Jones on HDG and weight

[Danzig]

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...som?source=rss


For owner Rick Porter and trainer Larry Jones, Plan A is to run Horse of the Year Havre de Grace in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 13. However, the connections have also made one thing clear: They will only do so under the right weight conditions.



“Look, we know we’re going to have to carry more weight than most horses in the country. We understand that. But I’m also not fixing to give a multiple grade I winner a lot of weight just because we have an Eclipse Award that was done off of votes and doesn’t take into account what happened on the racetrack. I’m not going to spot a lot of weight to a horse that has as many grade Is as we have.
“We could look at the Oaklawn Handicap, but then again, it’s a handicap too. So if we don’t like the weight we’re carrying against the boys we don’t have to run her at all. We always have other options.”

[Gate Dancer]

Boy, does this sound familiar...............and tiresome.

It's a shame that people with that sort of character are dictating how the game is run. I liked it better when he had that faux retirement.

[Kasept]

This is almost certainly Rick Porter shoving Jones in front of the question. WTF? The filly drags Larry's 185 pound cowboy azz around in the mornings... you telling us 126-130 is going to burden her? Ridiculous. If they weren't prepared to face the handicap that comes with what she accomplished, then they shouldn't have come back.

[TouchOfGrey]

Originally Posted by Kasept

If they weren't prepared to face the handicap that comes with what she accomplished, then they shouldn't have come back.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Kasept

This is almost certainly Rick Porter shoving Jones in front of the question. WTF? The filly drags Larry's 185 pound cowboy azz around in the mornings... you telling us 126-130 is going to burden her? Ridiculous. If they weren't prepared to face the handicap that comes with what she accomplished, then they shouldn't have come back.

I agree with part of this. The fact that owners and trainers cry over what really isn't a lot of weight is sad and disappointing. You have 2yo fillies carrying more weight in maiden races than the reigning HOY carried in her seasonal debut. That's stupid. In days past, this weight thing wouldn't be an issue. She's get what she deserved and run where they planned. But in today's game, it's different. There is so much competition between the tracks to get the star horses that you are able to hold out from a spot if you don't like what you are given because you know some other racing sec will give you what you want.

There's also another issue at play here where I sort of agree with Porter and Jones. I don't know if the issue is necessarily how much HDG would get but rather how much she'd have to give to the others. I think if they were all carrying 140, we wouldn't be hearing about the issue. But since we still do handicap racing here, the spread will continue to be the issue. Say HDG and Royal Delta met up. I think we'd hear the same complaints from them whether the weights were 110-106 or 140-136. I do understand where they are coming from with this. To most people, they'll look at it and say that four pounds doesn't make a difference. They might be right. Would six pounds make a difference? What about 10 or 20 pounds? The point I'm trying to make is that at some point, it does make a difference and I don't think that it hits all of a sudden (ie, four pounds no difference but five pounds equals a length). I wish they'd end handicap racing period and just run them all as weight for age/sex stakes.

[OldDog]

If you wanna be an all-time great, you're gonna hafta carry the weight.

[Alan07]

I'm willing to bet she doesn't make it past the summer.

[Danzig]

if you want people to think you have the best horse, you campaign her like she's the best. they still have their panties in a wad because she lost to proud spell. they're more focused on that then the fact she got HOY, and don't want it to happen again-which is absurd.
she hasn't got a big stud deal to screw up.

my very first thought when i read the article was oh, don't be a pu***. if you're going to bitch and moan all year, just retire her and spare us the drama.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Danzig

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...som?source=rss


For owner Rick Porter and trainer Larry Jones, Plan A is to run Horse of the Year Havre de Grace in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 13. However, the connections have also made one thing clear: They will only do so under the right weight conditions.



“Look, we know we’re going to have to carry more weight than most horses in the country. We understand that. But I’m also not fixing to give a multiple grade I winner a lot of weight just because we have an Eclipse Award that was done off of votes and doesn’t take into account what happened on the racetrack. I’m not going to spot a lot of weight to a horse that has as many grade Is as we have.
“We could look at the Oaklawn Handicap, but then again, it’s a handicap too. So if we don’t like the weight we’re carrying against the boys we don’t have to run her at all. We always have other options.”

On the NZ racing thread ed pointed out that Mufhasa is carrying 61 kg in the Easter H. this coming weekend.

140 pounds.

Just sayin.

[Revidere]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

On the NZ racing thread ed pointed out that Mufhasa is carrying 61 kg in the Easter H. this coming weekend.

140 pounds.

Just sayin.

But how much would Absinthe Minded carry if she was cross entered?

[_ed_]

Well, the majority of the Easter Handicap field (including multiple stakes winner Alegrio) will be carrying 54kg (119 pounds).

And the bottom five runners will carry 52kg (114 pounds).

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

On the NZ racing thread ed pointed out that Mufhasa is carrying 61 kg in the Easter H. this coming weekend.

140 pounds.

Just sayin.

Synchronised is carrying 164lbs 4.5miles and jumping over 30 fences this Saturday.