I’m keeping the faith with Old Fashioned.
While I do have concerns that Old Fashioned might be one dimensional, I feel pretty confident he will move up from his Rebel performance. And I am inclined to believe Jones that the pace had some part in why he didn’t have enough left to hold off WW. With a fair or slow pace Old Fashioned still dominates at 1 1/16 to maybe even 1 1/8, even if he doesn’t move forward as I think he will.
Just not sure about the mile and a quarter against a crop of colts as particularly rich with classic-distance blood as this year’s is.
Old Fashioned is shaping up to become a very good miler. I’ll be surprised if he makes it to the Derby, but looks like I’m pretty much alone with that 
Meanwhile, here comes classy, somewhat overlooked West Side Bernie, who has Edgar Prado for the Lane’s End. If the Derby sets up for a closer, he has a real live shot.
I like Dunkirk!!! My husband who is very non horsey mentioned when he saw Dunkirk run “Now that is a pretty Horse”. That must be my sign 
Oh boy, Larry Jones has replaced Ramon Dominguez with Terry Thompson for the ride on Old Fashioned. Thompson is Old Fashioned’s exercise rider and rode him in his first couple starts, but as someone said, he ain’t Angel Cordero.
Interesting.
Well being that my mare was covered by Stephen Got Even today I am now a HUGE I Want Revenge fan. Hope always springs eternal when breeding horses but its even easier to dream big when one of them is already out there getting it done!
[QUOTE=Laurierace;3962154]
Well being that my mare was covered by Stephen Got Even today I am now a HUGE I Want Revenge fan. Hope always springs eternal when breeding horses but its even easier to dream big when one of them is already out there getting it done![/QUOTE]
Haha! That will make you like them really fast!
I bought a Kafwain filly at the beginning of the year, so, I am naturally a huge fan of The Pamplemousse and of the likely KY Oaks starter Don’t Forget Gil…haha!
Stephen Got Even does not get enough credit in my opinion. I have been a huge fan of his for a long time as a sire. I may even take my mare to him.
And I’ve always thought, if you’re going to dream, dream big!
[QUOTE=Filly85’;3963140]
Haha!
I bought a Kafwain filly at the beginning of the year[/QUOTE]
How is Ms Lora doing these days? What are your plans for her, don’t think I"ve seen where you’ve written what you’d like to do with her.
[QUOTE=MoJo;3969136]
How is Ms Lora doing these days? What are your plans for her, don’t think I"ve seen where you’ve written what you’d like to do with her.[/QUOTE]
Do I know you? She’s doing fine.
I mean, if you’re one of her previous owners, then I apologize and will send you a pm, but that doesn’t make much sense because the person that I bought her should be able to contact me.
And I didn’t say what I’d like to do with her. Didn’t think anyone was too interested. She’s retired from racing if that’s what you mean.
Nah, I’m sure you wouldn’t know me. Just another trackbrat familiar with some in the mid atlantic region. Nice filly you got there. How big is she for her age? Can’t recall, was she a CANTER listed horse? Have you started retraining her?
ETA: Geesh, sorry I asked, didn’t mean to offend you in anyway. Little confused at the three edits to your above post within 5 minutes time. What’s up with that?
[QUOTE=MoJo;3969182]
Nah, I’m sure you wouldn’t know me. Just another trackbrat familiar with some in the mid atlantic region. Nice filly you got there. How big is she for her age? Can’t recall, was she a CANTER listed horse? Have you started retraining her?[/QUOTE]
She sticks at 15.3, so she’s a nice size, but she has a lot of withers. Her knees look like she may grow some more, and she is a cute horse. Everyone at my barn loves her, and her greatest asset is her mind IMO.
I didn’t buy her from CANTER, and I have no idea if she was listed as a CANTER horse at one time.
I did start her back to light work, but she won’t be in official retraining until this summer.
How did you know that I owned her? Haha. I think I’ve only mentioned it once or twice on the board.
Sorry, I post before thinking and go back and edit sometimes. You didn’t offend me. Sorry if it came off that way. I just didn’t think anyone would be genuinely interested, but it’s great that you are!
If you know anything about her from her previous life, pm me (don’t want to hijack this thread). Any info would be greatly appreciated!
I go away to Scottsdale for a week and the world changes - slightly
Luckily I did get to wager on the Lanes End Stakes (G2) while at Turway Park. I received a very healthy return on the D Wayne Lukas’ entry of Flying Private taking place. It looks like he’ll be pointed to one of remaining prep races to try and accumulate more earnings. His $94k or so in graded money won’t cut it otherwise.
So next will be either the Arkansas Derby, Blue Grass, or Lexington on April 18.
Winner Hold Me Back now with $282k in graded money will be there for the First Saturday in May. Quite possibly less likely for Bittle Road or West Side Bernie who is likely to run back in the Wood Memorial for one last shot.
IEAH is close to getting their Derby contender for 2009 and I don’t mean Patena or Stardom Bound but rather I Want Revenge - who races April 4 in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and put in a very fast five-furlong drill in 58.20 seconds Sunday morning back at Hollywood Park. He’ll fly to NY on April 1st at which time it’s likely IEAH will own 50% of him.
The Wood field is expected to include Gotham second- and third-place finishers Imperial Council and Mr. Fantasy as well as Al Khali, Atomic Rain, and West Side Bernie. Danger to Society and Hello Broadway are possible.
