tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post8981832175799747401..comments2024-03-05T05:38:22.024-05:00Comments on Left at the Gate: Derby NotesAlan Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-1636109589790029512009-05-05T10:06:00.000-04:002009-05-05T10:06:00.000-04:00Alan, I'm just a sentimental old guy who likes goi...Alan, I'm just a sentimental old guy who likes going to the track. "Sidewalks" is another tearjerker as my maternal grandfather, a wonderful man and loyal NY'er to the end despite moving to Boston for business, would sing it as a reminder of his Brooklyn heritage.<br />/S/greenmtnpunterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-53971529256959247062009-05-05T08:14:00.000-04:002009-05-05T08:14:00.000-04:00Could be the issue is out there to persuade the po...Could be the issue is out there to persuade the politicos to vote for an MTA bailout, making them feel sorry for businesses like the NYRA that are getting hurt? Could be the NYRA is making a big deal out of it in order to make it an excuse when being evaluated for live attendance figures by the Franchise Oversight Board? In either case if the MTA and NYRA numbers are accurate, just pay for the train!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-11875830423929033302009-05-04T22:15:00.000-04:002009-05-04T22:15:00.000-04:00This is probably WAY too logical, but if in fact t...This is probably WAY too logical, but if in fact the loss of service is costing NYRA $5Million while only saving the MTA $112k would it not makes sense for NYRA to just reimburse the MTA for the expense and run the damn trains?<br /><br />If the numbers were accurate, NYRA would just do it, even they are not that stupid. If something smells it is probably rotten.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-87729367339868790142009-05-04T18:31:00.000-04:002009-05-04T18:31:00.000-04:00Belmont lost 289 customer on Derby Day vs a year a...Belmont lost 289 customer on Derby Day vs a year ago. They are loosing 30 a day during the week and hundreds on the weekend.<br /><br />All they need to do is restore service on the weekends.jknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-24946833878907247872009-05-04T18:30:00.000-04:002009-05-04T18:30:00.000-04:00Long range forecast for preakness day, sunny, 85 d...Long range forecast for preakness day, sunny, 85 degrees and humid.<br /><br />Unless there is a freak tstorm belmont will be half empty on the first saturday in june.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-83494701620307792892009-05-04T18:28:00.000-04:002009-05-04T18:28:00.000-04:00I agree that the $5 million lost revenue or profit...I agree that the $5 million lost revenue or profit figure provided by the NYRA seems bogus. If it were true, the NYRA would surely just pay the MTA the $115,000 it is saving out of this $5 million lost business due to the shutdown of the rails.<br /><br />Can't ask John Lee anymore what the real story is, but what believe the NYRA anyhow?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-79522476071519537582009-05-04T17:29:00.000-04:002009-05-04T17:29:00.000-04:00>>Brings a tear to my eye.
Oh man, GMP, if...>>Brings a tear to my eye. <br /><br />Oh man, GMP, if you, of all people, are tearing up for that, then I wouldn't want to be next to you when they play Sidewalks of NY at the Belmont!!Alan Mannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-20520475680830935392009-05-04T17:18:00.000-04:002009-05-04T17:18:00.000-04:00Someone needs to explain where this phantom $5 mil...Someone needs to explain where this phantom $5 million figure comes from. If Belmont is losing 30 customers a day because they're not running the train, that's a total of 1,950 over the entire meet (not counting Belmont Stakes Day). You're telling me that the *average* person that goes to Belmont and takes the train bets over $2500? ("$5 million in business" is vague on its face--does that mean in handle? Money spent at the track? NYRA profits?) And if the average person coming on the train IS betting that much per trip, they're probably betting it anyway via OTB or some other off track site instead. I'm sorry, but this doesn't come close to computing.El Angelohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14145024095815950963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-11817562457914793382009-05-04T16:54:00.000-04:002009-05-04T16:54:00.000-04:00Quite agree on Tom McCarthy, his horse was surely ...Quite agree on Tom McCarthy, his horse was surely my sentimental fave in the race. Other than that, the highlight of the day, as it is every year for me,is when the Derby field steps on the track and the band strikes up "My Old Kentucky Home". Brings a tear to my eye. Every time. /S/greenmtnpunterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-66020200283212257222009-05-04T16:22:00.000-04:002009-05-04T16:22:00.000-04:00"watch the KYDerby.com videos of MTB and you'll se..."watch the KYDerby.com videos of MTB and you'll see a pretty good, completely overlooked training job. Only horse whose last breeze was a full mile, per Calvin Borel. MTB was one of two horses in this field doing 2 miles on slow days. His trainer went to the extreme and stopped off at Lone Star just to gallop the horse, to give some indication of their intent. I suspect they knew what they had. this was a fast, nice striding horse, who got some very decent handling."<br /><br />They knew what they had I agree. A horse that won a GIII in Canada and couldn't beat Kelly Leak in the Sunland Derby. I think it's simple that this horse freaked in the slop and many others hated it.<br /><br />I really don't think this horse is the next TC winner. And if he were the owners and trainer would not even contemplate entering him in the Preakness.Bretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07847114098891496678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-34217372496059891712009-05-04T13:59:00.000-04:002009-05-04T13:59:00.000-04:00NYRA is losing $5 million so the MTA can save $112...NYRA is losing $5 million so the MTA can save $112,000. Brilliant.<br /><br /><br /><br />http://tinyurl.com/c2d7wl<br /><br />On Kentucky Derby day last year, for example, the train brought in 385 passengers to Belmont, said Kenneth T. Cook, vice president for security at the racing association. On Saturday, the shuttles carried just 96 people.