Corniche’s Speed a Matter of Record
With one of the most unusual Breeders’ Cups in memory in the books, it is time forget this year’s rather bizarre and relatively formless event and start looking ahead to the Kentucky Derby trail, as we have already done with our Derby Sleepers series. The one lingering discussion that should create a stir for a while is who should be the 3-year-old male champion, and we’ll get into that as well. But first let’s take an early peek at the Derby trail in regard to the horses we saw in the Juvenile, but only after we give a brief overall look at the event in general. ~ Steve Haskin
Corniche’s Speed a Matter of Record
By Steve Haskin
The 2021 Breeders’ Cup will be remembered for many things, most of them bizarre and even embarrassing. But at least we were able to crown a legitimate Horse of the Year in Knicks Go, who is like a snowball rolling down a mountain, getting bigger and faster the farther it goes until it becomes an unstoppable force. No matter how fast you are, you can’t outrun it and you sure don’t want to get in its path.
In a race where it looked as if a couple of the 3-year-olds, especially Medina Spirit, would at least put pressure on Knicks Go, no jockey made even a feeble attempt at it, as if they conceded that running with him would be suicide, and to do so it would cost them a placing and a possible shot at a 3-year-old Eclipse Award. In short they all seemed afraid to take him on and were content to just finish ahead of the other 3-year-olds. And just for good measure, Joel Rosario, on Knicks Go, came in on his stablemate and main threat Essential Quality at the break, forcing him to drop back to sixth. To Knicks Go’s credit he did run is opening half in an eye-opening :45 4/5, and there isn’t a 3-year-old in the country who can or would dare go that fast and take him on in a mile and a quarter race.
So Knicks Go merely shrugged off the three talented but overmatched and overwhelmed 3-year-olds futilely chasing him down the stretch, as if he were teaching them not to mess with your elders. Like a throwback to a different time, he showed what a horse (not a gelding) can do when given time to reach its peak by competing in three different Breeders’ Cup races, winning two of them and finishing second once, culminating with a Horse of the Year title at the age of 5 after a fairly major injury at 3.
We all saw the bizarre aspect of this year’s Breeders’ Cup with the crazy incidents surrounding the Godolphin horses, which had two of its best horses scratched at the gate after nearly killing themselves only to win with another horse. We won’t get into the embarrassment of the first incident or the thrashing our grass horses received from the Europeans and for the first time from the Japanese, who beat us on grass and dirt. And we won’t get into why our two sprinting superstars, Gamine and Jackie’s Warrior, both laid the proverbial egg at 2-5 and 1-2. We did have two of the tightest finishes in Breeders’ Cup history, one involving a 49-1 Japanese horse coming out on top, with the 8-5 favorite Letruska, a candidate for Horse of the Year, getting beat 32 lengths. And then there were the powerful contingents of Chad Brown and Aidan O’Brien both coming up empty. And Del Mar isn’t a quirky track? It’s time to leave the salty ocean air and get back to Keeneland, where the turf meets the turf.
We also have to mention the number of horses who were scratched the week leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, with Chad Brown losing two likely favorites, one them who would have changed the entire complexion and possibly the result of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The only sense of normalcy was Wesley Ward winning both grass sprints. What was good about this year’s Breeders’ Cup is that it gave the Japanese, the Europeans, and longshots a chance to shine. They just did it at the expense of the Americans and the heavy favorites.
So that wraps up Breeders’ Cup 2021. Now we can settle back and look ahead to next year and the continued exploits of undefeated 2-year-old champions Echo Zulu and Corniche, as the latter hits the Derby trail, bringing with him a pedigree that is unmatched when it comes to speed. Now the big question will be, how far can he carry all that speed?
Corniche’s family rivals Elvis when it comes to number of records. Now it’s just a matter of how he gets to Kentucky with the current ban of his trainer Bob Baffert by Churchill Downs that excludes Baffert’s horses from accumulating Derby points. But that is a topic for another time.
Right now let’s look at Corniche’s amazing pedigree. To begin with, his sire, Quality Road set a new track record of 1:47 2/5 for 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream winning the Donn Handicap, eclipsing his own record of 1:47 3/5 set the year before in the Florida Derby. He also set a new track record of 1:13 3/5 for 6 ½ furlongs at Saratoga that still stands and ran a mile in 1:33 flat in the Metropolitan Handicap. Quality Road’s sire, Elusive Quality, set a new world record of 1:31 3/5 for the mile on the turf at Belmont Park in the Poker Handicap. Elusive Quality’s sire, Gone West, is by Mr. Prospector, who set a new track record of 1:07 3/5 for six furlongs at Gulfstream Park and a new track record of 1:08 3/5 at Monmouth Park. Gone West’s dam, Secrettame, is by Secretariat, and we don’t have to go into all the track, American, and world records Big Red set on dirt and grass. Mr. Propector’s sire, Raise A Native, set a new track record of :57 4/5 for five furlongs at Aqueduct, then equaled it, and a new track record of 1:02 3/5 for 5 ½ furlongs at Aqueduct. Quality Road’s third dam is by Bold Bidder, who ran a mile in 1:32 4/5 at Arlington Park, one-fifth of a second off Buckpasser’s world record.
On the female side, Corniche’s dam Wasted Tears set a new course record of 1:32 4/5 for a mile on the grass at Lone Star Park that still stands. Wasted Tears is by Najran, who equaled Dr. Fager’s coveted 35-year-old world record of 1:32 1/5 for a mile, winning the Westchester Handicap at Belmont Park. That record has not been equaled on dirt since. Wasted Tears’ dam is by Greinton, who set a new track record of 1:32 3/5 for a mile at Hollywood Park and a new track record of 1:58 2/5 for 1 ¼ miles at Hollywood Park. Wasted Tears’ second dam is by Beau’s Eagle, who set a new track record of 1:40 3/5 for 1 1/16 miles at Golden Gate. Wasted Tears’ third dam is by Raise A Cup, who set a new track record of 1:03 for 5 ½ furlongs at Belmont Park. Also in Corniche’s female family is Conquistador Cielo, who set a new stakes record of 1:33 flat in the Met Mile.
So, in Corniche’s pedigree, you have horses who have run a mile in 1:31 3/5, 1:32 1/5, 1:32 3/5, 1:32 4/5 twice, and 1:33 flat twice. Now it is up to Corniche to show he can carry that speed a mile and a quarter. We just have to see what the future holds for him as he embarks on the Derby trail.
So who is the 3-Year-old Champion?
We will lay this out in very simple terms and you and the Eclipse voters can take it from there, whatever your thought process may be.
Knicks Go has in a way exposed all of the 3-year-olds, but mainly Essential Quality and Medina Spirit as Horse of the Year candidates. But believe me there is nothing to be ashamed of getting beat in a two-turn race by a brute and a speed freak like Knicks Go, who destroys his competition with his ability to accelerate on the first turn, take a little breather, and then accelerate on the second turn before pouring it on again in the stretch. That is why he is a far different horse in two-turn races than one-turn races.
But enough of Knicks Go. What about the 3-year-old championship that at one point looked like a virtual lock for Essential Quality with victories in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn, Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, Belmont Stakes at Belmont, and Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes at Saratoga. But Medina Spirit returned to win the Shared Belief Stakes and easily defeat older horses in the Awesome Again Stakes to go along with his victories in the Robert Lewis in January and the Kentucky Derby that for now he still owns.
After the Breeders’ Cup Classic, in which Medina Spirit finished second and Essential Quality third, do you look at Essential Quality’s impressive body of work running all over the country or the fact that Medina Spirit has finished ahead of Essential Quality the only two times they met? If you are more impressed with the latter, then you have to at least give a second thought to Life is Good, who defeated Medina Spirit the two times they met in the Sham Stakes and San Felipe Stakes early in the year and then closed out the year with victories in the one-mile Kelso Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which he won for fun by almost six lengths. But the fact that Life is Good won only one Grade 1 stakes and never ran farther than 1 1/16 miles likely will prevent him from challenging the top two, especially with the BC Dirt Mile having arguably the weakest field in the Breeders’ Cup with only eight starters and very little depth to it.
Whatever slim chance Hot Rod Charlie may have had for an Eclipse Award disappeared when he finished fourth in the Classic. But he is still to be admired for his toughness, consistency, and ability to turn in powerful performances all year, racing seven times at seven different tracks.
So, let the discussion begin. I still have to ponder the situation more carefully, especially with the Derby result still up in the air. But after watching Medina Spirit demolish older horses in the Awesome Again and then run a bang-up second in the Classic coming from several lengths off the pace, you have to believe his Kentucky Derby victory was well earned. But you also have to consider that Essential Quality was basically taken out of his game plan in the Classic by his stablemate and was forced to come from seventh, closing well to finish three-quarters of a length behind Medina Spirit, who to his credit had a much wider trip. So you have to decide who ran the better race, and in the long run, who deserves the 3-year-old championship based on their accomplishments over the course of the year. I admire both horses and what they have achieved in the biggest races of the year, but right now, only a day after the Breeders’ Cup, I’m still befuddled and will let everything sink in before making a commitment. Oh, wait, I don’t vote any longer, so what I think doesn’t matter.
Photo courtesy of Washington Newsday
Corniche was very impressive in the BCJ. It appears lost in the accolades showered on the Quality Road colt, is the performance of the 3rd place finisher Giant Game.
There were 3 last out MSW winners in the BCJ Field. The remaining 8 entrants had previously contested at least one graded stakes. Two of the 3 last out MSW winners finish 9th and 10th. Giant Game finished 3rd by 3 1/4L. Finishing ahead were two previous graded stakes winners.
Giant Game won a MSW over 8 1/2F in 1:45.69. He had to run approximately 3 seconds faster to get within 3 1/4L of the undefeated winner who was contesting his 2nd G1 stakes. Of the top 3 finishers in the BCJ, Giant Game exited with the highest speed figure adjustment.
Giant Causeway the sire of Giant Game has never been associated with a KD winner, despite being represented by many starters. His best chance to have been associated with a KD winner was probably Eskendereya who didn’t contest the KD due to a career ending injury suffered in his romp in the Wood Memorial.
Could Giant Game from Giants Causeway’s last crop be the one to win the KD for his late sire? I think there is a strong possibility. From a pedigree perspective Giant Game should excel more on turf than dirt. He was produced from a More Than Ready Mare. Given the surface at Churchill Downs is friendly to turf types. Giant Game could find it to his liking and show significant improvement at the venue should he make the KD cut.
In the up coming KD Future Pool. This betting intertest could be a good investment. The stallion, ownership group and trainer are overdue for a KD win.
Has the next Derby winner debuted? Recent history says … Not necessarily so!
Medina Spirit debut: Dec. 11, 2020
Authentic debut: Nov. 19, 2019
Maximum Security (DQ) debut: Dec. 20, 2018
Justify debut: Feb. 18, 2018
I’ll pass on KDFW1. 🙂
Country House, 2018 Kentucky Derby winner, debuted on turf at Belmont Park on October 6, 2018. Mandaloun, who ‘probably’ will end up the Kentucky Derby 2021, made his first start in a maiden race on October 24 in Keeneland…
Well, Medina paid out to FW holders and Derby Day bettors, regardless of what happens later on. Much to my chagrine!!
I understand the DQ, but I still find it difficult to think of Country House as a Derby “winner.”
Always dreaming debuted in July (2 year old year), Nyquist in June of 2 year old career, American Pharaoh August (2 year old) and California Chrome in April (age 2).
Ancient history.
Carry Back made his debut in January….of his 2-year-old campaign! Lol
I think Secretariat debuted in July 1972.
PS, Steve. Carry Back was the first race horse I followed as a child.
American Pharoah for me. 😉
My gawd! He wasn’t even 2 years old actually!!
This is another divination you seem to have in mind.. Lol
The following histogram shows the number of KD winner by month of debut SINCE 1980. I am excluding an outlier named Justify:
April 1
May 1
June 5
July 9
August 6
September 9
October 6
November 2
December 2
Interesting, but…you seem to be ignoring a powerful RECENT trend. 🙂
A Canadian Sorry there…! Not ignoring … but complementing your Sunday comment.
I highlighted the word “since” just because I got the stats since 1960 … it was saving time in adding the numbers there
and there is no better trends then the long term …
just hope I am not accused of not “contributing anything” here…
LOL. Remember when it was wise to stay away from speed horses in the Derby? Favorites? History isn’t a straight line, right?
You are nothing if not a stellar contributor.
I don’t know, EdddieF. Sitting out that first pool might not be the best strategy. I’ll leave it up to Steve to sort out the pros and cons of several of these runners in the weeks ahead. My opinion, there’s already a list of potential Derby prospects, at least as long as what Churchill will be offering up this Thanksgiving. Besides the obvious candidates (Corniche, Commandperformance, Jack Christopher, Pappacap, Rattle N Roll), there’s these 2-year-olds who’ve also made very positive initial impressions: Classic Moment, Epicenter, Giant Game, Howling Time, Major General, Messier, Mo Donegal, Octane, Overstep, Shipsational, Simplification, Smile Happy, Tiz The Bomb, Trafalgar, Varatti, White Abarrio, Zandon and the sensational filly, Echo Zulu.
