14 second final 1/8

[Boscar Obarra]

Good thing it wasn\'t something better on the lead or Curlin gets beat

[Silver Charm]

This was a dreadful performance.

They have no choice but to go to the BC Classic now.

If not it will look like they are ducking Big Brown

[Themig]

Is there any chance that the horse that had the lead and finished second is actually an improving horse? It looked like Curlin was a very tired horse after the race as he was pulling up.

[Barry Irwin]

Perhaps the weight of being responsible for having received the key to the city of Saratoga was too much for the colt. The horse appears to have lost his mojo despite all the PR and hype.

[Frost King]

Maybe with the anticipated crackdown on steroids, we are already starting to see the effects on some horses/barns that have been known to indulge in these practices. Both Big Brown and now Curlin, looked to be struggling against perceived sub-par fields.

[Boscar Obarra]

Will be interesting to see the fig. That last 1/8 was really plowhorse time.

 The bright side is, it was 14.01 not 14.19

[Silver Charm]

We are in the \"Ben Johnson\" era of great horses.

If Commentator wins his next impressively he should be champion older horse and Zenyatta is now the favorite for Horse of the Year. She is doing it the right way.

The argument that the runnerup is an improving type is baseless as \"need the lead\" Wanderin Boy was still close after chasing fast fractions.

Curlin has some catching up to do if he wants consideration for post season awards. This was a juiceless performance today if there ever was one.

[richiebee]

Hey \"Experts\":

Not a word here on how Curlin galloped out. Not a word on how he looked coming
back to the winners circle. Not a word on how he looked in the winners circle,
how deep the groove around his spine was or whether his veins were bursting out
of his skin or any of the other old folksy ways to tell if an animal is
exhausted.

I watched the race on TVG (sound off, even for Durkin\'s call)(TD my opinion has
lost a couple of MPHs off his fastball, hope is health is OK). Did TVG discuss
the fact that Curlin was probably only 85- 90% for this race? (all he had to be
given the competition). It looked like Curlin also saved little ground and got
rodeo\'d on the first turn, and the chart confirms this.

STEROIDS-- Good Point. The great Steroid Withdrawal of 2008/2009 will make
handicapping more challenging. If Racing (whoever that is)really cared about
horseplayers, as many horses of racing age which possibly could would be tested
for Steroids before a certain date,and it would be known which runners will be
entered \"cold turkey\" once the various steroid restrictions take effect.

DUCKING-- Silver Charm wants Curlin to run in the BC Classic so it does not
appear that Curlin is \"Ducking\" the Big Brown pile of hype. I say that BB and
the I Exude Absolute Hypocrisy stables pulled the major duck when they avoided
the Travers Stakes, which while comprised of a lot of colts BB had already
beaten, was a much more challenging race than the Eddie Haskell at the Club
Kulina. And before I call IEAH a genius operation, I would love to know why
BB\'s final prep for the BC Synthetic Classic (sponsored by Posturepedic) (after
Steroid Withdrawal, Racing will be looking for more forgiving surfaces) will
not be held on a synthetic surface.

THE MONMOUTH TURF RACE FOR BIG BROWN IN SEPTEMBER-- I do not think it is savory
when racehorse ownership and racetrack management are in cahoots. I am
currently not able to access Monmouth\'s condition book. Is this a handicap race?
What if some top notch turfers nominate to face BB? (I\'ve heard Einstein and
Shaklis). If the race is a handicap, I wouldn\'t be surprised if some of the
better contenders are weighted unfairly. If the presence of Big Brown is worth
300K additional purse money, BB should not have any weight advantage. I wouldn\'t
have any problem if the race is weight for age.My secret hope is that the Euros
send over some second stringers and dominate the race.

My opinion is that the Eddie Haskell was BB\'s last hurrah, as stiffer
competition, steroid withdrawal and his documented fragility take their toll.
BB is a very good 3YO who was made to look brilliant! while running against
inconsistent, mediocre rivals. Just one man\'s opinion.

[Themig]

Richie,
I watched the race from the first turn and 1)Watched Curlin getting bounced around pretty hard heading for the backside, and 2) really did not much \"galloping out\" from him after the race. I have only seen the race twice(no head-on view), but he was 4-5 wide on the first turn, and it looked like he was wide down the backstretch. This did not help his cause.
Mig

[Silver Charm]

Ritchie,

You are making a big deal out of Steroids and the Monmouth condition book.

I agree on the latter. I heard it is restricted to Non-Winners on turf. Einstein showing up.. Midnight Cry owns him and a piece of Curlin.

Hmmmmmm IEAH would never do anything like that.

The Great Steroid Debate should not be restricted to Curlin. Bill Mott is 3-80, Bob Baffert 2-50, Teflon Todd is on this weeks Without A Trace after opening the Spa Meet quite well.

Curlin and Big Brown are not the only two horses being weaned off of drugs.

Nobody is hitting 70 homers this year and baseball is doing quite well. Racing will be fine.

The BC will be full of full fields and \"clean\" horses. Those that do not show we will know why.........

[Silver Charm]

Everyone is under suspicion.  

This is posted on the Crist Blog. First Defence goes 7F in 1.21 and gets a 109 and Curlin walks home the next 2F in 28 and gets a 112.

SAY WHAT

[Lost Cause]

Silver Charm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
 
>
> If Commentator wins his next impressively he
> should be champion older horse

Commentator winning horse of the year will never happen.

[miff]

\"Will be interesting to see the fig. That last 1/8 was really plowhorse time\".

Box,

Beyer app 112,TG app neg-3, the sometimes strange results of the projection methodology which do not appear to stack up with what you just saw. Doesn\'t matter that he staggered on his belly late and they ran the last 3/8ths in 39.73.The poster example of an \"ugly\" fig.


Mike

[Silver Charm]

Lost Cause. You are aptly named.

Commentator has lost once this year when hooked in a speed duel in the Met Mile while spotting weight. If he is not under consideration after another win and say the Cigar Mile then the system is broken.

[jmetro]

Themig Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Richie,
> I watched the race from the first turn and
> 1)Watched Curlin getting bounced around pretty
> hard heading for the backside, and 2) really did
> not much \"galloping out\" from him after the race.
> I have only seen the race twice(no head-on view),
> but he was 4-5 wide on the first turn, and it
> looked like he was wide down the backstretch. This
> did not help his cause.
> Mig

Sounds like Big Brown\'s Belmont trip.