...down the stretch they come

[richiebee]

Impressions from Derby preps:

 Have Consolidator and Sun King crossed the wire in the Blue Grass yet? Only Lukas and Zito could run horses who ran like this in a prep race back in the Derby and still be dangerous.

 High Limit: In a previous post I wrote that Frankel would not want to run back in the Derby if High Limit was beaten in the BG. Although the charts say he was clearly best of others, he seemed to be staggering at the 1/8 pole. Not enough foundation for 1-1/4 miles? If the owners prevail and he runs, I think the rating experiment is over. Possible he has no passing gear?

 Afleet Alex: Replicated the explosive move he made in his 2YO efforts. The Rose or not to Rose controversy will rage on. I think in a 20 horse field you want the best jock who is available, a jock with plenty of Derby experience on his resume.

 Flower Alley: I only watched the race once, and it seemed that Chavez had him in an all out drive at the 3/8 pole, at which point AA went by him like a freight train going by a hobo. T Pletch\'s off track hedge?

 Galloping Grocer: In February, I posted that he would end up in a NY bred stake at the end of the AQ meet, which is just where he is headed. Congrats, Dom Schettino, certainly a novel approach to prep him for this race in the Gotham and the Wood.

 Wilko: My strongest future position, I took him in both Round 2 and 3 at about 21/1. At first I was excited about Frankie Dettori riding, but after watching the SA Derby a couple of times I\'m hoping he is somehow detained in Europe on Derby day. Calling P Val, calling P Val.

 Landslide: Ninth race at Aq Sunday, Seattle Slew/ Flanders colt looks a bit like dad, ran greenly, finished second, a likely short priced winner in his next try--turf or dirt.

[P-Dub]

Richie,

I wouldn\'t give up on Wilco yet.  Curious as to the figure he got in the SA Derby. He was pretty wide throughout.

As far as that race goes, what could Dettori have done differently?? I bitched about the ride because my exacta ran 1-3, but he broke from the 11 post and didn\'t have a lot of opportunity to tuck in.  Also, there wasn\'t a lot of passing going on as the 1st 3 finishers pretty much were near the front for the entire race.


Is racing wide SOP for European riders?? Spencer has been grilled for his awful rides on Powerscourt, Dettori on Wilco. For those of you with some knowledge on this, what can you add?? Thanks.

[Kingfisher]

Is the Pope Catholic?  I don\'t think these guys know what a one-path is. Though usually, very wide trips in turf races are the rule rather than the exception, as the riders are all looking for the fast lane. It is really odd to see some races break out into separate running groups across the track in order to stay on the best ground. Five and six wide trips, and higher, are not at all uncommon. But again, there are very few dirt races here in Europe, so the emphasis is on finding the express lane, not on saving ground. But this generally doesn\'t apply on dirt, except of course with the occasional rail bias. So I would say yes, running on the outside would be SOP, but is usually seen mainly in turf races.

[richiebee]

P-Dub:

  Its not so much the position as the fact that Euro riders do not seem like strong finishers. Maybe its due to the fact that (warning: generalization approaching)they have some horse left at the end of the longer races they run across the pond. Our riders seem to be adept at carrying tired and sore horses through the last 1/8 mile. Angel Cordero, who may be earning more now as John Velazquez\'s agent than he ever did as a rider was the best I\'ve seen at this.

 One of the local turf writers here in NY used to keep track of the results of tight finishes..which jocks were the most adept at winning races decided by less than a head or a neck. We all know that if Steve Cauthen had ridden Alydar...

[Kasept]

richie..

Re Wilko: I think Dettori is supposed to ride Blues and Royals come May 7.. That\'s the way G\'dolph mouthpiece Simon Whats-his-name was talking..

[SoCalMan2]

Dettori on Blues and Royals?!?!? That is the worst news I have heard!  Maybe he can get suspended between now and then and we will not have to face such a dilemma (I would rather have B&R go in off one prep then have Lefranco on him).  What was the name of that European horse he rode in the Breeders Cup Classic one year where he decided to take the horse to the rail?  (unfortunately, for some, it was the outside rail).

[Upper Nile]

SoCal, It was Swain in 98. Dettori will ride 1st call for Godolphin May 7th. To give credit where it is due Dettori tucked in and saved ground quite nicely with Blues & Royals in Dubai.

[Mall]

I\'m pretty sure Swain is the horse you\'re thinking of, although I was told by the math experts after the race that since it happened after the turn it only cost the horse(& me) a little less than 3 inches. Don\'t know if you saw Gators\' 2nd at 9-1 Sat. 7f is just the slightest bit too long, although I still think he would have won if Clockstopper doesn\'t happen to cure his gate issues in that particular race. Finally, thought you might be interested to know that Tizawinner is swimming every day in Ariz & his owner is still optimistic despite two very poor efforts. Hope things are going well in Moscow not on the Hudson.

[Wrongly]

It was Dettori\'s 1998 ride on Swain.  Dettori continued to hit Swain on the left side as the horse bore out to the left deep in the stretch.  Swain finished 3rd, I cost me a few dollars.

[Upper Nile]

I\'ll correct myself.  It was Jamie Spencer with that nice ground saving trip on B&R in the UAE Derby.

[mandown]

Richie,

You have gotta be joking. When Steve Cauthen first started riding in the UK the one thing against him was that he wasn\'t strong enough in a finish. For months he found it hard to get an outside ride. He then changed his style to a more British one and became champion.

And most British observers think Hawaiian Sun (W. Shoemaker) would have won the Epsom Derby if his rider had been able to drive him home at the finish.

There are three reasons why your statement about the relative strengths of jockeys is incorrect. Firstly most tracks in the UK have uphill finishes. It\'s obviously a lot harder to get a horse to run uphill rather than on the flat.

Secondly in the spring and fall (and the summer come to that) Britain can get a lot of rain and many races are run on soft or heavy turf. Again riding a horse uphill on soft turf takes more strength than pinging along on flat dirt.

Thirdly a mile and a half is not an extreme distance in Europe. Most cards have at least one race at that distance or farther. Races of 1 3/4m and 2m are common. Very often you will see a jockey pushing and shoving for at least 3 or 4f. In the US most races are less than a mile.

You also shouldn\'t judge all European jockeys by Dettori. He would not be considered one of the strongest.

Cheers,

George

[twoshoes]

Yes - carried out Silver Charm and provided Pat Day a hole he could squeeze through on Awesome Again

[HP]

Mall,

Amen on Gators and Bears.

HP

\"Yes - carried out Silver Charm and provided Pat Day a hole he could squeeze through on Awesome Again \"

I know at least one person that was happy about that. :-)

[Captain Stormfield]

Blues and Royals is out of the Derby as per the Godolphin website.