Hey, Point U. In a way, your excellent list of 2yos strengthens my resolve to wait for more racing. I can’t separate so many horses off of 2 or 3 career races. But I like your inclusion of the fine Florida-bred Octane. He’s one that is on my watch list!
Your caution is understandable, Eddie. Definitely a crapshoot to have faith in two-year-olds so lightly raced. Thanks for the thumbs up on the list. Although, I would have omitted Simplification had I noticed he failed to live up to his 3/10 odds at Gulfstream on Saturday.
The Pegasus is expecting to have Knicks Go, Life Is Good and Hot Rod Charlie…..after blowing away a solid field in the Classic, and being the defending Pegasus winner……you would think Knicks would be favored, but I don’t know about that….could Knicks AGAIN, be 2nd choice in betting?
Something I had not thought about…..Medina Spirit was wrangled back out of the gate—was running for 2nd place after that—PERHAPS—after the poor attempt at wiring the Distaff, they changed plans, for the Classic? 2nd money in the Classic is a LOT!
Speed duels didn’t work out well for either combatant in several earlier races. Maybe that influenced the decision to hold MS back, or maybe they made the decision long before the first race on Saturday. There’s a world of difference when you compare the ride out of the gate in the Derby to the beginning of the Classic. It wasn’t that MS couldn’t run early with KG. As you and other have postulated, they WERE running for second. Beating EQ and HRC, in their minds, would serve MS well in the 3yo championship voting.
Yes Matthew… that is the advantage of having John Velazquez piloting your horse. Some thing similar happened with Authentic in the Derby. The HOF Jockey took Authentic masterfully and gradually to the lead after a slow break… and it paid out just because the son of Into Mischief was the sole speed …
jockeys have split seconds to make tactical decisions on the fly and I believe JV was right to immediately assess that his greatest chance was for second against known rivals…
Yes……i didnt even see Septres post that gave him the rude response……….that response was uncalled for…..
He posted truth…….
Agree with the mob?…..or go somewhere else?……..unbelievable ………this was wrong….
Paranoid!
Nobody said Sceptre had to agree with the rest or be banished. Steve’s suggestion was not an ultimatum but merely a recommendation if the comments here by so many were considered so meaningless to Sceptre. But it’s rude to post what he did about people who come here to learn more about this sport. Belittling folks is not a sign of knowledge, it’s a self serving mechanism to make one feel superior and it has no place on this forum. Why waste your time here if you feel that way? That’s all Steve was saying. What Sceptre did was wrong and I don’t care if you share his opinion and call it “truth.” That doesn’t make it right. Once again vet, you’re wrong.
Well said El.
Thank you.
Agree on all points, El K. But you know the saying: In one ear, out the other.
You make things up……….this started……because a said Mattress Mac is a “loon”………his whole brand is being “crazy Mattress Mac”……it is his whole brand………i stand by my comment………over reaction , let to attacks………..ridiculous………..
Give it a rest already
Agreed!
SMH!
Hey Eddie F… how come you own a horse and you don’t tell us here… what is the story behind number 11 Dream Central running in the 6th at Aqueduct in 5 minutes…?
LOL!!! Shhhhhhhh……
Sceptre, if you believe this — “Lastly, it is only he, and very few others, that have anything meaningful or informative to say.” — no one is twisting your arm to come on here. Feel free to find another place that has more meaningful and informative things to say. And if you dont feel he is rude by calling people dumb and constantly saying they dont know anything then that is your problem, not ours. You obviously agree with him from your words. Bloodhorse banned him years ago under the name Ky Vet. I have welcomed him here and let him say what he wants and have never censored him, because he is knowledgeable and knows the game. If you don’t like it when I call him out for attacking the intelligence of people on here that’s too bad.
He’s a clone of pro.
You can say what you want…..i say ignorant……and if you bothered to check, i was right….you act like that doesn’t matter……Demonize all you want. That is subjective….
You let people be rude to me. This is true…..because i say ignorant?……they directly are way more mean .. Do i respond?…..no….
Because i dont carre.
Again……if i say something like “ignorant”…..that is not a bad word……everyone is free to debate…..
This is a huge over reation……me BAD……everyone else good……
Septre has disagreed with me many times……he is very knowlegable……now, people are saying he is like me?……this is ridiculously unfair…..and what you wrote is very rude rude…..i have never seen him get out of line ever…..
The post below says a clone of Pro?…..are you joking?…..what has he ever posted that was even close to rude?…
I give a horsemans view ………..info that is right……
Your reputation, is that you are grumpy……it is…..i’m not breaking news……i happen to like it……it is real…….
Leave Septre alone man…..
UNREAL!!!!!
He obviously sees the truth……how about i don’t retaliate when called names?……you of course don’t notice that….
I treat everyone the same…..i am not rude, you just think i am….they say Idiot, stupid, worse…..i say ignorant. Which is not a mean word…..you should go back and look…..
This is the last word on this. The fact that you say ignorant is not a mean word tells me all I need to know. Ignorant is a terrible word to call someone. Did I delete it? No, ,but when you call someone that, be prepared for the repercussions. How about in the future I just delete your post when you use that word? This way way no one will be rude to you. And tell me who called you an idiot on here? And worse? really?
As far as sceptre, when he or anyone says most people on here have nothing meaningful or informative to say I’m not going to ignore it, and I am going to tell him he is free to leave if he believes that. So dont tell me to leave him alone. One person said he is like you, not “people.” You just say and see things the way you want and never listen to anyone. This discussion is now closed. How’s that for grumpy?
> Very well put,Stebve! Excellent! We have too many of those on HRN as it is. So I know what you’re saying. This was a Great article,Steve once again. Thank you~
English Channel passed away. 🙁
Sad news… he was 19 … not that old. He leaves a great legacy of turf horses.
Do you know the specific illness that kill him? Not much detail there in the press…
None of yesterday’s stories gave any specifics. Just the day before, the farm announced that he was “diagnosed with multiple health issues” and was “unlikely to cover mares during the upcoming 2022 breeding season.” No specifics in that announcement either.
I am late to this party as I have been working a lot.
My first big thought is that these BC races should never be held at Del Mar. The short stretch and sharp turns make it much more difficult for the closers. Albeit the track is by the beach and the weather is great, Santa Anita would be a much better option.
I don’t believe that Gamine or Essential Quality like the surface of Del Mar. Both horses appeared to me to be struggling with the footing somewhat.
I ended up betting Medina Spirit to win & place so I almost broke even. Knicks Go had the race won at the clubhouse turn.
I liked Corniche & Pizza Bianca, those 2 races were special.
All in all I would rate the telecast a “C” & the actual races about the same, except for the 2 I liked. Larry Colmus was his usual great race calling self. Having those 2 guys try and handicap each race just before it starts was a real waste of time.
Maria Taylor was awesome, she sparkled on the TV screen. She has great energy.
Thank you Steve for the forum to express my opinion. Can’t wait for the Derby Trail, see you then.
Happy Thanksgiving & an early Merry Christmas.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to you Deacon!
BTW, I agree the track at Del-Mar did make for a difficult chore for the closers.
Yes, and that makes Aloha West’s performance even better than it looked. (And it looked great!)
Don’t understand the love about Corniche’s race……it was a 91………very bad field….fav scratched…..3rd fav ran horrible……
I DO like this horse……but he ran slow……was there a slower juvy ever?……..REPORT WHAT HAPPENED ……TRUTH….
The slow race is GOOD FOR THE HORSE………..but it was slow……
Hi Pro Vet:
Storm the Court ran an 87 Beyer in 2019.
The easy answer is “YES, many times.” LOL
you dont understand a 91 is slow?
Make a point. Slow for BCJ races? Slow for future success? You asked a question from which you implied there was never a slower BCJ in regard to BSFs. You got an answer. Do you understand that Nyquist had an 89 in the BCJ? I believe that he was fast enough to win the Kentucky Derby. Do you understand that many triple-digit winners did not turn into stars on the racetrack? Nevertheless, you can wait a few days and maybe the 91 will become a 94.
Your most recent posts are relatively civil. Keep it up!
You talk about not responding to him, his knowledge of Beyer figures and how to use them is childish, with no thought process whatsoever. If Corniche had run a 105 Beyer he would already be a toss for the Derby. It’s like he puts blinkers on for Beyer figures as if this race defines the horse. See even I am wasting my time giving his inane Beyer comments a second thought
Ha! But I differentiate between the civil, though certainly not well thought out, posts and the insane tirades that we’ve grown accustomed to. We need to reward the better behavior. 🙂
The 91 is slow…………i’m right……why are you crying?……..i said the slow race was good for the horse……you hype horses too much……..report what happened………and i do not go on ratings………….im taking about how fast the race was……use brisnet or any others……SLOW………..
I NEVER SAID IT WAS SLOWEST EVER…..I SAID IT WAS SLOW………THE QUESTION WAS TO SHOW HOW SLOW……why you guys cry when im right is beyond petty
If we cried when youre right we would flood our houses, because everyone know you’re always right. And you claim you never said it was the slowest ever, but youre cleverly slick by saying “and was there a slower juvy ever?” At least you know how to say something without actually saying it. That’s another way of never being wrong.
that is not saying it was……im glad you arent on a jury……i was making a point that shouldnt be argued…..who doesnt know the race was slow?……..
You want to pretend im not right?…..go ahead………..
Report what happened………thats what i said……
Every horse race is not GREAT
Not sure if this sinks in because you rarely respond when I prove you wrong on factual matters…but I’ll keep trying. You’ve already been given some BSF history. So you said “use brisnet or any others.” OK.
BRISNET SPEED IN BCJ
Corniche 102
Essential Quality 101
Storm the Court 102
Game Winner 103
Good Magic 105
Classic Empire 108
Nyquist 97
(I don’t have the figures for Texas Red and New Years Day, but the numbers for horses behind them seem to indicate that they ran the BCJ in about 101 and 102, respectively)
So what do these figures say about anything of significance? Very little, actually. But they show Corniche’s figure is in the ballpark of past winners. Do you know how many BCJ winners won the Derby? Two! Street Sense, who had a 111 in the BCJ and Nyquist, who had a 97 in the BCJ. That sure tells you a lot.
Some people give too much significance to final times (particularly when comparing times at different tracks), other assign too much significance to speed figures without any further analysis. One more thing…
THERE’S NO CRYING IN HORSE RACING!
YOU JUST USED BRISNET…… this shows your knowledge…..you dont even know how they are made…..
free…..
This is what i mean…….you take the wrong side again……everyone knows it was not fast……….YOU THINK ITS FAST………you are…………the word
Provet, this is THE LAST TIME I REPLY TO YOUR NONSENSE. Of course, you’re free to reply to my posts, but I would rather you didn’t.
This reply of yours is a perfect example of your contradictory and fabricating nature. In a previous post, after I shot down your contentions about Beyer figures, you wrote…
“use brisnet or any others”
So I replied with the Brisnet figures that YOU ASKED FOR to refute your initial statements. Then you wrote,
“YOU JUST USED BRISNET…… this shows your knowledge…..you dont even know how they are made…..
free…..”
Then you wrote,
“YOU THINK ITS FAST”
No, I never said that. Your posts are filled with misrepresentations like this. I think you understand how sadly humorous your attempts to argue points look to other people reading this blog. You just hope they accept what you say as true and don’t notice the lies and misstatements.
So I say again, this is the last time I reply to your nonsense. All previous responses were, regrettably, a waste of time.
…Use Thorograph figures. They give you a way better rating of the races. Better numers because they take more factors into consideration that Beyers & others do not. Even Ask Steve. He’ll tell you about it.
Numbers aren’t always know all/be all.
yes….. feelings are……
Hi Steve, Thankyou! Your post race commentary is must-read (as is all your well researched and insightful writing).. I agree with you on time helping to sort out your thoughts ~ tho’ in my case, the disappointment just seems to cement itself regarding the Classic and Essential Quality who I grew to love (also thanks to your insight on his character).. He looked to me like he was ‘looking around’ after getting side swiped, and then there was nowhere for him to run. He made up ground when he finally could!.. And now we don’t get to see what he really can do – I’m sure if someone ‘listened to him!’, he’d communicate his desire to Run!! It’s the same post-race feeling as last year, watching Tiz the Law hopelessly try to run. Both very smart animals
Thank you Kara. I just hated a horse like him, who always ran hard and was always right there, go out with such a dull (for him) effort. That makes me even more upset he’s been retired already.
See, Steve, you expressed my feelings exactly. It’s a conundrum to me why EQ’s ‘people’ don’t see it this way
I assure you, EQ’s connections understand his strengths and weaknesses better than you or I. If they truly believed his reputation would be enhanced by another year of racing they would probably go for it. I say probably, because chance for injury is also to be considered. Sheikh Mo does have the sad memory of his greatest racehorse of all, Dubai Millennium, who fractured a hind leg in training at 4, leading to an extended recovery period (albeit able to cover mares) during which he contracted “grass sickness” and succumbed.
Just noticed the recently released Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings (November 11-today)….
