Horse Racing for 2009 - Page 18

classicman2 · 10-28-09, 10:42 PM

It looks like Zenyatta will run in the classic - at least that's what DRF & HRTV says.

classicman2 · 11-03-09, 05:08 PM

A field of 13 for the Classic.

Zenyatta drew post 4. Summer Bird drew post 5.

I believe they were both 5-2 on the ML. Quality Road was somewhat of a surprise - 12-1.

Take the ML with a grain of salt. Jon White (HRTV) sets the ML. He's been known to favor the California horses somewhat.

Correction: Summer Bird is at 9/2. Rip Van Winkel is the second betting choice.

Maxflier · 11-04-09, 01:37 AM

Quality Road is my pick to win the Classic. Would love to see Zenyatta win it and go out on top, though.
And I would love to be proven wrong but I don't think Summer Bird has any chance of winning because of the surface.

Red Dog · 11-04-09, 08:30 AM

Has Quality Road ever won on synthetic? Has he ever won at this distance?

classicman2 · 11-04-09, 08:55 AM

The main problem with Quality Road is that he's not the only front-running speed horse in the field. There is Regal Ransom also. I think Quality Road's only real chance at winning is to get out front & try to 'steal' the race.

I don't know about Rip Van Winkel. I've heard some questions as to whether he is a mile & a quarter horse. Therefore, I believe the two horses to beat are Summer Bird & Gio Ponti. Gio Ponti is a really good bet at 12-1, IMO. As far as Summer Bird is concerned - I would feel far more confident about his chances if he were running on dirt. However, his trainer says he's handling the surface quite well. But again, Curlin's trainer believed he was handling the surface quite well. It turned out it didn't handle it too well.

Zenyatta has never run against the boys. She's never run 1 1/4 miles. She's not accustomed to running in 13-horse fields. I would be shocked if she won. I've been shocked before, however. She's also never run against this overall quality of a field.

Red Dog · 11-04-09, 09:05 AM

Damn - I tend to like Gio Ponti too, particularly at that price.

That's all true about Zenyatta, but she is great on this surface. After seeing the results from last year, I don't know how one can bet any horse that has only ever won on dirt. So that's the best starting point - throw out the dirt horses w/o synthetic experience/success.

Now Quality Road at the bottom of an exotic, maybe.

Red Dog · 11-04-09, 03:42 PM

Here's the schedule:
http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=27681

I'll be in Vegas. Probably will only bet/watch the Ladies Classic, the "Dirt" Mile, and the Classic since those are the only races that I'm familiar with the horses. That's the great thing about Zenyatta running with the boys - allows one to bet on the Ladies Classic.

classicman2 · 11-07-09, 10:23 AM

What is a little surprising is that none of the so-called experts (that I've heard on TV) have mentioned Summer Bird as a possibility. Some of the folks at he gaming center definitely believe he has a real shot at winning.

wildcatlh · 11-07-09, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxflier

Quality Road is my pick to win the Classic. Would love to see Zenyatta win it and go out on top, though.
And I would love to be proven wrong but I don't think Summer Bird has any chance of winning because of the surface.

There goes that. Never quite seen anything like that before in ~20 years of watching racing.

classicman2 · 11-07-09, 07:01 PM

She did exactly what I said she couldn't do.

I think she'll probably win HOY.

wildcatlh · 11-07-09, 07:02 PM

Wow. Saw her got cut off at the first part of her run and figured she had no chance.

Quake1028 · 11-07-09, 08:44 PM

What a magnificent horse. She deserves HoY.

Maxflier · 11-07-09, 08:46 PM

All hail Queen Zenyatta
What an exciting race!

classicman2 · 11-07-09, 09:08 PM

See how quickly people forget?

Rachel is now old news.

I saw Todd Pletcher being interviewed. He was asked what was the best thing that's happened to horse racing in the past few years - and, what is the worst thing.

best - the ascendency of the female horses

worst - synthetics

Biggest disappointment in the Breeders' Cup - Rip Van Winkel. What did he finish - 10th.

Maybe they'll consider bringing Zenyatta back next year for the Dubai World Cup. It's going to be run on the new racing facility with a synthetic track. The purse may be 12 million dollars.

I was happy to see a Ken Ramsey horse ($35.000 claiming horse) win the Dirt Mile (what a joke). Horse racing needs more people like the Ramseys.

Maxflier · 11-07-09, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildcatlh

There goes that. Never quite seen anything like that before in ~20 years of watching racing.

