Forego

[atakante]

I get the even money Baffert shipper with an easy lead finding the finish line but whatever happened to the other fast horses in that race like MYB and Divining Rod...not even hitting the board?!!?  Any conspiracy theories?

[bluechip21]

First time post here, long time lurker...

I had read on online (link below) that MYB was having trouble in training due to his barn being so close to the road traffic and music from bars and it had showed in his 2nd or 3rd to last works leading up to the race. Take it for what it\'s worth.

Not sure about Divining Rod, that was also a little puzzling to me, although I haven\'t watched the race a second time yet.

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/breeders-cup/everything-air-questionable-work-mind-biscuits/

[Tavasco]

Atakante wrote:
I get the even money Baffert shipper with an easy lead finding the finish line but whatever happened to the other fast horses in that race like MYB and Divining Rod...not even hitting the board?!!? Any conspiracy theories?

IMO, Drefong\'s success can be found in his 2nd and 3rd fractions. Horses who accelerate in the middle of the race present problems for the competition especially when they are on the lead. So when Tale Of Savali & Stallwalkin Dude are the one\'s pushing the pace it is curious to me.

Last year I sort of thought the competition fell asleep. This year he was the lone speed and assert that has advantages I won\'t try and explain now. Suffice to say DreFong\'s slow early fast middle style of running took some of the competition out of their best effort.


The 2017 Jerkens :22.36, :45.05, 1:09.39, 1:21.96

The 2017 Forego  :22.89, :45.58, 1:08.92, 1:21.12
1st 1/4 Mile - 22.89
2nd 1/4 Mile - 22.49
3rd 1/4 Mile - 23.34
Final 1/8 Mi - 12.20

Last year Drefong ran a very similar race in his summer visit to Saratoga. In so much as he broke on top opened a clear lead and was never threatened with early fractions which seemed unimpressive. Making competitors such as Fish Trappe Road, Noholdingback Bear, & Economic Model (to name a few) look sort of ordinary. Note - Jazzy Times (remember the other BB entry) scratched.

2016 Kings Bishop :23.11, :45.85, 1:09.09, 1:21.25 from PP #12
23.11
22.74
23.24
12.16

Some thoughts: how did he (twice) get to the lead in fractions that don\'t stand out for a G1 race on a dry track. Apparently he is a terrific gate horse. As we saw @ DMR he is an excitable boy.

Drefong is still lightly raced overall and I don\'t recall him being out quicked early. I expect top sprinters to blaze early and slow down or come with a withering late run. Neither style has Drefong yet to demonstrate? So it seems he\'s actually a candidate to stretch out to a mile.

I was just reflecting on the bullets Bob Baffert has as we look forward to the BC. Two or more top horses in the three older male dirt races.

So while I ponder the legitimate proposition that the big outfits get the prospects, have the facilities and personnel I cannot help but marvel at the performances of Baffert\'s runners.

Mildly surprised that he didn\'t win with American Anthem tossing in a jump up effort in this years 3 y/o sprint. Yet he did run, imo, surprisingly well and with the trip probably earned a new top so I\'ll keep my eye on that one too.

[atakante]

Welcome bluechip and thanks for the added color Tavasco. It felt like you were describing Mayweather vs. McGregor in there  Slow early fast middle etc.  

It\'s an interesting proposition to see Drefong get a mile against Mor Spirit or Practical Joke, but probably won\'t happen. Baffert\'s stats are mind-boggling...he has a smaller (compared to Pletcher, Brown etc.) stock, but they are firing on all cylinders. Not counting the inexplicable Arrogate slump, I can only recall Dortmund baffling him lately. 87 starters this year delivering 61 wins, 33 places, 22 shows. So betting against the guy has become a highly hazardous affair for any punter\'s health: https://media.giphy.com/media/c2pOELjarKcU/giphy.gif

[SoCalMan2]

atakante Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Welcome bluechip and thanks for the added color
> Tavasco. It felt like you were describing
> Mayweather vs. McGregor in there  Slow early
> fast middle etc.  
>
> It\'s an interesting proposition to see Drefong get
> a mile against Mor Spirit or Practical Joke, but
> probably won\'t happen. Baffert\'s stats are
> mind-boggling...he has a smaller (compared to
> Pletcher, Brown etc.) stock, but they are firing
> on all cylinders. Not counting the inexplicable
> Arrogate slump, I can only recall Dortmund
> baffling him lately. 87 starters this year
> delivering 61 wins, 33 places, 22 shows. So
> betting against the guy has become a highly
> hazardous affair for any punter\'s health:
> https://media.giphy.com/media/c2pOELjarKcU/giphy.g
> if

I wonder how many horses he trains, but never starts (either lost due to injury or not good enough to make the team).  He might train a lot more horses that we never see or hear about (I could be wrong).

[johnnym]

Read Danzing Candy was retired due to injury