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Messages - Captain Stormfield

#1
Ask the Experts / Re: Elliot Safdie
May 10, 2005, 05:50:21 PM
\"Other than discussions here concerning the circumstances surrounding the figure, did anyone hear a controversy regarding the number?\"

It\'s possible Safdie is referring to James Quinn\'s timely piece in the Derby edition of Horseplayer Magazine.  Quinn touts Rockport Harbor(!) as one of only four Derby contenders, and then in a sidebar makes the case that Bellamy Road\'s 120 is inflated, working off the variant for the two preceeding sprints Wood day.  

Quinn says the \"standard\" sprint/route variant ratio is three-to-two, that is, a deviation of three lenghts in routes for every two lengths in sprints.  He says the sprint variant was fast 10, making the Wood variant fast 15.  And so he feels confident he can lop off 10 Beyer points from Survivalist\'s 92, causing him to run three lengths slower for his second place finish in the Wood(G1) than he did in his 2YO maiden win in October.

I made that last part up.  Quinn only works off the winner and therefore delivers up this nonsense:

\"Although estimating variants can be an arty process, and that was surely the situation here, it\'s difficult to imagine how the Beyer associates arrived at the lofty 120.  The projection technique could not have sufficed to estimate the route variant, as no horse in the Wood Memorial had recorded even a Beyer Speed Figure of 103, the equivalent Beyer par for the race, and Bellamy Road had not run faster than a Beyer 96.  The projection technique would have yielded an even faster track variant, thereby reducing Bellamy Road\'s speed figure below a Beyer 110.\"

Now that I think about it, Quinn\'s logic doesn\'t rise to the level of \"controversy.\"  It was your Bellamania posts Safdie was referring to, Chuckles.

#2
Ask the Experts / Re: Comical
May 09, 2005, 12:13:44 PM
A Lauren Stich tossout/folly boxed tri:

\"While it may be folly in this era to dismiss horses such as Afleet Alex, Greeley\'s Galaxy, Buzzards Bay, Greater Good, Giacomo, Closing Argument, and Sort It Out based on pedigree, there are others whose chances at 1 1/4 miles are considerably brighter.\"

#3
Ask the Experts / Re: Finally the Chart
May 07, 2005, 05:39:18 PM
By \"pace compromised\" do you mean not as good as Closing Argument?  He was essentially two lengths behind Bellamy Road the whole way.  Wider too.
#4
Ask the Experts / Re: Withers
April 30, 2005, 01:54:09 PM
Okay, I\'ll bite.  How do you get \"28 plus the last 1/8th\"?
#5
Ask the Experts / Re: ...down the stretch they come
April 18, 2005, 06:56:22 AM
Blues and Royals is out of the Derby as per the Godolphin website.

#6
Ask the Experts / Re: Aqueduct-Split Variants??
April 10, 2005, 05:57:18 AM
How five points high?

Bellamy Road ran 29 Beyer points faster than Survivalist (92, 93 last two) and 30 points faster than a ground-saving Scrappy T (93, 98).  As you move on down through the field it makes even less sense your way--it\'d be easier to argue the fig is a bit low.