RA got a 4 negative?

[covelj70]

First of all, thanks very much for the data, always greatly appreciated.

Am I looking at RA\'s figure right (there\'s no negative # notation next to the figure like there usually is for the negative numbers)?

That would make her the fastest filly and mare of all time and that would be faster than any Derby except BB?

I was there on the rail watching her go down the stretch in the Oaks and it literally gave me goosbumps.

This huge figure depresses me because if they run her back in the Acorn like they are talking about, that will be one of her last races.  You can\'t bring any horse back from that kind of effort so quickly.

And, I really don\'t want to hear anyone tell me about how she wasn\'t asked so the effort didn\'t take alot out of her.

I heard that last year for Big Brown\'s preakness and this year for IWR and both horses were hurt very shortly after the huge numbers.  Same for Smarty, Barabaro, Quality Road, etc.  Huge efforts knock horses out and there\'s just too much of a body of evidence now to dispute that, even in the last few years.

We can\'t do anything about the past but in all seriousness, is there anyway that we collectively can help Wiggins and the owners of RA understand that they need to give her 3 months off to recover from the huge effort?  JB, I know there is a history here but I would really love to see this filly stick around at least until the Breeders Cup before she goes to the breeding shed and that\'s not going to happen if they run her back in 5 weeks.

The reason great horses like Zenayatta and Curlin stuck around is because they run fast but never over the top (which is why we are usually saying they are beatable b/c their figs aren\'t astromonical).  This is a huge over the top kind of number that causes damage and I am really upset about it because I want the privelege of watching this filly again.

Anyone have any ideas on what we can do?

[richiebee]

Covel:

1) Mix some gin or rum with the Kool Aid.

2)You are involved in the industry. Instead of wringing your hands about the
future of RA, actively try to do what you can to improve the breed. In the 1970s
horses ran fast and frequently and stayed around past their 3YO campaigns. \"Huge
efforts\" knock out THE CURRENT GENERATION of horses because they are not bred
for stamina or durability and the economics of the sport/business perpetuate
this weakness by encouraging light racing schedules and early retirement.

Covel-- The year is 1982. Conquistador Cielo wins the Met Mile, The Belmont 5
days later,and somehow manages to run in the Travers.

The year is 1973. Secretariat arguably sets 3 track records (2 of which still
stand) in 5 weeks; somehow he is able to set a world record on the turf at the
end of his 3YO campaign.

3) The Acorn is a one turn mile. NYRA will use its limited resources to promote
this Amazon, replaying Borel\'s antics, and will rope together 4 or 5 tomato
cans which she will dominate while at 85% capacity. Then she may be sent to the
Alabama and then the BC.

The shadow of Eight Belles hangs over your post. If Owner Porter had listened
to Trainer Jones and run her in the Kentucky Oaks last year, she may have been
running at CD last weekend instead of having a race named in her memory. And
dont get me started on the maudlin, mawkish ringing of the Bell eight times
before the race, which may qualify as the most absurd deployment of American
troops since Reagan invaded Granada.

[mlnolan00]

I think Indian Blessing ran a negative 5 last year at some point (Prioress?) and she\'s remained around...so (touch wood) hopefully we can keep RA around.

[covelj70]

Come on Richie, you are WAY WAY too smart to believe that all of the horses that run big efforts and disappear shortly thereafter all are just a bunch of random coincidences.

Go back and look at the archives, the horses from 15 years ago weren\'t running anywhere near the same kinds of figures as these horses are running today.

As has been discussed on the board before, alot has changed which has impacted times (how deep the tracks are, etc) but horses were winning the derby with 4s and 5s 15 years ago, they weren\'t running that fast, that\'s why they could run so much more frequently.

I was a pitcher in high school. I once threw 10 innings on Wednesday and came back with 7 innings on Friday.  How did I do that without breaking my arm? Becasue I didn\'t throw hard enough to break a plane of glass.  I used all change ups and slow fast balls, none of which stressed my arm too much.  Same reason horses could come back on such short rest 15 years ago.

As an aside, I am breeding alot now and I am trying to do my part by only breeding sound mares to stallions who had long careers on the race track.  Don\'t know if it will work but I figured it\'s worth a shot.

[covelj70]

BTW, I forgot to mention that this is just about the funniest thing I have ever read.  Still laughing 20 mins later.  You are awesome.

[basket777]

own a horse

[covelj70]

what do you mean own a horse?  I own about 25 horses by myself or in partnership with others?

[imallin]

\"Effort\"

If she was asked for everything she had, she would have run much faster. If calvin had a gun to his head to win by 40 lengths or get shot, he would have been able to win by 40.

Forgetting the actual number for a second, isn\'t the reason horses who break down after fast numbers because that number \'took something out of them\'? That their skeletal system was overloaded and wasn\'t able to recover in time for their next race?

Look at RA\'s face after she came back to be unsaddled, she was just looking like she never even ran, there was no stress on her face or her body language.

If this is the best thoroughbred to ever live (male or female) isnt\' it possible that she can buck all speed figure trends?

[covelj70]

no one thinks RA is more of a freak than I do.

I watched her train all last week and I have never seen anything like her.

She kicks her back legs out like most horses kick their front legs out when she gallops in the morning.

She\'s a total total freak.

However, these argument about horses not excerting themselves so the big efforts don\'t hurt them just haven\'t held up.

Smarty\'s Preakness was suppossedly easy and it caused a bounce in the Belmont and then he was retired right after

Big Brown\'s Preakness was easy and he bounced in Belmont and ran one more race in his career.

I Want Revenge\'s Wood was the same and he may never run again.

Look, I hope like hell that she\'s the exception to the rule because I am absolutely in the bag for her but there\'s alot of evidence on the other side of her coming back in 5 weeks and then staying sound through the breeders cup which would absoutely bum me out.

[imallin]

Jess jackson buying RA for 10 mil, headed to preakness?