tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post6571152410579402429..comments2024-03-05T05:38:22.024-05:00Comments on Left at the Gate: Blinkers + Cotton = Ticket To DerbyAlan Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-22946307841329678252007-04-08T23:32:00.000-04:002007-04-08T23:32:00.000-04:00David Flores should be banished from NYRA after th...David Flores should be banished from NYRA after those execrable rides on Les Grande Trois and Latent Heat yesterday. I haven't seen jockeying that poor and misguided since Phil Teator roamed New York.El Angelohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14145024095815950963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-631236198993689402007-04-08T22:02:00.000-04:002007-04-08T22:02:00.000-04:00Nobiz not getting nearly enough credit here. Ever...Nobiz not getting nearly enough credit here. Everyone seems will to give AGS a break for his dual with Street Sense. But Nobiz had a very tough match in the FOY (of his own doing, in part), and he still won. <BR/><BR/>It would have been completely reasonable to expect a bounce of him. We should now expect a move forward.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-20284457961822923492007-04-08T21:02:00.000-04:002007-04-08T21:02:00.000-04:00OK, I'll offer two thoughts from the weekend: 1. A...OK, I'll offer two thoughts from the weekend: <BR/><BR/>1. Any Given Saturday's race was a solid prep. My thought from the beginning is that Pletcher has decided that the Tampa route is the best way to go with his best Derby shot (note I didn't say most hyped horse...I said the horse Pletcher perceives as his best shot, i.e, Bluegrass Cat last year). I'm still not sure why he called the audible to go in the Wood, but the race was good enough to move him forward to the Derby. I will not leave him off my tickets, at what will probably be a price of about 12-1, maybe more. <BR/><BR/>2. In Illinois, I managed to fall in love with Bold Start, who was literally strangled the entire way in what had to be an effort to teach the horse how to ration his speed and sit in traffic. This is a horse that was good enough to run well in route stakes at 2, ran a troubled second in a very fast Hutcheson, and is bred to handle the distance. I pray that he gets into the Derby, because he is going to be the bomb on my tickets. <BR/><BR/>SteveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-80816281875328930932007-04-08T19:51:00.000-04:002007-04-08T19:51:00.000-04:00Regarding Tiago, if the race falls apart late like...Regarding Tiago, if the race falls apart late like Giacomo's did I think Sightseeing is a better candidate to pick up the pieces. Was getting to the winner late.<BR/><BR/>Alan, thanks for the earnings post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-37186104934874741412007-04-08T16:06:00.000-04:002007-04-08T16:06:00.000-04:00alan- have any of the major players put up a beye...alan-<BR/> have any of the major players put up a beyer number of at least 105 yet? to date, no one seems to have made a major statement number-wise, and i'm not sure if any of yesterday's victors did anything to change that.<BR/> i'm curious what number Cowtown Cat gets. i re-watched his gotham, where he closed real strong after sitting on the rail through slow fractions (what was his bsf for that one?). yesterday, he also seemed strong to me in the end. in both races, he broke well, which is useful for the derby. his competition hasn't been much, but i like his performances nonetheless. <BR/> also, is Hard Spun definitely skipping the derby for the lexington-preakness route? and was his last figure 102?<BR/> thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-72196514554053826192007-04-08T14:37:00.000-04:002007-04-08T14:37:00.000-04:00I think you're underestimating Tiago. Although he ...I think you're underestimating Tiago. Although he was a huge longshot yesterday, his win didn't come as a complete shock. His fantastic effort in the DQ maiden win was pretty well-publicized, and the colt has been highly-regarded all along. He just threw in a clunker in the Bob Lewis, for whatever reason. I have no idea why he ran as well as he did yesterday (could've been the blinkers off, i suppose), but i do believe the horse can be a factor in Kentucky. Obviously he won't be one of the favorites, but stranger things have happened. I would be mostly concerned about his deep-closing style, which could lead to another brutal trip. I put this colt in the same boat with Circular Quay, although that one is probably a little better.<BR/><BR/>Btw, i was very disappointed in Sam P. yesterday. He's gotta be the laziest horse on the grounds. I really thought the blinkers had solved that problem (judging by his workout reports), but they didn't make a shred of difference. Unless perhaps they had him a bit sharper early, resulting in him TAKING THE EARLY LEAD??? I was flat-out shocked to see him up there. That couldn't have been the plan, not with all the speed in the race. Anyway, despite all the whipping and the shoving, he held on reasonably well after doing the dirty work up front with Black Seventeen. Maybe a better trip in the Derby (assuming he runs) would afford him a chance. He does have a nice win over Chelokee @ Churchill, so he has that going for him. Whatever the case, this horse is in need of a serious wake-up call. I don't know what else they can do, but he just doesn't seem interested in running.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-48227552226139557382007-04-08T14:07:00.000-04:002007-04-08T14:07:00.000-04:00alan,Can you clarify the Chic Anderson comment. Ar...alan,<BR/>Can you clarify the Chic Anderson comment. Are you saying that Alydar never "got a head in front" ?<BR/>Thanks,<BR/>StevenAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15423261240121204825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-21329505983896559062007-04-08T13:03:00.000-04:002007-04-08T13:03:00.000-04:00"NYRA didn't spend one red cent on promoting the r..."NYRA didn't spend one red cent on promoting the race this year"<BR/><BR/>not true...they did a mailing promoting "The Big Race at the Big A" with and enclosed NYRA Cash Card worth $2 to $10000.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-53461072259388184392007-04-08T11:46:00.000-04:002007-04-08T11:46:00.000-04:00The list coming into this weekend can be seen here...The list coming into this weekend can be <A HREF="http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2007/kentucky-derby-2007-contenders-graded-earnings" REL="nofollow">seen here</A>.Alan Mannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-66555942139924056532007-04-08T11:45:00.000-04:002007-04-08T11:45:00.000-04:00He earned $75,000 for finishing third, which I thi...He earned $75,000 for finishing third, which I think should be plenty enough (though he was subsequently passed by Cowtown Cat, Tiago....King of the Roxy was already ahead of him, and I don't think he'll run anyway). It puts him around #15 on the list, which had Jack Junior, who's not coming, and at least one other in Birdbirdistheword who may not run). Barring something bizarre happening in the Blue Grass or Ark Derby, I think he's fine.Alan Mannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-71594180957368858892007-04-08T11:36:00.000-04:002007-04-08T11:36:00.000-04:00Isnt AGS short on earnings? Didnt he need to run s...Isnt AGS short on earnings? Didnt he need to run second?<BR/><BR/>If so, he will have six weeks to prepare for his role as Preakness spoiler.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com