RSS Feed for this Blog

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Shut Up

- A big "shut up" to all those from the Big Brown camp - and from Riley Tucker's as well - who are complaining that Edgar Prado, riding the latter, went out of his way to box Big Brown in during the early stages of the Preakness.

"It looked like he was just trying to keep our horse [trapped] in a box," Dutrow said yesterday. "It didn't look like he was out to get the best finish out of his horse."

Big Brown owner Michael Iavarone made similar remarks to Newsday on Monday, saying, "I don't know what Edgar was doing. I think it was a suicide mission. And I don't think there's any place for that." [Newsday]
Prado took a peek inside after breaking from the ten post; perhaps seeing that there was not much going on (Tres Barrachos had stumbled coming out of the gate), he went for the lead. After yielding to Gayego, he did appear to hustle his mount when Big Brown inched up inside of him. I guess this is the point to which Dutrow and Iavarone are objecting. But I think it's a ridiculous accusation. Prado was riding to win, so why shouldn't he have tried to put the favorite in an unfavorable position? Besides, the field was pretty spread out at that point, and Desormeaux was merely briefly inconvenienced and in no danger at all.

Interestingly, Dutrow told Bloodhorse that he received a phone call from Riley Tucker’s owner, Ahmed Zayat, who told him he was upset by Prado’s ride. Zayat should shut up too. We already know that he's a crybaby. And he ran horses in the Derby and Preakness such as this one, Z Humor, and, arguably, Court Vision (not hindsight on my part; I always maintained that he was too slow), that were just not qualified. [Sorry, got my criticisms of Mott and Zayat confused. Z Fortune was the other Zayat horse] Besides, look at the past performances - Prado had ridden the horse three times prior, and did so aggressively each time.

And besides, does Dutrow really want to get into what is appropriate or not? Don't get me bellyaching here!

26 Comments:

Anonymous said...

They ain't seen nothing yet. Wait until the Belmont--it is going to be a rodeo on the backstretch. The backstretch action in the Preakness is part of racing. I'm surprised a hard boiled character like Dutrow would whine about it. Hey Rick, give the horse an extra shot of steroids and everything will be fine.

Patrick J Patten said...

What would Dutrow say about the two rabbits he entered so Saint Liam could beat Commentator is a gr I? Race riding is racing. Prado did nothing wrong, if anything when i was watching the race I thought he could have done more.

Anonymous said...

Dutrow whines about speed shown by Prado (which was RT's best shot) and yet he makes the following about Casino Drive:

ESPN May 22, 2008 'Trainer Dutrow Jr. Confident ...'

quote: "He's got no chance of beating our horse," Dutrow told reporters Wednesday. "I'll be in the winner's circle when they get to the quarter pole. That's how I feel. I don't see that this horse can beat him."

So it's ok that he thinks another horse is too slow and in another race one is too fast.

One thing about Bud Delp when he reflected on Ron getting boxed in the FL Derby with Spectacular Bid is that he didn't blame the other jocks - he blamed Ron for falling for that. Worry about your own horse and rider ....

Anonymous said...

The Brown team is now complaining about the way the Prado rode his Preakness. Unbelievable.
This is racing, triple crown racing. Every team gives it its best shot and luckily for the Brown team, they have caught a group of 3 yr olds that have nothing going for them.
If Brown could not have overcome Prado, he would now be just another member of this sub-par 3 yr old. club.
The Brown team should be thankful that Brown is a foal of 2005 and eternally thankful that a 2 yr. old maiden winner that they foolishly paid $2.25 million for turned out to be a true runner.
As the old saying goes "I'd rather be lucky than smart."

Anonymous said...

I thought when Prado hustled Riley Tucker for position that he was trying to keep Big Brown boxed in and in doing so cost his mount a better placing. Yes it was race riding but the extra energy expended in doing so cost Riley Tucker in the end. He was right alongside Big Brown when they turned for home but threw in the towel soon after.

A more patient ride may have resulted in a 2nd/3rd for Riley Tucker and a nice trifecta for me. I keyed BB with RT and Tres Borrachos with All, then BB with All with RT and TB. I was a bit disappointed in the ride by Prado and my other horse was eliminated from the start.

Lenny

Anonymous said...

I almost posted the exact thing right after the race, that Prado was fired off BB and resents it so rode to beat him as opposed to what was best for his mount, but did not post because I felt it was too "conspiracy" minded and I had no evidence.

I have to assume Edgar had instructions, and if he did not follow them then Zayat has a right to be upset.

