When did you become an Anak Nakal fan? :winkgrin:
I just noticed DRF lists another Japanese horse, Spark Candle, as a potential Belmont contender. What’s the story on his race record? He has slipped under my radar, but I see he’s by A.P. Indy out of Serena’s Song. :yes:
ETA: Duh, he ran in the Peter Pan. Where’s my brain today…
For a dying sport I think the coverage of the Belmont will exceed that of the NHL playoffs 
DRF 5-19-08 “Triple Crown bid fuels media frenzy”
With undefeated Big Brown attempting to become Thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner and with the regally bred Japanese-based colt Casino Drive standing in his way, the 140th Belmont Stakes on June 7 could smash all types of attendance records. The record crowd for Belmont Park was 120,129 in 2004 when Smarty Jones’s Triple Crown attempt was thwarted by Birdstone.
“Our goal is going to be to make sure that anybody who lives in the five boroughs of New York, they’re going to know what’s going on June 7 at Belmont Park,” said NYRA president and CEO Charles Hayward, who will be presiding over his first Triple Crown bid. “I think in the past that’s probably not been the case.”
John Lee, NYRA’s director of media relations, said Sunday was “an active day” for him and his staff.
“Maybe Smarty Jones was more immediate,” Lee said, “but any time you get CNN coming out three weeks before the race it really feels like it’s a big deal.”
Lee said he has been told to anticipate requests from as many as 100 Japanese journalists, here to cover Casino Drive.
As an aside, Big Truck will return, but this time on the turf which is to be expected with Tagg. Up next the Grade 3, $100,000 Hill Prince Stakes June 6 at Belmont Park.
Here is an odd one … the odds already for the Belmont Stakes well inadvance of knowing the final field, PP, or even all the jockey’s committed to race, hey whatever works for some
140th Belmont Stakes Odds to win – Saturday June 7, 2008 – Belmont Park – Elmont, New York
Big Brown 2/7
Casino Drive 9/2
Denis Of Cork 10/1
Tale of Ekati 16/1
Behindatthebar 25/1
Macho Again 40/1
Mint Lane 50/1
Tomcito 50/1
So, who is Mint Lane, aside from being a Jimmy Jerkins trained horse?
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;3227880]
So, who is Mint Lane, aside from being a Jimmy Jerkins trained horse?[/QUOTE]
He was 2nd in the Peter Pan Stakes (beaten by Casino Drive). He set the pace in pretty quick fractions. Unless he can rate, I don’t know if he’ll want the 1 1/2 miles in the Belmont.
Thanks ravenclaw - I recall him somewhat being in the Peter Pan race or rather being somewhere far behind Casino Drive. I knew he had a big effort this spring in one race at the Big A. However I’m not making the connection either as to why they think 1 1/2 is suited to him 
On again, off again for Calvin Borel - he’s now being replaced on Denis of Cork with Robby Albarado
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;3228102]
On again, off again for Calvin Borel - he’s now being replaced on Denis of Cork with Robby Albarado[/QUOTE]
Does anybody know why? I was a little stumped when I read that. Was it more of a commitment thing for Borel or did he get the boot again?
Interesting news about Tomcito:
http://www.drf.com/news/article/94741.html
Tomcito underwent throat surgery - a myectomy - at the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania on May 13, just three days after he finished seventh in the Peter Pan Stakes, according to trainer Dante Zanelli.
Zanelli said Tomcito displaced his palate badly in the Peter Pan. Tomcito returned to Belmont on Friday and resumed training Saturday.
“He’s training toward the race, but we’re taking it one day at a time see how he’s progressing,” Zanelli said.
Yuck, I will never do another myectomy again. My experience with them have been pretty useless. I like the lewellyn much better. I hope it works for him.
I’ve never known a horse to come back so quickly after a myectomy, let alone for a G1 race!
…and having worked at both NBC and for the barn that made the myectomy their trademark, I’ve seen my fair share of them. Even the cheap claimers I worked with got at least a week or more off before returning to work.
Ah, sorry to hear about Tomcito! I guess that is a clear excuse for why he bombed in his last effort. I’m still willing to toss out his effort on the Keeneland polytrack as well. It does seem a bit too soon to point him towards what would be the biggest effort in his career just a couple week’s after that procedure.
Casino Drive, as cited on this thread before is still without a rider. Per the racing manager, Nobutaka Tada,:
consideration has been given to Japanese, European, and American riders, but no decision will be made for “four or five days,”
I liked the quip in response to likely a dumb reporter’s question:
Tada said he was well aware of all the hoopla surrounding Big Brown’s arrival at Belmont May 19.
“I know he is here, but I’m just doing my job, and am not concerned on how Big Brown is doing,” Tada said. “Big Brown is not my job.”
Hmmmm … bringing Frankie Dettori over to ride
Barclay Tagg is ready to go with Tale of Ekati and he might finally rise to the occassion as a solid competitor to Big Brown - but he’s also entered in to the Ohio Derby where he stands a good chance to win.
“Barclay’s inclined to run in the Belmont,” Smullen said. “We realize that Big Brown is a very salty customer, but Tale of Ekati is doing awfully well.”
What caught my attention about Big Brown was how he ran. The stride, the effortlessness of it all. He just seems to flow. The way he behaves reminds me of an old soul in a new package. That’s not scientific, of course.:rolleyes:
I just caught a video of Casino Drive in the Peter Pan. Didn’t like the quality but from what I could see, there was nothing special about how CD runs.