I was somewhat shocked by the comments of whining trainers in regards to the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes at Kempton winner (Shadwell’s Mafaaz) getting an automatic berth in the Derby. Where have these people been? Did they not hear before that CDI last year pledged this as a scheme to get more international talent, press, and wagering interest in the Derby?
The moans will likely calm down depending upon how Mafaaz does in what is expected to be one US-based prep race: Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I). Although that race since switching to poly has never been the same as it once was back in the day
Last time I mocked Joe Drape - who just seems to enjoy being a pest journalist - with him including Win Willy at #9 (see The New Yok Times’ Joe Drape ) … this week he not only introduces a new runner but vaults him all the way up to #1: Mafaaz, from out of nowhere of course based upon on the strength of that automatic Derby berth fro winning the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes.
#1? Seriously?
With the introduction of Mafaaz, Drape had to drop Willy to #10.
I don’t think that JustJump250 will let her new boy Shake The Bank make a surprise appearance - so Pletcher is looking for another rabbit:
3-24-09 "Dunkirk May Get Rabbit in Fla. Derby "
Todd Pletcher, trainer of Dunkirk, said Tuesday he is “strongly considering” running the maiden Europe as a rabbit, in order to prevent Quality Road from getting loose on an easy lead
Nothing like a $2.6 million purchase being used as a rabbit - hare raising stuff
Mutual owners of both horses: Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith; Europe (Unbridled’s Song - Zing by Storm Cat), who sold for $2.6 million as a yearling. He is out of the winning Storm Cat mare Zing. Zing has produced grade II winner Half Ours, a full-brother to Europe.
Will the rabbit work? Jimmy Jerkins who trains Quality Road says it won’t
“If they do run a rabbit I don’t think my horse will tear off after him,” Jerkens said. He’s fast, but he’s very ratable."
“I’ve never run a rabbit, but if I had two horses owned by the same outfit and they didn’t mind sacrificing one of them, sure I’d use one in this instance. There’s a lot on the line.”
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;3971262]
Last time I mocked Joe Drape - who just seems to enjoy being a pest journalist - with him including Win Willy at #9 (see The New Yok Times’ Joe Drape ) … this week he not only introduces a new runner but vaults him all the way up to #1: Mafaaz, from out of nowhere of course based upon on the strength of that automatic Derby berth fro winning the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes.
#1? Seriously?
With the introduction of Mafaaz, Drape had to drop Willy to #10.[/QUOTE]
The same Joe Drape article you linked in your post was tough to read for another reason. As reported at equidaily.com as well as many other places, Gosden, the trainer cited in the article as knowing a thing or two about racing without medications actually ran Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass on Lasix and bute when he was in the States.
It also seemed unnecessary to trot out the Barbaro and Eight Belles references for the umpteenth time, when their breakdowns seem to have had very little to do with raceday medications. Both horses’ breakdowns are certainly worthy of deep discussion and research, but not relevant to his article.
Equidaily is being disengenuous and taking a cheap shot.
What Gosden said was “a healthy 3-year-old should not need medication to race”. He is right, thousands of them do it everyday worldwide. However if the rest of the field is juiced up on Lasix and Bute and benefiting from the resultant performance enhancing effects, then you would be a fool to not do the same to level the playing field. That doesn’t change the fact that the field in the BC Classic last year could all have ran without LBs next to there names, and had an equally level playing. I’m sure Gosden would have gladly ran Raven’s Pass without L/B if the others would have ran without. Curlin put in his finest performance of last year without the need for either drug and the first two home in the BC Classic had spent the season putting in scintillating performances battling each other sans drugs.
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;3972536]
Equidaily is being disengenuous and taking a cheap shot.
What Gosden said was “a healthy 3-year-old should not need medication to race”. He is right, thousands of them do it everyday worldwide. However if the rest of the field is juiced up on Lasix and Bute and benefiting from the resultant performance enhancing effects, then you would be a fool to not do the same to level the playing field. That doesn’t change the fact that the field in the BC Classic last year could all have ran without LBs next to there names, and had an equally level playing. I’m sure Gosden would have gladly ran Raven’s Pass without L/B if the others would have ran without. Curlin put in his finest performance of last year without the need for either drug and the first two home in the BC Classic had spent the season putting in scintillating performances battling each other sans drugs.[/QUOTE]
Point taken and also a very good observation about Curlin. Actually, in my opinion, a discussion of Curlin’s success in Dubai would have had more impact than the examples and references he chose to use.
ETA: It’s also quite frustrating that his article does not mention any of the changes that have taken place this year.
Beethoven ‘injured’ and out of Florida Derby
Trainer John Ward said Wednesday, March 25, that Beethoven had sustained a slight injury to his left front leg and will “be on sidelines for short period.”
It is unclear if this also means he’s out of contention for the Kentucky Derby.
Although realistically if he’s not able to race in the next few weeks then his chances to increase his graded money standings means he’s de facto out: He presently has $132,494 in graded money - which after the big $$ graded preps to be raced: Wood, FL Derby, Illinois, SA Derby, and Blue Grass that he’ll likely be too far behind.
Remember Cribnote? A very nice colt who finished in the money for the G1 Champagne and G1 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes. He was injured and is not on the Derby trail but is almost ready to return to racing per a mention 3-25:
Trainer Rick Violette: “He had some issues which forced us to miss some training so obviously we’re too far behind to make the Derby,” said Violette. “But he’s about ready to run and I’ll probably look for an allowance race for him within the next couple of weeks.”
