Anybody see what it was? Thinking she might be a force to be rekoned with now that she has Ramon milking her speed on the front end at the right distances.
100 per DRF site. she looked awful good going 1m
She might have the right guy on her.now. Romans is usually pretty loyal to the locals he usually rides but this guy (Ramon) is riding at a whole other level right now. I mean race in and race out is there anyone close??
Also have seen these speed types who get good and keep stretching out. I know it was a one turn mile with the inside post and she was the primary speed. But she rattled off three consecutive quarters in 23 flat after that opener in 23 and 2. Gonna be tough to run down if replicated....
Silver,
I knew it wouldn\'t be long before we started disagreeing again. Not sure if you focus on the NY circuit, but if you do/did but Ramon has been riding relatively poorly for the past month. (relative to his high standards).
Now, he was \"in the zone\" on Saturday, as he and Prado both clearly realized that with the rails down and the grass hard down on the inside that the front was the place to be all day on the grass course. His ride in the race before the Belmont was awesome. So, maybe he is out of his \"mini-slump\".
As for Tapitsfly, I loved this horse before the race, as I posted here, but going forward I would be careful about putting too much emphasis on the races and figures that any front-running grass horses ran on Saturday. Speed was really really good on the turf.
Good luck,
Jim
Silver,
Dominguez took advantage of a very firm course guiding Tapitsfly.A common slug(20k claimer) won the 12th at 6f on the grass in 1 07.3 confirming the very firm course and phony raw times.
Tap kinda paired, WM slight new top maybe(lost ground turn), Hungry Island against dynamics, no chance.Will be interesting when they meet again, going longer, on the SPA grass which is usually not as firm and as kind to speed.
Mike
Miff - I have to say that while I\'m not interested in a sensitivity workshop here, your constant references to \"common slugs\" and \"New York bred rats\" or whatever really baffle me. You seem very knowledgeable and I like reading your posts but it sounds like you don\'t really have any affection for horses? The horse in the 12th ran a good race and won! If you want to make your point about a $20K claimer running that time I think that\'s cool. But the \"common slugs\" thing is jarring to me. Plus every once in awhile a \"common slug\" does something really great and moves up and wins a stake. It does happen. That\'s part of what TG is all about, spotting this potential.
I take my kids to the Belmont Fun Fair once in awhile. You should meet me there and I\'ll buy you a ride on one of the ponies. I want you to get out and pet a horse today! We are betting on noble beasts who give their all and we should appreciate that. I\'ll get you some oats or an apple and you can feed one of the ponies too. Be nicer to the horses, even the cheap ones! A little respect for even the lowliest nag does not hurt!
HP
HP,
$13 billion of tough money a year being gambled, many losing their shirts, the game is far from pony rides.
Owned more common slugs than I care to remember.Buy a few and get bills that eat you alive, you won\'t be taking your kids for pony rides.
Mike
I\'m glad you\'re enjoying yourself so much! I\'m cracking up now. Most people pick hobbies and interests that make them happy, but one thing I\'ve observed over the years is that many folks that go to the track every day are not that happy at all! I should\'ve got into stamp collecting.
I\'m going to start a charity fund to give kids free pony rides and call it
MIFF\'S FUND OF LOVE FOR COMMON SLUGS
HP
HP,
Seriously, you\'ve been around the game. You know what horses/athletes are called at the track/sporting events by irate fans.
Think I\'m much kinder,gentler than most :)
Good luck, try not to bet on any @%&%#...types!...Better?
Mike
HP, if my recall is functioning properly, you had a great line on this subject some years back. Your sine qua non for the functioning horseplayer? \"An indifference to human suffering.\" Classic!
There you go! That\'s as far as the sensitivity workshop will go today. Good luck man and someday I\'m getting you that pony ride! HP
Magic - Yes, thanks. There are days it is masochism in its purest form. My kids have now picked up on this thing with my mother where she says horse racing is cruel, so now I get heckled at home when I watch the Belmont replays off my TiVO. Just to top things off. HP
Miff and Jimbo it all sounds good to me. Sounds like another decent price in the making. This mare has heart and isnt afraid to slug it out. How far she can go in a Grade 1 under any kind of circumstances remains to be seen.