BB’s connections are not his fault. When Dutrow was quite happy with that 20 post in the Derby, it was either overconfidence, or he knew something. (Well, from what I read here, probably both) Running wide all the way in the derby? He was in training for the Belmont. I was curious what would happen in the Preakness, thought they might just let him run his own race on the outside again, as he can obviously get that distance.
Outside of luck, getting bottled in, not quite having the 1 1/2 miles, or a real monster in CD, I don’t see BB losing.
Not based on anything scientific, just the way he runs. Would like to see that stride analyzed.
I do hope there is a horse race in the Belmont and that some questions get answered.
As for the breeding, not a fan of it but at least no Mr. Prospector in there or Raise A Native. Inbred, yes, but because of it, he might become a better stallion. (Not saying what the breed needs…) But that’s just my 2cents. Only time will tell what he passes on. Would that it were a Matchem male line. :winkgrin:
I do have a question about BB’s feet. According to what I’ve read, the quarter cracks were cause by abscesses. Is that necessarily a fault of poor feet? I had a mare, running barefoot, (Never a shoe in her life and feet tough as nails) get an abscess. I also read that his farrier says his hoof walls are now good. Goodness knows I’ve had an overreach take a shoe off and part of the hoof wall with it. And I’ve also read that the current practice of rolling and sealing the dirt tracks is just making them harder. What effect is that having on hoof/leg problems?
They’d have to press the Concorde back into action for that to happen… getting from Epsom to Belmont in 6 hours is a tall order.
Bernardini won the Preakness in the same way and he got beat in the Belmont (RIP Barbaro, but he wouldn’t have beat Bernardini that day). I’m curious to see how Big Brown responds when he gets pressure in the stretch. There’s always one horse who loves the 1 1/2 miles and plays spoiler.
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;3230002]
They’d have to press the Concorde back into action for that to happen… getting from Epsom to Belmont in 6 hours is a tall order.[/QUOTE]
Ah the good old days of supersonic flight.
I don’t think Frankie would forgo the cash and glory to be made at Epsom anyhow for getting one long-shot contender in the Belmont and at best a couple of undercard races under his belt.
Now if Kieren Fallon was legal to ride in the US …
I don’t think Frankie would have much say in the matter. His employers, the one’s paying his reputed $2m/year retainer, would be making that call.
I can’t imagine Fallon not having a ride in the Derby also, if he were legal.
It might be a French based jockey, maybe Lemaire, Soumillon or Peslier. None of whom make sense as there will be plenty of top American jocks available with the potentially small field. I say one of Prado/Velasquez/Gomez gets the ride.
[QUOTE=DickHertz;3230067]
Bernardini won the Preakness in the same way and he got beat in the Belmont (RIP Barbaro, but he wouldn’t have beat Bernardini that day). [/QUOTE]
Bernardini didn’t run in the Belmont.
I agree, though, that it’s foolish to concede the Belmont to Big Brown, no matter how dominant he’s been. After all, Spectacular Bid stepped onto a safety pin. I wouldn’t want to see anything happen to Big Brown, but that doesn’t mean something can’t. A bad ride, bad racing luck…there’s a reason why they have to actually run the race.
in the sun
Amen!! Laurierace–we need a hero–forget about the “connections”.
Don’t worry folks, if you thought Rick Dutrow was keeping his opinions and views to himself on the field - he’s not.
ESPN 5-22-08 “Trainer Dutrow Jr. confident Big Brown will bring home Triple Crown”
Dutrow on Casino Drive
“He’s got no chance of beating our horse,” Dutrow told reporters Wednesday. “I’ll be in the winner’s circle when they get to the quarter pole. That’s how I feel. I don’t see that this horse can beat him.”
On why - at best his 3rd year old season won’t include the Haskell or JCGC - but just the Travers and BCC:
“I can’t see anything else making sense for him this year. I don’t want to go out and just keep running him in big races just to make money. That’s no fun. He’s going to need some time to get over these races after the Belmont.”
Funny how Hard Spun raced in all three TC races and then a full later summer and fall season …
Just as a refresher with HS in 2007: Lecomte Stakes (1st), Southwest Stakes (4th), Lane’s End Stakes (1st), Kentucky Derby (2nd), Preakness (3rd), Belmont (4th), Haskell Stakes (2nd) , Kings Bishop (1st), Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (1st), Breeders’ Cup Classic (2nd)
The statement isn’t so much that they’d don’t make them like they used to but rather they don’t race them like they used to - but Larry Jones proved otherwise with the solid runner in Hard Spun.
Looks like not even Lasix for Casino Drive in the Belmont Stakes:
Casino Drive will not race on any medication for the Belmont as he did in his Peter Pan victory.
“No medication,” Tada said. “He runs to the best of his ability without medication.”
Dutrow admits to giving Big Brown the steroid Winstrol on the 15th of every month because it is legal in New York.
“I don’t see it being a problem,” Dutrow said.
Tada thinks steroids are a major concern in the sport.
“There are no steroids in Japan,” he said. “For the future of the industry it’s a problem. We keep the horse natural. We want his natural ability when he becomes a stallion.”
Again Casino Drive’s effort in the Peter Pan May 10, 2008 - Belmont Park
You can see that CD doesn’t like the crack of the whip at all.
If cocaine was legal, I’m sure Dutrow wouldn’t see a problem with it either.
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