Originally Posted by MaTH716

Come on Stan, it's not like he's jumping off a horse that was even considered a contender for the Kentucky Derby, let alone the triple crown. Reguardless of whichever horse Borel ends up on, the Mine that Bord people should be indebted to Calvin for the rest of his life. Calvin gave that horse the ideal trip and put him in a spot where he could win. If it wasn't for Calvin they would probably be on the way back to Sunland park.
As far as his kentucky Derby wins, I disagree with you. Those were two money rides he gave both times he's won the derby. One with a favorite and one with a bomb. He proved that he's a big game jock and he should have mounts in that race for years to come. He will have another chance at TC down the road. But right now he has a chance to go into the books with a filly that might eventually be considered a legend one day.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I don't have the patience ( or interest ) to read this entire thread, so forgive me if I'm repeating what has already been said, but I think it is a big mistake if they run Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. To run her in a race she wasn't pointing for, so quickly after purchasing her, is a recipe for disaster. What's the hurry? If they really want to run in the TC then wait for the Belmont. Or else, run her in the Acorn or Mother Goose......and then the Whitney. Who exactly are the tigers she should be so worried about in there? Plus, it's four weeks before the Travers if they want to go there as well.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I don't have the patience ( or interest ) to read this entire thread, so forgive me if I'm repeating what has already been said, but I think it is a big mistake if they run Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. To run her in a race she wasn't pointing for, so quickly after purchasing her, is a recipe for disaster. What's the hurry? If they really want to run in the TC then wait for the Belmont. Or else, run her in the Acorn or Mother Goose......and then the Whitney. Who exactly are the tigers she should be so worried about in there? Plus, it's four weeks before the Travers if they want to go there as well.

Originally Posted by sdjcom

What's your opinion on Calvin Borel's choice to ride RA instead of MTB ?

Originally Posted by freddymo

What a NYRA homer...

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I assumed that was a given.

Originally Posted by Kasept

You never know Freddy.. It can take a ride or two to work out communication between horse and rider. Pat Kelly has told me a lot about difficult to ride horses with Naughty New Yorker as the specific horse on the topic. He isn't a horse you can throw any rider on...

During the Street Sense campaign, not that it necessarily applies the same way here, but Carl Nafzger also was very specific that Borel was his rider of choice for the Juvy/Derby/Travers winner because he was a guy that would communicate to the trainer the nuances he was experiencing on board. Nafzger wanted that so he could make adjustments in the training of the horse.

Don't disagree that they may be Ferraris and Cameros, but few of them have automatic transmissions.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I don't have the patience ( or interest ) to read this entire thread, so forgive me if I'm repeating what has already been said, but I think it is a big mistake if they run Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. To run her in a race she wasn't pointing for, so quickly after purchasing her, is a recipe for disaster. What's the hurry? If they really want to run in the TC then wait for the Belmont. Or else, run her in the Acorn or Mother Goose......and then the Whitney. Who exactly are the tigers she should be so worried about in there? Plus, it's four weeks before the Travers if they want to go there as well.

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Sort of like what Woody Stephens had Pat Day do to Winning Colors back in 1988. She still finished a respectable third. Forty Niner was nowhere to be found.

Originally Posted by Summer Colony a pole!

I would have loved to see Calvin stay on Mine That Bird. However, any rider will do as long as they win the Preakness.

PEOPLE, DO WE WANT A TRIPLE CROWN WINNER THIS YEAR????????

How about we give the mount back Chantal Sutherland. She won on Mine That Bird 3 times!!!! She deserves the chance. She knows the horse. Let's go Chantal, Let's go...

Originally Posted by MaTH716

I still say, if Chantal was on him in the derby, he would have been 90-1.

Originally Posted by Summer Colony a pole!

I would have loved to see Calvin stay on Mine That Bird. However, any rider will do as long as they win the Preakness.

PEOPLE, DO WE WANT A TRIPLE CROWN WINNER THIS YEAR????????

How about we give the mount back Chantal Sutherland. She won on Mine That Bird 3 times!!!! She deserves the chance. She knows the horse. Let's go Chantal, Let's go...

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I don't have the patience ( or interest ) to read this entire thread, so forgive me if I'm repeating what has already been said, but I think it is a big mistake if they run Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. To run her in a race she wasn't pointing for, so quickly after purchasing her, is a recipe for disaster. What's the hurry? If they really want to run in the TC then wait for the Belmont. Or else, run her in the Acorn or Mother Goose......and then the Whitney. Who exactly are the tigers she should be so worried about in there? Plus, it's four weeks before the Travers if they want to go there as well.

Originally Posted by gales0678

steve - look at JD bailey he won of the biggest races of the year one time without ever being on the horse and even being able to talk to the trainer

Originally Posted by Scav

Forget the Preakness and the Belmont, why not have her ready for the Travers? I have no idea on this but how many times has a filly even tried the Travers, let alone won it, it can't be very many...

Now that would be historic (Given I am right about fillies not contesting the Travers)

http://www.nyra.com/Saratoga/Stakes/Travers.shtml

Link is a historic view of the Travers, are there any fillies on there?

Originally Posted by gales0678

fat - look at how he closed in the KY Derby , just like Secretariat

I hope that these horse don't get ruined like the one's that ran against Big Red in the TC
remember Sham in the Belmont , he was like a little kid out there running against Big Red , if Mike Smith doesn't botch this next Sat , i think we could get a TC winner this year fat

Originally Posted by gales0678

when the gates opened all the horses had their chances , 1 fired 18 others did not - surely he must get credit for that

as for IWR and QR - we will never know

Dunkirk was right there against QR but could not be found in the derby

IWR got beat by POTN - 2 times - you going to tell me IWR was going to run the same figures he did at AQU on fast tracks on the muddy surface at CD?