wrong.

Anonymous said...

Discreet Cat was ready for 1 1/4 miles a long time ago. First off, he should've run in the Derby (assuming he was healthy). Secondly, they had ample time to prepare him for Classic, in fact they even entered him in the race. His entire fall campaign was designed around avoiding Bernardini, which was a crying shame. The horse deserved better. He's SO talented that he shouldn't have to play second fiddle to anyone, whether it's a stablemate whose value you're trying to increase or not. Horses like Discreet Cat just don't come around that often, and Godolphin wasted some of the precious time they have with him. As for the World Cup, if they could get a supposedly-underdeveloped Discreet Cat ready for 1 1/8 miles off a single low-level prep race (after several months on the shelf and only one prior start), then they can certainly have him ready this time. No excuses.

Incidentally, i firmly believe Discreet Cat could've won the World Cup LAST year. I think he proved that in the UAE Derby.