Knicks Go leads among ‘American’ horses with a ranking of 128 followed up by a tie between Medina Spirit and Life Is Good both at 123….Essential Quality at 122 and Hot Rod Charlie at 121.
Prior to the BC Classic in their final Classic ranking they had EQ on top with 290 and Knicks Go in second with 286….HRC with 269….Medina Spirit with 189.
Any poll that has Life is Good ranked over Essential Quality is a joke. Life is Good won one grade 1 beating arguably the worst BC field ever in a two-tun mile that is basically a mile and 70-yard race.
Awards yes….LIG not………..polls are different………of the 3 who do you think would be favored tomorrow?……To say the poll is wrong is subjective……..
LIG would probably be lower in odds…………that is not a joke……
Yes it is
you think EQ is way better than LIG?……so much it is a joke?
Yes, Life Is Good would be favored over EQ in any race up tp 9 f.
Why does everyone cry about my posts?……….you agree….there is not a big difference?……..he commented it was a joke……a big difference………
All i am is right……the dont ever say where i was wrong………
I posted Search Results showed bad signs……i was mocked……what happed?
I posted Gamine showed bad signs all year……all i see is posts that she wasnt the same all year….
All my bad signs horses went away…….yet always mocked……
When and what am i wrong on?……..they are rude to me…..i don’t say anything rude back…..
How many opinions do i post?……when am i wrong?…….
DON’T RESPOND?………DON’T RESPOND?………BECAUSE I’M RIGHT?
How many horses have you said had “bad signs”? Probably in triple digits over the years. I doubt that anyone pays attention because you NEVER say what the BAD SIGNS are. So on the occasions when one of your BAD SIGN horses runs poorly or suffers an injury, you are sure to post, “See, I told everyone the horse had bad signs.” It doesn’t matter whether or not the BAD SIGNS had anything to do with the loss or the injury because you know that you were right about BAD SIGNS. LOL.
It’s funny how a person sees himself. He says he’s mocked with his bad signs and you say you doubt anyone pays attention to him. He pays attention to himself so he assumes everyone else does. The sad part is that he is knowledgeable, but he doesnt know the proper way to convey that knowledge. The dumber people are the smarter it make him feel. He has a lot to offer about the sport, if only he knew how to play well with others.
It’s nearly impossible to find the knowledge through all of the unintelligible writing, the ellipses, the insults, the unfounded boasting, the contradictions (sometimes within the same post!), the lies and exaggerations about the things that “people” say, the lack of historical perspective, the illogical arguments…Jeez! That’s just a start. 🙂 Frankly, I learned more about horse racing from just a day sitting at the track with my grandfather and his buddies than in all of this guy’s posts over the past few years.
Relatively sure this will fall on (some) deaf ears, but here goes:
As you may know, I don’t always agree with pro vet, but I can’t say I find him rude. Rather, several on here, including yourself, Steve, are far less civil to him, than he to you. Lastly, it is only he, and very few others, that have anything meaningful or informative to say.
Academic!
The IFHA ‘insult’ World Best Racehorse & World Best Jockey have the arrogance to state that ‘their’ opinions are ‘based on performances of horses in elite races.’
There is only one US jockey, John Velasquez, in the world 10. Three Japanese jockeys and two Australian jockeys are in the top ten. Mind you, Oisin Murphy never made the grade.
St Mark’s Basilica, Cartier European Horse of the Year, in the IFHA rankings is only equal to Mishriff and Adayar. Go figure. I bet the bookies enjoy taking their money when they put their ‘opinions/money’ on the line. Bunch of twats. Lol.
The Longines’ Awards (for horses) is based solely on each horse’s highest rated single performance for a given year. So, apparently, according to them, Mishriff’s best performance in 2021 equaled SMB’s best performance in 2021. All still subjective, but one should understand their method which may differ from the traditional way end of year honors are chosen. It is certainly not based on body of work, but there is a case to be made.
Yes, sceptre, I know the structure of the IFHA ratings but even so, which you allude to above, the ratings are subjective. One may even say bias. Thoroughbred Racing Commentary uses a similar rating system which appears jaundice to me as well.
I believe in Timeform’s ratings (UK), they seem fair to me.
tHAT WAS MY POINT…….i said the same thing……….but people cry?
Please define “cry”. It seems that you think it means “disagree.”
No, cry’s the better word for it.
Thank you, pro vet.
He should accept ownership once in a while.
Although interesting……….this doesnt matter………nothing matters except wins, accomplishments…….EQ won more better races…..MS won the derby…..those other races were not big
MS won the KENTUCKY DERBY (EQ 4th), won the G1 Awesome Again against olders, and finished second in the BCC while beating EQ and HRC.
EQ won the BELMONT STAKES, won the G1 Travers, and finished third (behind MS) in the BCC.
This year’s Travers wasn’t “a better race” than the Awesome Again, so which horse really accomplished more in big races?
2nds, 3rds do not count……..
You just said the TRAVERS is not more important than the awesome again?……….
No, I didn’t.
Right. All Eclipse winners were undefeated.
No, I didn’t.
/\ posted in wrong place
2003 134 Hawk Wing (USA) Ireland Lockinge Stakes
2004 130 Ghostzapper (USA) United States Breeders’ Cup Classic
2005 130 Hurricane Run (IRE) France Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
2006 129 Invasor (ARG) United States Breeders’ Cup Classic
2007 131 Manduro (GER) France Prince of Wales’s Stakes
2008 130 Curlin (USA) United States Dubai World Cup / Stephen Foster Handicap
130 New Approach (IRE) Ireland Champion Stakes
2009 136 Sea The Stars (IRE) Ireland Irish Champion Stakes
2010 135 Harbinger (GB) Great Britain King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes
2011 136 Frankel (GB)[4] Great Britain Sussex Stakes
2012 140 Frankel (GB)[5] Great Britain Queen Anne Stakes / Juddmonte International Stakes
2013 130 Treve (FR) France Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
130 Black Caviar (AUS) Australia T J Smith Stakes
2014 130 Just A Way (JPN) Japan Dubai Duty Free
2015 134 American Pharoah (USA) United States Breeders’ Cup Classic
2016 134 Arrogate (USA) United States Breeders’ Cup Classic
2017 134 Arrogate (USA) United States Dubai World Cup
2018 130 Cracksman (GB) Great Britain Champion Stakes
130 Winx (AUS) Australia Queen Elizabeth Stakes (ATC)
2019 128 Crystal Ocean (GB) Great Britain Prince of Wales’s Stakes
128 Enable (GB) Great Britain King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
128 Waldgeist (GB) France Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
2020 130 Ghaiyyath (IRE) Great Britain International Stakes
The reason I posted this was to show all of the winners of the Longines Horse of the Year winners since 2004 when the award was first started.
I do not think that the award has been off the mark in most cases though I am not as familiar with some of the Turf winners.
As to awards in general, unless there is a specific criteria to measure against such as breaking a dirt record or money earned etc, I think they are all somewhat subjective and that includes the Eclipse.
Since members in 34 countries are represented in the voting it is certainly a feather in the cap on the resumes of both the stallions and the mares when they go off to the breeding shed.
This is of course just my humble opinion as a horse racing fan.
Longines used to (not sure they still do) had a list of eventing horses. Points were assigned to each competition and the winner of that competition earned the points and it was a cumulative total that resulted in the award winner.
Brad Cox was certainly over the moon when he announced the ranking for Knicks Go on his Facebook page.
This may surprise you but of the 12 European winners of the “IFHA Longines Horse of the Year” only 7 of them were also Cartier European Horse of the Year which IS the prestige title for Europe winners.
Cartier winners that don’t match with IFHA winners:
2003 Dalakhani
2007 Dylan Thomas
2008 Zarkava
2010 Goldikova
2018 Roaring Lion
IFHA winners:
2003 134 Hawk Wing (USA)
2005 130 Hurricane Run (IRE)
2007 131 Manduro (GER)
2008 130 New Approach (IRE)
2009 136 Sea The Stars (IRE)
2010 135 Harbinger (GB)
2011 136 Frankel (GB)
2012 140 Frankel (GB)
2013 130 Treve (FR)
2018 130 Cracksman (GB)
2019 128 Crystal Ocean (GB), 128 Enable (GB), 128 Waldgeist (GB)
2020 130 Ghaiyyath (IRE)
I admittedly do not know as much about European racing but I am learning and becoming more appreciative of it each year.
The Longines is, as you know, based on an individual race and is not cumulative. It is simply one of the many awards handed out.
Yes, I am familiar with the Cartier award. I have not reviewed how the recipient of the award is determined but it sounds very much like the Eclipse.
Arrogate’s #1 ranking in 2017 pinpoints the disparity between their ranking and, say, an Eclipse award. It also pinpoints their methodology: a #1 ranking equates to a singular best performance for that given year. By their standards Arrogate achieved that in his early year Dubai World Cup romp, never mind his dismal performances thereafter in 2017.
If I am not mistaken, Arrogate stayed at the top of the ranking for an individual performance for that year based on that race. I personally felt that Arrogate’s performance both at Dubai and in the Classic were his best two races. Rarely does my husband sit and watch a race me (he actually hates horse racing and thinks it is cruel) but even he was impressed with Arrogate in the World Cup.
As I commented before, the Longines award is only one of many awards handed out annually. Each person is certainly within their right to agree or disagree.
Yes, your first sentence essentially repeats what I had said. Actually, much of this is about how one defines “the best horse” for a given year. Longines best horse is the one that had the singular best performance. Most other awards define it as the best body of work for the year in question.
Knicks Go at the top of Longines World Best Racehorses (published today).
Not surprised. No one else to put there.
Steve, I have to protest. Knicks Go came 4th in the Saudi Cup and 4th in the Met Mile while winning three Grade 1 races. St Mark’s Basilica was undefeated the whole year while winning four Group 1. Who has the better record?
The Euros are the ones who voted. I couldnt care who they ranked No. 1. It means nothing. I can see St. Mark No. 1 just as easily,
Davids, see my explanation, above. The other races you mentioned re- Knicks Go mean NOTHING relative to their methodology.
I, though, would object to Knicks Go’s BCC being deemed best single performance of the year. That said, it (this award) is not about who had the better record.
Yes, I know the methodology, which is subjective. What irritates me is that they conflate a supposed ‘best race performance’ into the best racehorse in the world. “ The LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.”
A Longines sponsored race won by a horse in Macau, as an example, could be so spectacular for IFHA voters that the Macau horse gets their top ranking and conversely the best racehorse. Lol. Forgive the hyperbole but it explains the flaw in their methodology.
In the big picture, none of this matters much, but there’s actually two separate issues here-
1. Are their “subjective” judges (of race performance) as “credentialed” as a Timeform judge?
2. And more importantly, there is a credible point to be made that the judged (let’s say by all credentialed parties) most optimal single performance by a horse in a given year is, at least, something quite meaningful to note. What does it say about that particular horse’s abilities as compared to all others? What does it say about their phenotype, for example? Not easily answered, but worthy of discussion.
Good points. With reference to point one, yes, you would have to agree that judges attached to IFHA are credentialed in giving a valid opinion. However, does the ‘judge spread’ have equal value among the major racing nations, no. Self-interest is always prominent in thought, no matter how revered the person. Is an Australian judge, as an example, going to disregard the top races in their country in respect to those in the US?
Yes, you make a good argument in your second point. At present, the voting is determined by running in a Longines sponsored race and on which racing country has the most votes. Oddly, the jockeys standings don’t seem to coincide with the horses chosen.
Steve, any thoughts on Saturday’s 6th race at Del Mar? Simon Callaghan sends out Sir London for his second start. Sir London (Malibu Moon out of a Seeking the Gold mare) debuted against an odds-on Baffert colt that won gate to wire. (What a surprise!) He broke a bit slow from Post 1 and wasn’t intimidated when the favorite came over to the rail to establish position. He ran well to finish second. There’s a lot of black type in his pedigree and Seattle Slew is on the top and the bottom. The 2nd dam was a multiple graded stakes winner and produced a graded stakes winner. Several first timers in the race, including two from the BB barn. (Another surprise!) Looking forward to seeing Sir London stretching out after this one.
I saw that race. I liked the turn of foot he showed to close in on the leader. He never changed leads in the stretch and was basically being eased at the end. He’ll have to learn to change leads, but horses often do in their second start. I’d like to see him two turns. There are actually 3 Baffert firsters entered unless one has been scratched.
You’re right! Three! LOL. Thanks for your thoughts on the colt.
I work out of my head–don’t have the charts—(some people say I work out of another body part!)…but I’m almost certain Sir London was a program scratch, and disn’t run his debut race for at least a month later…
The only gap in his workouts was an 11-day gap ending the middle of August. Couldn’t have been anything serious.
Am playing a 15-1 longshot for Ron Ellis named War At Sea in that race, and boxing him with Sir London and Bron and Brow, leaving all three Bob B’s out.
Very next race (Dmr R7) #2 See Through It (5-1)….has a big shot in there .
UPDATE! See Through It got his head down onthe line for a $20 win, and I had a bunch on him! Also had singled him in the pick four, and you always like a longshot single to win…alas, I was knocked out in the first leg! Too bad, cuz I had the 2,3,4 in the first leg, and was closing with six…..