That was a very scary situation. He always acts up before he loads but he just went absolutely berserk today. Very lucky that the gate guy was able to keep hold of him because he damn near broke loose blindfolded and with no rider. And that would have ended very horrifically.

classicman2 · 11-07-09, 10:35 PM

I wonder if the owner & Pletcher will decide to run Quality Road next year?

I don't be noise makers that the loaders were using helped the situation any.

classicman2 · 11-08-09, 11:17 AM

"She beat the heck out of us," said Eoin Harty, the trainer of Colonel John, who finished fifth in the Classic. "That was probably the greatest performance I've ever seen. Fantastic. I'm happy and proud for Zenyatta and glad I was here to see that. I never saw Secretariat run but I've never seen anything like her. I'm really torn when it comes to the Horse of the Year. I'm probably Zenyatta's biggest fan, but it's also hard to forget what Rachel Alexandra did. If ever there was a year to split the award, this is it."

Do you believe that happen - split award?

Maxflier · 11-08-09, 01:56 PM

I'd have no problem with a split award, but if it were up to me I would give it to Rachel. She ran more races and a more aggressive campaign overall. As opposed to Zenyatta who sat home in California all year beating up on the ladies, except for her ultra impressive Classic victory (on her home field) against the boys.
But bottom line, both horses are deserving and I actually hope it does end up as a split award.

classicman2 · 11-08-09, 02:16 PM

If memory serves me correctly (and it probably doesn't) there was one split award in the past.

I don't put a great deal of stock in the Eclipse Awards. Example: The year before last Todd Pletcher won the trainer award. I believe most racing people thought it should have gone to Steve Asmussen.

I do agree that Rachel ran a far more aggressive campaign than did Zenyatta - winning at Oaklawn Park (2 occasions), The Fair Grounds (New Orleans), Churchill Downs, Pimlico, Monmouth Park, & Saratoga. Have I left any out?

classicman2 · 11-08-09, 02:20 PM

I forgot - she won The Mother Goose at Belmont Park.

classicman2 · 11-09-09, 12:35 PM

Summer Bird will run in the Japan Cup Dirt 12/7/09. The purse is about $3 million. American horses haven't had a great of success in that race.

Speaking of purses - I thought the Breeders' Cup purses were guaranteed purses. They're not. The Classic purses was about $4.5 million.

Red Dog · 11-11-09, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Dog

Damn - I tend to like Gio Ponti too, particularly at that price.

That's all true about Zenyatta, but she is great on this surface. After seeing the results from last year, I don't know how one can bet any horse that has only ever won on dirt. So that's the best starting point - throw out the dirt horses w/o synthetic experience/success.

Now Quality Road at the bottom of an exotic, maybe.

I told you all to throw out QR.

I went with Gio Ponti on a WPS, so I got a somewhat decent payout. Would have been much nicer if the lady wasn't there. Great come-from-behind performance. HOTY voting should be interesting - this was the one scenario that I envisioned in which Rachel might not win.

classicman2 · 11-12-09, 04:14 PM

I had a really good 2 days betting on the The Breeders' Cup.

I won $28.00 Friday, and lost $500+ Saturday.

Red Dog · 11-12-09, 04:18 PM

I came out ahead. Not by much but I only bet on 3 races: the Ladies Classic, the Dirt Mile, and the Classic.

classicman2 · 11-15-09, 11:54 AM

Gulf Stream Park is trying to entice Rachel & Zenyatta to run in the Donn Handicap - I believe it's run on the 6th of February. The enticement, I assume, is money.

Sam Houston Park is doing the same thing. The enticement is a purse of $2 million.

10-28-09, 10:42 PM	#426
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 It looks like Zenyatta will run in the classic - at least that's what DRF & HRTV says.

11-03-09, 05:08 PM	#427
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 A field of 13 for the Classic. Zenyatta drew post 4. Summer Bird drew post 5. I believe they were both 5-2 on the ML. Quality Road was somewhat of a surprise - 12-1. Take the ML with a grain of salt. Jon White (HRTV) sets the ML. He's been known to favor the California horses somewhat. Correction: Summer Bird is at 9/2. Rip Van Winkel is the second betting choice. Last edited by classicman2; 11-03-09 at 05:31 PM.