But if Dutrow is truly upset at Prado, he certainly is not showing it on a daily basis as he continues to ride Edgar first call.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone notice( or care) that Dennis Of Corks connection have replace Borel with Albarado, using his alleged familiarity with Belmont as their excuse?

Apparently the owner made the call, the sheet guys must have told him Robbie is sitting on a big ride:).

How much longer will Carrol put up with his owner training this horse?

Betcha Dennis is moved to one of the corporate stables right after this race.

ljk said...

I think you meant Z Fortune and not Court Vision.

Going into the Derby I thought Z Fortune belonged, but you're right that Z Humor and Riley Tucker were jokes. HRTV interviewed Mott after the Preakness and I think he looked embarrased.

Alan Mann said...

Hey Lenny -

Fair point, though respectfully I think it's a tough case to make that he could have finished in the money. His good races have been when he's up close or on the lead. Prado's past rides on the horse were very aggressive, even leading or challenging through sub-45 second quarters in his first two career races. Also, it's not like he made a prolonged effort to box BB in; rather, he went right back up to challenge Gayego, which I think in retrospect you can't criticize him for. He was in position turning for home - in fact, he may have still had the lead at that point - but just wasn't good enough.

And yes, Anon 1221...agreed that if Prado didn't follow instructions then Zayat has the right to criticize him. Why he would do so to Dutrow though, I don't really understand.

Alan Mann said...

>>I think you meant Z Fortune and not Court Vision.

Yeah, something like that. Got Mott and Zayat mixed up. I used Z Fortune, so I obviously thought he did belong, so a half apology to Zayat.

Anonymous said...

This Prado thing is blown out of proportion. Dutrow is trying to get every edge for the race riding he expects at the Belmont.
It's not sour grapes, it's forward thinking...
Maybe a little sabre rattling can get them to easy off a bit. The unwritten rule in the TC is 'make him earn it' with a regular occurrence of 'I won't win, but he definitely won't win' and everyone but the losing favourite and the sentimental fan has liked it this way . I just think Dutrow is trying to use the big tide of BB sentiment to put a bug in the others riders ears (even his buddy Prado) that says, 'you will be blamed outside the racing world for not letting what is expected to happen, happen' Who wants to take that heat? In the 3rd at Podunk Downs it would be laughed at, but on this stage, it will take a salty old vet to really race ride BB without regard to how his backside will look if he steps over the line. Dutrow knows that especially Prado won't take it easy, so I think he's trying to get under his skin in the only way he can. If he were my trainer, I'd expect him to be doing the same thing.

Anonymous said...

3 weeks of casual fans learning what "race riding" is and questions to the other connections about whether they're going to box him in will reduce the chance that it will actually happen . Smart play by Dutrow. Pulling all the available strings. Not sure why anyone would want to apologize for the Preakness ride against BB. We want clean racing but it doesn't have to be squeaky clean ;)

forego is my witness said...

For me, Dutrow's daily pronouncements and attitude are spoiling my now-dwindling hopes Big Brown gets the crown. Alan, you couldn't have said it better--I mean, really, Dutrow is one to talk....

Superfecta said...

Did he finally watch a video of Smarty's Belmont? Why get fussy about a race you already won?

He must be worried that he's burned some bridges somewhere along the way.

Alan Mann said...

To the last two Anons (1.17 and 1.22) - You're making it sound like Dutrow is a hockey coach bitching about non-calls with an eye towards getting them later in the series! Good point though, it certainly can't hurt.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, separate subject, but let me go on record in these hallowed halls (can someone hiding in anonymity go on record??)

If Casino Drive gets second by a head/neck/length, while not running on Lasix, may all subsequent commenters who say they should have put him on it, be cast into racing hell...unless you state before hand that you think he should be. (And don't give me that he can't be on it unless he bleeds... Ya right)

Anonymous said...

Sorry, separate subject, but let me go on record in these hallowed halls (can someone hiding in anonymity go on record??)

If Casino Drive gets second by a head/neck/length, while not running on Lasix, may all subsequent commenters who say they should have put him on it, be cast into racing hell...unless you state before hand that you think he should be. (And don't give me that he can't be on it unless he bleeds... Ya right)

El Angelo said...

If Prado had injured his horse, blatantly cut him off, or committed a foul, he's got every right to speak up. Anything else? Pipe down. As someone else noted, I didn't see Dutrow complaining about gamesmanship in the '05 Whitney when he entered two no-shots simply to burn out Commentator.

