From the \"Can you keep a secret?\" Department...
Did anyone hear before today, that BC officials will be announcing a new race order for Cup Day tomorrow?
How did this manage to wait until now for revelation?
\"Breeders\' Cup officials have an interesting decision to make regarding the scheduling of the $1 million Sprint and the star animal of the day, the undefeated Lost in the Fog. If Breeders\' Cup officials opt to leave the Sprint out of the pick six - which will have a guaranteed pool of $3 million - then it will be run during the first hour of NBC\'s 4 1/2-hour telecast. NBC officials would most likely want the Sprint positioned later on the card in order to keep viewer interest. The Sprint has never been run later than the fourth Cup race of the day.\"
Ka,
I think I heard this a while ago. What\'s the scandal?
None Mike.. I just have gotten plenty used to the flow of the day and had already begun to formulate some multi-race \'concepts\' based on who I already expect to run. Can\'t blame them for wanting to maximize the \'Pick\' pools, but this took me by surprise.
I LIKE THIS
distaff
juv
f/m turf
juv
mile turf
sprint
turf classic
classic
Think they are just trying to maximize profits. Race order will affect handle to some degree. I don\'t know how the fields are shaping up, but if they get a weak race, they will probably move it up front, out of the bigger late exotic pools. And as HP noted, TV audience is a factor as well.
The sprint use to be the 1st race of the BC races, I don\'t know what year this was changed.
Kev:
My memory is that the Sprint was moved to the first race of the BC Card the year after a Mark Reid trained horse (Mr. President?) fell, broke his neck, and eventually had to be euthanized.
The thinking at the time was that the Sprint always attracted the largest fields (don\'t know if this is true anymore) and was the most roughly run of all the races (kind of a general statement). If this was their thinking, maybe the idea was to run the race during a time in the day before TV viewership reached a peak.
Since TV is the tail that wags the dog when it comes to sports, expect the Sprint to be run whenever NBC wants it to be run. Guessing the Peacock sees the Lost in the Fog as one of the high-interest stories of the day, and one they\'ll want to \"save\" for near the end of the telecast, so expecting the Sprint to be run late in the card.
Richiebee,
I think it might have been Mr. Nickerson, not Mr. President. I know Mr. Nickerson died in the race at Belmont around 1990. Don\'t know of a Mr. President.
Right you are, Jimbo.
I think MRS President was a 5K claimer that Mark Reid had about 20 years ago.
Easy to see how I confused them, no?
I believe there was another fatality in the race, Shaker Knit or Shaker Ridge. An ugly day...
It was Shaker Knit.
That was the same day that Go For Wand died as well, after finally passing Bayakoa after a race long battle.
It was a very strange and sad BC day. I remember having two winners, Bayakoa (who shouldn\'t have won) and Safely Kept (who also shouldn\'t have won). After setting a quick pace, Safely kept was collared in deep stretch by Dayjur and Dayjur poked a head in front and appeared to be on his way to win, but then he jumped either a tire track or a shadow or something, which allowed Safely Kept to just get her nose down first, because of the lost momentum of Dayjur.
Right again, Jimbo.
I had a decent size wager on Dayjur, the Euro sprint champion, who was trying dirt for the first time.
Some friends and I went to Yonkers Raceway for the simo (this was before online wagering). That was my first and last visit to that wonderful facility.
I have never been to a live BC. I may go this year. The day has not been heavily promoted by NYRA (advertising funds tapped out?), and there is not really a charismatic presence to attract the casual racing fan, who may never have heard of LITF or St. Liam, and Bel may not be so crowded.
The only story compelling enough to attract casual fan interest would have been if Afleet Alex could have made it back, which was always an unlikely scenario to me. He would have gone to the Detention Barn directly from the hyperbaric chamber.
Mr. Nickerson is one of my favorite horses ever.. And I\'ve gotten to know Mark Reid in the last few years, which I really consider a privledge.
As some may know, he\'s had a horrible time the last year+ since the drowning accident death of his son. He\'s been very involved with every aspect of Saint Liam\'s career, and he\'ll be one I\'ll \"root\" for next Saturday.
Here\'s a recollection of that brutal day in 1990 which I wrote for my Derby Trail site in 2003.
