2/16 (OP): Southwest S. (Gr. III)

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by justindew

Didn't the white Randy Moss figure out that the stretch at Oaklawn is uphill?

i heard that as well...

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by justindew

Didn't the white Randy Moss figure out that the stretch at Oaklawn is uphill?

Downhill.

[justindew]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Downhill.

I think it's uphill....but I'll research and report back.

Originally Posted by Kasept

Not trying to annoint him a new Smarty Jones. Pointing out that there oddities about the splits at Oaklawn. It ALWAYS looks like OP 3yo's come home slow and invariably they're on a par with everyone else later. I was a naysayer on Oaklawn performances for a long time and eventually acknowledged that the Smarty Jones and Lawyer Ron and Afleet Alex and Flower Alley and even Borrego were coming home as fast.. or faster.. than any other sophomore.

Don't get caught up in the splits at Oaklawn is my only suggestion. (It's the Ozarks Pants... Eventually you'll be squeeling like a pig.)

Old Fashioned = Scotty Thurman

Smarty Jones = Corliss Williamson

Originally Posted by justindew

I think it's uphill....but I'll research and report back.

How did he figure either?

Watching which way the water rolled during a
thunderstorm? Did he get a surveyor, or use
his GPS?

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by justindew

I think it's uphill....but I'll research and report back.

I've seen horses come home in 11 and change in the final 1/8th there going 9fs ... and I'm talking about horses lesser than Afleet Alex and Curlin.

Hell, Rockamundo, the biggest bum to ever win a major Derby prep, he came home in like 12.50 for his final furlong in the Ark Derby after pressing a 45 and change pace.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by justindew

I think it's uphill....but I'll research and report back.

http://www.drf.com/newsletter/davidowitz042703.pdf

Start your reading from the far right.

[justindew]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

http://www.drf.com/newsletter/davidowitz042703.pdf

Start your reading from the far right.

Damn.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Yes that's nice and whatnot..

at the time Smarty's Southwest was panned and it was miles better than this race in overall quality. You had 4 out of 9 horses in that race that showed ability.

The race today was a snoozefest match race between unbridled song's seeds.

I'll hold off on annointing this horse the next Smarty Jones.

The field that Smarty Jones beat in the Southwest was:

Two Down Automatic
Pro Prado
Wildcat Shoes
Pyramid Performer
Archie B
Proper Prado
Number Juan
Got the Goods

Granted some might have been farther along at the time of the race, but they weren't any good going forward. However, I too will hold off on anointing him the next Smarty Jones.

NT

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The field that Smarty Jones beat in the Southwest was:

Two Down Automatic
Pro Prado
Wildcat Shoes
Pyramid Performer
Archie B
Proper Prado
Number Juan
Got the Goods

Granted some might have been farther along at the time of the race, but they weren't any good going forward. However, I too will hold off on anointing him the next Smarty Jones.

NT

i think it's possible some were thinking of the ark derby field, not the southwest. that was certainly a better field than what you just listed!

[ateamstupid]

DrugS is right, the stretch at OP is on a slight decline.

[Bobby Fischer]

Old Fashioned and Flat Out ran the two best races. Old Fashioned was probably best.

It was hard to tell much of anything new from Old Fashioned - he didn't have to do much today - just wear down 1 decent horse, and the time wasn't jaw dropping, but he got the job done up on a good pace and was never in doubt. "Solid"

also have to love Larry Jones , he has a REALLY cool hat, and all the stuff he went through with Eight Belles.

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Old Fashioned = Scotty Thurman

Smarty Jones = Corliss Williamson

Smarty Jones = Sidney Moncrief

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

DrugS is right, the stretch at OP is on a slight decline.

yes, some of the trash Randy Moss witnessed flowing down the hill at Oaklawn most assuredly contained some of Drugs clever losing tickets.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Such as back wheeling Kissin Kris in an exacta but missing the 2K gimmick by tossing out 100/1 shot Rockamundo because not even the great combo of OJ Glass Jr./Borel team could get him home in the top 7.

[pick4]

Old Fashioned ran a very strong race this afternoon. He showed his class by running Silver City's game. He pressed stroong fractions and blew past him and won by over 3 lengths.

It was the horses first race in three months and if there was a race he could be vulnerable this was it. I think we have a legit Derby favorite. If he matures during the next few months he's a horse that perhaps we can get excited about in the TC races.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by pick4

Old Fashioned ran a very strong race this afternoon. He showed his class by running Silver City's game. He pressed stroong fractions and blew past him and won by over 3 lengths.

It was the horses first race in three months and if there was a race he could be vulnerable this was it. I think we have a legit Derby favorite. If he matures during the next few months he's a horse that perhaps we can get excited about in the TC races.

The Fountain of Youth will do a lot more for determining the Derby favorite than today's race did. The way that field is shaping up, people would be insane to take Old Fashioned over anything more than a nose winner of the FOY. As for him being a Triple Crown possibility, even if he's good enough, he's by Unbridled's Song. To me, every start with a US three-year-old is like Russian Roulette. He's got a LONG way to go.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

I'm not sure what people were expecting today, perhaps he was hyped a bit too much. But this was an solid effort to kick-start his 3-year-old season. He chased a face pace, finished well and is primed to move forward.

I don't think we were looking for an effort that would win a 10 furlong race in May on a February afternoon.

I'd be interested to know what horse out there everyone thinks is going to take him down in the Arkansas Derby in a fairly run race, because at this point I haven't seen anything all that impressive. I like Imperial Council very much, but the Derby is coming up much too soon. Fresian Fire is solid and Jones is holding a strong hand going into the Derby, but I don't think he is as good as Old Fashioned. There is certainly no reason to think Pioneerof the Nile won't take to the dirt, so he could challenge him, but it's doubtful he'll leave CA prior to the Derby.

The FOY is interesting if all of the probables make it into the field, but I think like Silver City, you'll have horses come out of that race that will be pointed to the sprint stakes in later in the season.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I'd be interested to know what horse out there everyone thinks is going to take him down in the Arkansas Derby in a fairly run race, because at this point I haven't seen anything all that impressive. I like Imperial Council very much, but the Derby is coming up much too soon. Fresian Fire is solid and Jones is holding a strong hand going into the Derby, but I don't think he is as good as Old Fashioned. There is certainly no reason to think Pioneerof the Nile won't take to the dirt, so he could challenge him, but it's doubtful he'll leave CA prior to the Derby.

The FOY is interesting if all of the probables make it into the field, but I think like Silver City, you'll have horses come out of that race that will be pointed to the sprint stakes in later in the season.

you never know til they try it.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Danzig

you never know til they try it.

My post wasn't counting him out. The horse is bred for the big one.