1) Awesome handicapping by alot of people on the board today. Thanks to everyone for all of the thoughts
2) I saw where some were questioning why PVal didn\'t have a big cap mount and why Baffert \"picked\" Chantal over PVal. Gary Stevens gave a great explanation on this very issue on HRTV. PVal can\'t get below 119 and there were only 2 horses in the race that were weighted above that. Stevens said he had the same issue in some of the handicaps at the end of his career and he missed a few races because of that. It was an interesting discussion. I think Stevens does a good job commentating.
Agree on the Points but I think Baffert also said Jill was pusing him to use Chantel. Anyone would have to admit for a live horse in a $1M Race it was an unusual choice but the stretch run did make ESPN News this morning.
Giggles and Pretty Smiles in the Winners Circle never hurt anything!
If you don\'t think she\'s a good rider you haven\'t been watching. All things considered I would rather she was on a horse I\'m betting out there than anyone else except maybe Talamo-- she\'s at least as good, and doesn\'t take jock money, so you get a better price.
And her ability to relax this horse worked out rather well.
TGJB,
I don\'t think she is bad and I have been watching. That said, you have her (and Talamo for that matter) over Gomez, Bejarano and Rosario, when say you would rather have her \"out there\"?
That seems like a stretch.
If I\'m getting the same odds, it would be 1-- Gomez (forgot about him), 2-- Talamo, 3-- Her and the other guys. But everything else being equal you\'ll get maybe 30% more price with her.
And just like Del Mar the summer before last, Gomez has produced some very good prices in races other than the feature. With the small fields issue still evident in spite of the dirt track, I find that the only time I play that track anymore is when I can find Gomez in a race with a heavy favorite where he figures. A few weeks ago, he paid $46 to win in the second race and $46 in the DD. It is not uncommon and I will miss him when he leaves for Keeneland, CD and New York.
WOW, I put up 2 Posts in a Week, all fairly postive, and look what I get!
I didnt say she wasnt a good rider i just didnt realize she had become a GoTo Rider in a $1M Grade one. My DRF listed John Velasquez as the Rider. But I guess he decided to stay at GP to ride A Trip for BJ in The Honey Fox!