But I have seen these controlling speed types get good with age and keep on going. She won her BC Juvy race at 2, now she is 5 and still going....In this day and age of racing show the Lady a little more respect.....wink!
Paulick Report;
An Open Letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Dear Gov. Cuomo,
I'm sorry you were unable to attend Saturday's 144th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. While everyone was disappointed with the news on Friday that Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another would be unable to run because of the early onset of an injury to a tendon in his left front leg, there is an old show-biz expression that "the show must go on."
It did, and what a show it was!
Had you been at Belmont Park, you might have noticed an upbeat, well-behaved and youthful crowd of 85,811 who – with or without a Triple Crown on the line – came to celebrate one of the great sporting traditions in New York state. They handicapped, wagered and cheered with enthusiasm throughout the 13-race card. Nearly every seat at Belmont Park was full on Saturday, an exception being the one in the Trustees Room reserved for you. Fans packed the track apron, the backyard, and the area around the saddling area and walking ring to get a glimpse of these magnificent Thoroughbreds.
On this wonderful afternoon, the most magnificent of them all was the Belmont winner, a colt named Union Rags, who made his name in New York last summer, winning the Saratoga Special not far from your upstate home in Albany and then romping in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park during the fall meeting.
Governor, I know family is important to you, so you might want to know that the father of Union Rags, Dixie Union, raced in New York. So did his grandfather, Dixieland Band, and his great-grandfather, Northern Dancer, who came to the Belmont in 1964 with a chance to sweep the Triple Crown. The mother of Union Rags, a filly named Tempo, raced in New York, too, as did his grandmother, Terpsichorist. His maternal grandfather was a horse named Gone West, who won some big races in New York. Gone West was trained by a fellow from Kentucky named Woodford Cefis Stephens. The Kentuckian made good in the big city, winning the Belmont Stakes five consecutive years in the 1980s. In fact, the lyrics from "New York, New York," sung by the guy from Hoboken, N.J. ("If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere..."), I think they were inspired by old Woody Stephens.
The thing is, New York racing was, and still is, a very big deal. Not just to the politicians up in Albany, and not just to the people who enjoy watching and wagering on the sport, or the tens of thousands of New Yorkers whose livelihoods depend on it. But people in Kentucky, where the horse is king, also are dependent upon a healthy New York Thoroughbred industry.
By not being able to attend the Belmont, you missed an opportunity to meet some extraordinary people.
Let's start with Michael Matz, the trainer of Union Rags. He is what some people might call a true American hero. You may have heard of the story of the United Airlines flight that crashed into an Iowa cornfield in July 1989, claiming 111 lives. Matz and his fiancée (now wife D.D.) survived the disaster, but instead of fleeing to save his own life as the plane burned, he led four children to safety. Seven years later, as a United States Olympic equestrian, he was given the honor of carrying the American flag during the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.
Then there is jockey John Velazquez, who is living what immigrant families for many generations have referred to as the "American Dream." You surely know about that, since grandparents on both your mother and father\'s side of the family emigrated to America from Italy, and through hard work the Cuomo and Raffa families have done quite well.
Velazquez, born in Puerto Rico, came to the United States, worked hard, and has risen to the top of his profession, the ultimate recognition coming in just a couple of months when he will be inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Johnny V. has a beautiful family, and he is not only successful in his given profession, but gives back to it. He is the chairman of the Jockeys' Guild – the organization that represents the men and women who participate in this most dangerous occupation – and is a tireless advocate and board member of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, which offers assistance to riders who have suffered serious racing accidents.
Phyllis Wyeth, the breeder and owner of the Belmont Stakes winner, is what I would call an "American original." She has done some amazing work in her life: among other things, founding the Herring Gut Learning Center in Maine, a school dedicated to educating students – many of them at-risk – about aquaculture and environmental issues; supporting numerous environmental causes in various states; and serving on the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
As a young adult, she was struck by a young, idealistic Massachusetts Democratic politician named John F. Kennedy, who had lofty expectations, not only for himself but for his country. She worked on his staff, first when he was a U.S. Senator and later as President of the United States, until she was seriously injured in an automobile accident that eventually left her confined to a wheelchair.
If you'd been at Belmont Park, perhaps Mrs. Wyeth would have shared some memories with you about what "Camelot" was like. But no worries. I think you'll have another chance to meet her at Saratoga later this summer. I hope you'll take the opportunity to do so.
