Going with Honor Code, despite the apparent lack of speed to contest. Keen Ice beat him too!
He looked like a Million Bucks there in the Post Parade and training very well. From a reliable source AP upon returning from The Travers had lost some weight. He was a tired horse. They think he is back on his game and he will be tough to beat. Lets hope these two are within striking distance of each other at the top of the lane and see an Epic Finish.
Silver Charm Wrote:
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> He looked like a Million Bucks there in the Post
> Parade and training very well. From a reliable
> source AP upon returning from The Travers had lost
> some weight. He was a tired horse. They think he
> is back on his game and he will be tough to beat.
> Lets hope these two are within striking distance
> of each other at the top of the lane and see an
> Epic Finish.
Well....I\'m on the schneid, so I\'m looking for a major upset. Small plays but barely sniffed today.
I like Tonalist, but in the end Honor Code has outrun him and Code is training better to my eye.
This track looks fair to me, so its a 3yo in receipt of weight with a tactical advantage vs older.
Well....they let him get away.
You were correct Silver in regard to Frosted\'s best strategy......he took back when Effinex appeared to engage and that was that.
Not enough pace.
The race was done after AP took all options away from Fraudsted leaving the gate.
Yes,
Frosted would surely have wired them with a better break.....
Please guys. What did he win by, 12? Without being touched.
Yikes. Hard to say how good the horse really is/was as circumstances and his ability didn\'t allow for too many tests.
Rob
Agree with JB that Baffert won\'t get enough credit for this horse\'s achievements. AP bottomed that field out, left them for dead, retires with a new top.
2 minutes flat time is the Real Deal. And it was a Corvette vs a group of 4x4\'s!
I was a good job by Jimmy Jerkins for essentially taking Effinex out of his normal style and putting him into the race and essentially stealing 2nd money of a cool $1M. And it was nice to see Kate Upton involved in the Winners Circle presentation as the Stars want to be seen and involved again! Big Year for racing overall....
Forget winning all those races. I would like to hear names of horses that ran well in all 3 TC races AND at Saratoga AND the BC.
There\'s a reason he has come close to winning the TC so many times.
Was there ever a more appropriately named race? Awesomeness.
> TGJB: \"There\'s a reason he has come close to winning the TC so many times.\"
Yes: Vin Baker.
JohnTChance Wrote:
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> > TGJB: \"There\'s a reason he has come close to
> winning the TC so many times.\"
>
> Yes: Vin Baker.
His vet?
What annoys me greatest is that they give a race for 5 million dollars and no speed shows up, especially knowing you don\'t gift that horse an unpressured gait. It was ridiculous. When Rosario elected to take back it was over. Figured McLaughlin would have given instructions to give himself a chance.
He did win by 6...10 over the ones most bet, thought it was interesting the place horse was also \"near\" the pace.
As for the final time, he set a track record, beating the old track record for 10 poles by about 3 full seconds. That previous track record having been set Friday by a claimer.
He deserves credit, but not gonna get too wrapped up in an odds on runaway with no contesting speed in the heat.
And congrats to those handicappers that saw an immense tactical bias and made the decision to go against their principles and take an odds on horse as their key.
Classic ending for AP\'s career running a figure equal to TG neg -4.50(Beyer 120
TF 136)
Brilliant filly Songbird running a Beyer 99 like TG 1.25 vs colt Nyquist(89 Beyer) like TG 4.25 before ground adj, was wide. Songbird derby bound?
Derby futures interesting with 2 yr old colts looking very ordinary, weakest crop, fig wise,in recent memory. No TAP or Baffert derby prospects so far.Could be a time for a horse that never started as a 2yr old to win the derby.
TG seminar well done per usual.Still think Euro grass runners tower over Americans, best day vs best day.
Easy now to question Beyer figs on Nyquist and Swipe in last 3 races out there.
Story of the day before AP\'s romp was the females at the BC. Songbird\'s time way faster than the juvenile boys, Tepin wins the mile, Found wins the turf, Lady Shipman just misses in the turf sprint and Maria B wins with Runhappy--easy to question Beyer\'s article now too (implying horse should be with a top name trainer).
Fairmount1 Wrote:
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> Easy now to question Beyer figs on Nyquist and
> Swipe in last 3 races out there.
>
> Story of the day before AP\'s romp was the females
> at the BC. Songbird\'s time way faster than the
> juvenile boys, Tepin wins the mile, Found wins the
> turf, Lady Shipman just misses in the turf sprint
> and Maria B wins with Runhappy--easy to question
> Beyer\'s article now too (implying horse should be
> with a top name trainer).
From my perspective, Runhappy\'s win was the top story of this Breeders Cup. Wonderful story. Judging by her statistics, young woman appears to have perhaps 2 horses in her stable. Runhappy alters style and wins a tough heat vs a dead game Private Zone. Mattress Mack wins his biggest race ever after having huge investment years turn into broken horses. Hopefully he\'s ok.
Been hearing talk about Songbird/Derby. But lets not forget that to make the KY Derby field Songbird will have to have the points. You dont get in with graded stakes earnings anymore. Those points are only earned in races open to colts. So she would probably have to run well against the colts in at least one prep race first, and I wouldnt think the connections would run against colts all spring. So if she were to win the SA Derby or something she would maybe go. But if she were to run 2nd in the SA Derby i doubt she would.
MJ,
Friend has a few horses with Hollendorfer,very savvy,somewhat under the radar. They will of course monitor Songbird, a tall leggy gal to see if she develops physically over the coming months while looking how the competition goes.Owner Rick Porter fairly game to try the Derby imo if she can qualify and get there, big if of course.
Mike