That’s an interesting longshot, Matthew. The horrid running line will discourage many from betting on him, but the comment line may attract some interest. Good luck!
Good observations Eddie…Sir London is the most expensive horse in the field (700K) and should be improving in his second race with Flavian Prat persisting …
But, as per usual, Baffert horses got first-class pedigrees and connections and well trained for superior debuts. I see Newgrange (Violence) exhibiting perhaps more precocity than Air Combat (Blame) and Wesleyan (Curlin); and the last with more propensity to be better with maturation and more distance.
Meanwhile in the East I will be watching some prospects with powerful connections as well:
In Saturday’s Churchill 8th race: (9)Hornbeam ( UNION RAGS – PRIVET HEDGE, BY FIRST DEFENCE ) debuting for Juddmonte and Brad Cox
and in Saturday’s Churchill 11th race: two Brad Cox prospects: the regally bred (1)Almanzo (Tapit – American Story by Ghoztzapper) and debutant (8)Quick to Blame (Blame – Haraka by Medaglia D’Oro)
All of them are among a good bunch of 2-year-old running this weekend…!
Thanks, Nelson. I’m looking at the CD races now. Nice group of youngsters. What do you think of Mask Control in R8? Hard Spun, Smart Strike…With a race under his belt, he should love the added distance.
I am with you there Eddie…Mask Control also with A.P. Indy and His Majesty should relish the mile. I am keying the son of Hard Spun in my trifecta… (I am betting exclusively on 2-year-old races lately…)
BTW Eddie the Great is trying turf tomorrow at Aqueduct (5th race)… interesting seeing Jose Ortiz piloting the New Yorker… 15 to 1 on the ML …
Re: Eddie the Great. Munnings is a decent turf sire, and the dam won a NY Stallion Series Stakes on the turf. I’m wondering why Chad Brown has first-timer Order of Magnitude in a turf race. He’s a half brother (the horse, that is, not Chad Brown) to BC Sprint winner and champion Drefong, and the second dam produced BCJ winner and champion Action This Day. But maybe Brown does this often. Kitten Mischief looks the best, pedigree-wise, but the post…argh!
My question Steve why you don’t have a vote any longer?
I dropped out of the National Turf Writers years ago. I must have had a good reason but to be honest, I cant remember what it was.
I personally would like and I’m sure others you to have a vote as the fans advocate vote. You certainly do write about the turf and we do read. In my book that qualifies and I’m not trying to blow smoke up your butt. I do have one other question. How much behind the scenes politicking is therewith the votes?
I appreciate it, but voting isnt that important to me and not being a member of NTWA any longer I dont get a vote and I’m not about to apply for membership again. I’m just a semi-retired freelancer now. Lol
Mattress Mac is eccentric LOON……..his article going around is a joke…..yet people are loving it…….
2 yr ban 1st medication over?…..really?……this is so stupid…….owners should be at fault?…..what?…
All meds are not the same…..all athletes need therapeutics! ALL………..the track is a CONTAMINATION ZONE……
100s of ways……for contamination….how do you clean a stall? Anyone?……shovel it into wheel barrow?…does every stall have a shovel and wheelbarrow?……do the grooms change shoes every stall?….what are they cleaning?….WASTE!
Does anyone understand this?…….there are 100s of ways….
Again……MAKE THE PEDS failed tests……make therapeutic OVERS a different name….
The public hears failed tests on these therapeutics, and they think CHEATING……..
cALL THERAPEUTICS OVERS……with fines………
Solved……the optics problem……
2 yr ban for therapeutic picos????……….GARBAGE……
I know everyone you disagree with is a dummy, but to call Mattress Mac a LOON tells me more about you than him.
The Internet Troll feeds on responses. If IT is completely ignored, it will depart and search for more fertile territory.
As a contributor stated some time ago, IT is a perfect example of the Dunning–Kruger effect.
Agreed! He’s always seeking response.
I normally dont respond to him, but it was either calling him out for what he is or deleting his post. That’s next.
Good! I’m getting carpal tunnel syndrome scrolling past his incoherent rants.
lol
What an over reaction
It is well known…….want examples?
Loon? Look in mirror!
I wouldn’t call Mac a loon—but I agree with your premise….Mac is a big voice–and what he is saying sounds good to the layman, but he’s triggering other laymen—because what he is calling for is rediculous.
Probably is, but you can critique him like a normal person, not a name-calling troll.
eccentric…..because of money
I am just thankful that I am not a horse and Pro Vet is my owner and even more thankful that he is not my (human) personal care physician (after those outlandish remarks he made about what you (Steve) should be eating.
MASSIVE number of dumb remarks he’s spewed for no good reason.
Hey Eddie F …! Since we dead heated for the silver medal in the BC Longshot contest here, lets settle the matter with guessing Eclipse Winners. If we dead-heat again the closest number of votes for 3-y-old champion will be taken to untie.
My selection below:
Horse of The Year: Knicks Go
Older Dirt Male: Knicks Go
Three Year Old Male: Essential Quality (with 214 votes), 30 votes for Medina Spirit, 5 for Life is Good
Two Year Old Male: Corniche
Older Dirt Female: Letruska
Male Sprinter: Jackie’s Warrior
Two Year Old Filly: Echo Zulu
Three Year Old Filly: Malathaat
Male Turf Horse: Domestic Spending
Female Turf Horse: War Like Goddess
Female Sprinter: Gamine
Are you in?
Of course I’m in! I need to do a bit of study, though.
Great … let’s the fun begin !
*let
Okay! So you got the jump on me by coming up with this challenge and picking first, and I generally agree with your predictions. But I don’t want it to come down to a Beats the Heck Out of Me guess on vote totals. So I’ll make contrary picks in two categories (in all caps).
Horse of The Year: Knicks Go
Older Dirt Male: Knicks Go
Three Year Old Male: Essential Quality (with 200 votes), 40 votes for Medina Spirit, 9 for Life is Good
Two Year Old Male: Corniche
Older Dirt Female: Letruska
Male Sprinter: DR. SCHIVEL
Two Year Old Filly: Echo Zulu
Three Year Old Filly: Malathaat
Male Turf Horse: SMOOTH LIKE STRAIT
Female Turf Horse: War Like Goddess
Female Sprinter: Gamine
The Best Sprinter competition could be decided in the Malibu Stakes. But I’ll go with the colt that lost by a nose to Aloha West in the BC Sprint: Dr. Schivel. I’ll take the 7-race Smooth Like Strait over the 3-race Domestic Spending. SLS won a G1 and had five CLOSE seconds: two G1s and three G2s.
Nice roster… are we missing another category?
there are not “Turf 2-yo-sprinter” or “Turf 2-year-old champion” … right?
some one was mentioning Golden Pal for championship …
I think that’s all. Maybe Golden Pal will get consideration for the sprint category.
D’accord…!
American Champion Steeplechase Horse is missing, of the equine awards anyway.
Yes Davids … you are right. The Steeplechase Horse is another horse category we overlooked.
I think the Eclipse for best Steeplechase Horse in 2021 goes to The Mean Queen.
Yes, easily. Outstanding year.
Dr shivel didnt win…….its not gonna happen….
It’s happened…Seattle Slew won 3 gr1’s in 1978, Exceller won7—-Slew got the Eclipse running 2nd in their final race…..Schivel beat the pants off of Jackie’s, and he beat older–three times–he lost by a nose in the Sprint, I think he will win.
Voters shouldnt forget about Yibir who was very impressive winning the Jockey Club Derby and then the BC Turf. And he also won a Group 2 and a group 3 earlier in the year, including the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, which has always been regarded as the leading prep for the St. Leger.
Thank you Steve for mentioning Yibir. Since he is a gelding hopefully he will continue to race for several years. I for one really enjoyed watching the successes of the international horses this year.
Horse of The Year: Knicks Go
Older Dirt Male: Knicks Go
Three Year Old Male: Essential Quality
Two Year Old Male: Jack Christopher
Older Dirt Female: Letruska
Male Sprinter: Jackie’s Warrior
Two Year Old Filly: Echo Zulu
Three Year Old Filly: Malathaat
Male Turf Horse: Domestic Spending
Female Turf Horse: War Like Goddess
Female Sprinter: Ce Ce
Steeplechase Horse: The Mean Queen
Wow ! you are pitting the Champagne against both the American Pharoah Stakes (Gr. 1) and the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile.
and giving more weight to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (Ce Ce) than to Las Flores Stakes (Gr. 3), Derby City Distaff S. presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (Gr. 1), Great Lady M Stakes (Gr. 2) and the Ketel One Ballerina Handicap (Gr. 1) wins by Gamine.
Interesting stance…
I thought Ce Ce had luck against her in the Ballerina but when everything appeared equal in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint Ce Ce trounced Gamine. Gamine will no doubt get the Eclipse but on the track Ce Ce showed her superiority in their last meeting.
I believe the Champagne Stakes was a tougher race to win than either the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile or the American Pharoah Stakes. Jack Christoper doesn’t appeal as a Derby contender but is the best 2 year old male. Again, Corniche will no doubt win the Eclipse but are his performances as good as Jack Christopher’s performances?
Fair enough… Jack Christopher was really impressive in the Champagne and it was unfortunate he had to be scratched for the big dance. The only thing I have to make a semblance of an assessment is Commandperformance.
Jack Ch was 3 lengths ahead of him in the Champagne.
I put Corniche above Jack Christopher just because Comandperformance finished more than 5 lengths behind the son of Quality Road. I expected the gray to be closer to Corniche specially at 1 1/6 mile… so, with this (only) yardstick I have to me Corniche appears to be a bit better …
but we may never know as it is not a sure thing that they will facing each other ever again… you know the drill from now on…!
*be
Corniche had the better year–nobody saying he’s better than Command, who had an awful trip outside, getting an early bump into the first turn…and he even hung in for 4th….but Corniche won the race, he won all of his races—Eclipse —Corniche!
Commandperformance got a terrible ride
Totally agree! He was on the outside, of a wall of horses, there was several lengths of room behind the wall. He could’ve taken back and over, saved ground and enter the backstretch 3 lengths back in a pocket—instead they stayed wide.
Male sprinter will be Dr Schivel–who won a couple GR1’s v older, nearly winning a third—Jackie only beat three year olds…Male turf horse is Yibir, hands down…..Femaale sprinter Ce Ce—why not not??
Ce Ce won won stakes in Florida, and Cali–in addition to the Filly Sprint, which she won convincingly—she traveled back east twice–and aquitted herself nicely—and she won the big one–Ce Ce for the Eclipse!
After the Dr wins the Malibu, he should be given a shot at the best Sprinter.
Official announcement from Doug on FB, Hot Rod Charlie will be back next year. Also Shedaresthedevil (sold last night at FT sale will remain in training. Good news!
That is great news. He deserves to have a big year.
That is great news. Hoping HRC will only get better. Medina Spirit coming back too and Letruska.
With Rombauer and Midnight Bourbon joining the party in 2022 we will have a lot to look forward to in the older division…!
This debate over the best Three Year Old deserving of the Eclipse honors is what makes racing so fascinating. After reading and studying the results and opinions of several different views I still can’t make up my mind. I think EQ will win because of the Derby cloud and the final vote will be influenced politically instead of the merits . I think this debate will be ongoing for a long time.
I agree except I think the vote could go Medina Spirit’s way of those who think Baffert got a raw deal from CHD.
I really think Essential Quality will win. Too much going on with the Derby.
I will rooting for EQ. MS overcame and accomplished a lot, just think WQ had better overall record based on the races he won. Read somewhere (might have been from you) that MS will be next years. If so could be interesting match-ups (with HRC).
Correction, EQ not MQ and MS will run next years (not will be next years).
The Eclipse for champions sprinter is the real puzzle for me.
Golden Pal could get some consideration. I don’t believe there is a separate Eclipse for turf sprinter, and he’s 3/3 (G I II and III) in the US in 2021. Should they run Life Is Good in the Malibu- which they won’t- and he wins and defeats Flightline, he would surely be the deserving champion.
If Golden Pal had won the Nunthorpe Stakes, he’d get my nod. I think. Nonetheless, in dealing with realities Jackie’s Warrior, akin to Essential Quality, deserves to win by merit. One race on a ‘foreign,’ quirky track doesn’t cut it for me, except when it comes to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Ha ha
Dr Schivel won three races vs older,, and lost a fourth by a nose…..Jackie’s ran exclusively vs his own age, ran the one v older and finished up the track…
Not much to choose from . If only Jackie didnt run that badly. You really think Life is Good is deserving winning only one sprint race in late December. Even his Dirt Mile was two turns and against arguably the weakest BC field ever.
That’s the thing though, Steve, Jackie’s Warrior is in jeopardy of not being given an Eclipse because of one bad race on a quirky track.
That has nothing to do with Life is Good. To me Jackie’s Warrior is the champ no matter what happens. 6f isnt even his best distance. But he can win 5f, 7f, and one mile, and he beat Life is Good, who looks better suited to the Cigar Mile.
I meant 6f, not 5f.