Governor, quite frankly, you seem angry about this horse racing business, and I don't fully understand why. It's not just about the wealthy, conservative Republicans who have controlled the New York Racing Association for so many years, the people you and your father before you have battled with. You've won the battle, accomplishing what your father Mario, who also served as New York governor, couldn't do: a state takeover of horse racing from the NYRA board of trustees.
A government-run horse racing industry scares me. All I have to do is think of how poorly the state's off-track betting system – controlled by politicians and their cronies – has been operated, competing against instead of cooperating with the racing industry. NYRA has been far from perfect, but it has survived that corrupt OTB system and a sometimes hostile state government. It has even survived bankruptcy and financially challenging times that have prevented sorely needed capital improvements to its racing facilities.
I hope you'll stop focusing on the racing elite, those people who have controlled the game in New York for so long. Our industry is as diverse as the sidewalks of New York. Visit the backstretch of a racetrack sometime, the breeding farms, the horse sales. All of us – not just New Yorkers, but people throughout America who make our living in this game – are depending on you to do the right thing.
Miff-- That was a good one, especially \"except for the seat reserved for you\" line. Paulick is all right.
JB,
Don\'t need to be a genius to note pisano Gov.Cuomo not a friend of the elitist Republicans who have controlled racing for so long.Gov making an error lumping together all of racing with those people with whom he and his father have/had issues with.
Cuomo\'s recent interview where he stated the monies given to racing from slots and future casinos should be \"revisited\" sent shock waves throughout NY racing.
Several significant non NY racing outfits looking to permanently relocate to NY,checking housing and schools.Two of the best non NY riders were also exploring relocating to NY with families.
Purse estimates under the current formula with full casinos unbelievable.Many that I know looking to re enter the game with serious new capital to take a shot at a new business model than can break even/turn a profit with modest success, based on projected purses.
All above on hold awaiting clarification of what Cuomo will do. Very nice dedicated mid level career people at NYRA going to work each day in fear of the uncertainty.
Powerful politicians close to Cuomo looking to redirect money away from racing or give it no more.What looked tremendously promising for NY racing just a few months ago, totally uncertain today.
A small ray of hope in that one NYRA board member whose blood runs racing red, tight with Cuomo,raised big money for campaign.
Mike
Well, that just goes to show how opinions can differ. I think this piece is hackneyed, sanctimonious crap. It sounds like something you\'d hear from a tenth-rate city councilman at a pancake breakfast. I\'d love for you to get Christiane\'s thoughts on it.
\"she was struck by a young, idealistic Massachusetts Democratic politician named John F. Kennedy, who had lofty expectations, not only for himself but for his country.\"
He has got to be kidding.
Wrong side of bed?
Paulick does have some good things to say.
But agree with Rich, some of it is a little over the top. The quote he mentioned lays it on a little thick.
No. Just reread Magicnight\'s work. It makes everybody look bad by comparison. But this Paulick thing was bloody awful. The environment has to be very barren indeed for something like this to be singled out for praise.
Under ordinary circumstances it would be over the top. I think what he\'s trying to do is counter the negative press racing has been getting by showing some of the good stories.
Speaking of negative press, there\'s an UNBELIEVABLE story about the drug cartels getting into quarter horse racing in todays Times.
\"Speaking of negative press, there\'s an UNBELIEVABLE story about the drug cartels getting into quarter horse racing in todays Times\"
You ain\'t kidding!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/us/drug-money-from-mexico-makes-its-way-to-the-racetrack.html?hpw
This part is straight out of the best of Elmore Leonard:
Mr. Villarreal was an unlikely horseman, the socially awkward son of a bookkeeper and teacher known for his build and bottomless appetite as "El Gordo," or "Fatso." He began attending auctions as a child, and developed an uncanny ability to spot horses that may not have come from the best lineage, but whose stride or attitude suggested an exceptional capacity for speed.
Mr. Villarreal's parents said he started buying horses as a teenager, mostly borrowing from relatives and friends. Still, he never seemed to have enough to purchase the kinds of horses that could compete for major prizes. Nor did the strikingly effeminate man ever develop the social skills needed to fit into the macho world of breeders and trainers.