<br /><br />On weekdays, the train carried 30 to 35 people last year; so far this spring, the shuttle has carried 7 to 9 passengers a day, Mr. Cook said. <br /><br />Racing association officials, who lobbied against the elimination of direct train service, estimate that the park will lose more than $5 million this year because of the cut, while the authority says it will save about $112,000.jknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-55905441630638124382009-05-04T13:19:00.000-04:002009-05-04T13:19:00.000-04:00I for one didn't blame Wooley for reacting. He ha...I for one didn't blame Wooley for reacting. He had just won the Derby, and the interviewer didn't want to talk about how he trained the horse. The guy apparently is a former rodeo bareback rider. In addition to pulling the horse van, he probably does his share of the hands-on equine work instead of just organizing, delegating, supervising, and negotiating.<br /><br />This is my moment to ride off into the sunset for awhile. I've given back too much of my inner track profits; not sure why my handicapping approach that has cleaned up each of the past 5 winters doesn't work in the spring, but I can't argue with results. And unlike Geitner, I'm not about to (and can't afford to!) pump more money into losing propositions.<br /><br />I'm going to give it a rest until either Saratoga or the Breeders' Cup. Adios compadres...steve in nchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04061356872686618093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-35574533673221970942009-05-04T11:08:00.000-04:002009-05-04T11:08:00.000-04:00watch the KYDerby.com videos of MTB and you'll see...watch the KYDerby.com videos of MTB and you'll see a pretty good, completely overlooked training job. Only horse whose last breeze was a full mile, per Calvin Borel. MTB was one of two horses in this field doing 2 miles on slow days. His trainer went to the extreme and stopped off at Lone Star just to gallop the horse, to give some indication of their intent. I suspect they knew what they had. this was a fast, nice striding horse, who got some very decent handling.rather rapidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07517841195715154873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-16080380058806254112009-05-04T08:13:00.000-04:002009-05-04T08:13:00.000-04:00Mine That Bird..... owners and a trainer that Nasc...Mine That Bird..... owners and a trainer that Nascar would be proud to call their own.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-38817883858791635012009-05-04T08:12:00.000-04:002009-05-04T08:12:00.000-04:00I am just a fan and probably know less about handi...I am just a fan and probably know less about handicapping methods than anyone who posts here but I find it strange that these "experts: on TVG and HRTV seemed to resent the fact that Mine That Bird won the race.<br />Hey, if your handicapping methods fail to identify all the contenders, don't blame the winner of the race.<br />I don't know the name of the TVG guy (Bray?) but what a jerk. And the snide guy on HRTV who called it "beginner's luck."<br />Maybe the next step is "ultra-handicapping" where new, outside-the-box methods are devised to identify unconventional contenders.<br />Borel gave some good reasons why the horse did well on the wet track. How come no one else seemed to see these reasons?<br />Or maybe the bottom line is that many races can't be handicapped at all with the methods now available -- and what's wrong with that.<br />By the way, Mine That Bird (and Birdstone as a sire) got numerous positive mentions on the Maiden Watch blog in 2008.onecalicocatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-69495984971694100022009-05-04T07:16:00.000-04:002009-05-04T07:16:00.000-04:00As for all the suspicion regarding the result, mos...As for all the suspicion regarding the result, most if not all of us are racing veterans, you see this type of result every time a deluge hits at every level. Some horses freak in certain conditions, and not all wet tracks are alike.<br /><br />The were holes in all the favorites and the non-favorites, lets face it, this was not a stellar group. The top of the crop were mostly absent.<br /><br />So the holes, and a roughly run race, run a distance most will never run again over a unique surface, results in an inplausible result. So what, shot happens. Does not mean there is some huge conspiracy. Unless someone has evidence, shut the freak up.<br /><br />And those crying about your PON exacta, realize PON should have been taken down, so you have no right to cry. In any other race, the inquiry sign would have been posted before they pulled up, because its the Derby they look the other way. <br /><br />Until the stewards finally take action this race will continue to be a rodeo. If they are truly as concerned with the horses as they claim to be, they need to call these riders on the carpet and enforce the rules, then perhaps the jocks will be a tad more careful from start to finish, and this race will not take such a toll.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-73182491835124850602009-05-04T07:07:00.000-04:002009-05-04T07:07:00.000-04:00Wondering why there was no inquirey?? See quote be...Wondering why there was no inquirey?? See quote below;<br /><br />"Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Papa Clem will definitely go on to the Preakness, trainer Gary Stute said on Sunday. His father, Mel Stute, won the 1986 Preakness with Snow Chief, who rebounded from an 11th-place finish<br />as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby.<br /><br />“I looked at the charts this morning and I was only beaten a nose and a head for second,” Stute said. “To be honest, Baffert’s horse [Pioneerof the Nile] came over and bumped me. If it were a normal race, there might have been an inquiry. With any luck we could have been second. "<br /><br />My question, why is the Derby considered "abnormal" from a referee standpoint? Could you imagine these comments after a Super Bowl? There are millions and millions of dollars wagered on this race. If they take PON down my buddy hits a 100k triple, should he not be pissed?<br /><br />Granted, the comments would be worse if from the stewards themselves, but still...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com