Zenyatta headed to Vanity Handicap

[sekrah]

http://www.drf.com/news/article/112480.html

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Zenyatta will make her next start in the Grade 1, $250,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park on June 13, trainer John Shirreffs said Sunday.

The Vanity is run over 1 1/8 miles on the synthetic main track and is considered the championship race of the Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting.

\"It\'s a logical choice,\" Shirreffs said.
....
\"For us to ship, it\'s so much different,\" Shirreffs said. \"We have to ship across the Rockies. It\'s so much different out here than going up and down the East Coast.

\"Why put her on the plane to run in another handicap?\" Shirreffs said.



Brilliant move by Shirreffs though.. Challenge Rachel when it would be unlikely she\'d be able to get 100% fit on short-notice.  Then tuck tail and run back home to kick around the West Coast tomato cans all summer.  Hats off to this very smart horseman.   He completely outwitted Asmussen/Jackson in this instance.

[smalltimer]

You need to give it a rest.  Challenge Rachel?  Oaklawn threw out the offer and John said they\'d be there regardless if Rachel showed.  I don\'t know where you get off thinking that camp is afraid of Rachel.
When it works for both camps, they\'ll get it on.
Sorry bout you losing your big wagering opportunity for the Derby...you\'re the first guy ever got shortchanged in an upcoming horserace.
Peace out

[sekrah]

Well I believe Sherriffs went because he knew there was a good chance Rachel wouldn\'t be fully fit after completely shutting it down over the winter.  Sherriffs himself as a trainer would know how difficult it is to get a horse ready for a big-race on short notice after completely shutting one down for several months.   You have a different opinion?  That is fine.  We\'re allowed to see things differently.

As far as the Derby goes, we had an EXTREMELY vulnerable 2-1 odds-on favorite, and now we don\'t.   Why shouldn\'t myself and others who recognized this golden betting opportunity be disappointed?

[smalltimer]

Sekrah,

Thanks for the response.  We\'ll just have to respectively disagree about Shirreffs\' camp being afraid of Rachel. Since Z is 6 years old now, and even last year at age 5, he isn\'t gonna empty her tank early in this campaign.  No question, they hope to be hale and healthy come BC Classic time.  You and I both know, Rachel and Z will both be tested greatly this year if they take on older males.  If Asmussen wants to empty Rachel\'s tank before the real huge money on BC day, then he\'s just repeating the same mistake from last year.  Asmussen isn\'t stupid, these 2 horses campaigns will be carefully crafted and thought out. If they remain healthy and are training and running well, their meeting(s) will be unavoidable. Please understand, John Shirreffs is going to give no advantage to Asmussen when it comes to site location, more liberal drug policies, etc.  Why should he?  You think its a shock that Asmussen has had zero success in the Kentucky Derby with the huge number of horses he\'s had over the years?  What about TAP?  Think what you want, they are both great trainers by their successes, but if they don\'t have an edge in the drug game, they\'re no-shows.....their lack of results in these premier events speak directly to that aspect.    

You fail to realize Shirreffs wins over 35% in Grade 1 stakes over the last 2 years, and only a portion of those wins belong to Z.  The guy knows horses, and it\'s hard to knock the success of Life Is Sweet as well as Z.  Granted, you amd I BOTH question their campaigns, but you can\'t knock success when the end result is BC Distaff Champion and BC Classic champion in the same year.

Personally, I think you have little regard for anyone else who was a victim of Esk pulling out of the race.  

I\'m a little disappointed for mjellish, even though he WILL absolutely land on his feet Derby day.  I give him enough respect as a smart guy and a helluva handicapper to know he will go to Plan B and still position himself for a nice score.  You could consider doing the same sekrah, and that\'s not a smart ass remark, okay?  If you\'re as good a handicapper as you portray yourself to be and 90% of the field is 8/1 or longer, and 80% of the field is 12/1 or longer, you should be able to make a decent score.

If you are anything like me (unlikely), you should have been handicapping the Derby horses the last week with the idea that Esky would play no role in the race from a pace perspective, etc.  Get creative and get busy with your thought process and make the best of it.

Enough about Z from me.  I know TGJB wants this forum filled up with pre Oaks and Derby talk, as it should be.

Good luck,
Peace out

[TGJB]

Curlin\'s BC Classic win doesn\'t count, just Zenyatta\'s?

An awful lot of people on this site are reading minds and ascribing motives. Why don\'t you all give it a rest.

[smalltimer]

They all count.  We all have our motives.

[sekrah]

I give Sherriffs all the credit in the world.  He\'s a great trainer that knows how to get his animals ready for the big races and one of the sharpest at finding opportunities.

I forgot about mjellish\'s futures wager.  This has to be a horrible day for him.   A couple months ago he was questioning his decision to sell off part of the wager to someone he knows and I told him then that it was absolutely the right decision.  Atleast he got something out of that wager.   He will cash winning tickets on Derby Day.

[smalltimer]

Sekrah,

I agree mjellish will get it done.

Now, figure out your play and make some dough.

Even though its unrealistic, we should hope all the Forum players have success, there are things yet to be discovered in this game, at least cosidered, by all the opinions thrown out here.

Have a good one and good luck on Derby Day!!