Preakness - after thoughts

[DonGuido]

Justify was pressured and headed by Good Magic around just before the final turn I believe which was a mistake on his part (finishing 4th). I hope Chad keeps him out of the Belmont. He did all he could but put in a disappointing race. It as good for Justify to feel that pressure in a big race, it will serve him well next race out. Mike did not panic at that point .. . hey he's been in big races on exceptional horses before.

This again was Justify's toughest race but to me it came at the right time. He felt the pressure early with Good Magic and prevailed and he felt the pressure at the end (so did Mike) and he/they dug in a prevailed. What more can you ask for, from a these superb athletes?

Justify is not American Pharoah and he doesn't need to be. Perhaps the 3YO competition is better than AP faced . . . you could argue that easily. What an awesome race exciting to the end (fog discounted). If Justy is lucky it will rain again on Belmont day. We know he can handle it. But that is a whole different kind of race as we all know. If he's as good as many of us think he is, we'll see another Triple Crown winner and if he's not first and the wire he'll be fitting for it al the way. He does not like other horses to be in front of him at all.


I hope Bob gives him a week and a half just to be a horse, running around in the field and napping and eating and being taken care of like a puppy . . . a champion puppy at that. He needs a break from racing so he can recharge his engine (and what an engine) and come back in the Belmont and show us how great he really is. So far all I can say is, WHAT A RACE HORSE!!!

The hype will be way too much and the day of the race will be filled with pins and needled, stomach churnings and nail biting . . . and 150,00 plus at the track. NYRA, your got your wish again. And you have to believe Lukas will be there to try and be a spoiler some how.

Way to go Justy . . . you are very special!!!

[JolyB]

The countdown to the Belmont has already begun. I'm sure that NYRA was cheering down the stretch, and praying that Justify could hold off the late charge.

Quite a day of racing, despite the rain, fog and track surface that played heavily to speed.

Chad Brown had already stated that Good Magic would not run in the Belmont under any circumstances. But there will undoubtedly be other challengers - Pletcher was noticeably absent at the Preakness but will have a platoon of fresh horses from which to choose for BEL. Others will say that Justify might be a tired horse from his campaign and could be vulnerably in another three weeks, so will give it a shot.

I know that it is still the state song, but doesn't the Naval Academy Chorus have an issue singing Maryland My Maryland? If you ever listen to the lyrics of the entire song, it is contrary to much of what the Academy stands for. After all, the song we written largely to induce Maryland to secede from the Union and join the Confederacy. Perhaps I'm biased, but as someone who was born in New York, grew up in New Jersey and spent most of my life in Connecticut, I take the reference to "spurning the Northern scum" personally.

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by JolyB

The countdown to the Belmont has already begun. I'm sure that NYRA was cheering down the stretch, and praying that Justify could hold off the late charge.

Quite a day of racing, despite the rain, fog and track surface that played heavily to speed.

Chad Brown had already stated that Good Magic would not run in the Belmont under any circumstances. But there will undoubtedly be other challengers - Pletcher was noticeably absent at the Preakness but will have a platoon of fresh horses from which to choose for BEL. Others will say that Justify might be a tired horse from his campaign and could be vulnerably in another three weeks, so will give it a shot.

I know that it is still the state song, but doesn't the Naval Academy Chorus have an issue singing Maryland My Maryland? If you ever listen to the lyrics of the entire song, it is contrary to much of what the Academy stands for. After all, the song we written largely to induce Maryland to secede from the Union and join the Confederacy. Perhaps I'm biased, but as someone who was born in New York, grew up in New Jersey and spent most of my life in Connecticut, I take the reference to "spurning the Northern scum" personally.

Yes, I am a New Yorker at heart (spent all of my formative years growing up in small town Upstate wonderfulness) but been in South Carolina and Texas so long, my slang has become way southern-Texas- friendly for sure. Too bad Frank's not around to sing New York, New York. Maybe Tony can muster up the energy this year.

As for Justy, if he comes out of this race well and is feeling his oats the week before (as Baffert and all will do there best to do), it's hard to believe even the best new comers take him down . . . but then again this is a whole different kind of race.

[moses]

I’ve got to think people will be looking long at Instilled Regard, My Boy Jack, and maybe Hofburg at the Belmont. It will be a very different race. Justify’s finish today doesn’t inspire me to believe he can handle the distance...but we’ll see how that field shapes up.

[ninetoone]

Awesome horse, but I'll be all in to beat him in the Belmont!

[DonGuido]

I see his odds much higher, maybe 3-1, 2-1 at best. Vegas has to set them higher. On the most important side of the horses, many trainers will stay up to all hours of the evening thinking of ways to beat him and getting owners to agree that they have a chance . . . but so far no body has stepped up to plate and hit a home run off him or better yet no body has knocked him out.

Many will bet against him and hope to hit a pay day. Let's see how the next couple of weeks develops with Justify and all those other underlings!!!

