Eskendereya skipping FL Derby, prefering Wood

[Kasept]

Per Haskin via Zayat. Big plus for the Big A...

[The Indomitable DrugS]

I guess that means Rule will probably go favorite.

[NTamm1215]

That will literally rescue the Big A, which was staring at a watered down version of the Gotham in the Wood.

NT

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

That will lit rally rescue the Big A, which was staring at a watered down version of the Gotham in the Wood.

NT

Im sad. I guess I have to bet Letenor and Cams horse now on Saturday. What are my alternatives? Ice Box?

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

Im sad. I guess I have to bet Letenor and Cams horse now on Saturday. What are my alternatives? Ice Box?

Don't bet the race, is always one of my favorite alternatives.

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

Don't bet the race, is always one of my favorite alternatives.

With Dutrow running Funnybone here, the pace should be hot... Im going to give Soaring Empire a long look.

[VOL JACK]

That Dutrow article in the DRF scared them off.

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by VOL JACK

That Dutrow article in the DRF scared them off.

Radiohead is likely up the track, career top back on 3 weeks.....
Not my style.

[VOL JACK]

It don't matter when the Babe is calling the shots....no pun intended.

[johnny pinwheel]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

That will literally rescue the Big A, which was staring at a watered down version of the Gotham in the Wood.

NT

i don't know , i thought awesome act looked pretty good in there too.

[pick4]

Awesome Act had problems shipping over because of the snow storm the week before. So if if the race was sub par he ran a pretty good race considering the difficulty of getting him here.

Eskendereya seemed to put it all together in the FOY. The Wood seems like a good final prep for him as it gives him 4 weeks going into the Derby. These have not been the best of times for New York racing and it's a great to see one of the stars of the 3 year division running here in NY.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by pick4

Awesome Act had problems shipping over because of the snow storm the week before. So if if the race was sub par he ran a pretty good race considering the difficulty of getting him here.

He had a nice pace setup - but yeah... he did run what passes as a respectable figure in this crop and like you mention maybe shipping problems could have possibly had a very slight negative impact on him.

I don't know though ... freaking Nacho Friend - first off of a 7+ month layoff and first time beyond 6 furlongs sits just 3 lengths off that strong pace - makes first run while 4 wide the whole way around the turn ... and he still has enough left to finish 3rd beaten just 3 lengths.

The 5th place finisher in the race was beaten less than 5 lengths - and he had never won on dirt before and was beaten back to back in NY Bred N1X alw races.

I need to see one more from Awesome Act to get a better gauge.

[Kasept]

Baffert on Lookin at Lucky's last important work before the Rebel: "I was training him from the Four Seasons at Whistler."

[blackthroatedwind]

I guess they would prefer four weeks between his last prep as opposed to six.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I guess they would prefer four weeks between his last prep as opposed to six.

Understood except from the article it sounds more like its Zayat's call than Pletcher's, i.e. I'm not sure Pletcher wanted to do it this way.

Let's ask Fifth Third Bank what they think.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I guess they would prefer four weeks between his last prep as opposed to six.

The way things are going they will all be six weeks soon.

[Betsy]

http://www.drf.com/news/article/111485.html

So much for Zito taking the conservative route. Sigh - Indomitable, you got your wish. I hate this move, but whatever.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Betsy

http://www.drf.com/news/article/111485.html

So much for Zito taking the conservative route. Sigh - Indomitable, you got your wish. I hate this move, but whatever.

He was conservative in that he opted to stay at Gulfstream and run in what is no more than a very tough alw quality race with Grade 1 status attached to it.

I might have looked for an even easier Graded Stakes spot.. and would have no problem shipping a young lightly raced horse God knows where.

If D'Funnybone and A Little Warm both are lured away from the Swale ... and it appears I'd go post as a favorite in a Grade 2 ... I might cut him back to 7f and run there and depending on how he performed go either Derby Trial/Preakness or Lexington/Derby

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

He was conservative in that he opted to stay at Gulfstream and run in what is no more than a very tough alw quality race with Grade 1 status attached to it.

I might have looked for an even easier Graded Stakes spot.. and would have no problem shipping a young lightly raced horse God knows where.

If D'Funnybone and A Little Warm both are lured away from the Swale ... and it appears I'd go post as a favorite in a Grade 2 ... I might cut him back to 7f and run there and depending on how he performed go either Derby Trial/Preakness or Lexington/Derby

That's fair that the FLA Derby is now coming up a glorified allowance race (albeit with some promising horses), but I don't know that Nick knew that before he made the decision. He's now started on the road where, if the colt runs well, he has to run him in the Derby - and he'll have had all of 3 starts. Maybe he thinks the colt is doing very well right now - he did just breeze a half in 47 recently - but I think I like your plan better.

[Danzig]

considering the crop thus far, i don't see a reason for nick to be bashful about running his lightly raced colt against anyone.