TGJB: Is this it?

BitPlayer · July 30, 2008, 07:12:27 AM

Paulick report on NTRA initiative:

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/exclusive-ntra-confidential/

TGJB · July 30, 2008, 10:06:21 AM

Believe it or not, that\'s a question that can\'t be answered yes or no.

I had an extended back and forth with Alex Waldrop about the drug issue before I got involved with the Jockey Club group (which included Waldrop). At the time of our discussion, Alex \"preferred carrots to sticks\", which I told him would never work in this industry. One of the things that is interesting about the NTRA plan is that he has evidently come around on that.

The other is that the NTRA plan exists at all, and that it has been leaked. The Jockey Club group is coming out with their recommendations (or white paper or whatever they end up calling it) at their Round Table 8/9 at Saratoga. This sure looks like someone is trying to steal their thunder.

I was once in the Saratoga paddock with Elliot Walden when he gave instructions to Bailey for a horse I was involved with. He said, \"Ask him around the turn. In fact, you might have to tell him\". That\'s the situation here. The Jockey Club group set out with very serious intentions, but the the questions are a) whether they ended up trying to get a consensus, as opposed to focusing on their original result, and b) whether what they do will have teeth (telling instead of asking). I gave them two things they could do themselves to force tracks (which won\'t want to spend the money to solve the problem) into line, and I told them I was also willing to not sell data for and organize a player boycott of tracks that were not in compliance, focusing on one at a time.

We\'ll see what they do. One thing I do know is that the Jockey Club is going to go into more detail about specific drugs and testing procedures than the NTRA document does.

Dudley · July 30, 2008, 12:20:00 PM

What is further interesting and ironic is that it took a combination of influences; the eclat (and big mouth) of Dick Dutrow, the death of Eight Belles and threat of Congressional intervention to bring this industry to take action. All\'s well that ends well- we\'ll wait and see how it ends now that it has finally started.

congaree1 · July 30, 2008, 08:30:03 PM

The only chance SC will ever have a chance to beat CT, would be on a synthetic track . Synthetic and Polly are make believe racing.

TGJB · July 31, 2008, 11:07:25 AM

Don\'t know who CT is, but if you mean Commentator, everybody\'s best chance to beat him is when he doesn\'t run his race, which is about half the time. And that\'s aside from the mile and a quarter issue.

Last time I looked this year\'s Classic is on cushion. And it\'s not make believe money.

P-Dub · July 31, 2008, 12:03:20 PM

JB,
These synthetic \"loons\", to borrow a phrase from Miff, will never understand the difference beween poly and the other synthetic surfaces. I guess the Belmont surface is the same as every other dirt surface too.

congaree1 · July 31, 2008, 12:14:30 PM

With the defection Of Heatseeker, the cup is for total grabs. I wish you all the luck in the world with SC, he is a quality horse. I intentionally booked a trip to Miami, the weekend of the cup, so I don\'t have to bet the BC. For what it\'s worth, I bet a $700 perfecta in the Whitney, using your horse for second with the winner. Now that\'s real money! Thanks, Jerry

TGJB · July 31, 2008, 12:25:38 PM

That\'s a very nice score, but I\'m pretty sure the purse money for the top four in the Classic is more than that.

congaree1 · July 31, 2008, 12:37:55 PM

I guess your right. Maybe the $30 super and the 4k to win a CT, using real money, makes it a little more repectable. If Merchant Marine would have run 4th, the party would have been real nice. He only missed by 3/4\'s.

congaree1 · July 31, 2008, 12:50:34 PM

Jerry, please tell me you used Joppa Flats, on Saturday. With the scratch of maybe the fastest maiden in the country, Excess Capital,I thought the horse was a must. Even though he was 0-20, going in.

TGJB · July 31, 2008, 01:16:15 PM

I made only a token bet on the race, did not use him.

bobphilo · July 31, 2008, 02:56:20 PM

Jerry, Santa Anita is switching to ProRide after an extensive study and survey of trainers, but you\'re right, the race and money will be very real. Here\'s some good coverage by the Paulick Report.

http://tinyurl.com/5wtpla

http://tinyurl.com/597bh9

Bob

Silver Charm · July 31, 2008, 07:17:40 PM

For all of you insisting this horse was must play this must must be the same group who have bet him to 5-1 or less in 11 of his last 12 races. The one time he wasn\'t 5-1 or less he went off at 7-1.

The Joppa Flats group reminds of a bunch of guys I knew who kept betting against Cigar and when he finally lost stood up and said, \"I told you he was beatable\".

Interesting thing about Joppa Flats is how he always did take a lot of money. And then when he finally didn\'t look what happened.

Hmmmmmmmm

congaree1 · July 31, 2008, 07:26:38 PM

His dirt races IMO, made him a must use in the race, even though he was 0-20. I bet him and I don\'t belong to any group. If he was 5-1,I would have passed. But @ 34-1, the price was worth taking a shot.

fkach · August 01, 2008, 07:04:32 AM

>Don\'t know who CT is, but if you mean Commentator, everybody\'s best chance to beat him is when he doesn\'t run his race, which is about half the time. And that\'s aside from the mile and a quarter issue. <

If you don\'t want him to run his race close to 100% of the time, just enter a horse that can outrun him to the lead and offer a little resistence when he makes his bid. He\'s never going to beat \"legitimate Grade 1 horses\" unless he gets it his own way like he did Saturday.