" I can’t imagine that NYRA would 1. blow the enormous ticket sales that the Belmont is now guaranteed" They denied I’ll Have Another, why not CC?
[QUOTE=DLee;7583121]
I think I read in an article (I’ve read too many to remember where now) that the original stallion he picked didn’t work out and so they used Lucky Pulpit… I will see if I can backtrack and find that. If that’s the case, even a little more luck involved.
ETA:
Mare was bred to Reddatore and didn’t take, he got exported and Lucky Pulpit was chosen.[/QUOTE]
That doesn’t mean that when Reddatore became unavailable that Martin just picked a stallion out of a hat. If he spent months researching and analyzing, I’m sure he had several stallions which were top picks. Just because the first one didn’t work out does not mean Lucky Pulpit was an afterthought.
[QUOTE=GottaQHFilly;7583152]
" I can’t imagine that NYRA would 1. blow the enormous ticket sales that the Belmont is now guaranteed" They denied I’ll Have Another, why not CC?[/QUOTE]
I’m not sure they actually did deny IHA the option. I don’t recall the connections seeking permission to race with the Flair strips. Doug O’ Neill was not concerned about it in the least. I don’t know for sure though, it has been too long ago already.
Either way, a sticker on his nose won’t have any effect one way or another on a horse like CC when he gets rolling.
I liked what I saw in videos of California Chrome before the Derby, then looked at his pedigree, also before, and was impressed with the horses he had in his background. He is royally bred if you look at his 5 gen pedigree and has the distance in there.
[QUOTE=PeteyPie;7583153]
That doesn’t mean that when Reddatore became unavailable that Martin just picked a stallion out of a hat. If he spent months researching and analyzing, I’m sure he had several stallions which were top picks. Just because the first one didn’t work out does not mean Lucky Pulpit was an afterthought.[/QUOTE]
Maybe not an afterthought but not the first choice either. Just adds even more to the story, in my opinion.
[QUOTE=ridingagain;7582756]
He had luck in the Derby because he got a decent post position, a fast track, a good start and ,with a huge field, he had a clear trip. Whether some of that was Victor’s doing, good luck or the horse’s rideability, I don’t know. I also thought I read somewhere that CC doesn’t like dirt in his face, so who knows how he would have fared if he was boxed in (which he wasn’t). All those things combined to help him win the Derby. His trip at the Preakness impressed me more. It takes a lot of skill, luck, determination and greatness to win a TC. We will see if the racing gods favor this horse. If he wins the Belmont, it will be an amazing accomplishment, no matter how much luck he has had so far.[/QUOTE]
Sure, I guess he’s lucky he’s a fast horse too.
He was almost boxed in, and got out of it because of his speed and because he listened to his rider. How lucky!
[QUOTE=grayarabpony;7583264]
Sure, I guess he’s lucky he’s a fast horse too.[/QUOTE]
:lol:
It would be incredible PR for the Flair nasal strip company if they offered to furnish strips to either the entire Belmont Stakes field, or even every horse on Belmont Stakes day. That way nobody could say anyone had any sort of advantage.
Thanks Laurierace, for the pictures. I’d really like the impressions of those that were there, because it was hard to tell via NBC just what I thought I was seeing. Did he indeed come out of this race, like the Derby, where he “wouldn’t even blow out a match”? He seemed to have nostrils pretty wide open after and to me, I thought in the little NBC showed when he was taken back to the barn, he looked like a tired (not exhausted) horse. Like I said, would love input from people who were there.
I’d also like an eyeball assessment of CC’s conformation and is it that that allows a stride I’m still trying to analyze? To my uneducated eye, he seems to throwback to some of the horses of the past, not built like the TB’s of today who seem to be Quarter Horses on steroids with longer legs. Maybe he’ll bulk up later but right now, CC looks like a horse bred to run, not sprint, in spite of the Mr. P and ND in his pedigree.
I was impressed by the way California Chrome handled the pressure from Social Inclusion, who looks to be quite a large horse. CC doesn’t seem to be intimidated by size. As for Social Inclusion, he seemed to be running kind of crooked the very last part of the race. I’m assuming he was tiring and really, the owners want to run him back in the Belmont?
Victor said that he had to go with CC early because SI came up to him and he said you never want to lose position at that point. Why? It seemed that CC would have had a shot to wait, put on the afterburners, and pass a tiring SI, if he kept his lane clear. Would love to hear the reasoning behind that from those more knowledgeable. Also, since CC seems adaptable, would there be any point in riding a come-from-behind race in the Belmont with him? Not from the south forty, granted, but perhaps Victor would have him lay a little further back?
I thought I read that CC’s dam had breathing problems that might have attributed to her record. Anyone else read anything to that effect?
Maybe that 2x Numbered Account came through. Thought it interesting that both times, it was either Northern Dancer NA was bred to, or Danzig, a son of ND. Of course, Numbered Account brings in La Troienne 2x and War Admiral 3x, with Striking in the dam lines of both NA and Not For Love. I think there is a lot of interweaving in the background of CC’s pedigree and in some of the ancestors in the background. Maybe it all adds up down the line?
I remember another horse who people thought of as “cheap.” Wasn’t Seattle Slew a $15,000 purchase with a less than fashionable pedigree? A certain mare named My Charmer had the full sisters, Striking and Busher, top and bottom. There’s that War Admiral thing again, as the sire of the sisters. And Slew turned into a pretty good sire. I’m NOT saying that it always works. But when it does, that connection back in the pedigree seems work pretty good. She got a couple of fair horses but of course, the Bold Reasoning cross could not be repeated.
I wish announcers would stop calling him a “cheap” horse. Maybe by breeding costs, but the owners have to foot the bill each month he’s running- not cheap!