Steve, I wasn’t referring to Life is Good, that was sceptre. Mind you, Life is Good has to be in the discussion. I was thinking simply that Jackie’s Warrior may not win the Eclipse because of one bad performance. It does happen on occasion.
The only way that MS could win is if there’s a determination in his favor before the votes are cast, and the possibility of that happening is slim to none. And even if it did occur, MS still might not win. Ergo, EQ wins. It doesn’t really matter to me which way it goes. Both are deserving. I believe the only purpose that the awards serve for fans is to give them something to argue about. What’s important is what happens on the racetrack.
80 perecnt of the Eclipse Award winners would prefer a carrot over the award.
LOL, indeed they would!
Ha! Just 80%?
Ye, I dont think the champion owner, trainer, breeder, jockey, and apprentice would rather have a carrot. People also win Eclipse Awards.
LOL. I was just thinking of the equine animals. Completely forgot that there were awards for human animals.
Agreed. What happens on the track is more important.
If they ran the Derby over again in 4 weeks time with the same participants; whom will you bet to win?
Medina Spirit for me.
I’m 100% convinced EQ prevails for award.
There’s another thing to consider— some voters might leave Medina off of their ballots completely, refusing to even consider him for 2nd…for 3rd….for any placing.
Possible for sure.
Del Mar isn’t a quirky track? Yep, especially in November. Been to Del Mar starting back in the 60’s….had a signed program by Desi Arnaz. Still remember Charlie Whittingham, Farrell Jones, Ron McAnally etc….used to take their horse down to the beach which everyone saw on tv and let them gallop in the surf….I believe that’s what gave Bing Crosby the idea of the song “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” when Crosby first saw it happening when the track opened in 1938.
Side notes….did anyone notice Baffert taking another two year old, Rockefeller, to NY and winning the Grade 3 Nashua the other day? Was this a statement or just racing?
That said, nah….Medina Spirit should be the three year old champion. He proved it on the racetrack.
WHY NOT THIS?……………..Bob agrees to 1 year derby ban only NO OTHER RACES……he loses the 10 % from derby….which is a couple hundred grand…….
BOTH SIDES AGREE……..
This would be good for racing………
All of these overs where not an attempt to cheat….they did not effect the performances, no matter how dumb these fans are…..
THIS WOULD BE GOOD FOR RACING……BOTH SIDES WIN
yOU ARE HURTING THE SPORT……..
Will never happen.
A few things……MS is DQ’d…….it does not matter if it was the cream……why do people not understand this………the only thing that is at stake is the PUNISHMENT……
THE 21 PICOS……..THAT BS about its way more in the whole body is hilarious…….it is 21 picos per……….this number is tiny….very tiny…..they are trying to twist the facts……it is very tiny….
How do you guys not know the DQ is not going to be reversed………?
You only need to fail the test once……..the split sample is not required…….the split sample is up to the owner of the horse to give a chance to reverse the DQ……..if owner doesnt want to test…..the horse stays DQ’d
There is NO RULE about mistakes, or how……it does not matter……….it SHOULD though when it comes to punishment….
I feel the 200k or 3ook or whatever Bob’s % was…..is enough of a loss……
How about an agreement to split the difference?….1 year ban from derby only?……..this would be good for both sides….
But no……this sport is run by dumb people……that think they know more than they do………about horses
Whether he will or not, he still has not been officially DQ’d until the purse has been taken away from him and Mandaloun is recognized as the Derby winner. When Peter Fuller fought Dancer Image’s DQ in the courts there was still a chance it could be overturned
“this sport is run by dumb people……that think they know more than they do………about horses”
A few questions.
Why are race day medication thresholds in place place?
Why is there zero tolerance for certain synthetic components in a horse’s system on day?
Are certain rule in place to protect race horses?
Is there a pattern of drug overages associated with Bob Baffert?
Is Churchill Downs trying to cancel Bob Baffert?
Was Bob Baffert banned from entering horses after Gamine was disqualified in the 2020 KY Oaks?
The reasons for the 2 years ban impose on BB by CD Inc., was detailed in organization’s press release on the matter. It covered more than just the drug overages. It highlighted what the oganization viewed as a pattern and practice issue with Bob Baffert. His pattern of drug overages is associated with his practice of providing outrageous and ridiculous excuses, consistent with the dog eat my home work.
Many of BB’s fans have indicted CD Ins., for its decisions. But have not held BB responisble for the overall pattern of violations that led to said decisions. Bob Baffert is view as the face of the KD. The likes of Wayne Lukas and Ben Jones were once viewed as same. Should those assigned this status be afforded exemption from the consequence of rule violations?
Bob Baffert went on a media bliss after he was advised that MS returned an overage. This was in an effort to project himself as a victim of an envious system that had suddenly adopted the cancel culture. Watching BB on these various programs, the impression was given that he wasn’t a trainer with a longlist of violations and one constantly under suspicion.
The CA based trainer is viewed as being above and beyond all other trainers in the KD series. As as a result, it would be a travesty to excluded his horses from participation in the race. Why would it be a travesty? Whilst one man can be viewed the face of the sport. No one man can be viewed as one of the pillar of a sport and whose exclusion will inevitably cause said sport to collapse.
Todd Pletcher holds the record for the most number starters in the KD. He has fulfilled owners’ desire to have a KD starter, more than any other trainer. In this respect he can be viewed as the face of the KD as well. Banning TP’s horses from the KD would likely impact 20% of the starters. Such an exclusion could impact as much as 4 ownership group.
Bob Baffert history as a trainer has dark side. One which his fans have chosen to ignore. This isn’t his first major scandal. He was under a major investigation for the sudden death of 7 horses under his keep and care. In what was considered a very short window for off the track deaths. Whilst he was cleared, the investigation revealed that he was using a thyroid drug on all his horses. It is unlikely all his horse had thyroid issues. He discontinued the usage of the drug after the investigation.
There can be a lot of spin to reflect the face of the KD. Be it number of winners or number of starters. But what isn’t subject to spin is the true pillars Thoroughbred racing. The breeders, owners and the betting public. There are many lobbying for either a ban reversal of ban relief for Bob Baffert, sighting his indefensibility to the KD. But there is a silent majority who believe the sport would be better of without him.
Because too many are not educated enough about horses…….like you…….they are business people, or owners or breeders…..the think they know more than they do……Barry Irwin is the head of the Hay oats water morons…..that is proof there……he posts bad info
I can’t wait to see Life Is Good run.
I can’t wait to see Flightline run.
I can’t wait to see Mandaloun run.
I can’t wait to see Hot Rod Charlie run.
I can’t wait to see Medina Spirit run.
I can’t wait to see Subconscious run.
I can’t wait to see Yibir run.
I can’t wait to see Express Train run. But thats just me, I love the horse, but he would’ve been clobbered Sat, by 15 lengths….ALL FOUR Classic favorites ran lights out, I think Beyer was way low, that was a 120 by Knicks Go….Medina 112, Essential 110, Hot Rod 108….
In my book.
Wait a sec…..
Just read that Smile Happy is being pointed to the KJC Stakes on Nov 27. Looking forward to seeing him run. Can anyone name a Ky Derby winner that won its debut around two turns, then went right into a two-turn graded stakes?
Love that whole day, nothing but 2 year old races
Nice!
Very few winners of the KD won on debut. However, this trend doesn’t seem to apply to horses based in CA. Medin Spirit, Authentic, Nyquist and Justify were debut winners.
Your question bids for relevance. American trainers have adopted a policy of directing their debutants to 1Turn races before stretching them out. Because of this policy the 2Turn debut followed by a 2Turn stakes race is a rarity. Therefor few if any KD winner in the modern era and probably periods before will fit into the category featured in your question.
The obvious question has to be. Should a debut winner of 2Tun race followed by a win in a 2Turn stakes, be considered as a better KD prospect? Probably! But given the history of the KD there is just no way to tell.
There are 2Turn MSW and Allowance races early in the season for 2YO on turf. Big Browm won on over 8 1/2F on turf. He could have skipped his 2nd start over 8F on dirt as he romped in his 3rd start in the FL Derby.
I contend it is more likely for a debut winner over 2Turns on turf followed by a 2Turn stake win, to emerge the winner of the KD than a similar scenario on dirt. Big Brown, Animal Kingdom and Barbro are closet to fitting into the category referenced.
Steve, how good is Life is Good with a little more foundation under him? Corniche looked like a powerhouse but I think I might favor Triple Tap after watching him fly home. He looks like the real deal. Great article as usual and REALLY look forward to your Derby trail tales.
Thank you Tex. Life is Good vs, Knicks in te Pegasus would be something
Really the best discussion anywhere of the BC. I agree with almost all of it. Corniche is currently a monster
in the making. Two year old at the Eclipse Awards for sure. His owner acknowledged he may have to move him and
I know Bob Baffert understands that. Again, as I have stated on other blogs, I think the 2 yr. ban at Churchill
is excessive. Six months to a year would have sent a message that would have been heard around the world
without being excessive.
As for Letruska, not much explains second from last. I hate it for her but some people were not impressed with her
last work. Wonder if something is wrong. She will be back next year if all is well. Srill hoping she gets 3 yr. old female
HOTY.
Knick Go was a monster too. No one was catching him as the race played out. If the race had set up for Essential Quality he had the best chance of all (see Belmont against HRC) but not sure that would have happened. EQ was bumped and stuck on the inside, coming from 7th and that was all she wrote. I think Brad Cox was trying to understand what happened based on watching his conversation with Luis. I think he should have moved him up or out sooner because the stretch
is short there.
Medina Spirit was hardly so wide he could not have run Knicks Go down but that wasn’t happening either. He was clear and
trying (he has heart just like Essential Quality) but it was good for a not so close second. He really needs to be on the front but that speed was too much for him even if he had been on the front in my opinion. I think he was running more for the 3 yr. old Eclipse than he was for winning by his jockey and trainer.
As for 3 Yr. Old HOTY, I think it goes to Essential Quality. Throw out the situation with Bob Baffert and throw out the
BCC (neither of them won). I think the most incredible race of the year was the Belmont run at 1.5 miles between HRC and Essential Quality. What Hot Rod Charlie did was jaw dropping and then what Essential Quality did to run him down was even more jaw dropping. No other horse running at that time could have done what Essential Quality did. No way on earth Medina Spirit would have done it since he has to be on the lead. Essential Quality was always more versatile-from behind, stalking and going eyeball to eyeball. Essential Quality has 5 wins to Medina Spirits 4. Medina Spirit was never intended for the Belmont so we cannot say because he was not allowed to run at the time. He was having issues during possibly and definitely after the Preakness in which he did not run well.
Medina Spirit’s Derby was legitimate. Regardless, of the medication, that was a win with heart. But it was close with horses on his heels and with essential Quality and HRC it was a diel of epic proportions.
They are both wonderful horses and I would be thrilled to own either one of them but this would not be a hard decision for me.
A VERY thoughtful appraisal. I agree Corniche may be moved, but those KD points from the Juvenile may not move with him. Excessive, but that’s Churchill.
Letruska’s trainer explained her finish: “(She) can’t run at those fractions.” They found the way to beat her was to cook her. Apparently, the same lesson didn’t carry over to the Classic. EQ was totally compromised by his post position. He always starts slow, tracks in 3 three-wide outside and pounces in the final furlongs. The 4 post, being trapped mid-pack – even on the rail – must have seemed strange to him. Perhaps Luis wanted him outside sooner, but where to go? I have a problem with Cox’s “strategy” – such as it was – in this race. It wasn’t set up for him from that post and Cox had to know it. Note: he walked out Knicks Go to the track.
As for the rest: EQ “lost” to MS by a combined 1 1/4 lengths. EQ won the Belmont, the Travers and the Jim Dandy. Like this is even a decision?
Good overview Richard. I’ve zero doubt who prevails for best 3 yr old.
Hi Mike! We will see, but hope you are right.
Thank you, Richard. Back at you! Interesting that Cox walked Knicks Go out! I did not see that. Yes, that tells us
something. He should have run him again before the BC. I wonder if there was a physical issue and
no one knew?
Yes, to your points about why EQ should be HOTY. But I know that many believe equally as strongly
it should be Medina Spirit. I just think EQ has the stronger case when I look back at their races. They
both have heart.
Yes, I heard that Guiterrez said that the fractions killed whatever chance Letruska. Felt really bad to
see her second from last. I hate to see any champion horse lose that badly.
My rant of the day — Have you noticed that whenever Sheikh Mohammed has had a classic-winning, sensational 3-year-old who looked like he would be a superstar at 4 and decided to retire him at 3, that horse then got beat in the BC Classic , going out on a losing note. I am referring to Essential Quality and Bernardini, both classic-winning winners of the Travers. So long, EQ, like Bernardini, we’ll never know. A big campaign by either one and theyre in the Hall of Fame. That’s my one rant on seeing EQ run the dullest race of his brief career and not being able to restore his reputation. And they were so intent on keeping that reputation they ran him in the Classic off a nine-week layoff. Could it be the layoff dulled him a little? I dont know, just thinking out loud. It’s just so sad as a racing fan to see a horse like that leave so soon when he looked like he could be a throwback and do great things next year. Again, that is strictly as a fan.
