5/16 (PIM): Preakness (G1); Dixie (G2); Gallorette (G3), et al..

[the_fat_man]

Can we make sure that Johnny V rides Big Drama again? Should enhance that bull track experience.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Early plans for the Preaknesss runners:

Rachel -> Assmussen sees no rush to put her in the Belmont

Mine That Bird -> Belmont

Big Drama -> Haskell

Musket Man -> Haskell

General Quarters -> No Belmont, back to Churchill

Flying Private -> what else would you expect? Belmont.

Papa Clem -> CA

Friesan Fire -> "not pushing Belmont away"

http://www.drf.com/news/article/103854.html

The Belmont still has a chance to be an exciting race with a decent sized field.

i can see the argument for flying private to go to ny waaay before friesan fire.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

Can we make sure that Johnny V rides Big Drama again? Should enhance that bull track experience.

i thought he wanted to the hug the rail.....the outer rail. took a page out of jerry baileys book on how to ride the other guys horse. it worked just as well for him as it did for bailey that day in the belmont. i wonder what fawkes thinks of his ride?

[Mike]

Square Eddie gonna' go for the Belmont Stakes?

[ninetoone]

Originally Posted by Danzig

i can see the argument for flying private to go to ny waaay before friesan fire.

somebody needs to give FF's connections the zip code to the state of denial...

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Mike

Square Eddie gonna' go for the Belmont Stakes?

surely not?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by ninetoone

somebody needs to give FF's connections the zip code to the state of denial...

something has gone wrong with that colt. not sure what. distances? better class of horses? the injury, that may or may not have been serious....not sure what to think about him now.

[philcski]

my Beyer equiv calcs for the day:

r1 6f alw 74
r2 8.5f dupont distaff g2 87
r4 8.5f schaefer g3 101
r6 8.5f deputed testamony str 89
r8 6f hirsch jacobs g3 105
r10 6f maryland bc g3 98
r12 9.5f preakness g1 112
r13 6f msw 61

preakness is a huge number, no matter how you cut it. i think it could even be a tick or two higher.

[Smooth Operator]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

GZ was a freak of nature and his type isn't around every year. It wasn't just a filly that couldn't hang with him. Nobody could. But in 2002, I would have thought she'd have had a chance against the likes of Volponi.

Azeri was terrific ... absolutely loved to watch her race.

Been following the sport for twenty years now and GZ is the best that I've seen. His comeback race in the '05 Met was simply awesome ... one of the most powerful performances that I've ever seen by any horse.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I think he could've given Sec's 12f world-record a run for its money if he ever would've had an opportunity to run that far at Belmont Park.

Perhaps he would've hit the proverbial wall in the lane (ala SJ in the '04 Belmont), but seeing how strong he looked at the end of the '04 BCC, I wouldn't have wagered a nickel on it.