Is there any air left at Santa Anita?

[TitanSooner]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

You're kidding....right?

It's turf. It has nothing to do with whether or not you make money betting on it. It is NOT a dirt surface and zero DIRT championships were actually decided this weekend at Santa Anita.

The discussion has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not one can make money betting on it.

I re-read what I wrote, and you are probably right..

I guess I only have a problem with those that constantly use the surface as an excuse.. you know what you're getting into going in. You obviously have to take the surface into consideration while handicapping.. Plenty did, and plenty did well.

As for the Aqueduct Inner Dirt statement.. I'm sure that was tongue in cheek.

Congrats to all those who hit big this weekend.

[Hwjb]

The defeat of Curlin had nothing to do with the surface, more the fact that he isn't quite the horse he was, coupled with being taken on by better horses than he's faced before. Simple, really, and no excuses.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Hwjb

The defeat of Curlin had nothing to do with the surface, more the fact that he isn't quite the horse he was, coupled with being taken on by better horses than he's faced before. Simple, really, and no excuses.

i disagree. that surface helped the top two finishers immensely. and i think curlin yesterday was the same horse he's been. no shame in losing to the top two, and taking nothing away from their wins-but do you really think the outcome would have been the same without pro-ride?

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

zero DIRT championships were actually decided this weekend at Santa Anita.

I don't know why you would say that Zenyatta didn't wrap up a dirt championship as well this weekend given her run on both surfaces this year.

[Hwjb]

Originally Posted by Danzig

i disagree. that surface helped the top two finishers immensely. and i think curlin yesterday was the same horse he's been. no shame in losing to the top two, and taking nothing away from their wins-but do you really think the outcome would have been the same without pro-ride?

Beforehand I struggled to envisage Raven's Pass seeing out 1m2f. Johnny G and he proved me wrong in a big way, showing himself the tip-top performer he's promised to be for a long time. Curlin ran his race, not quite as well as 12 months ago, but the balance of evidence suggests that he's not quite the horse of this time last year, the surface surely immaterial. He was simply coming up against a better calibre of horse than he's faced this season.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by Hwjb

The defeat of Curlin had nothing to do with the surface, more the fact that he isn't quite the horse he was, coupled with being taken on by better horses than he's faced before. Simple, really, and no excuses.

I agree almost with all you said, but the "better horses he faced" statement is questionable....somewhat.

[SilverRP]

Originally Posted by Hwjb

The defeat of Curlin had nothing to do with the surface, more the fact that he isn't quite the horse he was, coupled with being taken on by better horses than he's faced before. Simple, really, and no excuses.

Would Raven's Pass even had been in the race if it was raced on dirt?

[letswastemoney]

Ventura would have never been in that race if it were real dirt.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by SilverRP

Would Raven's Pass even had been in the race if it was raced on dirt?

what does that have to do with anything? Would Goldikova been in the mile if it was not on turf?

[Hwjb]

Originally Posted by Hickory Hill Hoff

I agree almost with all you said, but the "better horses he faced" statement is questionable....somewhat.

When did Curlin last face a horse (let alone three) rated in the 130s? I'm going to suggest not for a long time, perhaps ever.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Hickory Hill Hoff

I agree almost with all you said, but the "better horses he faced" statement is questionable....somewhat.

that was by far the best field Curlin faced this year.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

that was by far the best field Curlin faced this year.

yeah, it was.

[Samarta]

Originally Posted by GPK

Unless there is another Aqueduct Race Track, that is located somewhere other than Jamaica, NY, then no I don't agree.

There are many days at Aqueduct I could don a horse costume and ride that rail to the winners circle.

That may be the best quote in the history of any message board.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Samarta

That may be the best quote in the history of any message board.

Now now ... let's not give Kev a big head.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

It's turf. ...It is NOT a dirt surface and zero DIRT championships were actually decided this weekend at Santa Anita.

A synthetic surface is not turf, but if it is, then that explains why guys like Lukas and Zito never seem to win races over these surfaces.

Actually, I think that Zenyatta, Stardom Bound and Midshipman clinched championships, and Ventura made a case for one (although I would support Intangaroo for her campaign consisting of three Grade I wins).

[geeker2]

Originally Posted by GPK

Unless there is another Aqueduct Race Track, that is located somewhere other than Jamaica, NY, then no I don't agree.

There are many days at Aqueduct I could don a horse costume and ride that rail to the winners circle.

Kev - are you in the back or front?
Attachment 1051

[GPK]

Originally Posted by geeker2

Kev - are you in the back or front?
Attachment 1051

Clearly I am always the horses ass

[pba1817]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

You're kidding....right?

It's turf. It has nothing to do with whether or not you make money betting on it. It is NOT a dirt surface and zero DIRT championships were actually decided this weekend at Santa Anita.

The discussion has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not one can make money betting on it.

Santa Anita's Pro-Ride is fair, its legit, and here to stay. Bad horses are still bad on it, good horses are still good on it. No speed bias, no closer bias, no inside/outside bias. The most logical, fittest, and better horses ran well and won there during the breeders cup. Curlin would have won too if Albarado would have given him a proper ride, instead of riding him like the win was a foregone conclusion and the only thing in question was the lengths between him and the rest of the field.

The stuff should be installed at every track in the world.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by pba1817

Santa Anita's Pro-Ride is fair, its legit, and here to stay. Bad horses are still bad on it, good horses are still good on it. No speed bias, no closer bias, no inside/outside bias. The most logical, fittest, and better horses ran well and won there during the breeders cup. Curlin would have won too if Albarado would have given him a proper ride, instead of riding him like the win was a foregone conclusion and the only thing in question was the lengths between him and the rest of the field.

The stuff should be installed at every track in the world.

[pba1817]

I win again!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!