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#1
11-07-2006, 08:01 PM
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Where's the Scat Daddy Thread?
Seems we have spent a lot of time talking about a number of horses from the BC but I can remember nary a mention of one of the most bragged about pre-BC entrants....Scat Daddy. I seem to recall him being the next new superstar just a few short days ago and suddenly his mediocre effort isn't even worth reviewing?
My thoughts? Well, certainly he was never as good as his internet persona, having run some nice races but never running fast enough to earn the kind of praise being thrown around. However, he had overcome trouble in one start ( albeit to beat a very mediocre Teuflesburg ), and at least I felt he was a deserving favorite heading into Saturday. However, he hardly even lived up to that praise. So...what happened? I would say two things, one he had never been two turns, and at least for now there has to be at least some question if he is best suited to one turn races of mostly a mile or less. Secondly, I don't feel he was the benefit of a greatly timed ride, being forced to move too soon into the teeth of a very competitive pace. And, finally, I do think it's worth weighing the very real possibility that he is yet another horse from that barn that showed his best stuff early only to peter out as the later races came along. I fully expect an explosive return at Gulfstream followed by a succession of increasingly disappointing efforts. However, he was certainly more than good enough to bounce back and still have a good year in 2007. I just wonder if he has distance limitations ( at best ) and will be forced onto the TC trail and have a More Than Ready like campaign that barely gives him even an opportunity to run to his strengths. Anybody else care to check in? I would love to hear some UNBIASED analysis by really anyone but particularly those that were extremely enamored with him what seems like just minutes ago. 
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#3
11-07-2006, 08:07 PM
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Sorry, but I don't get the Magnum reference. Feel free to enlighten me.
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#4
11-07-2006, 08:09 PM
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Was Scat Daddy running? I was too enthralled with Circular Quay err.... Street Sense " exploding to the lead "
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#5
11-07-2006, 08:12 PM
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There's a reason Pletcher sold out of his share as soon as he had the chance- he's just not that good. His figures were mediocre at Saratoga for the level (which obviously doesn't say much about his competition there, either...), evidenced by the fact that he had to struggle to get by Teuflesberg in the last jump in the 6F race.
He'll be gone by the 2nd 2007 Derby prep.
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#6
11-07-2006, 08:13 PM
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You were just unduly influenced by those around you  .
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#7
11-07-2006, 08:17 PM
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#8
11-08-2006, 09:48 AM
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Frankly, he looked poor in the flesh on the walkover for whatever reason...his coat was rather dull and he didn't inspire. Additionally, he is still green and a big kid IMO...he never looked comfortable all race and was tight and checked going into the first turn and never settled...I'm starting to wonder if his sire is Johanessburg or Dollar Bill after his first 5 starts of his career.....sheesh...
Also, he was the ONLY horse to track a fast pace and still be around at the wire - 4th - and did that despite racing very wide and well off of the golden rail that propelled Street Sense to an easy victory as if he were on a conveyor belt...it almost looked like the old Keeneland... Personally, I am unsure how far Scat Daddy will go, but I think 1 1/16 miles is within his reach. Funny you mentioned More Than Ready because that is exactly who I liken him to, actually. He is one of the best of his generation and I think he'll show it. Street Sense is also nice and has also been a "clocker's horse" around CD and one of the better babies on the grounds in KY. Plus, you know Street Sense will improve in a slow barn and with the pedigree to be better as he gets older. The Breeders' Cup is what it is.....its almost like the Derby in that the best horses rarely win for whatever reason. IMO, the only horses that won Saturday who I can firmly believe to be the best horses in each of their respective division was Dreaming of Anna, who was a standout on the sheets and was just much faster than the others in the Juv. Fillies (but even she got a golden rail trip, so who knows?) AND of course - Ouija Board. For whatever reason, most of the best horses were either up against a bias or didn't run their best races, etc. and that is why the average win payoff on a BC race is like somewhere around $28....the best horses don't always win.. Scat Daddy will be okay...its just a shame to me that Bernie didn't fire his best shot and now we'll never really know how good he was.....I'm pissed they retired him..
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#9
11-08-2006, 10:01 AM
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Guys anyone who uses sheets of any kind had "BOUNCE" written over his pp's in huge Red Ink.
