On to the Belmont 2018 - who's bandwagon are you on? post KD and Preakness

[CVPeg]

Was fun to watch the prep races yesterday. I had both Vino Russo in the Wood, and Good Magic in the Blue Grass (wow, that was a big field!). But had Bolt D’oro over Justify. I hope Bolt D’oro is ok?

Justify was really impressive. But I’m not entirely sold on him for some reason, although he couldn’t do better than to have Mike Smith aboard. And he sure looked like a big, untested kid out there - like it was no big deal.

Still think I’m staying with Mendlessohn.

I don’t know why I can’t do a better job of arranging my work. Since I just got another job, I will only be able to watch from the boob tube. Although years ago, between jobs, I did drive to Keeneland just for The Blue Grass (and the farms), and have also seen The Wood. One of these days, I’d love to traipse all over in the spring seeing most of these in person. Although guess it might be tough on Wood/Blue Grass/Santa Anita Derby day. lol
Probably Santa Anita my biggest dream…

[elsbet]

I really, really like Mendelssohn, but Justify looked great on Saturday! Good Magic looked good too, but I wasn’t as impressed with his win. I also like Audible, but we are just going to have to wait and see what happens. Still too much time and lots could happen before the Derby…

[Mara]

I really like Mendelssohn. Blood-Horse had video up of him in the ring at Keeneland 2016 September yearling sales; he was in there for a long stretch and was just as cool and unflappable as a 20 year old pensioner.

Justify ran huge but he’s still pretty green. The Derby environment can really do a number on a horse’s mental state, which is why I have some reservations about him.

[LuvRedHeads]

Mendelssohn and Good Magic. Boy do I like the chalk

[Where_sMyWhite]

@Mara

Justify ran huge but he’s still pretty green. The Derby environment can really do a number on a horse’s mental state, which is why I have some reservations about him.

He did run a bit green in the stretch but I think his mental state is pretty decent. SA Derby day sure isn’t KD day but he was pretty unflapped by the crowds at SA.

I like Mendelssohn but still not completely sold.

Bolt gave a good effort but around the far turn it sure liked like he was really being pushed while Justify seemed to to be a bit more in cruise mode. I’ll probably be liking Justify less if he’s either really inside or really outside in the PP for the start. If he gets swallowed up in traffic, he might just have some growing up to do

[Lord_Helpus]

But Justify has to overcome the “didn’t race at 2” jinx. Can he do it?

​ Not only did he not run at 2 (anyone know why?) his first race was in Mid Feb.

[Lord_Helpus]

Another thing I noticed was, in a breed which is becoming more bay/brown all the time ---- the top contenders in the derby are (almost) all chestnut.

[Where_sMyWhite]

LH, couldn’t find anything in a quick search on why Justify didn’t start until early 3yo. Would be interesting to find out.

All 3 Derby contenders from Saturday are, yes, chestnut. Interesting coincidence. I do like Justify’s color for sure. My never made it to the track TB was a chestnut mare with plenty of white on her face

[LaurieB]

Watching the Wood, I thought Vino Rosso should have been taken down for his egregious interference with Enticed in the stretch. There was repeated bumping and, at one point, Vino Rosso even knocked Enticed off his stride. The stewards let the result stand (perhaps in deference to winning trainer Todd Pletcher?) Enticed’s trainer Kiaran McLaughlin–usually not one to complain–was vocal about his dissatisfaction in his post-race interview.

Now–two days later–the NY stewards have fined Johnny V $1500 for “carelesss riding” in the Wood. So basically they are admitting that their original decision was wrong–except that the race result still stands. Not the first time I’ve seen this happen, but to me it seems very unfair to the connections of Enticed.

[Where_sMyWhite]

LaurieB, do you know if there are provisions in how the KD qualifying points are awarded that would allow, for example in this case, to take away the first place KD points and award them to Enticed (and then award 2nd place KD points to Vino Rosso) even if the official race results have Vino Rosso in first place?

Wonder if there will be any discussion going forwards after this given that VR wasn’t taken down but jock was subsequently fined for ‘careless riding’.

[Texarkana]

I was out of town over the weekend and was catching up on some of the prep races.

I pulled up Justify’s page on the official Kentucky Derby website and found this pretty funny:

[ATTACH=JSON]{“alt”:“Click image for larger version Name: Untitled drawing.jpg Views: 1 Size: 6.7 KB ID: 10084205”,“data-align”:“none”,“data-attachmentid”:“10084205”,“data-size”:“medium”,“title”:“Untitled drawing.jpg”}[/ATTACH]
If you can’t read the blurry screen shot, it is reporting in Justify’s past performances that he won 3 races at Miami Valley Raceway, which happens to be a standardbred track in Ohio. :lol:

I don’t even know how someone tasked with updating the official Kentucky Derby website could make that mistake.

