Breeder's Cup WrapUp Thoughts

TheSpyder · #1 10-26-2008, 09:05 AM

Well, it's over...Two grueling days, a lot of races, so what did you think?

My thoughts..

Got to start out by saying the ATR show all week was exceptional and if there was some award for horse racing coverage, it should win something. The insight and opinions helped put me on several winners.

The ProRide surface; I have to say I had no problem with it and think it played fair. I think the best horses won except when a jockey made the wrong move. You could say that it cost Curlin the win, but you could also say he was moved way too soon leaving nothing for the finish. We'll never know.

I'm interested now about the different artificial surfaces. ProRide is 87% regular dirt/sand. What are the others? It appears that not all these are the same so you can make a claim that there are now 4,5 or 6 different surfaces. Someone made the comment that the Keeneland surface is very different. This makes it difficult to cap. Still, I had no problem with the ProRide and as I did very well over the weekend, I guess I'm an artifical capper. The horses seemed to like it too as no injuries I heard.

The TV coverage was poor. I wish these guys would watch an English TV coverage. The stars calling the jocks "riders up" was the low point. Also, having 10 different announcers was as mind spinning as the camera angles and would put anyone on dramamine. My head is still spinning.

The number of races was too much. Maybe I'll get use to it but the addition of all those races made it a seemed watered down. Certainly it made it a challenge for owner/trainers to decide which race was best to enter.

The horse and match ups were the highlight. Euro's vs. US horses, East Coast/West Coast, dirt horses/artifical horses, distance horses/speed horses all made each race very interesting and a heck of a lot of fun to cap. All in all, the races were fantastic. You can make a claim that here were horses that didn't belong in a Breeder's Cup, but looking at some of the winners (Desert Code for example), it appears that the day found the best horses.

MISTERGEE · #2 10-26-2008, 09:14 AM

next time they go to santa anita I will throw out all east coast based horses and then start handicapping from there

Danzig · #3 10-26-2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MISTERGEE

next time they go to santa anita I will throw out all east coast based horses and then start handicapping from there

don't forget to throw out all the euros too.

Pedigree Ann · #4 10-26-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MISTERGEE

next time they go to santa anita I will throw out all east coast based horses and then start handicapping from there

You'd do better throwing out the front-end speed burners in all the sprints. I thought possibly that a really fast-breaking horse could speed-pop the field and keep on, but Dearest Trickski's fate cured me of that real fast.

declansharbor · #5 10-26-2008, 11:07 AM

As my head hit the pillow last night(a happy man), one thought for some reason or another had me scratching it.

How in the HELL did Red Rock Canyon finish 6th and not dead last in the Turf? Better Talk Now ran a disgrace of a race if he wasnt able to outfinish that horse.

Hwjb · #6 10-26-2008, 11:12 AM

1st) the jockeys on Grand Couturier and Better Talk Now should get bans for ill-judged rides.

2nd) didn't Raven's Pass make the exact same move as Curlin?

2Hot4TV · #7 10-26-2008, 11:21 AM

Pro ride played as predicted.

No kick back.

The hotter the surface gets the more it favors horses from off the pace.

Santa Anita is a showplace deserving of the Breeders Cup.

docicu3 · #8 10-26-2008, 11:32 AM

Get rid of the blessed purple saddle cloths before military action does it for them next year....

10 pnt move up · #9 10-26-2008, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

Pro ride played as predicted.

No kick back.

The hotter the surface gets the more it favors horses from off the pace.

Santa Anita is a showplace deserving of the Breeders Cup.

I agree completely, its obvious the heat plays into the surface. What I think they should do, and am surprised they dont look at historical trends but it seems like Nov 1st is a date that brings a real change in the weather, if they would push this back a week they would likely get low 80's temps and the track would tighten up a little bit.

Cannon Shell · #10 10-26-2008, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by declansharbor

As my head hit the pillow last night(a happy man), one thought for some reason or another had me scratching it.

How in the HELL did Red Rock Canyon finish 6th and not dead last in the Turf? Better Talk Now ran a disgrace of a race if he wasnt able to outfinish that horse.

BTN is like 27 years old, give him a break...

10 pnt move up · #11 10-26-2008, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

You'd do better throwing out the front-end speed burners in all the sprints. I thought possibly that a really fast-breaking horse could speed-pop the field and keep on, but Dearest Trickski's fate cured me of that real fast.

I am getting tired of ignorant, uninformed statements going unchallenged on this board.

Dearest Trickski may have been the worst bet in that race. Lets take a look at her wins this year.

In the La Brea she gets two lengths clear as the controlling pace, it was a moderate pace at best.

In the A Gleam she pops the gate and sets a pace 20 points slower then the final time, again she is never challenged on the lead until its to late.

In the Ranch Barnardo again she faces zero pace pressure and sets a very moderate pace and hangs on by a nose.

Now she has to deal with Dream Rush and Indian Blessing. While she did get clear it took crazy in sane fractions to do it, and she wilted as expected.

What should have been taken out of the race is that Indian Blessing was right there off that crazy pace and held a very good second, it was an exceptional effort.