Belmont 9

[P-Dub]

Tavasco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> P-Dub
>
> Smiling, Whaa... Excuses?? Two in a row. OK as
> many views as there are pairs of eyes.
>
> I excused his Kee race when I bet him @ CD. No
> more excuses from me. That\'s like saying the
> Cavaliers don\'t practice enough @ at sea level.
>
> In any event he looks to have run a new top imo.
> Now what?

Its not close to the same thing don\'t be ridiculous. The Cleveland analogy.

Off slow and a dead rail are 2 legitimate excuses. The dead rail was discussed here for 3 weeks.

[Boscar Obarra]

I\'m shocked no one has mentioned the LASIX OFF angle, after only 1 start with it.

  Very unusual to go on/off like that , and its possible that last dismal effort was a bad reaction to it, as well as the dead rail.

   OP was exceptional as a 2yo.

   I\'m missing all the fat pitches lately, and I think this was one of them.

[jbelfior]

I think Ticonderoga wins the race if he doesn\'t get shut off and has to alter when the 9 bore in around the 1/16th pole.


Good Luck,
Joe B

[belmont3]

Joe,

Perhaps.
OP came home in 33.70 for final 3/8ths.

22.72 and then 10.98 final 1/8th.

Pretty difficult to close into those fractions.

I don\'t do the race designations but here are some comparisons on fractions
 

Other turf races on Saturday card:

3 on Inner and 3 on outer turf courses

2nd) 1 3/8 maiden         24.49 49.84 114.97  (inner)
4th) 1 mile allowance:    23.90 48.16 113.44  (outer)
6th) 1 1/16 allowance     25.25 49.60 114.11  (inner)
7th) 7f maiden clm        23.3  46.37 110.28  (outer)
9th) 1/1/8 stake          24.43 49.92 114.74  (inner)
10th 1 1/16 maiden        23.41 47.46 111.97  (outer)

Only watched late replays for most of the Saturday Card.
Would agree Ticonderoga was \'going best\' at the end.
Race dynamics favored OP once he cleared early and controlled fractions.
On CD 5/6 dead rail, race dynamics (dead rail) was against OP.
The favorite Good Samaritan also ran 5/6 but off the dead rail.

Bob

[jbelfior]

Bob:

Tough to argue against those numbers.
My pain was needing him in 2 hole to complete what I thought to be an easy exacta play. Nothing easy in this game as we all continue to find out.

Ticonderoga was about 2 lengths off of OP and motoring when forced to check and alter. Could have caught OP in my opinion---it would have been tight.  

On to bigger and better this week.


Good Luck,
Joe B.

[Boscar Obarra]

Apparently no one was impressed with the  lasix angle ,even after I brought it up.

Trainer mentioned it today. Said he was extra dull in the paddock that day so he reversed the lasix .

[Wamsutta]

No no ….. you might have something there ….. interesting comment from the trainer because Maggie commented that she thought he was calmer, less wound up than in prior starts ….. Saturday was the second time I\'d seen him in the flesh, the first time being for the Pilgrim last October ….. he was washed out that day but in fairness it was a muggy day ….. Saturday he was relatively calm and not sweaty ….. definitely rated more kindly Saturday once they got to the backstretch …. presumably he\'ll point to the Belmont Derby …… be interesting to see …… he doesn\'t seem to want to sit behind others ….. presumably Coolmore will send something over for that …… maybe the 5th out of the Prix du Jockey Club, him being by War Front …… Willie Mullins did his homework with the jockey bookings for the Gold Cup ….. fun job I\'m sure for JB doing the figuring for Clondaw Warrior and his 3 mile hurdling form ….. did run well at Arlington last year though …. Wicklow Brave the high weight but if he can sit forward and not be too wide, will take a real SOB to pass him

[Niall]

Red Cardinal a legit Melbourne Cup horse. If he doesnt have too much to do when they straighten out... That said, winning the Irish St Leger is no joke. There\'s your exacta.

[Wamsutta]

Apparently https://www.racingpost.com/news/international/mullins-pair-head-four-strong-european-challenge/288752 the top 3 in the Belmont Gold Cup qualify for the Melbourne Cup, so some of the others are aiming for that as well. That has surely helped to improve the field, but I hadn\'t seen it reported anywhere else.

[Focus959]

Here is an excellent scouting report on the Euros: https://www.twinspires.com/blog/2017/6/9/international-scouting-report-belmont-gold-cup