[Texarkana]

@Where'sMyWhite

LaurieB, do you know if there are provisions in how the KD qualifying points are awarded that would allow, for example in this case, to take away the first place KD points and award them to Enticed (and then award 2nd place KD points to Vino Rosso) even if the official race results have Vino Rosso in first place?

Wonder if there will be any discussion going forwards after this given that VR wasn’t taken down but jock was subsequently fined for ‘careless riding’.

In this particular case, it’s a moot point. Enticed already has 103 qualifying points. He’s a lock to make the field if his connections enter him.

[LaurieB]

Where’sMyWhite, the KY Derby points are awarded to the official winners (and placers) of the Derby preps. I can’t see CD changing anything after the fact, especially since the official results still stand.

[Where_sMyWhite]

Thanks LaurieB. I seem to recall there have been races in the past where outcomes like failing drug tests have resulted in horses forfeiting purses while not actually changing the outcome of the race from the bettor perspective so wasn’t sure where KD points would fall.

Was curious not just in light of affecting if Enticed would or wouldn’t make the Derby but if VR would be points eligible if he only received 2nd place points (which appears to be a moot point).

Do love the whoops with respect to the 3 races Justify and BB may have participated in on a STB track :lol:

[furlong47]

@Texarkana

I was out of town over the weekend and was catching up on some of the prep races.

I pulled up Justify’s page on the official Kentucky Derby website and found this pretty funny:

[ATTACH=JSON]{“alt”:“Click image for larger version Name: Untitled drawing.jpg Views: 1 Size: 6.7 KB ID: 10084205”,“data-align”:“none”,“data-attachmentid”:“10084205”,“data-size”:“medium”,“title”:“Untitled drawing.jpg”}[/ATTACH]
If you can’t read the blurry screen shot, it is reporting in Justify’s past performances that he won 3 races at Miami Valley Raceway, which happens to be a standardbred track in Ohio. :lol:

I don’t even know how someone tasked with updating the official Kentucky Derby website could make that mistake.

Those races were in fact won by a horse named Justify… just not this Justify :lol: Wonder where they pulled their data.

[Texarkana]

@furlong47

Those races were in fact won by a horse named Justify… just not this Justify :lol: Wonder where they pulled their data.

I figure that’s what happened, but I don’t even understand how someone employed by Churchill Downs Inc. could make that kind of mistake, especially when there are easily accessible industry standards like Equibase to confirm the information.

Was the person who created his profile page so clueless about racing that he/she had to google, “what races has Justify won?” :lol:

I can’t believe the page hasn’t been corrected yet either! That’s a pretty big “whoops!”

[LaurieB]

@Texarkana

I figure that’s what happened, but I don’t even understand how someone employed by Churchill Downs Inc. could make that kind of mistake, especially when there are easily accessible industry standards like Equibase to confirm the information.

Was the person who created his profile page so clueless about racing that he/she had to google, “what races has Justify won?” :lol:

I can’t believe the page hasn’t been corrected yet either! That’s a pretty big “whoops!”

Actually it’s not that surprising when you remember that the president of Churchill Downs has said “Horses are our brand but they are not our business.” An employee who was more conversant in CD’s “business” (gambling) probably did google Justify to see who he was.

As for why the error hasn’t been corrected–they probably don’t realize it’s wrong.

[Texarkana]

@Laurie B To your point, CDI owns Miami Valley… maybe this wasn’t a “whoops” but rather a subtle plug for their venue.

It’s still absolutely freaking ridiculous. You can’t even post correct info on the horses pointed towards your marquee race? Leave it up there too long and you may even be able to consider it fraud…

[furlong47]

@LaurieB

Actually it’s not that surprising when you remember that the president of Churchill Downs has said “Horses are our brand but they are not our business.” An employee who was more conversant in CD’s “business” (gambling) probably did google Justify to see who he was.

As for why the error hasn’t been corrected–they probably don’t realize it’s wrong.

If you think that’s bad, go here and have a look at page 14. http://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/magazine-flipbooks/2018-spring/

[Maythehorsebewithme]

@furlong47

If you think that’s bad, go here and have a look at page 14. http://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/magazine-flipbooks/2018-spring/

I went. I looked at page 14.

omg