11-04-09, 01:37 AM	#428
Maxflier DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Louisiana Posts: 5,910	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 Quality Road is my pick to win the Classic. Would love to see Zenyatta win it and go out on top, though. And I would love to be proven wrong but I don't think Summer Bird has any chance of winning because of the surface. __________________ My DVD / HD DVD / Blu-Ray Collection My Game Collection XBOX Live Gamertag:Maxflier PSN:Maxflier My Countdown Counting down to: The first Saturday in May. 158 days 15 hours 11 minutes Last edited by Maxflier; 11-04-09 at 11:06 AM.

11-04-09, 08:30 AM	#429
Red Dog DVD Talk God Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Directionally Challenged (for DirecTV) Posts: 77,567	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 Has Quality Road ever won on synthetic? Has he ever won at this distance? __________________ "A question for you. Would you rather Bucknell make the NCAA's once every 20 years or so and get ass raped by teams like Kansas in the first round or have them drop down a rung to a confernce where they can compete for a title?" - Josh Hinkle 1st Round Final Scores: Bucknell 64 Kansas 63 \| Bucknell 59 Arkansas 55

11-04-09, 08:55 AM	#430
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 The main problem with Quality Road is that he's not the only front-running speed horse in the field. There is Regal Ransom also. I think Quality Road's only real chance at winning is to get out front & try to 'steal' the race. I don't know about Rip Van Winkel. I've heard some questions as to whether he is a mile & a quarter horse. Therefore, I believe the two horses to beat are Summer Bird & Gio Ponti. Gio Ponti is a really good bet at 12-1, IMO. As far as Summer Bird is concerned - I would feel far more confident about his chances if he were running on dirt. However, his trainer says he's handling the surface quite well. But again, Curlin's trainer believed he was handling the surface quite well. It turned out it didn't handle it too well. Zenyatta has never run against the boys. She's never run 1 1/4 miles. She's not accustomed to running in 13-horse fields. I would be shocked if she won. I've been shocked before, however. She's also never run against this overall quality of a field. Last edited by classicman2; 11-04-09 at 09:52 AM.

11-04-09, 09:05 AM	#431
Red Dog DVD Talk God Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Directionally Challenged (for DirecTV) Posts: 77,567	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 Damn - I tend to like Gio Ponti too, particularly at that price. That's all true about Zenyatta, but she is great on this surface. After seeing the results from last year, I don't know how one can bet any horse that has only ever won on dirt. So that's the best starting point - throw out the dirt horses w/o synthetic experience/success. Now Quality Road at the bottom of an exotic, maybe. __________________ "A question for you. Would you rather Bucknell make the NCAA's once every 20 years or so and get ass raped by teams like Kansas in the first round or have them drop down a rung to a confernce where they can compete for a title?" - Josh Hinkle 1st Round Final Scores: Bucknell 64 Kansas 63 \| Bucknell 59 Arkansas 55

11-04-09, 03:42 PM	#432
Red Dog DVD Talk God Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Directionally Challenged (for DirecTV) Posts: 77,567	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 Here's the schedule: http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=27681 I'll be in Vegas. Probably will only bet/watch the Ladies Classic, the "Dirt" Mile, and the Classic since those are the only races that I'm familiar with the horses. That's the great thing about Zenyatta running with the boys - allows one to bet on the Ladies Classic. __________________ "A question for you. Would you rather Bucknell make the NCAA's once every 20 years or so and get ass raped by teams like Kansas in the first round or have them drop down a rung to a confernce where they can compete for a title?" - Josh Hinkle 1st Round Final Scores: Bucknell 64 Kansas 63 \| Bucknell 59 Arkansas 55

11-07-09, 10:23 AM	#433
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 What is a little surprising is that none of the so-called experts (that I've heard on TV) have mentioned Summer Bird as a possibility. Some of the folks at he gaming center definitely believe he has a real shot at winning.

11-07-09, 07:01 PM	#435
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 She did exactly what I said she couldn't do. I think she'll probably win HOY.

11-07-09, 07:02 PM	#436
wildcatlh DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Work. Or commuting. Certainly not at home. Posts: 16,134	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 Wow. Saw her got cut off at the first part of her run and figured she had no chance. __________________ "An avidity to punish is always dangerous to liberty. It leads men to stretch, to misinterpret, and to misapply even the best of laws. He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." -- Thomas Paine

11-07-09, 08:44 PM	#437
Quake1028 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Hurricane Nation Posts: 21,913	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 What a magnificent horse. She deserves HoY. __________________ RIP M.L.B. 1968-2005