[RUFFIAN]

As he ran for the finish line to me he look like he was tired

Compare that to the derby race that was longer and more grueling
19 challengers and he ran away from them at the wire

Wishful thinking that we might see another Triple Crown
But reality seems To suggest he will not get the distance

HOPE IM WRONG

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by RUFFIAN-333

As he ran for the finish line to me he look like he was tired

Compare that to the derby race that was longer and more grueling
19 challengers and he ran away from them at the wire

Wishful thinking that we might see another Triple Crown
But reality seems To suggest he will not get the distance

HOPE IM WRONG

Mike Smith said he was a tired horse after the race , , , BUT HE STILL PUT DOWN ALL COMERS. That's a real race horse and he's had real campaign lately. . . he does not like to lose, obviously. He could have spit the bit earlier when challenged vigorously by Good Magic but he didn't. He's is excellent hands with Mike and Bobby. It will a grand event in 3 weeks!!! And I'd like to make a prediction but it's way too early.

BTW - I am so tired of hearing that this horse or that horse can't make the distance. It's been proved many times that "being able to get the distance" is a human analysis that the horses that get the distance don't even care about and they do it. AMAZING!

[moses]

Originally Posted by DonGuido

Mike Smith said he was a tired horse after the race , , , BUT HE STILL PUT DOWN ALL COMERS. That's a real race horse and he's had real campaign lately. . . he does not like to lose, obviously. He could have spit the bit earlier when challenged vigorously by Good Magic but he didn't. He's is excellent hands with Mike and Bobby. It will a grand event in 3 weeks!!! And I'd like to make a prediction but it's way too early.

BTW - I am so tired of hearing that this horse or that horse can't make the distance. It's been proved many times that "being able to get the distance" is a human analysis that the horses that get the distance don't even care about and they do it. AMAZING!

Certain horses are definitely not built to be distance runners. That probably doesn’t apply to any horse that has won both the Derby and the Preakness, but I think it’s fair to say a horse that’s never won a race over 5 furlongs probably doesn’t have a good chance to win the Belmont. I think all anyone is ever saying when they say a horse can’t get the distance is that there’s another horse out there who is better suited for the distance.

We’ll see. No one has beaten Justify yet. Hopefully he comes out of the Preakness doing well, gets some rest, and we can see what he’s made of in 3 weeks.

[JolyB]

The Justify we saw in the Preakness was not as sharp as the Justify we saw in the Derby. The taxing effort of the Derby probably took a lot out of him and the two week turnaround was not as much time as would have been optimal. I think that he ran a superb race yesterday, possible getting the final furlong on guts alone.

That's one of the many reasons that the Triple Crown series is just plain hard. A horse has to be made of iron to keep coming back and doing the same thing three times in a five week stretch. Only the truly exceptional need apply.

I'm hoping that Justify is such a horse and will be rooting that he is able to recoup his Derby form in three weeks. The horse that won the Derby should have no trouble beating any other three year old we have seen this year at the mile and one-half distance. The one who ran in the Preakness is in danger of getting caught down the long Belmont stretch. Other trainers will have seen this possible chink in the armor and may be making plans to be in Elmont on June 9. Should make for a heck of a race.

[cruzan200246]

If it wasn't for the wet condition he probably would have lost. Let's see how he perform on dry dirt

[Plenilune]

Originally Posted by JolyB

The Justify we saw in the Preakness was not as sharp as the Justify we saw in the Derby. The taxing effort of the Derby probably took a lot out of him and the two week turnaround was not as much time as would have been optimal. I think that he ran a superb race yesterday, possible getting the final furlong on guts alone.

The one who ran in the Preakness is in danger of getting caught down the long Belmont stretch. Other trainers will have seen this possible chink in the armor and may be making plans to be in Elmont on June 9. Should make for a heck of a race.

This! Yes. Mike said coming up to the finish he was kind of green and looking around. I think he was a tired puppy. Interesting to see the photos of him jumping over some tracks in the mud before the first turn. Mike said after that he was slipping around a bit until he settled in the back stretch.

I pray that Belmont Day will be DRY. I'm so sick of rain. While I'd be thrilled to see him take the TC I am not confident it's going to happen this year. Fingers crossed that it does but if it doesn't I will just look forward to his races the rest of the year.

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by Plenilune

This! Yes. Mike said coming up to the finish he was kind of green and looking around. I think he was a tired puppy. Interesting to see the photos of him jumping over some tracks in the mud before the first turn. Mike said after that he was slipping around a bit until he settled in the back stretch.

I pray that Belmont Day will be DRY. I'm so sick of rain. While I'd be thrilled to see him take the TC I am not confident it's going to happen this year. Fingers crossed that it does but if it doesn't I will just look forward to his races the rest of the year.

Well, me being the die hard cockeyed optimist I've always been and will be until I die, I'm all in with Justify in the race against all comers, bring'em on. Distance - shimstance . . . hey honestly tell me one thing he's done wrong compared to the rest. He's a winner that's al he knows. Has anyone gotten "the distance"?

He's put them all down so far in different ways (easy, tough, slop, dry) and if he's 100% or even 90%, he'll do it again, rain, sleet, or heat. Need I say more, not really! You can tell I like to go out on a limb. Nobody better in the stirrups and not body better in the barn.

Now after all that, I'll bite my nails just like all the rest of you who see the Triple Crown on the horizon.