Indian Blessing - Sets record

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

That's the way the game works. The strong survive, the rest don't.

Thank God you weren't a golfing buddy of Tim Smith.

And, frankly, thank God racing is a lot more subtle than that.

[tiggerv]

No record is legit on that track right now. Personally, I was underwhelmed by her performance. Gomez had to all but drag her across the wire that final furlong.

This is apples and oranges of course but the filly from that card that we should be talking about is Zenyatta. There is a potential monster.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

So now Baffert is a trainer that breaks them down too?

Seems like he has done a pretty good job with her so far. He got a filly who probably wants no part of anything over 7-8 furlongs, to win 2 grade 1's and a championship, including a 2 turn win. Not too shabby.

You completely missed the, intended I'm sure, irony.....


This person is happy that, according to her, she is trained by someone willing to take a shot in the KY Derby with Indian Blessing while castigating Mr. Baffert for supposedly breaking down horses.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by tiggerv

This is apples and oranges of course but the filly from that card that we should be talking about is Zenyatta. There is a potential monster.

Kidding aside, for only a minute ( I promise ), why is Zenyatta more worthy of conversation than Indian Blessing? I mean, don't get me wrong, Zenyatta was a thing of beauty yesterday, but Indian Blessing is an undefeated winner of the BC Juvenile Fillies who, unlike Zenyatta, has also taken her game on the road ( winning on four different racetracks ) and, more importantly, has won on two different surfaces.

Zenyatta is exciting....but so is Indian Blessing....and the latter has accomplished far more.

I think she's got a legitimate shot to enter The Hambletonian and win it.

[tiggerv]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Zenyatta is exciting....but so is Indian Blessing....and the latter has accomplished far more.

Fair enough. They are both obviously worthy of discussion and Indian Blessing of course is the much more accomplished horse. Perhaps it is because Zenyatta was much more visually impressive yesterday that I brought her up. Both have very bright futures.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I still don't get it.

king is the one who made the point that baffert will take a shot with her, cowgirl was quoting his statement, while showing she disagreed.

[VOL JACK]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Why are races run on poly considered "new" stakes records ? Shouldnt it be a stakes record for poly and be considered seperate from the existing track record? Not that it really matters ...

You are using way too much logic, for this sport.

[cowgirlintexas]

Originally Posted by Danzig

king is the one who made the point that baffert will take a shot with her, cowgirl was quoting his statement, while showing she disagreed.

Thank you.

[philcski]

Got a 91 Beyer, per Illman.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I was trying to be funny. I got it. Cowgirl doesn't like Baffert either for some reason. Apparently he breaks a lot of horses down. Not really sure who or even when this happened.

oh, sorry.

as for the rep certain trainers get, i'm not sure how much is based on fact, and how much on perception-or how much is due to dislike of the trainer.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I was trying to be funny. I got it. Cowgirl doesn't like Baffert either for some reason. Apparently he breaks a lot of horses down. Not really sure who or even when this happened.

Baffert does break down a large number of horses. You never hear too much about them cuz for the most part they happen during training hours (What A Song, Cavonnier, and Inexcessivelygood are the only "high profile" ones I can think of).

In 2002, Baffert finished 1-2-3-4-6 in the Del Mar Futurity with Icecoldbeeratreds, Kafwain, Chief Planner, Friendly Mike, and Bull Market. By May 15 the following year, the winner was dead, the 2nd thru 4th were laid up/retired with suspensory injuries, and Bull Market had knee surgery from which he never truly recovered. Not to mention his best juvenile that year, Vindication, was toast (another suspensory) by the following March.

[cowgirlintexas]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Baffert does break down a large number of horses. You never hear too much about them cuz for the most part they happen during training hours (What A Song, Cavonnier, and Inexcessivelygood are the only "high profile" ones I can think of).

