Showing Up- HOY dark horse??

Was reading throught this Arlington Million article at the bloodhorse, and was a little surprised to see that Tagg has Classic thoughts in his head for Showing Up. Very ambitious move, and if successful could bump him into HOY contention.

Motion Sizes Up Arlington Festival Races
by Jeff Johnson
Date Posted: 8/8/2006 2:41:45 PM
Last Updated: 8/8/2006 2:41:45 PM

Trainer H. Graham Motion has a contender in two of the three big races at Arlington Park's International Festival of Racing, so he's in a good spot to assess the relative quality of Saturday's fields.
In Motion's view, the $750,000 Beverly D Stakes (gr. IT) looks like the tougher race than the Arlington Million (gr. IT), judging from the North American contingent.

"This is the marquee race for fillies and mares this year," Motion said of the Beverly D, in which he will send out Film Maker, coming off a dominating 3 3/4-length win in the All Along Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Colonial Downs. Her probable opponents include Gorella, Melhor Ainda and Honey Ryder, of whom Motion noted, "I've been beaten about five times by Honey Ryder with two different fillies."

The 6-year-old mare, owned by Courtlandt Farms, is "training super" right now, said Motion, who addressed the media Tuesday via a National Thoroughbred Racing Association teleconference. Motion asserted that he "wouldn't trade places with anybody" in the Beverly D.

While the mare remains at the top of her game, with two victories in a row in graded stakes competition, Motion is perhaps even more impressed with the form of the 7-year-old gelding Better Talk Now.

"This horse can run with any horse in this country when things set up favorably for him," Motion says. "It's more just a question of how the races set up, rather than the effort he puts forth." The 10-furlong Million appears to be more suitable for Better Talk Now than the longer Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap (gr. IT) at Saratoga, which Motion pointed out is typically a paceless race. And because the Sword Dancer is by invitation only, Motion loses the option of entering Shake the Bank as a rabbit for the 2004 John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) winner.

With the West Coast representative The Tin Man expected to ensure a lively pace in the Million, Motion is hoping Better Talk Now will have a better trip than he did in last year's running, when he was forced to circle almost the entire field before rallying to be part of a three-way photo finish for second behind Powerscourt. In finishing fourth last year, Better Talk Now was ridden by John Velasquez, who didn't know the gelding as well as Ramon Dominguez. Motion absolved Velasquez of responsibility for the tough trip, but added that he's glad Dominguez will be aboard for Saturday's race.

The third grade I turf event on Saturday's card at Arlington, the Secretariat Stakes, features the emerging sophomore star Showing Up. Also expected to show up, according to trainer Barclay Tagg, will be Lael Stables' owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson. Ironically, while Showing Up may be the second-best 3-year-old in America, based on his impressive victory in the $1 million Colonial Turf Cup Stakes June 24 at Colonial Downs, he's only No. 2 in his own stable, after Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) hero Barbaro. The ownership issue was one reason Tagg elected to shift the 3-year-old from the dirt to the turf, he explained during the teleconference.

"I think he's very adept on both surfaces, but a little more comfortable on the grass," Tagg said. "I made the switch because I thought Barbaro would go ahead and do the Triple Crown, and I didn't need to have him chasing Barbaro around."

Tagg raised eyebrows when he elected not to send Showing Up to the Virginia Derby (gr. IIT) three weeks after the Colonial Cup, thereby passing up a potential lucrative bonus. But he explained, "I thought the two races were too close together. It was the hottest time of the year, a very hot area down there...It's a long way to go from New York and back there. I didn't want to make the same trip two times in a row."

Should Showing Up continue his winning ways in the Secretariat, Tagg envisions running him against older horses at a longer distance than the mile-and-a-quarter Secretariat, in either the Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) or the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (gr. IT). While Barbaro is a leading candidate for Horse of the Year, Tagg dreams of Showing Up establishing sufficient credentials to become a legitimate contender himself with a victory on Breeders' Cup day. That race, he said, might be the Classic, rather than the Turf.

