4/12 (KEE): Blue Grass (Gr. I)

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Seriously?

Yes.

I like Monba too.

[pgiaco]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Yes.

I like Monba too.

I like Monba to beat the ambulance by at least a length.

Originally Posted by pgiaco

I like Monba to beat the ambulance by at least a length.

I like that attitude. If the trainer wasn't Tap I'd be looking at 50-1 odds.

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Did someone steal your login?

No.

This is polytrack. Normal handicapping methods go out the window on this sissy crap.

Just watch. Monba and Big Truck will run big on this garbage.

[HaloWishingwell]

Originally Posted by cakes44

Must be because Joe Bravo is staying at GP this weekend.

Joe Bravo turn down a potential Derby starter/contender? I tend to doubt it and who in Gulfstream Park is he riding that's worth it?

[VOL JACK]

Originally Posted by HaloWishingwell

any reason why Zito is sticking with Desormeaux when he's obviously staying with BIG BROWN for the Derby.

yeah dumb move by Zito not to snatch up Gomez, who is trying to land on a legit derby contender.

[Mike]

Great betting race, sure(the Bluegrass) and the exotics would be huge if Pyro gets blocked during the 9 horse blanket finish(which would be great for Pyro's Derby odds), but I need to win tomorrow

I'll be with Pyro, who's training well on the track, and against him by exacta boxing Pyro with Monba. Monba has a great record on synthetic surfaces, exiting a key race 1/2 length behind Colonel John, who returned to win the SA Derby

Pletcher's last best hope?

I can't go for the tri here because I would think even Kentucky Bear might screw the wager up

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Cardus

If you're an owner with a horse on the bottom end of the Top 20 (or on the fringe hoping to get in), how bummed you will be when a horse with inferior dirt credentials wins the Blue Grass Stakes and bumps your horse from the Derby starting gate?

Bummed enough to think you should have gone to the AR derby for the $1M purse? Bummed enough to go back and realize the rules have been the same for some time and everyone knew the Bluegrass would be on Polytrack and could produce a middle of the road dirt/turf horse? Bummed enough to think that maybe your horse should have won a big race or two and there wouldn't be a problem?

Just thinking. Every year someone complains when everyone knows the rules and everyone knows the preps and the benefits and pitfalls of approaching the Derby certain ways.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Cardus

I meant an owner of a horse not running in the Blue Grass tomorrow, and has no control over who runs in or wins the race. If I'm sitting in 20th place right now and Cowboy Cal, who was atrocious in his only dirt start, wins and displaces my horse from the Derby, I'd be furious.

But my point, is shouldn't you have ensured your horse was in a spot prior to the Blue Grass where the results wouldn't affect whether your horse made the gate or not?

The horses who have won, or have consistently run competitively in several graded stakes are already sure to get in.

If I recall correctly, 'Cal was horrific on dirt in his debut, no? Wouldn't be the first time a decent horse didn't run well first time out, surely won't be the last. After having nearly a year to get the requisite earnings with loads of stakes races with qualifying purses out there, I have a really hard time feeling sorry for someone whose horse comes up $10K short because the winner of a $750K Grade I race kept them out of the Derby.

It's not like these rules came out of nowhere three weeks ago...put your horse in a spot where you rely on his races to get in, instead of relying on someone else to run poorly to get in.

Synthetic and turf races shouldn't count for the Derby. Problem solved.

[alysheba4]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Synthetic and turf races shouldn't count for the Derby. Problem solved.

......really, keenland is a complete joke.

[slotdirt]

When was the last time a horse who barely snuck in on earnings really was a factor in the Derby anyway?

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

When was the last time a horse who barely snuck in on earnings really was a factor in the Derby anyway?

If a super kicker counts as being "a factor," and in a 20 horse field, I would say that qualifies, then last year.

[slotdirt]

Nah, I'd say a horse who actually had a shot of winning. Lumbering up for fourth shouldn't really count.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Nah, I'd say a horse who actually had a shot of winning. Lumbering up for fourth shouldn't really count.

Well that's an irrelevant question in regards to this topic anyway then, isn't it?

Are any of the horses on the bubble, who may be edged out by a less qualified dirt horse (read: Cowboy Cal in Cardus's example), really going to be a factor anyway by your definition?

Nope, so either way, horses with no chance to win are getting in the gate, so what's the point in arguing which of the also-rans belong and which don't?

Granted, I'm biased this year because I have a future on Cowboy Cal and would at least like to have action in three weeks, but every year this same argument comes up. Every year the rules are the same. Every year, everyone knew them in advance. Every year everyone knows their options, so why do we re-hash it every year? Play by the rules and get your horse who deserves to be in the gate, enough earnings to get in the gate.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

You tell em Spence!

[slotdirt]

I'm not disagreeing with your assertion, brian. I am just making the point that the folks who might be whining about their horse missing out on the Derby because of Cowboy Cal probably don't have much of a Derby contender anyway.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I'm not disagreeing with your assertion, brian. I am just making the point that the folks who might be whining about their horse missing out on the Derby because of Cowboy Cal probably don't have much of a Derby contender anyway.

Got it. I thought you were talking about the horses who got in at the last minute as opposed to those knocked out at the last minute. Same thing I guess.

I'm just fired up today.

[Danzig]

i think they should limit to 14 starters, and make only three year old graded earnings count. would certainly limit the amount of horses coming in on two preps.

[hockey2315]

I STRONGLY disagree with your first idea, but your second is ok.