Wabtoo

[zippyneedsawin]

Got off slowly in the 9th at AQU (2/23) and closed nicely. He also broke from the 1 hole (6 furlongs). He won't be a huge price or anything next time out, but he should be tough.

[blackthroatedwind]

While he will possibly win at 3:5 next time, he had very little trouble in the race. He broke maybe a length slow, he may have brushed the gate coming out, and was then very sluggish. I guess he will probably show more speed in his second start but at a short price this one looks like the kind of trap to be wary of falling into.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by monipenny

Actually the starter at Aqueduct screwed the pooch again with that race. Monies would have been refunded if Wabtoo had not hit the board. If he had not placed he was definitely declared a non-starter. This guy who replaced the most recent fired starter is certainly under enormous pressure, but come on. He almost got a jock killed the day before when popping the gate to soon once again. Ny has to get a handle on this quick!!!

Really? I watched the race and break numerous times, and the head-on of the break five times, and saw a horse break nominally slowly after possibly brushing the gate. None of that is congruous with starter error.

NYRA has actually been overly careful and generous about refunding horses for problems at the start. Since replacing the starter at Saratoga, and having Bob Duncan help for a few months, the situation has been a great deal better. I saw absolutely nothing, and believe me I studied this start very carefully, that coincides with your claims.

[blackthroatedwind]

I'll look into the stewards telling someone that horse should have been a non-starter. I'm not necessarily doubting you but I've learned to be careful what I believe around the racetrack.

As for the incident Thursday, the starter can't be considered accountable for everything that happens in the gate and I'm in no position to place blame. Since the change in Saratoga things have been very good overall. Nobody was more vocal publicly than I was about the problems at the gate but I haven't been unhappy with what I have seen since the summer. That doesn't mean things are necessarily perfect but in a very tenuous situation it's difficult to place blame. The gate is an extremely dangerous place whether the starter is competent or not.

That horse is probably the best horse in that field and just feels like a horse that for whatever reason blew it in its debut. I have to trust what I see, and like you I didn't see anything with my eyes that indicates starter error, and I'm sure you'll agree that many racetrack stories need to be taken with a grain of salt.

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by monipenny

Actually the starter at Aqueduct screwed the pooch again with that race. Monies would have been refunded if Wabtoo had not hit the board. If he had not placed he was definitely declared a non-starter. This guy who replaced the most recent fired starter is certainly under enormous pressure, but come on. He almost got Mario Pino killed on Thursday when popping the gate to soon once again. Ny has to get a handle on this quick!!!

Really? I'm not an expert on the rulings processes of the stewards (nor do I claim to understand some of their decisions), but taking into consideration where a horse finishes before deciding if its a non-starter doesn't seem right. If there was an error that could have cost the horse a win, isn't that enough? ( I understand that if a horse overcomes all obstacles and still wins, the results will likely stand, but anything else should be an automatic non-starter declaration, IMO) I think most of us understand that it's not a perfect system, but this just doesn't make sense to me.

[zippyneedsawin]

And I apologize for my dyslexia-influence title to the thread. It's Watboo, for anyone who didn't realize my mistake.

[zippyneedsawin]

Aqueduct - March 15th, 2008 - Race 10
Estimated Local Post Time: 5:19 PM
Race Type: Maiden Special Weight
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age Restriction: Three Year Old and Upward
Restriction: State Bred Purse: $45,000
Distance: One Mile And Seventy Yards
Surface: Inner track
Post Horse Name Age Sex Weight Jockey Name
1 Sir Dunstan (NY) 4 Colt 123 Jean-Luc Samyn
2 Thundering Cat (NY) 3 Gelding 118 Jose L. Espinoza
3 Tony the Terio (NY) 3 Colt 118 Channing Hill
4 Casa Dynamite (NY) 3 Colt 111 Kyle Branch
5 Pay What You Owe (NY) 3 Gelding 118 Mario G. Pino
6 Watboo (NY) 3 Colt 118 Ramon A. Dominguez
7 Nolite Timere (NY) 3 Colt 111 Emanuel De Diego
8 Mighty Morris (NY) 3 Gelding 118 Jose L. Espinoza
9 Sportin' Man (NY) 3 Colt 118 Eddie Castro
10 Arthur's Seat (NY) 3 Gelding 118 Alan Garcia
11 Psychotic Summer (NY) 3 Colt 118 Rajiv Maragh




Probably a short price, but a very likely winner on Saturday... especially given the horse that beat him(Megapixel) came right back to win again.

[mclem10011]

Originally Posted by zippyneedsawin

Aqueduct - March 15th, 2008 - Race 10
Estimated Local Post Time: 5:19 PM
Race Type: Maiden Special Weight
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age Restriction: Three Year Old and Upward
Restriction: State Bred Purse: $45,000
Distance: One Mile And Seventy Yards
Surface: Inner track
Post Horse Name Age Sex Weight Jockey Name
1 Sir Dunstan (NY) 4 Colt 123 Jean-Luc Samyn
2 Thundering Cat (NY) 3 Gelding 118 Jose L. Espinoza
3 Tony the Terio (NY) 3 Colt 118 Channing Hill
4 Casa Dynamite (NY) 3 Colt 111 Kyle Branch
5 Pay What You Owe (NY) 3 Gelding 118 Mario G. Pino
6 Watboo (NY) 3 Colt 118 Ramon A. Dominguez
7 Nolite Timere (NY) 3 Colt 111 Emanuel De Diego
8 Mighty Morris (NY) 3 Gelding 118 Jose L. Espinoza
9 Sportin' Man (NY) 3 Colt 118 Eddie Castro
10 Arthur's Seat (NY) 3 Gelding 118 Alan Garcia
11 Psychotic Summer (NY) 3 Colt 118 Rajiv Maragh




Probably a short price, but a very likely winner on Saturday... especially given the horse that beat him(Megapixel) came right back to win again.

I was able to key him on top of my trifecta and I thought he made a nice run down the center of the track, gonna look for him again.

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by mclem10011

I was able to key him on top of my trifecta and I thought he made a nice run down the center of the track, gonna look for him again.

Glad you hit it!