[Nostradamus]

Tagg is talking about the Turf Eclipse, not Horse of the Year. This article is just wrong or Tagg is playing with them. His VA Derby excuse is pretty funny. The horse will never see the dirt again. SU has no chance this year, but might as a 4yr old if he could win the Arc abroad and win big in the states.

I am not so sure. The reason he moved him off the dirt in the first place was to keep him out of Barbaro's shadow. If Barbaro had remained healthy he would have probably gone onto the Haskell/Jim Dandy, then the Travers... Showing Up would have gone up against him time and again, switching him to the turf allowed both horses a chance to shine.
He's got a bit of work to do before he get's the BC, but even if he DID end up racing in the Classic and winning, I have to wonder if Barbaro would get the nod due to the fact that he defeated Showing Up in the Derby....

[Scav]

I told the ridiculous Boldruler that Tagg wants no part of the euro's regarding the turf, and look what gets printed, he is hoping to go to the Classic with him.

Now, lets figure this out. Horse is going to win a Grade 1 race this weekend on the TURF, and then run in a Grade 1 next out on the TURF against older but then Tagg is going to switch to the dirt for the classic...um, I wonder why?

Oh Boldruler, again proven wrong

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by Flaxen Mane

I am not so sure. The reason he moved him off the dirt in the first place was to keep him out of Barbaro's shadow. If Barbaro had remained healthy he would have probably gone onto the Haskell/Jim Dandy, then the Travers... Showing Up would have gone up against him time and again, switching him to the turf allowed both horses a chance to shine.
He's got a bit of work to do before he get's the BC, but even if he DID end up racing in the Classic and winning, I have to wonder if Barbaro would get the nod due to the fact that he defeated Showing Up in the Derby....

Showing Up would be running in the Travers instead of the Secretariat if he was going back to the dirt. They can't switch surfaces that easily. He is not good enough to beat older horses on the dirt, but is more than good enough to beat any horse on the grass.

There is zero chance of him entering the Classic. He even still works exclusively on the turf. Horses with soundness issues are much better on the turf anyway.

There was a little talk about trying him in a race like the Met Mile on the dirt next year, simply for breeding reasons, but he really is tremendous on the grass and more of a grade 2 dirt horse. You never know though.

[Scurlogue Champ]

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

Tagg is talking about the Turf Eclipse, not Horse of the Year. This article is just wrong or Tagg is playing with them. His VA Derby excuse is pretty funny. The horse will never see the dirt again. SU has no chance this year, but might as a 4yr old if he could win the Arc abroad and win big in the states.

American turfers don't usually even attempt to run in the Arc, much less win.

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

Showing Up would be running in the Travers instead of the Secretariat if he was going back to the dirt. They can't switch surfaces that easily. He is not good enough to beat older horses on the dirt, but is more than good enough to beat any horse on the grass.

There is zero chance of him entering the Classic. He even still works exclusively on the turf. Horses with soundness issues are much better on the turf anyway.

There was a little talk about trying him in a race like the Met Mile on the dirt next year, simply for breeding reasons, but he really is tremendous on the grass and more of a grade 2 dirt horse. You never know though.

I agree that he can handle mos tof the best turf horses over here, but do you really think he can handle the best of the Euro's??? I don't think we have any turf horses right now that can prevent another Euro sweep. He was a pretty darn nice dirt horse. There is not any reason to believe he would have any problem switching back and forth. What soundness issues does Showing Up have?
I'm also not too sure that 1 1/2 miles is his best distance...

Scav- I agree w/you, they are afraid of the Euro's. I don't think he'd have a shot at winning the Classic, but I think he has a FAR better shot at hitting the board there than in the Turf.

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by Scav

I told the ridiculous Boldruler that Tagg wants no part of the euro's regarding the turf, and look what gets printed, he is hoping to go to the Classic with him.

Now, lets figure this out. Horse is going to win a Grade 1 race this weekend on the TURF, and then run in a Grade 1 next out on the TURF against older but then Tagg is going to switch to the dirt for the classic...um, I wonder why?

Oh Boldruler, again proven wrong

Tagg mentions nothing of going back to the dirt. The writer insinuates this. It isn't happening. I can assure you he would much rather face the euros on the grass than Invasor or Bernardini on the dirt.

