Best Race of the Weekend?

[Sightseek]

Just wondering what everyone thought was either the best race of the weekend and/or which horse ran the most impressive race?

[NTamm1215]

Best race of the weekend in terms of intrigue and drama to me was the King's Bishop.

Best performance was Icon Project with Summer Bird a close 2nd.

NT

[CSC]

I am at work so I can't really surf around on horseracing sites but am I correct in reading something about It's A Bird being DQ'd in a race in May for a drug violation? I vaguely remember something to this effect.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by CSC

I am at work so I can't really surf around on horseracing sites but am I correct in reading something about It's A Bird being DQ in a race in May for a drug violation?

Yes, he was DQ'd from the purse in the Oaklawn Handicap because of a violation.

NT

[CSC]

Sorry I was thinking aloud, not sure this was appropiate to this thread. Obviously I was thinking of the similarities of Icon Project and It's A Bird.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Best race of the weekend in terms of intrigue and drama to me was the King's Bishop.

Best performance was Icon Project with Summer Bird a close 2nd.

NT

I second this. King's Bishop was crazy but Icon Project made me say WOW!!! and Summer Bird was right there.

[Sightseek]

Vineyard Haven by a narrow undisqualified nose over Icon Project.

I thought that was an enormous performance off the layoff especially since I thought he was toast after the Dubai race. I expected Icon Project to win albeit, not that powerfully!

[Gander]

Easily Icon Project. I wasnt a believer until I saw her do it again. Very excited to see yet another powerhouse female just overpowering fields.

[Danzig]

gotta be summer bird, he beat that monster quality road.

[Gander]

Originally Posted by Danzig

gotta be summer bird, he beat that monster quality road.

The horse Rachel has been ducking.

[dellinger63]

Piazza Di Spagna

[the_fat_man]

The two turf stakes at WO, Sat and Sun.

Jungle Wave runs a super race to hold off the fast closing Field Commission, in the Play the King Stakes. (The latter wins with a clear run in the lane, but this is the norm for turf races up there).

And, Lady Shakespeare, under the superb conditioning of Attfield, gallops in the Ontario Coleen Stakes. What a pleasure listening to Attfield's comments about her after the race. Clearly, a man who has a clue. We really need her to come south, Roger.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

The two turf stakes at WO, Sat and Sun.

Jungle Wave runs a super race to hold off the fast closing Field Commission, in the Play the King Stakes. (The latter wins with a clear run in the lane, but this is the norm for turf races up there).

And, Lady Shakespeare, under the superb conditioning of Attfield, gallops in the Ontario Coleen Stakes. What a pleasure listening to Attfield's comments about her after the race. Clearly, a man who has a clue. We really need her to come south, Roger.

I watched the Colleen and thought Lady Shakespeare run a terrific race. She was left an awful lot to do and did it in smart fashion. Let's hope she is sounder then her big bro. What a laimo he was.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Gander

The horse Rachel has been ducking.

lol
yeah, i was being facetious with that one.

[Linny]

As good as Icon Project, Summer Bird and the 1-2 finishers of the KB were, I give the nod to Mr Vegas in the 5th (?) on Sunday. The 2yo raiiled, moved to the inside boldly to split horses to win very well sprinting on grass. Mike Hushion trains, he looks like a nice colt.
.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Top 5 winners of last weekend:


#1. Icon Project: 114 Beyer fell just one point short of Sightseek and Silverbulletday's 115's as fastest Beyer by a female in a Saratoga dirt route since 1992. And it came without anything favorable happening trip or pace wise.

#2. Summer Bird: Travers win that came without anything favorable happening trip or pace wise. Most importantly, showed vastly improved early speed for the second race in a row to go with his excellent stamina.

#3. Sara Louise: Was as dead as you could possibly be on the toteboard. Should have been 1/5 favorite off of spectacular 2yo form in that spot.

Ran 104 Beyer first off of the long layoff without anything favorable happening trip or pace wise. Faster Beyer than the King's Bishop.

In her previous one-turn start, she won the Pocahentes in rapid time of 1:34.57 with Rachel Alexandra 3.75 lengths back in 2nd. Future King's Bishop winner Capt. Candymancan needed 1:35.16 to win the Iroquois that very same day and same distance. The toteboard said she either wasn't ready or wasn't right physically ... maybe she wasn't .. but it didn't matter.


#4. Dave In Dixie: RNA'd for just 47K as a yearling .. the 2yo son of Dixie Union worked a sensational 21.20 at KEE April. He sold for 310K in a very unkind April market.

From off of the pace - and pulling away impressively - he won his debut by a little more than 3 lengths at almost 8/1 odds on Saturday at Del Mar. The 85 winning Beyer might not seem huge .. but in the 3 years that Del Mar has been a syn track .. no 2yo debuter at 6f has ever run a better number.

The Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes has been won with Beyers of 81, 82, and 85 since the move to synthetic. The Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity has been won with Beyers of just 88 and 85 by the likes of Gerogie Boy and Midshipman in its two synthetic track versions. Dave In Dixie gave every impression that he wants more ground and is a very serious 2yo off of a very nice debut win.


#5. Vineyard Haven: I spoke too soon when I said Past The Point was coming out of the race with the fastest pace fig all Saratoga meet. A few hours later I did my pace numbers for the Travers card ... and the King's Bishop's supersonic 124 pace fig represents the fastest pace all meet at Saratoga.

Vineyard Haven was light years the best - setting that torrid and pressured pace and holding on to cross the line first anyway. Great effort .. but the 103 Beyer represents the 2nd slowest figure for a King's Bishop ever .. trailing is only Visionaire's 102.


Top 5 losers of last weekend:


#1. American turf females: Salve Germania was no better than 3rd in seven consecutive turf races in Europe. She was 4th in a listed stake in Germany last out. She would not have even been a favorite in a par N1X allowance race. To make matters worse, she wasn't exactly getting a nice break in weights either.

She ran off in the post parade. She acted up behind the gate. She was forced to close wide into the teeth of VERY slow fractions. It all didn't matter... she beat a par Grade 2 field of American Turf horses.


#2. Indian Blessing: Awesome 2-year-old and awesome 3-year-old on the dirt. She just simply doesn't have it anymore.


#3. '09 Jim Dandy field: The top 3 finishers from this race were all off of the board in the Travers Stakes ... and 4th place finisher Flat Bold got the dream pace setup of a lifetime in the King's Bishop .. and could do no better than 7th. The Jim Dandy was a tricky race and day for figures .. and the 106 .. a higher number than Mine That Bird got for blowing away the Derby field .. it seems too high.

#4. Informed Decision: Proved what was obvious ... that she isn't much at all on dirt.

Her Grade 1 dirt win in the Humana Distaff came with Temple Street running 2nd beaten less than a length. Temple Street came into the Humana Distaff with 21 lifetime starts and a career top Beyer of 78.

In a performance even more embarassing than her hard fought Humana Distaff win over Temple Street .. she couldn't even beat an always empty Indian Blessing for 2nd. Informed Decision is simply much better on syn.

#5. Todd Pletcher: Took a no doubt about it - easy as pie - Grade 1 win in the King's Bishop away from Quality Road and placed him in a spot where he was the most likely winner on paper... but also the same kind of Travers rush job that seemed to ruin other very good 3yo's like Repent and Bellamy Road over the last few years.

Munnings failed in the King's Bishop and Icon Project destroyed all parts of his 3 horse entry in the Personal Ensign. But hey, at least he managed to regain the lead from Linda Rice in the Saratoga training title race... when you're desperate enough to be running horses like Senor Fuego for 35K ... you should have twice as many as the next man.

[Gander]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Top 5 winners of last weekend:


#1. Icon Project: 114 Beyer fell just one point short of Sightseek and Silverbulletday's 115's as fastest Beyer by a female in a Saratoga dirt route since 1992. And it came without anything favorable happening trip or pace wise.

#2. Summer Bird: Travers win that came without anything favorable happening trip or pace wise. Most importantly, showed vastly improved early speed for the second race in a row to go with his excellent stamina.

#3. Sara Louise: Was as dead as you could possibly be on the toteboard. Should have been 1/5 favorite off of spectacular 2yo form in that spot.

Ran 104 Beyer first off of the long layoff without anything favorable happening trip or pace wise. Faster Beyer than the King's Bishop.

In her previous one-turn start, she won the Pocahentes in rapid time of 1:34.57 with Rachel Alexandra 3.75 lengths back in 2nd. Future King's Bishop winner Capt. Candymancan needed 1:35.16 to win the Iroquois that very same day and same distance. The toteboard said she either wasn't ready or wasn't right physically ... maybe she wasn't .. but it didn't matter.


#4. Dave In Dixie: RNA'd for just 47K as a yearling .. the 2yo son of Dixie Union worked a sensational 21.20 at KEE April. He sold for 310K in a very unkind April market.

From off of the pace - and pulling away impressively - he won his debut by a little more than 3 lengths at almost 8/1 odds on Saturday at Del Mar. The 85 winning Beyer might not seem huge .. but in the 3 years that Del Mar has been a syn track .. no 2yo debuter at 6f has ever run a better number.

The Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes has been won with Beyers of 81, 82, and 85 since the move to synthetic. The Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity has been won with Beyers of just 88 and 85 by the likes of Gerogie Boy and Midshipman in its two synthetic track versions. Dave In Dixie gave every impression that he wants more ground and is a very serious 2yo off of a very nice debut win.