MINOR PHILY PARK STAKE EVOKES MEMORIES
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/DerbyTrail/message/162
I could be wrong, but I vaguely recall from William Nack\'s book \"Secretariat\" that Mr. Nickerson died at the same farm where Secretariat was at stud. HP
HP,
You must have him confused. Mr. Nickerson was put down right on the track that day.
Yes, Jimbo. A rare instance of HP being confused. He has otherwise been spot-on lately.
Mr Nickerson and Go for Wand were both put down that day. Shaker Knit was either paralyzed, in shock, or both, and was put down the following day.
I got my tickets today, and there was a flyer with the post-times:
A couple of Grade 3\'s will run at noon and 12:35, and the BC races are as follows:
Distaff - 1:20
Juv Fillies - 1:55
Mile - 2:35
Sprint - 3:10
F&M Turf - 3:45
Juvenile - 4:20
Turf - 4:55
Classic - 5:35
Roughly the usual order. The Sprint moved up.
I got my tickets too with the same brocheure. It looked like the regular order. Im trying to figure out where the Sprint moved up Magicnight.....it is the same order it was the past few years.
-Bull
It\'s been written that the actual order will be released tomorrow. That is not it.
http://bc.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=30539
NC Tony
They may run them this way - if they want to maximize handle with all of those turf players out there - like me.
Distaff
Juv Fillies
Sprint
Juvenile
Mile
Filly & Mare
Turf
Classic
I\'m putting money on the sprint being the 6 th race. Folowed by the Turf Classic then Classic.
NC Tony
Jake---
I doubt that they will put 3 turf races in a row...but I wouldn\'t mind it.
Good Luck,
Joe B.
I defer to you on this one, Bull. I thought they had taken the Sprint out of the Pick 6 some time ago. Problem is, my memory is better for 1990 than for 2004.
Here it is..
Babies open the program..
Distaff moved into line with Turf & Classic..
--$1 million Alberto VO5 Breeders\' Cup Juvenile Fillies, 1:20 p.m.
--$1.5 million Bessmer Trust Breeders\' Cup Juvenile, 1:55 p.m.
--$1 million Emirates Airline Breeders\' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, 2:35 p.m.
--$1 million TVG Breeders\' Cup Sprint, 3:10 p.m.
--$1.5 million NetJets Breeders\' Cup Mile, 3:45 p.m.
--$2 million Emirates Airline Breeders\' Cup Distaff, 4:20 p.m.
--$2 million John Deere Breeders\' Cup Turf, 4:55 p.m.
--$4 million Breeders\' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge, 5:35 p.m.
They finally got smart and put the 2 Juvenile races at the beginning.
Weakest Sprint I have ever seen. THE BC TURF will be a barn burner.
Good Luck,
Joe B.
I think it\'s interesting that the Sprint contains so many quality milers/mid distance horses like Roman Ruler, High Fly, Imperialism, Silver Train, Lion Tamer and Gygistar.
good to see the distaff in the pk6. ashado is the big favorite, and she will go off in the 3-1 range. some strong contenders in the 7-1 to 10-1 range.
>THE BC TURF will be a barn burner.
I sure hope not.
I like what they did, now the late pick 4 is playable for me now. I hate when they had both the baby races in both of the pick 4.
Yes Class,
The \"problem\" with the Sprint is that it SHOULD be an opportunity to bet against LITF as an underpriced favorite, with only moderate figures. However, there is almost zero quality speed in the sprint. Who exactly are the quick horses that will run early with LITF? (He will be saving ground on the lead through relatively moderate fractions for a BC Sprint race).
Where are Meafara or Groovy or Safely Kept?
Unfortunately, Jimbo, no babes in the Sprint at all this year. They\'ve provided some great moments in the Sprint-- Very Subtle, Desert Stormer, Meafara, Safely Kept, and if my short term memory doesn\'t fail me, a very valiant Xtra Heat.
There aren\'t any high quality one dimensional speeds in the Sprint to challenge LITF, but I think there are enough quality pressers to ensure an honest pace. If someone did go crazy on the lead though, LITF does have that one 7F race in the Swale where he rated just off the pace and ran well. I don\'t think he will beat himself. Someone is going to have to outrun him. I think there\'s a few high quality horses in the race, but 6F is going to make it tough on them.