Who is Driving the Bus?

[richiebee]

I\'m talking about the Funny Cide school bus and those wacky Sackatoga guys. Lets all agree that it would take an act of god or maybe a DQ to get FC into  the exacta in a graded stakes race.

And he\'s gelded (this is irreversible), so it is not necessary to pad his resume with graded stakes placings.

The Gen Doug McArthur was run at Belmont on Wednesday. Yes it was a flat mile. Yes FC would have had to carry some lead under the saddle towel. But this is a race FC had a much better chance to win than the Brooklyn (IMO he had no chance to win the Brooklyn) and might have served to build this fella\'s confidence.

Open suggestion for Team FC: drive that school bus to Ozone Park and lets have some fun on the inner tube this winter (FC was a stakes winner on the inner as a 2YO).

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Richie he didn\'t run all that bad. Factor his wide again and he\'s only a point or so off Wandering Boy. It was a better race than the last.

Tactically they made a mistake. They needed to push for the lead and elected to run off pace.

\" Castellano said he was surprised that Funny Cide wasn\'t pressing the pace, and he was \"very happy\" when trainer Rick Violette scratched the speedy Take the Bluff.\"

\"I thought that was perfect,\" Tagg said of Funny Cide\'s early position. \"I didn\'t tell him to do that. I said don\'t rush him and don\'t grab a hold of him, just let him run any way he wants.\"

http://www.drf.com/news/article/78733.html




Your point is noted. Those were not the top Stakes horses and he could only get fourth. He beat two horses.

[miff]

Rich,

Shhhh everybody!!You basically have a dead piece(FC) that takes some money all the time and is mostly a toss.I see FC many times in the morning. While he lost some of his ability,he goes sounder than many and still grabs on like a young colt.His connections need to downgrade where they spot him.

The connections of FC are upstate lightweights that cashed in big especially Jack Knowlton who now sits in on stuff which may affect NY racing going forward. He knows less than most people on this board about the inside of the NY racing game but has the \"upstate connections\" as does the very nice Ms. Castro.

The upstate bureaucrats have the Aqueduct slot thing so screwed up that some terrific people who are trying to save and improve NY racing are frustrated to the point of walking away from their previous years of hard work.NYRA needs to make a funding contribution to the pension plan or face suit from the Federal pension trust as a direct result of the delay by the upstae Lotto people. Could anything be more convoluted? Lotto, Racing, bankruptcy?

The thing now being said is that the decision which the ad hoc committee makes(re future NY racing franchise) will not be binding with the incoming Gov(Spitzer)who is absolutely in bed with one of the bidding groups. Spitzer is thought to be anti NYRA.



Mike

[miff]

Chuck,

Get glasses, FC was pathetic, he sat perfect and had no run when put to a drive at the three eights pole. What race did you watch?

Mike

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

miff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chuck,
>
> Get glasses, FC was pathetic, he sat perfect and
> had no run when put to a drive at the three eights
> pole. What race did you watch?
>
> Mike


After the scratch of Take the Bluff it was pretty clear only two horses could win. Wandering Boy if he got the lead or Funny Cide.

In scanning his recent running lines I was of the firm belief that Funny Cide wants to see himself beating his competition from the outset. When he rated they took his best chance from him. They needed to push for the lead and when they failed to do that it was very clear Wandering Boy would have things his own way. The final placings make it pretty clear that the track was carrying.

The horse that I was most pleased with was the second place horse. That was my best bit of handicapping and he may have run the best race.

I\'m not disagreeing that they need to find softer spots. However, when the figures are in it will be scored as a nice effort, though it could have been better. Good enough to win? I won\'t go that far.

[marcus]

Funny should be retiered , he would have had to cut across the infield or come in at the 8th pole as Trevor  Denmen would say   , I know business is Business -but what kind of business ? Send Funny Cide to Old Friends ...

[richiebee]

Marcus and Joe B:

     It is wrong to call for FC\'s retirement. So many times on this board we moan about overhyped stallion prospects who are sent to stud way too early. FC is a gelding who according to Miff still trains strongly and soundly in the morning, so there is no reason to retire him.

     There are plenty of non- Graded stakes where FC would be a factor. The Empire Classic, run next month at Belmont, is a $250,000 race for NYBs. FC should be left in NY over the winter.

     

[miff]

Richiebee,

Agree with Funny Cide needing to be managed better. I believe that Tagg is under great pressure from know nothing Knowlton to enter the tough limelight spots for the owners ego.

The issues FC has now are manageable(I hear)but many believe that putting a horse in very tough spots and getting him beaten badly is a recipe for mental disaster for the horse.

Since FC hates the hot weather(according to Tagg), he should have been pointed for the fall NY bred races and the Meadowlands.I think he would be competitive.

Mike

[jbelfior]

NY BRED races in October?? Inner track races in January?? Let\'s rest him up and point towards the Toboggan Hdcp.

Quite a come down for a Derby/Preakness winner.


Good Luck,
Joe B.

[marcus]

richiebee - obviouslsy i\'m on the fence on this and acknowledge my opinion is little green  - Your definately one of the guys that really knows racing and the biz side of the game , so you would know .

I guess if funny ever can save ground and get a bunch of decent trips and not get over raced - fc could come back close to his top , but i don\'t know what he ran the other day but i\'m guessing an x or very close to it .  

He looked like he was running close to irratic from the far turn all the way untill the finish - i mean all over the place like a 2 yo  , i couldn\'t tell for certain but something was going on ...  

that lassie thing IS pretty funny - i\'m still in stiches ...    
and definately alot more funnier than Funny Cide finishing 3 and a half leanths behind his own tail saturday - specially becouse i used him ...

[richiebee]

Marcus:

    Your kind words are appreciated but probably a bit inaccurate--despite all the knowledge you give me credit for, I am still a member of the \"50/50\" club: I am over 50 years old and still working over 50 hours per week.

    The strongest visual impression I took out of Funny\'s race in the Brooklyn was that he appeared to be off the bit on the far turn, bearing out ever so slightly under a vigorous ride.

    So what if Funny Cide didn\'t get the job done for you Saturday-- it appears that you got RETRIBUTION on Sunday. Must have been a big celebration on that pier in Red Hook.

    Did anyone else think it was a bit ironic that Team Valor (zero tolerance towards performance enhancing drugs) had a big score over the weekend with racing\'s version of Steve Howe in the irons?

[spa]

Richiebee, that Steve Howe line was too funny and way too true.....

[P-Dub]

Maybe, but he can ride as well as anybody.

[richiebee]

Agreed..but he can\'t ride at all if no one gives him a license.

[NoCarolinaTony]

Yes the Ulimate Irony to say the least Richie!!

HEY Barry What\'s the Story?

NC Tony