They are dropping like flies out of the Classic

[covelj70]

Gitano Hernando, Rail Trip and Macho Again all out of the Classic already.

Will still be a loaded field with the Euros at the heavy heavy favs but I wanted as many of the good ones as possible in there for betting purposes.

That said, I think it\'s great that Barry, et all are giving Gitano time after the huge effort in the goodwood so maybe we can see a great 4 yr old next year.

[phil123]

Cov - where did you hear that MA was out? Last I had heard in a Haskin article last week, he was confirmed by West Point as being pointed to the Classic.  He also had a  work this weekend.

**********
\"After conducting a vote among the partners, West Point Thoroughbreds has decided to run Macho Again in the Classic, joining stablemate Awesome Gem, who is considered 90% certain. \" Oct 15.

[covelj70]

Macho coughed and scoped with blood after his work on Saturday so they took him out of consideration this weekend.

This happened after that partner vote.

[phil123]

Hey thanks for that Cov.  By my count now there are 15 pointing to it.  I have last in as Regal Ransom, with Girolama (if they do decide to point him to this and not dirt mile...although they have Midshipman and Pyro for that already it seems) as #15.  And that\'s assuming the Big Z and Twice Over both come, which certainly is no guarentee.

God I can\'t wait for next year when this synth cr*p is a distant memory.

[phil123]

And speaking of next year, how great could 2010\'s Classic look with Rachel and Summer Bird having already both been announced as coming back at 4 and Quality Road certainly seeming likely, barring...well...barring him and his big negs taking to pro-ride in 3 weeks I suppose.  Plus MTB is a gelding, so god knows they\'ll be racing him at Ruidoso in 2014.  Be the exact opposite of this year\'s miserable collection of older dirt horses.

[covelj70]

I really don\'t mind the synthetics as much as everyone else.

There will be full contentious fields for the BC, just alot more turf horses and europeans than there will be next year at Churchill.  Some of the best horses won\'t run (i.e. Fabulous Strike, Rachael, etc) and that stinks but we will get to see more international horses run that wouldn\'t otherwise try on dirt.  

I am ok with that.  It\'s different but not necessarily bad.