11-07-09, 08:46 PM	#438
Maxflier DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Louisiana Posts: 5,910	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 All hail Queen Zenyatta What an exciting race! __________________ My DVD / HD DVD / Blu-Ray Collection My Game Collection XBOX Live Gamertag:Maxflier PSN:Maxflier My Countdown Counting down to: The first Saturday in May. 158 days 15 hours 11 minutes

11-07-09, 09:08 PM	#439
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 See how quickly people forget? Rachel is now old news. I saw Todd Pletcher being interviewed. He was asked what was the best thing that's happened to horse racing in the past few years - and, what is the worst thing. best - the ascendency of the female horses worst - synthetics Biggest disappointment in the Breeders' Cup - Rip Van Winkel. What did he finish - 10th. Maybe they'll consider bringing Zenyatta back next year for the Dubai World Cup. It's going to be run on the new racing facility with a synthetic track. The purse may be 12 million dollars. I was happy to see a Ken Ramsey horse ($35.000 claiming horse) win the Dirt Mile (what a joke). Horse racing needs more people like the Ramseys. Last edited by classicman2; 11-07-09 at 09:21 PM.

11-07-09, 10:35 PM	#441
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 I wonder if the owner & Pletcher will decide to run Quality Road next year? I don't be noise makers that the loaders were using helped the situation any.

11-08-09, 11:17 AM	#442
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 "She beat the heck out of us," said Eoin Harty, the trainer of Colonel John, who finished fifth in the Classic. "That was probably the greatest performance I've ever seen. Fantastic. I'm happy and proud for Zenyatta and glad I was here to see that. I never saw Secretariat run but I've never seen anything like her. I'm really torn when it comes to the Horse of the Year. I'm probably Zenyatta's biggest fan, but it's also hard to forget what Rachel Alexandra did. If ever there was a year to split the award, this is it." Do you believe that happen - split award?

11-08-09, 01:56 PM	#443
Maxflier DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Louisiana Posts: 5,910	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 I'd have no problem with a split award, but if it were up to me I would give it to Rachel. She ran more races and a more aggressive campaign overall. As opposed to Zenyatta who sat home in California all year beating up on the ladies, except for her ultra impressive Classic victory (on her home field) against the boys. But bottom line, both horses are deserving and I actually hope it does end up as a split award. __________________ My DVD / HD DVD / Blu-Ray Collection My Game Collection XBOX Live Gamertag:Maxflier PSN:Maxflier My Countdown Counting down to: The first Saturday in May. 158 days 15 hours 11 minutes

11-08-09, 02:16 PM	#444
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 If memory serves me correctly (and it probably doesn't) there was one split award in the past. I don't put a great deal of stock in the Eclipse Awards. Example: The year before last Todd Pletcher won the trainer award. I believe most racing people thought it should have gone to Steve Asmussen. I do agree that Rachel ran a far more aggressive campaign than did Zenyatta - winning at Oaklawn Park (2 occasions), The Fair Grounds (New Orleans), Churchill Downs, Pimlico, Monmouth Park, & Saratoga. Have I left any out?

11-08-09, 02:20 PM	#445
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 I forgot - she won The Mother Goose at Belmont Park.

11-09-09, 12:35 PM	#446
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 Summer Bird will run in the Japan Cup Dirt 12/7/09. The purse is about $3 million. American horses haven't had a great of success in that race. Speaking of purses - I thought the Breeders' Cup purses were guaranteed purses. They're not. The Classic purses was about $4.5 million.

11-12-09, 04:14 PM	#448
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 I had a really good 2 days betting on the The Breeders' Cup. I won $28.00 Friday, and lost $500+ Saturday.

11-12-09, 04:18 PM	#449
Red Dog DVD Talk God Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Directionally Challenged (for DirecTV) Posts: 77,567	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 I came out ahead. Not by much but I only bet on 3 races: the Ladies Classic, the Dirt Mile, and the Classic. __________________ "A question for you. Would you rather Bucknell make the NCAA's once every 20 years or so and get ass raped by teams like Kansas in the first round or have them drop down a rung to a confernce where they can compete for a title?" - Josh Hinkle 1st Round Final Scores: Bucknell 64 Kansas 63 \| Bucknell 59 Arkansas 55

11-15-09, 11:54 AM	#450
classicman2 DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 59,844	Re: Horse Racing for 2009 Gulf Stream Park is trying to entice Rachel & Zenyatta to run in the Donn Handicap - I believe it's run on the 6th of February. The enticement, I assume, is money. Sam Houston Park is doing the same thing. The enticement is a purse of $2 million.