7/31 (DMR): Wickerr S. (Colonel John return)
 

8th (6:30pm PCT) Wickerr S.

1 Mile (Turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $85,000

1 Aitcho Smith M E 121 L
2 Sky Cape Baze T C 121 L
3 Becrux (ITY) Talamo J 119 L
4 Tiz West Espinoza V 121 L
5 Generalito Nain (ARG) Pedroza M A 119
6 Silent Soul Puglisi I 121 L
7 Ferneley (IRE) Rosario J 121 L
8 Colonel John Gomez G K 121 L
9 Prussian Gryder A T 119 L
10 Concerto's Thunder Garcia M 119 L
AE Get Funky Valdivia J Jr 119 Blk-On L
AE Pams Pompallier (NZ) Baze M C 114

Kind of an odd spot for his return.

Being naturally suspicious, I'm suspicious.

If they want to get to the Pacific Classic, I think it's perfect.

colonel john = over rated

Depends on your perspective. If you are talking about how good is he on a national level, that's debatable. He's just like Pioneerof the Nile. Both were the dominant 3yo in California leading up to the TC. Pioneer, did somewhat validate himself with a second in the Derby. So did Colonel John with a win in the Travers. If your opinion of him/them were that they were the best 3yo in California, I don't see how they are overrated. If your opinion of him was that he was a top five 3yo nationally, then maybe you have a point.

11 career races, no apparent turf pedigree, off a 7 month layoff and supposedly returning in a career first time try in a turf stk. Maybe they are praying for rain...

You don't think they are licking their lips for the 3rd/4th place $$ they'll get from an $85,000 race?

I laughed.

If they are looking for the best possible spot for a win, then I would tend to agree with you. But sometimes, the objective is to finally get a race into a horse and get the conditioning you need to move to the next step. Turf racing is not as hard on horses as dirt racing is (still getting used to this junk track) and a mile race in a decent field will do a lot more than just coming straight into the Pacific Classic off of works and is a lot less taxing than the San Diego Hcp would be. Also, if he was a horse that was primarily a dirt horse, I think the transition to grass might be more difficult. But not for a dominant synthetic horse.

POTN was 10x the horse of Colonel Tiago. Not that that is saying a lot, of course.

Don't forget, Tiago John ran against the worst crop of 3yos in all of human history. Past, present or future.

He might have but he still was the dominant 3yo in California that year and he did go to Saratoga and be the best of that horrible crop. Nobody is saying that he ranks with the best 3yos in the history of the sport. But in relation to his group, he was among the best.

I just read the reason Tiago John is running in the Wickerr is because Harty doesn't want him to return in the San Diego HCP Sunday, because that is the return target of Well Armed.

ICK

FTFY

Given he did win The Travers last year, I would have thought a more abitious approach would have been in the offing. It's not like he wouldn't have options in either the Whitney or The Pacific Classic to choose from. Really Harty could separate Well Armed and C. John without much difficulty. Again it raises an eyebrow with me and it may signal that all is not well with him, he reportedly is getting over an illness this spring, anyway these are reasonable questions any decent handicapper should ask, rather than digest the convienient turf to dirt 'prep' race angle we are supposedly to believe as something that is the norm.

We think that Becrux and Prussian figure in this salty affair.











just kidding ( i just wanted to say "we" ) , but I do like those two. Get Funky is mildly interesting. Same with the NZ import.

It could be Harty is using the race as a prep and seeing if CJ likes the turf for the future.

Harty has a rock solid 3% clip with 1st time turfers. Obviously you guys don't know what you're talking about.

It's unfortunate that nowdays, people have forgotten or have no understanding of what a prep race means. They think that every race you enter, you enter to win. I think there are still a few that understand the concept of using a lesser race as a means to get you better prepared to win a bigger one.

Do you have one of those Colonel John derby buttons?