This is how you can ruin a good horse

[Scav]

http://www.drf.com/news/article/93162.html

Polonius eyeing Santa Anita Derby......

This horse just won the Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita, first time stretching out on the lawn. It was a very impressive performance IMO and this horse has a turf future if managed correctly. This move, going to the SA Derby, is not managing the horse correctly.

[RolloTomasi]

That's what they said about Castledale, The Deputy, and Hello. Not to mention the turf capabilities of the first 3 home in Santa Anita's other marquee synthetic event, the Big Cap.

As far as campaigning goes, at worst they're forgoing another $75K turf stakes later in the meet. If the Virginia Derby was the same weekend, it might be a bit more foolish.

[Danzig]

horses usually do ok making a switch from turf to synthetic, i see no reason not to make the attempt. i don't see how it's mismanagement.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

That's what they said about Castledale, The Deputy, and Hello. Not to mention the turf capabilities of the first 3 home in Santa Anita's other marquee synthetic event, the Big Cap.

As far as campaigning goes, at worst they're forgoing another $75K turf stakes later in the meet. If the Virginia Derby was the same weekend, it might be a bit more foolish.

THEY ARE RUSHING this horse into this spot. His last race was very good, and this horse would be a Grade 1 turf winner if they would just relax. This horse would easily win the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington (400k) unless some Euro nut horse comes over.

All this horse is going to do is get fried on the lead against some seriously seasoned horses on the synethic tracks, why risk the future to see IF he can handle it.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Scav

THEY ARE RUSHING this horse into this spot. His last race was very good, and this horse would be a Grade 1 turf winner if they would just relax. This horse would easily win the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington (400k) unless some Euro nut horse comes over.

You just handed him a Grade 1 race over 2 furlongs further than he's ever run, scheduled for over 5 months from now, in hand by open lengths, and you're telling the connections to relax?

What exactly is your idea of "relaxing" by the way? Encasing the colt in a Plaster-of-Paris cast and hiring Drillbit Taylor to guard him 24/7 until Arlington opens?

All this horse is going to do is get fried on the lead against some seriously seasoned horses on the synethic tracks, why risk the future to see IF he can handle it.

Yeah, there seems to be a lot of speed lining up for the race, what with Yankee Bravo being added to the speed-laden trio of Georgie Boy, Colonel John, and El Gato Malo.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

You just handed him a Grade 1 race over 2 furlongs further than he's ever run, scheduled for over 5 months from now, in hand by open lengths, and you're telling the connections to relax?

What exactly is your idea of "relaxing" by the way? Encasing the colt in a Plaster-of-Paris cast and hiring Drillbit Taylor to guard him 24/7 until Arlington opens?

Yeah, there seems to be a lot of speed lining up for the race, what with Yankee Bravo being added to the speed-laden trio of Georgie Boy, Colonel John, and El Gato Malo.

So your idea is better, which is go to a 9f Grade 1 on a track he has never won over, instead of maybe running in a Grade 3 on the lawn at a mile, or maybe running in an allowance race on the synethic to just check and see if he would take to the rubber?

[Linny]

If the 'classic" colts are weak, folk come out of the wood work. I can't balme them. Look at Adriano. He looked like a Derby colt on the Ply yesterday. On dirt, he was a disaster.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Scav

So your idea is better, which is go to a 9f Grade 1 on a track he has never won over, instead of maybe running in a Grade 3 on the lawn at a mile, or maybe running in an allowance race on the synethic to just check and see if he would take to the rubber?

It's not my idea, it's the trainer's, who assumingly watches the colt train every day over the very surface the Santa Anita Derby is run on.

Nonetheless, I think the idea of running in the Santa Anita Derby is a better idea than running in a Grade 3 on the grass...cuz the latter doesn't exist.

The allowance is shaky, too, as a 2nd condition is unlikely to fill this time of year. But let's say it does, and further still, let's say he crushes in it like Big Brown did at GP. Guess what? No graded earnings for the Derby!

The owners would be so pissed they might let Drillbit take over the training.

[Riot]

Yeah, there seems to be a lot of speed lining up for the race, what with Yankee Bravo being added to the speed-laden trio of Georgie Boy, Colonel John, and El Gato Malo.

Had a bit of a nightmare fantasy the other day, it was about getting a Triple Crown winner in 2008, started off with a Derby completed in 2:05.43 .....

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

You just handed him a Grade 1 race over 2 furlongs further than he's ever run, scheduled for over 5 months from now, in hand by open lengths, and you're telling the connections to relax?

What exactly is your idea of "relaxing" by the way? Encasing the colt in a Plaster-of-Paris cast and hiring Drillbit Taylor to guard him 24/7 until Arlington opens?



Yeah, there seems to be a lot of speed lining up for the race, what with Yankee Bravo being added to the speed-laden trio of Georgie Boy, Colonel John, and El Gato Malo.

The highlighted part might be the funniest and best thing I've ever read on here.

I can't blame the connections for trying this. It's painfully obvious that turf horses run very well on this stuff and with how fragile these horses are, you have to take advantage of the opportunities as they present themselves instead of worrying about five months down the line.

It doesn't matter if the SA Derby will only be his fifth race or his 30th. What was the Arkansas Derby for Curlin? Seems he turned out ok. The Arkansas Derby was the 6th start for Smarty Jones. He did ok. How many starts did Seattle Slew have going into the TC?

Also, it's not like he's giving away a ton of seasoning to the others. How many starts has Colonel John had? El Gato Malo? The SA Derby will be the 6th for CJ and the 5th for EGM.

[letswastemoney]

I would enter him in the SA Derby if I had that horse, just based on how well turf horses do on SA synthetic. Decent horses come rarely. Who knows if they'll have this opportunity again? They would regret not trying.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

The highlighted part might be the funniest and best thing I've ever read on here.

I can't blame the connections for trying this. It's painfully obvious that turf horses run very well on this stuff and with how fragile these horses are, you have to take advantage of the opportunities as they present themselves instead of worrying about five months down the line.

It doesn't matter if the SA Derby will only be his fifth race or his 30th. What was the Arkansas Derby for Curlin? Seems he turned out ok. The Arkansas Derby was the 6th start for Smarty Jones. He did ok. How many starts did Seattle Slew have going into the TC?

Also, it's not like he's giving away a ton of seasoning to the others. How many starts has Colonel John had? El Gato Malo? The SA Derby will be the 6th for CJ and the 5th for EGM.

CJ and EGM have won GRADED stakes on this surface going a route of ground, this horse that we are discussing has won a ungraded turf mile race. COMPLETELY different