The Donn

[miff]

JB,

As I said, if you gave QR neg 6-7, I believe the fig would be very accurate.Don\'t know how you will do it since the other mile and one eighth race was cheap claimers and a bottomed out field from a fast pace.GP did not have a glib surface on Sat in the 6 dirt races and if I had to guess, I would say you had to take off a little.

Assuming Rachel comes back as good or better( I believe great sound females get stronger/faster at 4 and 5) Saw her train the other day, looks more physically developed.

I don\'t believe the weight spot will be enough for Rachel to handle QR if he can repeat his last.I could see them running off from the field, but the great Rachel would need to improve a little to beat the horse that ran on Sat.

Rachels people would have to be nuts to tackle QR,imo!


Mike

[martoon]

Miff..

Howe did you think RA looked on the track the other day?  From my TV view she looked a lot bigger and not quite as light on her feet as last year. If bigger is better for her she could be a lot better.

[miff]

Martoon,

She is obviously carrying extra weight from not racing.I understand she was never totally let down.As I said,if she stays sound there is no telling where she may be at some point his year.Tough to figure theres a whole lot of developing for her going forward.

As a 3 yr old filly, she was in the freak class both figure wise and accomplishment wise.


Mike

[Silver Charm]

>Pletcher is starting to get numbers again, regardless.

There is a lot of movement at his barn at Palm Meadows at all hours of the day and night. NOW I DID NOT say anybody was cheating just that there are people coming and going at all hours of the day and night. Maybe just working extra hard.  

Is Albertrani serving days??

[alm]

I\'ve been hanging around Thoro for a few years, on the sidelines for the most part, so forgive my question, but....how come we come up with a new superhorse about every six months?

Quality Road is a nice horse, but he\'s really only done the same thing, under similar conditions and distance, at the same track TWICE.  This makes him the the new great?

Come on guys....let\'s see him carry his race somemwhere else.  Let\'s see him carry some real weight.  Let\'s see him change up distances.  Let\'s see him beat more than a bunch of plugs.  

For crying out loud.

[Leamas57]

Forgive me, but 123 (just after 126) is not real weight? I agree that GP is usually speed-favoring, but what chances has he had since returning to running condition? If he can stay healthy this year, he might be looking at HOY. Graded stakes winners by 12 3/4 is not just beating plugs.

I know there\'s often hyperpole in here, but some good handicappers thought some good horses could run him down. This is Quality Road, not Ersatz Lane.

I have really only gotten behind two horses consistently in here: Summer Bird and QR, and SB may have a huge year, too, once back to dirt where he belongs.

Leamas

[Michael D.]

alm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I\'ve been hanging around Thoro for a few years, on
> the sidelines for the most part, so forgive my
> question, but....how come we come up with a new
> superhorse about every six months?
>
> Quality Road is a nice horse, but he\'s really only
> done the same thing, under similar conditions and
> distance, at the same track TWICE.  This makes him
> the the new great?
>
> Come on guys....let\'s see him carry his race
> somemwhere else.  Let\'s see him carry some real
> weight.  Let\'s see him change up distances.  Let\'s
> see him beat more than a bunch of plugs.  
>
> For crying out loud.


I usually take your side here alm, but Zen, RA, and QR really are bigger, stronger, and faster than the average thoroughbred. Watching their races, and examining their size, scope, and genes, it is reasonable to conclude that they are running at extremely high levels, maybe as fast as any that have ever run. Not a sure bet by any means, but not unreasonable in my opinion.

Now, with QR, there is no doubt that he needs to take his \'A\' game outside of S Fla before he\'s even considered a great (and I\'m not sure he can do that at the routes), but there\'s nothing wrong with celebrating what the speed figure experts are calling an incredibly fast race.

[Lost Cause]

Summer Bird, Quality Road, Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta, Blame (Yes he belongs in there), and whatever three year olds come out of the triple crown.  This could be a really fun year if they don\'t duck each other throughout.  Hopefully we get them all to the Breeders\' Cup..

[ajkreider]

Not the same distance, of course.  But did set a track record at Saratoga, and by a fair bit.

As others have said, the Met will tell more.

[alm]

Maybe you will all prove right about this horse, but let me leave one note: 123 pounds is nothing...I guess that I am getting old, but I remember when you had to carry 130 or more and win with some frequency at or close to that weight to be considered a great.

Dr. Fager...Forego...Kelso (although I don\'t put him up there with the others.)

They would all have dusted this character...and Rachel almost getting run down by Macho Again?  They would have dusted her too.  Maybe Zenyatta is a freak and would have stood a chance against them.