tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post8813748548309650580..comments2024-03-05T05:38:22.024-05:00Comments on Left at the Gate: Wicked WrongAlan Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-88961008423730583882014-04-09T07:34:21.265-04:002014-04-09T07:34:21.265-04:00"didn't really like""didn't really like"Figlessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-28105797171465679712014-04-09T07:33:48.063-04:002014-04-09T07:33:48.063-04:00Anon, I thought he still appeared green in the str...Anon, I thought he still appeared green in the stretch while pulling away, really like the way he was travelled the last 1/8th.<br /><br />Should love the extra distance and get the proper set up, but going to need a perfect trip and a dry track. <br /><br />Will be on my ticket but if he takes too much money will look for value elsewhere, not liking this crop overall so thinking we might see a bomb.Figlessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-54554898382149526562014-04-08T18:39:31.050-04:002014-04-08T18:39:31.050-04:00A shame that I didn't see your post on the Woo...A shame that I didn't see your post on the Wood. I posted on another site, 2 days before the race, why Wicked would upset the field. <br /><br /> Every race he had as a 2 year-old, he was green, and immature, and that included --- he failed to change leads, reacted to the use of the whip, drifting in and out. In the Remsen, a race he should have won, he changed back to his wrong lead, and once Rajiv got him to switch to the lead, he should have stayed on entering the stretch, he exploded with his run, just missing. His greenness and immaturity, obscured people from seeing the tremendous ability he possessed.<br /><br />In the Holy Bull, he was bet, but never fired. I think JAJ would start over, and in his Constitution race, the horse started last, on a decidedly speed favoring Gulfstream strip, that he was not in there to win. He could have finished 3rd, I thought, but the jockey didn't push him. I might be wrong, but I don't remember Lezcano using his whip, and he may have been under instructions not to.<br /><br />A return to a racetrack where his true ability was masked by his greenness and immaturity, and where all could achieve redemption, was too good to pass up.<br /><br />Let's see what is in store for the Derby for Wicked, and whether the greenness and immaturity continue to recede, and the ability continues to shine through.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-89062571121310593962014-04-08T13:02:50.690-04:002014-04-08T13:02:50.690-04:00I will second the kudos for NYRA on the track surf...I will second the kudos for NYRA on the track surface, great job.<br /><br />There was actually a piece of useful information presented on the NBCNS-Versus-whatever they call that network show. Jimmy Jerkens indicated that he returned from the Holy Bull with a huge gash on his hind end, doesn't know what happened but it had to effect him. And he was wiped out (his words) on the first turn of the FOY.<br /><br />I don't remember if this was mentioned before or after the race but going forward feel free to draw a line through the HB.<br /><br />I made this assumption before the race, didn't know WHAT happened, but I figured SOMETHING happened for him to run that poorly.<br /><br />Still believe the Remsen was a key race, Honor Code was not right in his ALW loss, another assumption I made when judging SI, and Cairo Prince had a bad day in his last. I expect him to bounce back in his next.<br /><br />Made a lot of assumptions, and you know what they say about that, but instead of making me an arse for once it made me a lot of money.<br /><br />PS- Could tell the difference right away in the NBC production vs the Fox shows, stuffed with fluff, little discussion of gambling, boring same old same old....<br /><br />PPS - Cal Chrome appeared he real deal, will be shocked if he isn't favored, they are loving this horse out West and the money will pour inFiglessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-9529180383368088882014-04-08T10:00:03.811-04:002014-04-08T10:00:03.811-04:00Well, I would say: Congratulations for having him!...Well, I would say: Congratulations for having him! Lol. Nice going. (We didn't quite have him running back to his Remsen, he was still four points short on our scale....but that still wouldn't have made a difference to me.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878368504418249260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-7471802920145471002014-04-08T09:38:48.904-04:002014-04-08T09:38:48.904-04:00Alan, you were right to dislike Wicked Strong base...Alan, you were right to dislike Wicked Strong based on the Holy Bull, but his prior race, where he lost to Constitution, was a vast improvement and a sneaky good race and was why I liked him on Saturday. He had no shot in his prior race - that was Fountain of Youth Day, and you remember how bad the track bias was - he drew wide, and was wide and behind much of the way and couldn't close ground on three pretty good horses ahead of him. But speed figure-wise, he ran back to his race in the Remsen, which indicated to me the Holy Bull was a total toss, or even better, he just hated Gulfstream. He looked logical to improve in the Wood given the likely pace, good draw, and return to a track where he had success. If he's 10-1 on Derby Day, I will bet him again.El Angelohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14145024095815950963noreply@blogger.com