Steve, sad thing is that it is not only Sheikh Mohammed.
Wash, rinse, repeat for past 20 years.
Most all of the great horsemen of the past in the United States who were in the game for the sport are mostly gone.
Now days it is all about the value of the colt at stud and how much money the mares and fillies can bring at auction to join a broodmare band.
Totally agree. It’s more of a hedge fund mentality. But they do support the sport and thats good. But it’s not good for the fan who wants to see the top horses race more than 8, 9, or 10 times in their life
Steve, as soon as I read that Essential Quality was going to be trained-up for the Breeders’ Cup Classic I didn’t expect the ‘true’ colt to launch a scintillating performance. It didn’t matter, Essential Quality’s future was secure.
Something that mystifies me about those who believe Medina Spirit should receive the Eclipse Award above Essential Quality is the ‘lost memory’ that Life is Good made Medina Spirit look extremely ordinary twice. 2 – 0 and Rombauer beat Medina Spirit by a pole in the Preakness Stakes, while in the Belmont Stakes Essential Quality thrashed Rombauer by over 10 lengths.
Imagine Medina Spirit winning the Eclipse Award then being disqualified from winning the Kentucky Derby.
That is the main fear. If you believe he won on his own merit then it would make the sport look bad, not the horse. As for Life is Good that was in Feb. and March. Horses do improve over the course of the year. Arts and Letters was beaten twice by Top Knight on the Derby trail and twice by Majestic Prince in the Triple Crown, yet by the end of the year Arts and Letters was the overwhelming Horse of the Year and eventually in the Hall of Fame. Medina Spirit is a far better horse now than he was in the winter and in the Derby and Preakness, which btw was one of the fastest in history.
You fear the Medina Spirit, Kentucky Derby win/disqualification, débâcle is going to be a running sore akin to the Dancer’s Image which you mention above. Two Kentucky Derby disqualifications of the winner within a few years no doubt erodes the interest of the casual viewer let alone the long suffering punter. Imagine being the owner, heartbreaking.
It would be eerily coincidental if the two horses DQ’d in the Ky. Derby within a few years both have the initials MS
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Ha ha In all seriousness, you just have to look for the positives. Even with Essential Quality retiring next year’s four year olds will provide a feast of exciting races.
Not a rant, but a legitimate shock, certainly to me. I was frankly pi**ed, but then…
…I think a few things: Sheikh Mo is in his late 60s and his brother passed early this year. He is close to giving up on his Derby dream in his lifetime and certainly from Dubai – witness how much more active in all things Dubai is the Crown Prince. So, Mo is turning to his horses and his legacy. He wants to establish Godolphin Racing’s future in the U.S. So he looks at the Jonabell stallion list: Medaglia d’Oro and Bernardini are ageing, as is Street Sense. Nyquist has been kinda meh. I think he’s fond of Frosted – another Tapit – since he came closest to bring him a Derby win. EQ is another Tapit – young like Frosted, with many breeding years and a possible, finally, Derby win ahead. Perhaps I’m reading too much into the tea leaves, but….
As to EQ’s “dull” (I agree) performance, try this: he always won from outside posts, trying to establish position as the 3 or 4, three off the rail. In this race, he’s more inside, starts slowly as usual, gets trapped in the middle of the pack and, even running the shorter distance from the rail has to wonder “Where am I?” Imagine if he and Medina Spirit had switched gates, MS inside, EQ outside. MS might have challenged early, EQ in better position late. I thought that at the draw. I thought at the draw he would lose the race if he wasn’t set up outside to run his usual stalking race…I did, really.
I believe this is on Cox’s strategy for this horse in this race and, as I mentioned elsewhere, Cox walked out Knicks Go to the track and didn’t even mention EQ in the post-race press conference.
Read from all that what you will.
…oh, and to your initial point. You must know there were two races on Mo’s bucket lit at the start of the year the Melbourne Cup and the Kentucky Derby. He got the Melbourne, missed on the Derby. Why is he so not into the Classic: Well, Raven’ Pass – sire Elusive Quality BTW – won the Classic under his former wife’s “ownership” (yes, I know!), so the Classic became no big deal. The Derby? Very big deal. Perhaps still. But, as a fan, I’m with you – what I saw in him as a four-year-old was Curlin, the horse that brought me into all this in Dubai. So, yes, I get the reasoning but, after all I’ve writ, I’m still pi**ed. I’m just glad I got to see him at Del Mar, a last-minute decision when I learned he was being retired.
Nothing wrong in having a horse in the Hall of Fame as a legacy. I didnt like the inside post either, but he is such a pro I didnt think it would affect him and could help him if he got lucky. As for being on the outside, he was in the Derby and the loss of ground probably got him beat.
Yes, but 8 is quite different than 14 and whack at the start. Switch posts with MS and both horses would benefit.
I think EQ ran ok…hrc ok….medina good…….Knicks go 112 beyer that puts them in higher 100s…..it was best group of 3 yr olds in a long time….no standout……diff day diff winner……you seem to think EQ was way better?……dullest race is kinda not right….
easy pace helped winner , didnt help him…….
But yea….your feelings are valid…..
EQ was seventh at one point running on the inside, rallied to finish third when he finally got the longer trip outside. Surely Cox and the jock had to know after a year running from the outside was his strength. Absolutely his dullest race, even the lack of pride in his eyes showed as he ran. I just think he was set up for it.
I agree, Richard. Well said.
He ran OK, but it still was his dullest race. He lacked that spark in the stretch.
I agree. Yes, the layoff could have dulled him. I can see both sides of the argument in
fitting in a race to keep him sharp and then worrying if he will be take too much out of him
to come back in the BCC if you do put him in another race. I am wondering if Brad Cox
was seeing something we don’t know about i.e. he had lost a little or had an issue
after his last race.
As to why he ended up third in the BCC- well he was on the rail after being bumped and
then just sitting there because Luis did not move him up or out soon enough. The stretch
is short so I have no idea what he was
thinking. Luis knows he needed to be in a position to come up and out to run Knicks Go down.
He came back from 7th to get 3rd and very close to Medina Spirit’s second (who had a
clear path). So for him, I wouldn’t call it dull but it certainly did put a damper on his momentum.
So, why they are doing this I don’t know. Sheikh Mohammed does not need the money.
Proud to say I picked the SuperTrifecta for the BC Classic, without completely agree Knicks Go leaves the gate and he must feel alone on the track! I know Essential Quality came up but it was almost as if KG just dismissed him and found that gear he had. Without a doubt he has to be HOY. For 3YH, I like Medina Spirit, that would be my choice if I voted and the argument can be made for either, as you gave for EQ or Medina. Life’s Good was my original Derby Horse, he versus MS- not only has he not run those distances he has not faced the pressure of those TC races Medina Spirit entered, nor the caliber of horses he had to face. Corniche’s run was breathtaking it was sublime and I am a huge Wit and Jack Christopher fan, but I don’t know if they can move like that it was pretty impressive. It’s going to be interesting to see how Corniche’s Derby Trail saga goes… get the popcorn out! And can we talk about the Distaff next?
Well done, Tori. I’m sure it didnt make you rich, lol, but great job picking it in order.
Since Steve is encouraging a conversation about the 2021 three-year-old championship I am giving my views.
I must confess that I was totally taken by Essential Quality since I spotted his debut in the Derby undercard last year.
To me Essential Quality’s body of work is a throwback to the seventies.
The son of Tapit had a valid excuse in the Derby and I really thought that he would be another (3-y-o) Eclipse Award winner without a Kentucky Derby in his resume…
I feel that Essential Quality never looked comfortable at Del Mar. A less than clean break and hesitation in the stretch to ride the rail did not help him either. But championships can not be built on excuses … and I must concede that Medina Spirit was better horse in the two most important races of America. I respect him for that accomplishment…!
It was a good decision by Baffert to run Medina Spirit in the Awesome Again. I remember him saying at some point that he would prefer not to ship the son of Protonico when possible. So, MS never traveled again after the Preakness (his worst showing this year) and ended up having a home advantage for the BC Classic.
I am convinced that 21 trillionth of a gram of betamethasone gives absolutely NO competitive advantage and that Medina Spirit is a brilliant runner who deserves utmost recognition. It was just unfortunate that a simple dermatitis caused the type of turmoil that feeds the business of the sensationalized news and social media.
The doubt around Medina Spirit’s Derby is like a sword of Damocles over his head. The risk of being disqualified will weigh heavily on the championship decision.
In summary, I am leaning towards Medina Spirit but I believe that the majority of the 249 votes will go to Essential Quality… then Medina Spirit will be seeking vindication as a 4-year-old.
In any case, I thank both horses for giving me a brief glimpse at the golden seventies …!
We agree on this issue. And I, too, believe that voters will award EQ the crown. You can bet that they’ll wait until the deadline, if necessary, to submit their selections. There will be one of three outcomes by the voting deadline:
1 Legal battles end in MS’s favor.
2 Legal battles end, and MS is DQed from his Derby win.
3 No resolution on the drug testing of MS.
With #1, it’s a close vote.
With #2, easy win for EQ.
With #3, easy win for EQ. Most voters will not select MS when there’s still a decent chance he could be DQed from the Derby win.
So MS’s only chance to be crowned the champion 3yo is for his connections’ legal team to be victorious prior to the voting deadline, though he would probably lose in a close vote.
One point, though, about the medication found in MS’s system. He didn’t have “21 trillionth of a gram” in his system. The test showed 21 picograms per milliliter. A picogram is a trillionth of a gram. A horse can have 50,000 milliliters of blood. If my Internet research isn’t correct, I’m sure that someone will correct me. 🙂
Yes Eddie… you mentioned all the scenarios behind the 3-y-old championship…
Thanks for the correction about the 21 picograms… it is 21 picograms per milliliter indeed.
By extrapolation (21e-12 gr/ml times 50,000 ml) this amount represents One Millionth of a gram in the whole volume of blood… still not enough to improve athletic capacity according to some experts…
Well, one of them at least. The horses of the Golden 70s raced at 4…except one and they had no choice, and he did a tad more at 3 than Essential Quality and Bernardini, See my rant of the day above.
Steve, if you were Echo Zulu’s owner or trainer, wouldn’t you think about entering her in one of the big preps preceding the Derby, like the Blue Grass or Arkansas Derby? (assuming she continues to destroy her female opposition)
With her pedigree, why not? Although I would try earlier than that in either the Holy Bull or Fountain or Youth or Le Comte or Smarty Jones just to see how she would fare against the boys while getting Derby points. Then, depending on how he does, I would continue on the Derby trail or go back to fillies Either way, you still have the Oaks to fall back on. Why debut vs. proven colts who are in desperate mode to get in the Derby? But do they really want to see her win the Forward Gal or the Silverbulletday or the Busanda when they have a chance to make history with a potential superstar?
That’s true. A win in a 50-points-to-winner race would be enough to secure a spot in the Derby gate. But if she ran well and finished second (for 20 points), she’d probably need to run against the boys again before the Derby. If her participation in the TC doesn’t spike interest in horse racing, nothing will.
Depends on how good the second was. They could then decide whether to proceed on the Derby trail expecting improvement or feel she wasnt up to the boys and go back to the filly races.
I LOVE Echo Zulu – I would if only for her name (EZ). But this Derby obsession among Americans drives me crazy. I’m sorry, it’s no longer the world’s greatest race – that’s the Arc on turf, the Classic on dirt. She should run in the Oaks, smoke the competition and be set up for a spot in the Classic, just as was Zenyatta, just as what Spendthrift wanted to do this year with Monomoy Girl.
Please, let’s everyone get over the Derby.
No one has claimed the Derby is the world’s greatest race, nor is the English Derby or any Derby. But it is still the race every owner, trainer, and jockey wants to win more than any of the others. The Arc and the Classic dont have the magic of the Derby or the history. It will always be our most iconic race and part of the fabric of America,
Well, certainly Mo was obsessed with winning a Derby, perhaps because it was an American dirt horse that put Dubai on the map. Now? Perhaps less so given his place in life, though I do think had EQ won, he would not have been retired until after the Dubai World Cup – letting people on that side of the world see a KD Champion might be attributed to that mystique. But so many horses do little or nothing after a Derby win. It no longer favors the long game as it did in the past. Yes, I completely agree it is still considered part of the “fabric of America” (well put). I just think it has become so corporate with Churchill – with which you have issues as well – and recent iterations so troubled, that the “fabric” is worn a bit thin.
I am with You Richard…
When CDI unilaterally moved the Kentucky Derby to September last year, I confirmed that modern horse racing is first and foremost a business. CDI sells the Derby as an iconic, traditional and patrimonial race but they treat it as a private property … it is their most important commercial asset that can be operated to maximize profit… and CDI is booming with its stock price raising from $47 five years ago to $234 today. Good for the pockets but not necessarily something in harmony with tradition (e.g. Arlington divestment).
It is good to keep the allure of the Derby but I cannot help it imagining what would happen with the race and Churchill Downs if they become non-profitable anymore… !