SaratogaSpa said...

This is race riding. Dutrow just loves the attention and can't get his mouth shut.

Anonymous said...

Dutrow and Zayat are both jackasses. Edgar Prado is one of the 3-4 best jocks in the country, if not the best jock. Anyone remember the '89 Preakness, when Pat Day put the squeeze on Sunday Silence in the backstretch? Or the '88 Preakness when Cordero and 49er totally screwed Winning Colors? What happened Saturday was unbelievably mild by comparison. Also, if Prado actually did get fired off a horse in favor of Desormeaux, then the connections are even bigger idiots than I imagined. I like Kent, but he can't hold Edgar's jock as a rider.

And to the dude who thinks Edgar cost him the tri and Riley Tucker would have hit the board, are you freaking kidding me? The horse sucks balls. He had no prayer of hitting the board unless he was given a 10 length head start.

Go Casino Drive, with respects to Big Brown who is a kind horse and can't be blamed for his idiotic owner and trainer. Plus, I know this is pure speculation but that Michael Ivarone guy is a dirty scumbag. Call it a sixth sense.

Anonymous said...

This is the part I love leading up to the Big Race!If Dutrow thinks Prado has been rough on his baby, he should thank the Lord he doesn't have to run the Belmont with Manny Ycaza or Angel Cordero Jr aboard one of the challengers! I can still remember Laz Barrera fuming at Angel after the '78 Travers when Affirmed was taken down for cutting Alydar off as he was about to shoot through on the rail at the 3/8 pole. Cordero was on Shake, Shake, Shake, I think, a rabbit entered to insure the proverbial "honest pace" and had been harrassing Affirmed and Pincay out on the front end and Laz didn't much like it. I think the King of Saratoga was subtley reminding West Coast Lafitt that this was Angel's turf so watch your step, buddy! Laz blamed Angel for forcing him inside and cutting off Alydar just as Alydar was sneaking through on the rail. Cost the Triple Crown winner the 4th Jewel. No, Dutrow's bellyaching is nothing new, it's just SOP for some trainers leading up to the big race where the level of competition is probably the highest he's going to see this season, it just shows he's feeling the heat. And Dutrow knows this so is dutifully following the script. Hey, ya gotta stir the pot to keep the soup from sticking! Sit back and enjoy the show!
/S/Green Mtn Punter

Anonymous said...

Anyone care to compare the trip BB had in the Preakness to Afleet Alex GOING TO HIS KNEES turning for home when Scrappy T veered out? Or on the other side of the coin, the rail opening for Street Sense( Come on through, pardon us.) in the Derby, costing Hard Spun a real chance at a Classic win.Please.

Brooklyn Backstretch said...

This is the same Dutrow who was singing Prado's praises a few weeks ago, intimating if not saying outright after the Derby that he disagreed with IEAH's decision to ride Desormeaux instead of Prado over the winter.

Gimme a break.

Anonymous said...

in the PREAKNESS, IT WAS Julie Krone on Forty Niner, the first time in aGI race, a Woody told her to get ahead of Winning Colors, so
that Ceffes could beat her on points,$5,000,000. Bonous. so in her first shot in a GI race, she was a sacrificial lamb, I felt bad for her.

as far as the Travers, it was Pat Day on Alyadar,I was there.

Anonymous said...

Nope, Pat Day was not aboard Alydar in the '78 Travers, it was, as I recall, Jorge Velasquez, his regular rider. Lafitt Pincay was a last minute sub for Steve Cauthen on Affirmed. That is if my memory serves me after 30 years. It was hot as hell that day and it was the Spa's first 50,000 crowd. All in all, a great day although the race didn't turn out at all according to the script. Alydar looked like he had a real shot at it at the 3/8 pole but with those two arch rivals one could never be sure until they hit the finish line. One thing is for sure: Following those three hard knocking TC races, no one has ever said Affirmed was not a more than worthy Triple Crown winner. And, also if memory serves me, Alydar had defeated older rivals in the Whitney 3 weeks before. Those trainers wanted to pick up a good paycheck while rounding their tigers into top form. /S/Green Mtn Punter

Anonymous said...

You're kidding, right?

Krone rode Forty Niner to a fourth place finish in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Classic behind Alysheba.

Pat Day rode Forty Niner in the 1988 Preakness.

Dutrow is lucky a mugger like Cordero isn't riding against him in this upcoming spot although Coa can do a pretty good impression of the old master in a pinch.