In 2002, Baffert finished 1-2-3-4-6 in the Del Mar Futurity with Icecoldbeeratreds, Kafwain, Chief Planner, Friendly Mike, and Bull Market. By May 15 the following year, the winner was dead, the 2nd thru 4th were laid up/retired with suspensory injuries, and Bull Market had knee surgery from which he never truly recovered. Not to mention his best juvenile that year, Vindication, was toast (another suspensory) by the following March.

I know a guy that exercised horses for Baffert for a few years and they stories he would tell me about what a waste it was for owners to send their horses to him because so many really, really nice horses that had either a lot of potential or were proven to be a stake horse only to have them break down because of the unneccesary way of having them breeze so fast just about every time they went out.. What is the reason besides a good tightner every so often to have a horse time after time work in 1:10 or 58 etc.? I mean if ya know you have a good one, why risk the injuries that come along with all those too fast works? Do we see other trainers like Pletcher, or Sherrifs, or Drysdale breezing their horses that way? How many good 4 or 5 yr olds does Baffert have? He gets a few good 2 yr olds that somehow stand up to it however they do, then by the time the Triple Crown trail is finished most likey so are they.
Of course Baffert only has over 100+ horses in training so whats a few good ones falling thru the cracks right? They'll send him more just because he is Bob Baffert.
I love the sport an of course have loved some of the horses that have made it thru his barn over the years. Sometimes I just wished they were in someone elses hands so we could see them longer or if even at all.

[cowgirlintexas]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

How many good 4 or 5 year olds does any trainer have nowadays? Unless they are gelding's, the answer is few. He is certainly not the only one to work his horses fast and definitely not the only one to have horses breakdown.

I guess I just found it humorous that the same person who was so adament about letting us know what a great guy Herb McCauley was for returning to the saddle (has he ridden a horse this year?), is so anti-Baffert.

Well, glad I can give you a few laughs...Never said he was the only one, but questioned the reasoning behind it. Nor am I "Anti-Baffert". Again was questioning the theroy behind so many bullet works his horses have. As a person he seems like a very likeable fella.

As far as Herb McCauley... I have a tendency to root for the people that don't knock down others and try to better themselves. However hard the road was traveled.

[blackthroatedwind]

The good news for bettors is that trainers figured out what we knew about Herb McCauley in just a few short weeks.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by cowgirlintexas

I know a guy that exercised horses for Baffert for a few years and they stories he would tell me about what a waste it was for owners to send their horses to him because so many really, really nice horses that had either a lot of potential or were proven to be a stake horse only to have them break down because of the unneccesary way of having them breeze so fast just about every time they went out.. What is the reason besides a good tightner every so often to have a horse time after time work in 1:10 or 58 etc.? I mean if ya know you have a good one, why risk the injuries that come along with all those too fast works? Do we see other trainers like Pletcher, or Sherrifs, or Drysdale breezing their horses that way? How many good 4 or 5 yr olds does Baffert have? He gets a few good 2 yr olds that somehow stand up to it however they do, then by the time the Triple Crown trail is finished most likey so are they.
Of course Baffert only has over 100+ horses in training so whats a few good ones falling thru the cracks right? They'll send him more just because he is Bob Baffert.
I love the sport an of course have loved some of the horses that have made it thru his barn over the years. Sometimes I just wished they were in someone elses hands so we could see them longer or if even at all.

Those three guys have what, three combined Triple Crown wins? How many does Baffert have? At least eight (two each from Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Point Given, and War Emblem). Ok, even if you don't want to give him the credit for War Emblem, it's still six. Am I missing any others? He was nosed out of a fourth when Cavonnier was beaten by Grindstone. The point is, the man knows what it takes to win a Derby. That's why people send horses to him. Fewer and fewer people care about having top four and five year olds these days. The majority of the top 3yo's retire each season and the most successful ones bring the most money at stud. This game, like many things in the world these days, is about instant return on investment. The people that send horses to him do so for the same reasons they sent them to Lukas and that they send them to Zito. They do so because these guys have shown that they know how to get it done. The people that spend their big money on these horses aren't stupid. They know what they are getting into. They are willing to take the risks for the possible rewards.