Perhaps I would not be even mentioning this had I bought CDI Stocks back in 2016… Lol
It is what it is …
Aw, Steve, what you think always matters, and you should still have an Eclipse Award vote, no matter if you’re semi-retired or what. Anyway, I’m very excited about Corniche, with the caveat that of course we don’t know yet how far he wants to go. I only hope CDI and Baffert can get this whole mess resolved. I’m biased, but I think the sport is better for having Baffert in it and at the Derby.
Eclipse Award votes didnt mean much to me. It really will be a mess if Baffert’s horses have to go to other trainers
The only rational explanation is they were content” to battle” for a piece of the purse, especially Stiletto Boy & Tripoli. Knicks Go was “allowed” to get away. And: Wouldn’t it seem weird if CD decides to award the Juvenile points to Corniche if he’s moved to another trainer (though the owners’ post-race comments – ‘our friend, Bob Baffert’ – suggest that won’t happen)?
It would seem weird because it can’t happen, based on CD’s rule. Corniche is not awarded points for the Juvenile, regardless of what eventually happens with a change of trainer.
“Our friend, Bob Baffert,” yes, but he sure left the door open to bolt Baffert if he has to. After the Juvenile the owner, asked about sending him to another trainer, said, “It would be difficult, but Bob and I have been very candid. I’ve said to him, ‘We have to do whats right for the horse.’ ” I think from that we know what he’s going to do. I’m sure if it comes down to keeping him with Baffert and not running in the Derby, Baffert would tell him to send him to another trainer. He’s not going to prevent him from running in the Derby. It’s not like Bob hasnt won enough Derbys. He needs to keep his owners happy right now.
If it played out the way you suggest, I think it would be more a gracious than self-serving move on Baffert’s part. Yes, he needs the owners now, but racing has been good to him and, knowing him, I think he would want to return the favor and have such a talented horse in that race. That would be a win for the owners, the horse and Baffert.
Well put.
Thats pretty much what I said. Wanting his owners to stay happy and have a shot at the Derby is not self serving.
lol, now let’s campaign to convince the “three” of them.
Steve, your point concerning the jockeys in the Breeders’ Cup Classic reluctance to tack on Knicks Go early is quite baffling especially as many had conspired, in previous races, the downfall of quite a few leading lights.
For those who think Medina Spirit deserves the three year old Eclipse over Essential Quality then you will have to give the Older Dirt Female Horse Eclipse to Shedaresthedevil over Letruska. The former holds a 2 – 1 advantage. Sometimes, simple math doesn’t result with the correct equation. Please think more laterally!! Ha ha
I feel Del Mar did the best they could in difficult circumstances. Obviously, there is hypersensitivity surrounding horse racing injuries, which there always should be, but it can cause some confusion, panic. Especially, when the ‘world is watching.’
Triple Tap looked grossly chubby rolling down the track but he won and may be something next year. Still, the real excitement is yet to come, hopefully. The best US racehorse is definitely Flightline, he just has to start proving it starting in December. Christmas and New Year wish.
The jockeys not attacking Knicks Go was baffling, not that Steve’s point was baffling, which I agree with. Ha ha
Where are the rabbits when we need them ?!!!
No Hedevar available to damper Knicks Go… but the son of Paynter could very well be the best two-turn runner this century…
we should ask Brad Cox the story about this remarkable resurrection.
BTW David Flightline is not showing any public work since August… I don’t see him running this year.
Cox discussed his “resurrection” during the post-race press conference, which is online. Best two-turn runner this century is a bit of a stretch for a horse that just stretched out to 10 furlongs. I wish both he and EQ would have another year; that would have been a great rivalry with Medina Spirit and Hot Rod Charlie still running. I’m especially disappointed over the EQ decision; at least Knicks Go is 5. Those four as older horses in the same year would have been great for the sport. Seems racing often shoots itself in the (breeding) foot.
What did he say was his resurrection? I read most of the transcript but didnt see anything about that.
Not a resurrection but his “regaining confidence.”
Yes Richard. Cox referred to running at the lesser Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap to re-build Knicks Go confidence after two one-turn sub par showings…
My question was about the process, training methods or tricks that Cox implemented to make Knicks Go a HOY after a winless 2019…!
If they had not added a dirt mile race we might have had Life Is Good in the race…LIG is faster than Knicks Go, but I guess thats moot, Knicks retires after the one 10 fur race…..
Nelson, Flightline worked on November 8, at Santa Anita Park 4F, 47.20, Ranked 1/16, handily. You can follow Flightlines workouts on Westpoint’s website. On target, for the Malibu Stakes in December, 21.
Not so much ‘rabbits’ as the younger jockeys these days seem less willing to ‘take’m on’ early. Note it was Mike Smith and John Velasquez that attempted ‘some’ attack to Knicks Go. Arguably, more concerned losing than winning?
Sorry Nelson, the Flightline workout was actually August 11, 21. I’m so used to reading the Australian dating system these days. Lol.
Lol. No, I was right the first time. The workout is November, 21.
My apologies … Flighline worked yesterday 4F in 47.20 Handily (1/42)… I was the one confused with the date format… LOL
All good for the Malibu then…
I’ll be there, Dec 26th!!!!
Happy Malibu then…!
I am glad you will be seeing in person one of the most captivating in a long time…
Don’t forget to take nice pictures ….!
Could be a performance for the ages. Flighline’s coming out party.
John Velazquez was emphatic in many interviews during BC week about going to use Medina Spirit’s speed to the fullest against Knicks Go. I was not the case… either it was not a clean break, or all that closing late was by design. As Steve said, no one was going to engage in a suicidal fight with Knicks Go and the race was ultimately for second place.
Cox said the same thing after the race. I wonder if an 8-horse field (though EQ surely wasn’t running for un-needed purse money) had something to do with it. Racing to lose is kind of annoying though – speaks to how much money means more to “sportsmen” these days than back in the day. The case with all sports.
Was nearly last, out of the gate..
Yes and that was hugely problematic for him and bumped.
Essential Quality was bumped and stuck. He came from 7th but it was just too much.
Yes, Paula, the bumping set things positively in motion for Knicks Go while disrupting the plans for Essential Quality. Moreover, Essential Quality appeared to be unsettled not showing his cool demeanor. Del Mar is a track that doesn’t suit certain runners. Had the race been at Belmont Park…
Another very good point about the tracks, which i did not think og other
than the short stretch.
I think it was less the bump than the inside post. He likes stalking from the outside – the rail must have seemed strange to him. And I didn’t see a lot of effort on Luis’s part to get him outside early until it was way too late. I know trainers often have multiple runners in a race and, in theory, train each one to win. Do you think that was done for EQ in this race between the top two choices?
Richard, i agree. the bump was not a deal breaker but that inside spot
was definitely a big problem. I don’t know the answer as to whether Cox
would deliberately trained one to win and not so much the other. Did he
think EQ was tailing off and KG was his best shot? Don’t know. I do think
he thought he had a good shot with both. Seeing him talk to Luis after the race
made me think he wasn’t particularly happy with what he saw. So, my gut tells
me he thought he had a good chance with EQ but a better chance with KG because
he was peaking at that point.
You praised Triple Tap after his first start and he rewarded your faith in his second. Yes, he’s a bit better than I had thought, and may win a stakes, or two. I was quite high on Flightline after his first, but somewhat less so after his second. Always been high on Life Is Good, but now believe he’s no true superstar like, for example, a Shared Belief. Horses like a Knicks Go and the rest of our current so-called big names don’t even belong in the conversation.
Triple Tap did impress more in his second start which was a relief, especially as he looked gross. I agree with you that Flightline was less impressive in his second start but the workout pattern they have/had Flightline was ultra conservative. Wait and see but I’m still a believer at this stage. I know, you don’t want to be disappointed but it happens so often these days.
Yes, it does happen so often. Why; perhaps we overrate their talents to begin with as, for the most part, they race rarely, and too often in noncompetitive fields. I think this may be one of the takeaways from the recent B. Cup races. The two most prestigious centers of racing from the past, New York and S. Calif. are but a shadow of what they used to be, quality-wise, and this has impacted on what is said, above.
That is the fear. You miss the day when you followed the slow progression of a two year olds, in the US, into a real Classic contender and beyond. Now it appears they are lucky to survive beyond the Belmont Stakes. This crop has been well above the average and, hopefully, some will ‘star’ at 4.
Essential Quality was bumped and stuck. He came from 7th but it was not happening.
“For those who think Medina Spirit deserves the three year old Eclipse over Essential Quality then you will have to give the Older Dirt Female Horse Eclipse to Shedaresthedevil over Letruska. The former holds a 2 – 1 advantage. Sometimes, simple math doesn’t result with the correct equation. Please think more laterally!! Ha ha”
If the head-to-head result is the ONLY consideration, then YES, shedaresthedevil beats Letruska. But it is NOT the only consideration.
Glad to see you concede that putting up Medina Spirit over Essential Quality lacks serious consideration.
I’m not responsible for your vision issues.
If the 3 ran in 2 weeks……..guess what the odds would be?…………321……….eclipse?…..123
Bob stayed home…….those older weak races ……….good decision for HORSE……. bad for eclipse……2nd is not an accomplishment…..EQ wins
I picked MS in classic….but stayed out……..EQ won bigger races…..better resume
Nice compilation of the deep-rooted speed in Corniche’s family… I hope he can eventually show some of the stamina from close relatives like Strawberry Road, Alydar, Runaway Groom and the powerful Greinton.
On top of his huge reservoir of speed, Corniche also hails from the celebrated family 1x …it will be the second year in a row and the third in the last 4 year that the champion 2-year-old is a descendant from La Troienne.
The two leading 2-year-old horses for Baffert are Corniche and Rockefeller but, as usual, he got a very deep bench as well. I see the following Baffert prospects with tremendous pedigrees for the Classics:
Murray (Street Sense – Now Now by Tiznow), Kamui (Quality Road – Chiding by Blame), Montebello (Curlin – Beautiful but Blue by El Corredor), Enbarr (Brody’s Cause – Star of Gallentry by Warrior’s Reward) and Messier (Empire Maker – Checked Past by Smart Strike).
The latter is a Canadian bred who could provide Baffert with a rare shot at the Canadian Triple Crown. If the CDI wins in condemning Baffert to oblivion in the USA, then a positive Canadian TC adventure would give him some sense of solace… and it would also be a big boost to Canadian horse racing.
Nelson, it’s very interesting that all 7 of those prospects have one-word names. Of Baffert’s 7 Derby winners, only 2 had one-word names. The rest had two-word names. Not sure if this is helpful for predicting the next Derby winner, particularly if the ban is upheld. 😉
P.S. Does Baffert know where Canada is?
Please. Essential Quality won the Belmont and the Travers at 12 and 10 furlongs; Medina Spirit never even showed up. The Derby? Everyone knows by now how Essential Quality was compromised in that race. Hats off to Medina Spirit for his place in the Classic. Hats off for his poor start and the failure to engage Knicks Go, choosing some money instead. Pretty clear that race was not set up for Essential Quality’s style, not to mention he was caught in mid-pack for the bulk of the race. Yes, some may vote for Medina Spirit over Essential Quality as Champion Three-Year-Old…most likely because of his owner. But this isn’t even a contest.
Troubled trips are for handicapping, not for Eclipse voting. For objective voters, I’m pretty sure they think it’s “a contest.”
Then you also totally ignored the significance to “the contest” of Shared Belief and Toast of New York being wiped out by Bayern at the start of the 2014 Classic.
You’re misstating my point. Of course I acknowledge what happened. But Bayern won the Classic. He wasn’t horse of the year because voters believed that he didn’t accomplish anything close to what Chrome accomplished, the running of the Classic notwithstanding.
Why bring up things that don’t matter?…….EQ was compromised?…. who cares?…….but yes EQ wins
Being whacked out of the 14 gate doesn’t matter to the outcome of that race?
Steve
I find it tough to think of Medina Spirit as the Eclipse winner with the Baffert factor.
Could the failure of so many of the American favorites be attributed to them not being able to run with Lasix? Neither of the 2 TV networks even mentioned it. Did they not consider it a factor or were they mandated by the BC not to mention it?
To believe the lack of Lasix was a factor is to concede it is indeed performance enhancing, which is why it is banned in Europe and the Middle East.
Not necessarily true. For example, I wouldn’t label as performance enhancing the prevention of EIPH.
If nobody on TV mentioned the lasix issue, it was likely because…
1) All runners competed without benefit of lasix. Even playing field.
2) U.S.-based ML favorites
Gamine: 4 consecutive wins without lasix prior to BC
Golden Pal: never raced on lasix
Life Is Good: never raced on lasix
War Like Goddess: 4 consecutive wins without lasix prior to BC
Jackie’s Warrior: never raced on lasix
Letruska: 4 consecutive wins without lasix prior to BC
lol, I’m pretty sure lasix is a four-letter word on NBC and TVG.