#5. Vineyard Haven: I spoke too soon when I said Past The Point was coming out of the race with the fastest pace fig all Saratoga meet. A few hours later I did my pace numbers for the Travers card ... and the King's Bishop's supersonic 124 pace fig represents the fastest pace all meet at Saratoga.

Vineyard Haven was light years the best - setting that torrid and pressured pace and holding on to cross the line first anyway. Great effort .. but the 103 Beyer represents the 2nd slowest figure for a King's Bishop ever .. trailing is only Visionaire's 102.


Top 5 losers of last weekend:


#1. American turf females: Salve Germania was no better than 3rd in seven consecutive turf races in Europe. She was 4th in a listed stake in Germany last out. She would not have even been a favorite in a par N1X allowance race. To make matters worse, she wasn't exactly getting a nice break in weights either.

She ran off in the post parade. She acted up behind the gate. She was forced to close wide into the teeth of VERY slow fractions. It all didn't matter... she beat a par Grade 2 field of American Turf horses.


#2. Indian Blessing: Awesome 2-year-old and awesome 3-year-old on the dirt. She just simply doesn't have it anymore.


#3. '09 Jim Dandy field: The top 3 finishers from this race were all off of the board in the Travers Stakes ... and 4th place finisher Flat Bold got the dream pace setup of a lifetime in the King's Bishop .. and could do no better than 7th. The Jim Dandy was a tricky race and day for figures .. and the 106 .. a higher number than Mine That Bird got for blowing away the Derby field .. it seems too high.

#4. Informed Decision: Proved what was obvious ... that she isn't much at all on dirt.

Her Grade 1 dirt win in the Humana Distaff came with Temple Street running 2nd beaten less than a length. Temple Street came into the Humana Distaff with 21 lifetime starts and a career top Beyer of 78.

In a performance even more embarassing than her hard fought Humana Distaff win over Temple Street .. she couldn't even beat an always empty Indian Blessing for 2nd. Informed Decision is simply much better on syn.

#5. Todd Pletcher: Took a no doubt about it - easy as pie - Grade 1 win in the King's Bishop away from Quality Road and placed him in a spot where he was the most likely winner on paper... but also the same kind of Travers rush job that seemed to ruin other very good 3yo's like Repent and Bellamy Road over the last few years.

Munnings failed in the King's Bishop and Icon Project destroyed all parts of his 3 horse entry in the Personal Ensign. But hey, at least he managed to regain the lead from Linda Rice in the Saratoga training title race... when you're desperate enough to be running horses like Senor Fuego for 35K ... you should have twice as many as the next man.

Excellent write up.
Especially the last part about Pletcher.
I read on the Steve Crist blog that Pletcher hasnt won a Grade 1 in NY in 23 months, his last being English Channel in Oct, 2007. In this 23 month winless stretch hes started 43 horses. If you could rewind to Oct 2007 and someone offer you 20/1 odds that Pletcher would go winless with his next 43 Grade 1 starters in NY, would you take that? Or would you demand 100/1?

[johnny pinwheel]

summer bird, he won the travers without breaking a sweat. this horse is getting better each start.

[Pedigree Ann]

[quote=The Indomitable DrugS]Top 5 winners of last weekend:


#1. Icon Project: 114 Beyer fell just one point short of Sightseek and Silverbulletday's 115's as fastest Beyer by a female in a Saratoga dirt route since 1992. And it came without anything favorable happening trip or pace wise.

Icon Project has won two stakes race impressively on sloppy tracks but was beaten on a dry one. Before that, she raced only on turf. Would like to see more of her on dry tracks before I jump on the bandwagon.

Top 5 losers of last weekend:


#1. American turf females: Salve Germania was no better than 3rd in seven consecutive turf races in Europe. ...

She ran off in the post parade. She acted up behind the gate. She was forced to close wide into the teeth of VERY slow fractions. It all didn't matter... she beat a par Grade 2 field of American Turf horses.

Closing into a slow pace is the way turf races are usually run in Europe; everybody gallops along in a bunch, and then try to outsprint each other at the finish. The way the race was run suited her perfectly.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Pedagogue Ann

Icon Project has won two stakes race impressively on sloppy tracks but was beaten on a dry one. Before that, she raced only on turf. Would like to see more of her on dry tracks before I jump on the bandwagon.

Yeah that track on Sunday was a quagmire!

Do you take into consideration 1.) that the track on Sunday was basically fast as there hadn't been any rain about 24 hours or that 2.) Her loss on a dry track was entirely circumstancial and had nothing to do with the track condition?

NT