[QUOTE=GottaQHFilly;7583152]
" I can’t imagine that NYRA would 1. blow the enormous ticket sales that the Belmont is now guaranteed" They denied I’ll Have Another, why not CC?[/QUOTE]
From this article:
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/theraces/california-chrome-triple-crown-bid-denied-new-york-state-regulations-blog-entry-1.1796841
Doug O’Neill, who trained I’ll Have Another, said he was told the horse couldn’t wear the nasal strip in 2012 by a member of NYRA, and doesn’t remember ever being told he could have made a request.
To me that says O’Neill didn’t know he could request a waiver… So didn’t do it. It’s up to the stewards whether he can wear it or not, all they need to do is request it.
I have been within a couple of feet of the Preakness winners and runners up for the past 14 years as well as countless other horses over the years. California Chrome is hands down the freshest horse I have ever seen in the test barn following a race. If not for the fact that he wasn’t in any distress whatsoever I would question his ability to sweat. He truly looked like he was headed to the paddock not the test barn.
NY State agencies have been going through some changes/growing pains over the past few years. The agency that will be deciding the breathing strip question has just been newly created to cover both horse racing AND gaming (including the lottery) - now known as the NYS Gaming Commission, rather than the NYS Racing and Wagering Board. I believe the latter was in place when I’ll Have Another ran. Cuomo has been combining several agencies for apparent cost effective measures - ask me how I know - when you combine banking and insurance licensing - what a headache!
However, they seem to make decisions based on the law, and previously I’d guess trying to hold on to their power. Since I think this decision can be made arbitrarily by the stewards, without any legal tangles, let’s hope they have the common sense to do the right thing - and allow them for all as it’s put to them this week.
Also this week, Cuomo and Obama are headed to my hometown to promote tourism, and Cuomo’s renomination to run for governor. Would seem silly to not support the horse coming in to revitalize racing!!
Although I’ve often had Pollyanna type hopes…
[QUOTE=betonbill;7583324]
It would be incredible PR for the Flair nasal strip company if they offered to furnish strips to either the entire Belmont Stakes field, or even every horse on Belmont Stakes day. That way nobody could say anyone had any sort of advantage.[/QUOTE]
Dumb question, but is there any actual evidence that the things do anything for horses?
The manufacturers say it lessens damage to the lungs and “is as effective as LASIX” in controlling EIPH, but I haven’t found much that isn’t from the manufacturer, other than this from KER:
“Application of nasal dilator bands (Flair strips)reduces nasal resistance by dilating the nasal valve (Holcombe et al., 2002), and reducesred cell count of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid collected from horses after intenseexercise on a treadmill (Geor et al., 2001; Kindig et al., 2001). However, the effect ofthis intervention in horses racing competitively has not been demonstrated.”
If nothing else, I really hope that if CC runs in the belmont without the strip, and loses, they don’t blame it on the equipment…
[QUOTE=caffeinated;7583553]
Dumb question, but is there any actual evidence that the things do anything for horses?
The manufacturers say it lessens damage to the lungs and “is as effective as LASIX” in controlling EIPH, but I haven’t found much that isn’t from the manufacturer, other than this from KER:
“Application of nasal dilator bands (Flair strips)reduces nasal resistance by dilating the nasal valve (Holcombe et al., 2002), and reducesred cell count of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid collected from horses after intenseexercise on a treadmill (Geor et al., 2001; Kindig et al., 2001). However, the effect ofthis intervention in horses racing competitively has not been demonstrated.”
If nothing else, I really hope that if CC runs in the belmont without the strip, and loses, they don’t blame it on the equipment…[/QUOTE]
Here’s one response…http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/sports/horse-racing-holds-its-breath-over-a-nasal-strip.html?hpw&rref=sports&_r=0
It isn’t as if the nasal strip is a new wrinkle in the sport. It was designed by two veterinarians, Jim Chiapetta and Ed Blach, and it came to the forefront at the 1999 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. It was tested on seven geldings at Kansas State University in a study conducted by a veterinarian, H. H. Erickson, which found that the strips improved oxygen intake.
That is neither overwhelming science nor a reason to derail a Triple Crown bid.
Does anyone know if Chrome’s dam is still alive and if so, what her recent foals look like?
From CC fb page…
California Chrome has been approved to wear his nasal strip in The Belmont Stakes and WILL RUN! State Steward Steve Lyndowski officially approved the horse to wear the strip. New York here we come!!!
[QUOTE=Laurierace;7583510]
I have been within a couple of feet of the Preakness winners and runners up for the past 14 years as well as countless other horses over the years. California Chrome is hands down the freshest horse I have ever seen in the test barn following a race. If not for the fact that he wasn’t in any distress whatsoever I would question his ability to sweat. He truly looked like he was headed to the paddock not the test barn.[/QUOTE]
I was wondering this as well, nice to have your eyes-on opinion here. Also, since you seem quite in-the-know, do you know why Ria Antonia had a band around her tail?
[QUOTE=mommy peanut;7583689]
From CC fb page…
California Chrome has been approved to wear his nasal strip in The Belmont Stakes and WILL RUN! State Steward Steve Lyndowski officially approved the horse to wear the strip. New York here we come!!![/QUOTE]
This is wonderful!!!
I’m glad the that he’ll be allowed to wear the nasal strip. I think it would have been dumb if they hadn’t allowed it. I also think it would have been dumb for the owners to continue with the picking-up-their-toys-and-going-home fit if it hadn’t been approved.
I was wondering if he was anhydritic, too, until I saw a picture today from the Santa Anita Derby and he was clearly wet after that. Maybe he loves the cool East Coast weather (when he goes home he can take our rain with him, too…) I’ve never seen a horse finish the Derby and look like he barely broke a sweat.