He ran a huge lifetime top in the Champagne and was running back on only 3 weeks rest. Pletcher never would have run him had the race not been for two million. Hes better than he showed that day, as are many horses who ran against that insane scraped rail bias.
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#10
11-08-2006, 10:08 AM
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Ya know, the old " I wasn't wrong...the horse was " is not the road to success.
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#11
11-08-2006, 10:12 AM
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 I, too, felt this was Bernardini's best effort to date... and he impressed me for the first time in losing. Very good 3 yo... not an all-time great.
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#12
11-08-2006, 10:21 AM
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I didn't make excuses about anything, I just admitted that my doubts about his ability to go a true route were completely without basis. In this case I guess the love for this horse(Bern) was very deep by many folks who loved him and I suspect they are still stunned and searching for reasons why he lost. Perspective on situations is usually better after some time has past, the emotions dim and true analysis of the situation is easier to do. Maybe a year from now, after some time has gone by, we'd be able to revisit this situation again without the emotional components clouding the situation.
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#13
11-08-2006, 10:22 AM
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Start the 3-page long quarrels in 5..4..3...2...
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#14
11-08-2006, 10:26 AM
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With that said, I truly was impressed with his BC effort and thought he made a very admirable move. In my mind, the loss doesnt tarnish him, but improves the lustre... but then again, I wasnt a hardcore fan. I never thought of him as a superhorse... but one that still had to prove it... and he proved he was a top 3yo with a lot of talent. He proved he can be devastating to a field... but he also proved he's beatable and didnt deserve all the hype he got. In my mind... great 3 yo... lots of talent... exciting horse... but it ends there.
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#15
11-08-2006, 10:23 AM
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I originally thought that Bernardini had "quit" as he was passed by Invasor, but I've re-watched the classic a dozen times and come to the conclusion that the horse was either exhausted or just not handling the track very well. It's a shame that he won't be running again as I think that he would have improved as a 4 year old and we would have seen an extremely nice 4 year old. Oh well...
__________________
http://www.facebook.com/cajungator26
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#16
11-08-2006, 10:34 AM
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bern was all out and got beat ...hes a good horse who qot get beat by a fresher very nice horse who moved at the right time....there was no looking in the eye..javy didnt see him till he moved past..do i think if they raced in three weeks time who would win ..it would be bern....but invasor is a very nice horse who should get the credit and the cash...they had a game plan and it worked..
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#17
11-08-2006, 10:37 AM
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Bern beat up on bad or injured horses with no traffic in small fields and more importantly what I saw as very slow pace figures, and his two biggest victories came when his main rivals broke down or were injured. I will say that perhaps if he had a gut wrencher prior to the BC that he may not have run better than he did and perhaps had he been allowed to race at age 4, he would have joined the elite. But I really didn't like the way he reacted when Invasor came to him, and I think he had a great trip getting first run at the speed while making a turn move that is usually a successful knockout punch in many situations. Turns are hard on some horses to truly accelerate on, and usually if someone makes a big turn move the competition is screwed because they have to straighten away in the lane before they can get a run on the leader who has already assumed an advantage with both the lead and a full head of steam. Invasor's ears flipped forward when he came to Bern, and he was having a ball out there. Perhaps its his humble beginnings in South America, perhaps its his non flashy pedigree, perhaps its because his trainer hadn't been considered a big race trainer prior to this year, but for whatever reason people are finding it hard to accept that he won, and much more impressively than the winning margin would indicate.
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#18
11-08-2006, 10:17 AM
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I think Scat Daddy came back to soon. I really believe you need to give at least 5 weeks inbetween starts with 2 year olds. I also think Scat Daddy ran a real good race. The winner went out and won by 10 lengths. To me, this race is a throw out race when each of the horses races again. I think Scat will continue to grow and fill out a little and will be fine. To me, the horse reminds me more of Pulpit than More Than Ready. But who knows.
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#19
11-08-2006, 10:20 AM
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Pulpit? Really? I agree more along the lines of the More Than Ready comparison. He's going to have distance limitations but I do think he's a dangerous horse in any race at 1 1/16 and I think he's the type of horse that will play a big role in the outcome of any race over 1 1/16 just by pressing horses with class. He just wont win them.
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#20
11-08-2006, 10:27 AM
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Hybrid Mode