In some ways, said one friend, he stopped trying. For awhile, he named his horses after runway models — like Campbell, as in Naomi, and Elle, as in Macpherson — because he was captivated by women's fashion.
You left out the part about the guy who specializes in dismembering people while they are still alive. Elmore Leonard indeed.
Geez - waxing poetic about a great day at the races ... From what I saw, it was a missed opportunity to turn racing guests into racing fans. It was bad enough that you couldnt bring your own suds in but to charge $10 - $15 for one of their warm cans was a bit more than anyone should have to take. And most of the bars ran out of booze before the Manhattan. And paper towel ... And TP for anyone brave enough to take a ... Luckily for us we knew who was on the take and they watched our coolers left behind from the day before. Funny though that they didnt try to rape the regulars in the Saloon, if you were silly enough to try and get a drink from the worlds slowest barkeep ... Having lived just on the other side of the backstretch while going to HS on the other, I would say I know to navigate that place as well as anyone. Probably not NYRA\'s issue but couldnt get any mobile service so had use the SAM machines. I had an awesome time as did my friends. However if I was a 1st timer the experience wouldnt have me coming back. I know its hard to put on a show 1 day a year, but they can and have to do better. Ahhhh 24 racing days and 39 sunrises till the SPAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !
Paulick obviously not trying for a literary masterpiece but rather to send a subtle message to Cuomo.Guy snubbed the country\'s biggest racing event in many years,prior to IHA scratching,in his home state.
If you follow NY racing closely, it is not crystal clear that Cuomo will not throw racing under the bus.Coumo\'s current body language isn\'t that promising for racing,Paulick knows that.
The ultra-violent Mexican drug lord could be expected. The pansy pinhooker? Not so much.
TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wrong side of bed?
Had to be. You should have seen what he wrote about Neil Young earlier today, and he loves Neil Young.
In fairness, this piece was top heavy with schmaltz. I heard echoes of political speeches at national conventions in Presidential nominating season. I may be wrong, but Cuomo doesn\'t strike me as a sentimentalist. Distill it to the bottom line and put it on his desk in the morning.
miff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JB,
>
> A small ray of hope in that one NYRA board member
> whose blood runs racing red, tight with
> Cuomo,raised big money for campaign.
>
>
> Mike
Enlighten us, if you would . . .
TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Under ordinary circumstances it would be over the
> top. I think what he\'s trying to do is counter the
> negative press racing has been getting by showing
> some of the good stories.
>
> Speaking of negative press, there\'s an
> UNBELIEVABLE story about the drug cartels getting
> into quarter horse racing in todays Times.
Understand why they ran with it, given their prevailing posture.
The fact that they went out of their way to make sure the hed ran above the fold on 1A confirmed their commitment to their sustained agenda . . .
Top,
No secret that Gov.Cuomo at least eyeing Presidential run. Every move he makes will be carefully politically orchestrated.Close advisors may see more political capital gained by redirecting money from racing(present and future) to say school lunch programs or senior citizen programs(both being cut in past few years)Cuomo has recently sounded that alarm to racing.
Unlike his predecessors,Gov.Cuomo not linked to powerful upstate Republican racing families and has no love for the game, demonstrated more than once.As mentioned, one gent in his political circle is totally pro racing, loves the game and is in for like $100 million,runners,farm, stallions,broodmares, the works.Money totally secondary to this gent.Body language and recent statements by Gov.Cuomo has many in the NY racing game concerned.
Strong Gov with White House aspirations can makes lots of promises to sway pro racing Albany crowd to his side if necessary.No one knows what will happen,politicians change every day and hopefully he will leave the game alone.
Mike
Didn\'t take too long for agent Ronnie Ebanks to figure out where all the money will be. Joel Rosario heading to NY.
Rosario,like Mike Smith,a bum,....errr loses ground, recommend you do not bet on him.
Bejarano(heard he was thinking of coming too)inherits control of Cali jock colony if he stays put.
As long as they can get back in good graces out West when the Winter meet starts at Santa Anita it makes sense. But Saratoga is very competitive and Breeders Cup success going from East to West has not be good.
So Jock Agent Eubanks decides to choose from the bikini clad beaches of Del Mar for the mineral spa baths of Saratoga. A little surprised....