Lets stick to facts and actual words from Tagg.

Change to the Turf Offers Horse a Chance to Show Off

By BILL FINLEY
Published: July 18, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/18/sp...=1&oref=slogin

"With that goal in mind, he has mapped out a schedule that consists of the Secretariat Stakes on Aug. 12 at Arlington Park, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on Oct. 7 at Belmont and the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs. Sweeping those races may not compare to what Barbaro could have accomplished, but it would be fine in its own right."

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

Tagg mentions nothing of going back to the dirt. The writer insinuates this. It isn't happening. I can assure you he would much rather face the euros on the grass than Invasor or Bernardini on the dirt.

Lets stick to facts and actual words from Tagg.

Change to the Turf Offers Horse a Chance to Show Off

By BILL FINLEY
Published: July 18, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/18/sp...=1&oref=slogin

"With that goal in mind, he has mapped out a schedule that consists of the Secretariat Stakes on Aug. 12 at Arlington Park, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on Oct. 7 at Belmont and the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs. Sweeping those races may not compare to what Barbaro could have accomplished, but it would be fine in its own right."

Guy, that was two weeks ago, people change your minds, just like your friend Boldruler did when he didn't show up last weekend and won't be showing up this weekend...THE WHOLE Arlington Contingent will be out there, have him come and say hi

[Scav]

"That race, he said, might be the Classic, rather than the Turf. "

Learn how to read, TAGG said this in the Bloodhorse article

[ArlJim78]

It would be a night of brutal spousal abuse at the Nostradamus/Boldruler residence if Showing Up went back on the dirt. It would not be pretty.

[quote=Nostradamus]Tagg mentions nothing of going back to the dirt. The writer insinuates this. It isn't happening. I can assure you he would much rather face the euros on the grass than Invasor or Bernardini on the dirt.

QUOTE]

In the Classic he has a shot at hitting the board, in the turf he has a shot at.... 4th or 5th? The euro's are going to dominate in the Turf as always, I think the Classic is his best chance.

We only have two or three standouts in the Classic division. The Euro's have Hurricane Run, Araafa, Soviet Song, Echo of Light, Court Masterpiece, Iffraaj, Ivan Denisovich, Yeats, etc.... Of course, some of them are more miler's but....

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by Scav

"That race, he said, might be the Classic, rather than the Turf. "

Learn how to read, TAGG said this in the Bloodhorse article

All of you idiots, including the ones here, know nothing. Barclay was probably asked "So he might go in the Classic?" and Tagg being himself probably said "Maybe." That guy never answered a question in his life until last minute. He is on the fence about everything.

There is no way Showing Up would try the BC Classic. I'm not even sure Showing Up could beat Auguri, let alone the top older horses.

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

All of you idiots, including the ones here, know nothing. Barclay was probably asked "So he might go in the Classic?" and Tagg being himself probably said "Maybe." That guy never answered a question in his life until last minute. He is on the fence about everything.

There is no way Showing Up would try the BC Classic. I'm not even sure Showing Up could beat Auguri, let alone the top older horses.

I could be wrong but.... I don't think they are allowed to give direct quotes unless it is a DIRECT QUOTE!

Originally Posted by Flaxen Mane

I could be wrong but.... I don't think they are allowed to give direct quotes unless it is a DIRECT QUOTE!

I am not sure what Barclay said but he never commits to anything. Maybe is his favorite word.

Barclay like him on the Turf and he has a turf pedigree. Barclay even owns his own Strategic Mission, Stratonic, who was out working this morning at Saratoga. Probably will race next Wednesday.

Originally Posted by boldruler

I am not sure what Barclay said but he never commits to anything. Maybe is his favorite word.

Barclay like him on the Turf and he has a turf pedigree. Barclay even owns his own Strategic Mission, Stratonic, who was out working this morning at Saratoga. Probably will race next Wednesday.

I know he doesn't, and from what I can see he didn't commit to the Classic. He basically said IF everything goes right that COULD be a nice spot for him.