What would you do with Verrazano?

[TGJB]

Coolmore didn\'t buy into him to be Smarten.

[richiebee]

Meh, Coolmore, good for Covel, good for the people who root for horses to be
retired after their 3YO season (if not before) for stud duty.

[covelj70]

Hey richie, what\'s up buddy?

I know where you are coming from and you have been very consistent over the years advocating for horses that are on the fringe bypassing the derby trail but there are two issues with that.

1. What if mine that bird, giacomo, etc had done that, many have been on the fringe and made noise in the big race

2. Winning those other stakes would be great but having one in the derby is a bucket list thing so if we can earn our way in, we are going for it.

Should be a fun 60 days coming up for everyone.

[covelj70]

Jerry thought you were taking about verazanno I think.

[Wrongly]

Classic - http://www.metacafe.com/watch/an-bjWcJnt2thbbm4/a_bronx_tale_1993_horse_racing/

[TGJB]

Correct, meant Verrazano, and I think I\'ve seen at least three different spellings of his name on this string already.

The good news about that bucket list thing is once you\'ve done it HOPEFULLY it\'s off the list. But I\'m not buying it.

[richiebee]

James:

Good point about Giacomo and MTB, the two biggest head scratchers (for me) in
nearly 40 years of following the big race.

You are a bit young to be talking about a \"bucket list\", but best of luck, and see
if you can do something about those wide post position draws.

[covelj70]

Well. As Morgan Freeman said in shawshank \"get busy living or get busy dying\"

These post draws with this horse have been brutal. 3 awful ones in a row. We\'ve had to send last few times which is tough, especially against that monster on Sat (I won\'t try to spell his name anymore)

Think he\'ll go further if he doesn\'t have to do all the dirty work upfront.

Hopefully we get to find out.

[TGJB]

Check out the posts VG drew in the TC races some time.

[Rich Curtis]

\"As Morgan Freeman said in shawshank \'get busy living or get busy dying\'\"

  I am very disappointed in you, Jim. Robbins said it first. Freeman merely repeated it near the end. Robbins deserves the credit.

[richiebee]

TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Correct, meant Verrazano, and I think I\'ve seen at
> least three different spellings of his name on
> this string already.
>

Lets set the record straight.

The Italian explorer for whom the bridge is named spelled his name V-E-R-R-A-Z-Z
A-N-O. (Two Rs and two Zs).

Thus, both the bridge and the colt who was named after said bridge are,
 technically, misspellings.

The VN Bridge was opened in 1963 or 1964. The population of Staten Island at that
time was about 75K. Staten Island now has at least 500K. In \'64 A trip across the
VN would set you back $.50 going in each direction. A recent increase brought the
toll up to $15, collected in one direction; thankfully as a Staten Islander with
an EZ pass my toll is deeply discounted to $6 per round trip.

The main impact of the VN is that half of Brooklyn was able to move to Staten
Island, next stop NJ.

Due to the large number of Italian Americans who migrated to SI after the VN
opened, it is affectionately called \"The Guinea Gangplank\". Wonder what the
Jockey Club would have said about that name.

[Flighted Iron]

TGJB,

  what\'s motivating you to think he\'s 50-50 to make the gate ?


Flighted

[TGJB]

Just had an extended discussion with Bill Finley on that subject, he\'s doing a piece that should run either on ESPN.com or in TDN (or both) next couple of days. I\'ll go into it further as we head towards the Wood and Derby (if he makes it that far).

But you really don\'t need me, you\'ve been using TG a while. Make a list of the 3yos that ran negative figures in March and April, see what patterns emerge.

[Flighted Iron]

i\'m moved not merely by this horse\'s numbers but by how he\'s attained them. call it reverse-mush , call it what you like. this beast cruises 3w / 3.5w-4w
derby day and wins by 3.5 to 4.5 lengths. I\'ll take 125 to 1 on the trip and lengths. I\'ll settle for the \"even money\" thing though.

[ajkreider]

I thought the same way until the Esky year.  Could a horse have done it easier beating a very serviceable Jackson Bend by 10 lengths, TWICE?! It wasn\'t that he worked hard for it - just too fast too soon.

God, to see what he would have done to that derby field!