Steve, your second paragraph perfectly captures the running of the Classic. No horse in the field had ever before run early fractions as Knicks Go did, including Knick Go! I don’t need time to digest the BC results to look at the Champion 3 Year Old race. In my view, if the powers-that-be can make a Derby determination against Medina Spirit before the vote, the Eclipse is easy: Essential Quality. I hope that HISA next year adopts reasonable medication rules. It’s preposterous that a Class C violation carries the same penalty (a DQ) as a Class A violation. It’s like someone convicted of simple assault being sentenced to the death penalty or life imprisonment. But if Medina Spirit’s Derby win holds up, it’s a tight race. Here are the races (G1 only) that I think have bearing on the vote:
ESSENTIAL QUALITY
Belmont Stakes (12f)
Travers Stakes (10f)
4th by 1 length to Medina Spirit in the Kentucky Derby (10f)
4th by 4 1/2 lengths in the BC Classic
MEDINA SPIRIT
Kentucky Derby (10f)
Awesome Again Stakes for 3yo & up (9)
2nd by 2 3/4 lengths to Knicks Go in BC Classic
When considering the Classic result for the 3-year-old championship, we need to look at the race within the race; that is, where did the 3-year-olds place? Medina Spirit finished 2nd beating the other top 3-year-olds in training, Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie. Not only that, but he beat older horses Art Collector, Max Player, and Tripoli — all of whom had won G1 stakes in their last or next-to-last races.
There’s no formula to separate these excellent colts. They have both accomplished enough to be declared a champion. But the head-to-head comparison, IMO, gives the edge to Medina Spirit IF he is the Derby winner after the legal battles are over.
As for Corniche, that’s a fascinating pedigree that you described.
Medina Spirit was beaten twice by Life is Good and was thrashed by Rombauer and Midnight Bourbon in the Preakness Stakes. Essential Quality thrashed Rombauer in the Belmont Stakes.
Can’t argue with those particulars, Davids. It’s a close call, and we all have our own perspectives.
the pace was SLOW………..can’t you tell?…..the track was blazing……watch the race…..he was jogging…..MS broke slow
San Felipe – beaten by 8L
SA Derby beaten by 4 1/4L
Preakness beaten by 5 1/2L
Sham beaten by 3/4L
If the Champion 3YO has the above on its resume. It must be assumed there isn’t a resume any better. If a champion can be
so badly beaten on a regular basis The bar for a champion has been lowered significantly.
Regarding my ‘No Love for Godolphin or Charlie Appleby ‘ comment. Your contest list didn’t include any of the Godolphin horses. This is despite the exceptional season the operation has been having. It was just for humor. No offence meant.
3Tuens was inadvertently incuded in the reply. Ignore!
There won’t be a decision on Medina Spirit by Eclipse voting time. Notwithstanding that, how does winning a Derby by a length over the fourth-place horse and finishing ahead by a half-length in the Classic count more than Belmont, Travers and Jim Dandy wins where your “opponent” doesn’t even show up? If Medina Spirit wins, I’d attribute that to fondness among some voters for Baffert and lack of fondness among others for Sheikh Mohammed. No one anywhere is mentioning Godolphin was the most successful owner and Appleby the most successful trainer in this BC.
Sorry! EQ was THIRD by 3 1/2 lengths in the BCC.
He was a half length behind MS in the BCC.
Steve: The main takeaway from your post is that Corniche’s pedigree is loaded with superior miler speed. That surely equates to future success as a sire, provided he too blisters the mile at some point in his career.
Does it mean he’s the top candidate for next year’s Kentucky Derby? I don’t know, especially since Bob Baffert most assuredly won’t be his trainer if he runs in the race.
Dear Steve:
I think you should have worked on a point scale like Churchill Downs. Think of all the points I would have gotten for fourth place finishes! Not to mention 2nd for Dunbar Road.
JUST KIDDING.
Congratulations to Matthew W. and all who made much much more on the day.
It’s a shame you don’t get to vote anymore, you’re the first one I’ve read who’s taking his time deciding, which is entirely appropriate. Essential Quality was affected by the start, bumping can do that sometimes, he’s also known to prefer the outside lanes, but was bumped inward and stayed there. But he seemed listless, beyond the poor start. He did pass Hot Rod Charlie near the end but wasn’t catching Medina Spirit, who was always a little in front of him. It’s sad EQ’s career is over, maybe consideration was given to his paddle leg. I hope he wins the Eclipse.
That’s basically how I saw the race as well. Essential Quality seemed to lack focus, possibly a prep race was needed to sharpen him up. I’d have Life is Good above Medina Spirit but Essential Quality is definitely the Eclipse winner.
Couldn’t agree more on the Eclipse. I toss his Derby because of the start and MS “beating” him by a half length in a losing cause matters more than the Belmont, Travers and Jim Dandy? I do agree EQ lacked something in the Classic, but I wondered even before the race if that gate would be a hindrance since he usually likes to run off the pace from the outside.
Agree. Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in 2017 had a rash of upsets with only two favorites actually winning. I’ve always found it unfortunate that the Breeders’ Cup races have such an influence on determining the Eclipse Awards.
Track bias, on a certain day of the year in whatever state, shouldn’t be the major fact that determines a champion but it always is.
“And we won’t get into why our two sprinting superstars, Gamine and Jackie’s Warrior, both laid the proverbial egg at 2-5 and 1-2.”
Mr. Haskin,
I remain puzzled as to why so many regard Jackie’s Warrior as a super sprinter. The colt contested two 6Fs ahead of the BC Sprint. The runner ups were Therideofalifetime and Pickin’ Time. Those 2 runner ups can hardly be consider top class sprinters but rather allowance horses. Jackie’s Warrior has never won a sprint race against a genuine spinster. His victory over Life Is Good was at 7F, LIG was directed to the BC Dirt mile.
In a post on your previous blog. I specified that JW was unlikely to emerge the winner. Despite his fast times over 7F. His stride pattern isn’t that of a crack sprinter. I much preferred the winner Aloha West. The BC Sprint has been mostly won by off the pace entrants. That’s not JW’s profile. He was a false favorite.
Gamine indicated she was vulnerable with her last out effort. She was fully extended to hold off Lake Avenue. The Tapit
filly can hardly be considered a top class sprinter. He last win was over 8F and although she has won twice of 7F. Her
best time was 1:23+.
You do this EVERY YEAR……..fav loses…….you get excited……..
For your benefit I have reposted my pre-race BC Sprint post below. Not only did I predict that JW would not emerge the winner. I highlighted the entrant I viewed as the likely winner.
My excitement would lie in the 11/1 winner and not the 1/2 loser. It is the type of excitement that is above your pay grade. There is foresight and there is hindsight. I assume you know the difference.
BREEDERS CUP SPRINT
Can the Hard Spun colt Aloha West get up in time to secure victory in the subject sprint? I think yes!
Since Jackie’s Warrior is purported to be a Free Square and/or a single on all tickets. A comparison of their 6F record might just shed a some light :
JACKIE’S WARRIOR
Saratoga Special -1st by 3L in 1:09.62 (Led from gate to wire)
Gallant Bob – 1st by 6 3/4L in 1:08.62 (Led from gate to wire)
ALOHA WEST
Allowance -1st in 1:09.94 – (Last of 6 by 8L; won by 3/4L)
Allowance/OC – 1st in 1:09.77( Last of 7 by 4; won by a NS)
Pheonix – 2nd – 2nd in 1:8.54 (Last of 7 by 61/2L; 2nd by NK)
Well it appears the two are not in the same league, but pace makes the race. It is unlikely JW will be the early leader. Special Reserve is a gate specialist and is likely to be in front from the off. He is a 1:08+ runner that will be tough to pass. It is to be anticipated that JW and Dr Schivel will be chasing and that will make them vulnerable to an entrant with explosive acceleration in the lane. That entrant has to be Aloha West
The faster they leader and chasers go, the better it will be for Aloha West. The BC sprint has been mostly won by entrants coming from behind. Aloha West exhibited in the Pheonix that he satisfices the 1:08+ winning threshold for the sprint. The projected race set up favors a late closing sprinter and Aloha West is that, plus more.
RESULTS OF THE FIRST AND LAST HANDICAPPING CONTEST
Matthew W $28.20
Eddie F 24.60
Nelson Maan 24.60
Discopartner 18.80
Mark S 14.40
Turkoman 9.60
Bill Dawson 3.40
David S, Ms Blacktype, 1Joe P 0
Dear Steve:
I think you should have worked on a point scale like Churchill Downs. Think of all the points I would have gotten for fourth place finishes! Not to mention 2nd for Dunbar Road.
JUST KIDDING.
Congratulations to Matthew W. and all who made much much more on the day.
Lol, with the Victorian Derby on Saturday, the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, Oaks Day on Thursday and Mackinnon Stakes the following Saturday didn’t leave much time to pick longshots. I flipped coins and wherever they landed, lady luck chose.
Boy, was I ‘bug eyed’ after the Breeders’ Cup Classic, well done Matthew W.
I await the results of the post-contest blood tests.
I’m still waiting for Matthew’s split sample. I thought a contest with prizes would interest people to give their selections and have fun with it, but I was mistaken. You try something and if it doesnt work you just drop it. No harm done.
LOL. I hope it comes back negative.
I’d have submitted my picks even without prizes. Funny that the most opinionated blog followers didn’t make selections.
The most opinionated are the ones who like to knock favorites but are afraid to put their actual choices out there.
Its on it’s way, Steve….many apologies, my proctologist just called. Seems I got the address labels mixed up!!!
Proctologist? What kind of samples are you supplying? Never mind, I dont want to know.
I must say I was exhausted by the end of the day Saturday. What turned into two days of entertainment, jaw dropping wins, betting interests that weren’t and did I mention entertainment kicked my butt! I will say I lost every bet with 80% of my picks coming in 4th or 5th.
Which leaves us with three year old of the year picks. There’s a good case to be made for all of them and I have to replay their body of races before I make my selection.
Great article as always.
Thanks Joe Anne. Always best to give it a little while and analyze it carefully
Speaking of all the scratches: the 2-4-5-6 finishers in the Turf all drew in from the also eligible list. Has any horse ever won a Breeders Cup race from the also eligible list?
Breeders Cup Sprint winner? Best on paper/ race fave…..Turf? Really good gelding, likely stay here in the east….Mile? Best on paper/ fave…..Juvenile? Best on paper/fave……Filly? 4-1 Best on paper….OK and now Keeneland? Order of Australia 80-1….Glass Slippers longshot….Fire at Will never won another race so you really can’t say Del Mar had odd results—compared to……???
Gamine—showed us all year she was not the same filly as she was last year….Jackie’s Warrior— had never faced elders, was drawn inside and was in a speed battle….outside of the terrible Friday Fiasco— caused by a Breeders Cup vet— that was a pretty solid Breeders Cup, to me, at least.
hmmmm……who was that guy that said she showed bad signs?……….
Well, I made money on the race, but I can’t see what you see, I’m no expert about that, but all year she “told” me she wasn’t the same filly, her races in 2020 were spectacular….I went and saw her at Los Al, soft works, beat them by ten but it was a weak field, even Bob looked nervous, to me….she just didn’t look the same…all year….but she did put away her pace challenger Bella Sophia.
Meant BC TURF Sprint winner, was commenting on the turf race winners…
Gosh Steve, you weren’t short of opinions, all through your rant…but then you stopped cold, at picking an Eclipse Award winner—- I’ll make a pick— Essential Quality—had Medina and Essential been tied, in yearly accomplishments, I would have said Medina, but Essential had that Belmont-Jim Dandy-Travers run, which my vote! I thought all turf races were won by deserving horses, who looked best on paper, too….maybe Chad Brown’s horses weren’t hood enough? Dunbar Road lost by an inch, at least, but the Euros were better, they brought some good ones over here. Seemed like they did well at Keeneland, too.
What opinions did I make and where did rant? And I dont commit to an opinion after one day. I like to think about it until I feel I’m making the right decision.
Del Mar is not my favorite track, either, It’s been more than 40 years since I’ve been there….but I thought they did a good job, again….Breeders Cup trying to blame CHRB for the Friday debacle, I’m no fan of the CHRB, but I don’t recall that EVER happening, at a Cali track.
Not my favorite track for sure, but far from a rant. Vet is main blame for making such a hasty call without knowing what happened. e was scratched for only about 2 minutes I believe. Im sure that CHRB rule will never be tested like that again. Juat a strange turn of events
Multiple explanations from multiple sources were circulated to the press after, updated within minutes. You’d think there were ten pointing fingers on each hand. I thought the best view came from jockey Buick: “It was unfortunate how it happened…but letting him run was the only fair outcome.”
But what you think matters to all of us! I’m still taking it all in.
Patience. As I said I am pondering it. The BC was only 2 days ago
Steve good analysis as always. I always have trouble handicapping California so I can’t comment on Del Mar. I lost money over the 2 days but had several picks do well. As for 3yo Eclipse winner – you have ESENTIAL QUALITY with the best body of work. But MEDINA SPIRIT beat him heads up the two times they met. LIFE IS GOOOD looks like the real deal and I feel he may be the best of them all. He beat MEDINA SPIRIT twice and had the best result of the 3yos on BC Sat. But unfortunately he was handled wisely and not rushed back. So his resume is lacking depth. Glad you reserved judgement as today the media likes to make snap judgements immediately after the event. I love the Breeders’ Cup but I grew up in NY and loved the Fall Championship SEASON. It was like the Triple Crown with repeated showdowns in several divisions.