Baffert to enter Rabbit???

[Dana666]

I hadn\'t heard of this. A rabbit for Justify to track and I guess to put the kaibosh on anyone who was thinking of taking it to Justify early on, like Good Magic attempted in the Preakness.

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Restoring_Hope_may_be_Belmont_2018_rabbit_Justify_needs_123#

[boardedup]

it\'s hard for me to think of RH as a \"rabbit?\"  He\'s more one paced and grinds, I do like him to be close to the pace but I can\'t see him getting the lead over Justify unless he\'s on the dead send suicide mission like Palice Malice first time blinkers or something?  And they wouldn\'t want Justify chasing something like that anyway, so it seems unlikely.

I really hope they don\'t ride him like that because he screams Belmont Horse to me, enough speed to carve out a nice trip upfront and then the ability to carry it all the way through the wire. (at a huge number)  

Although it\'s really hard to believe BB would enter anything that would jeopardize Justify in any way what so ever, so maybe RH\'s best race is sacrificed in some way?

[hellersorr]

Restoring Hope is in the race because of the owners, not the trainer.

[Tavasco]

The race purse is $1.5M and they don\'t give all of it to the winner. Plus c/b Restoring Hope and Justify are buddies.

[phil23]

Last year there was a discussion between West and Baffert about running West Coast in the Belmont rather than the Easy Goer, ultimately they decided on the softer spot and then West Coast ran huge causing, I think, some regret on West\'s part that he had potentially missed a big possibility to win a Classic.

Plus, in the last few years have seen more than one Baffert 3yo come in off a terrible race not just rebound but run big new one right on this day - Bayern (and the aforementioned West Coast) being the two I\'m thinking of.

Price should more than compensate any other concerns (potentially wet again?), of which pedigree does not appear to be one. He has had a less compacted schedule than either of those other two as well.

[TGJB]

Last time that horse was first time blinkers... haven’t seen a word about it.

[johnnym]

I believe he had Blinkers on in his first two starts no?

[TGJB]

Yeah, you\'re right. Disregard seminar comment.

[phil23]

West owns the mare, which fleshes this out a bit more - says a classic placement sure wouldn\'t hurt her. So that kind of puts a different spin on this.

[phil23]

BL OFF.  Just announced.  Does this mean Baffert is worried they come after J hard and he wants this one around for the end?   Starting to get a little Eddington/Rock Hard ten feel maybe.

[kekomi]

After Abel Tasman, I\'m not feeling comfortable.

Regarding Restoring Hope\'s blinkers Baffert could be trying to have a plan B in case Justify spits the bit, but he could also be trying to create a more visually impressive lead by dulling him.


These opinions are solely my own.

[Tavasco]

Noble Indy to do a Promises Fulfilled according to owner. Hmm.

[jbelfior]

Interesting that no one has posted their thoughts on what Geroux (aka Fuzzy Thurston leading the Lombardi sweep) was doing out there with Restoring Hope.

Particularly interested in thoughts about his antics at the quarter pole when he intentionally changed lanes to cut off Tenfold who IMO was making a \" finishing second\" move while allowing Gronkowski to get through on the rail.


Good Luck,
Joe B.

[TGJB]

That move going into the first turn is one we’ve seen before, and also with an uncoupled entry mate— against a Hollendorfer horse a few years ago.

[trackjohn]

Along with the #5 essentially \'riding shotgun\' for Justify around the track in the 3-4 path until coming out of the far turn...