If you are going to use a European Jock, who on earth would they get? I know very little about The Arc. Does it get a great deal of starters? If so, what jocks would be left to ride Curlin?

winning the Arlington or Man o' war would be a horseracing feat (provided that one or two decent turf horses enter).

Winning one of the above on a soft turf course would be a huge feat.


as a fan it is neat seeing him run on turf. -as a gambler he is a bet against, and I would prefer he run in New York at 11furlongs.
If he wins and runs in the arc he is a bet-against again, but also a very cool thing to see happen.

Your best guess at odds for Curlin in the "Arc".

video of his work
 

http://www.churchilldowns.com/video/...ases-turf-work


too lazy to sign in/out, but the video of his work with commentary may be available to all

Good news for Belmont, bad for AP?

http://www.bloodhorse.com/Now/News/N...ews/45965.aspx

Certainly looks like it. This may also change Curlin's course for the rest of the year.

I thought I saw somewhere that on a European bookmaker's "future book" for the Arc, Curlin is listed at 14-1.

It would be great if he showed up at Belmont.

Then he can run in the Woodward at Saratoga.

Is that your way of saying you think the France plans are a bunch of BS or that you think he'd get beat in the Man o War?

I think it is his way of saying that he doesn't think the horse is much on the turf

While I have no real opinion on it, the horse is bred out the ass for the lawn, so he could even be better then he is on the dirt, which would be real freaky :)

I wonder if this latest development would make them consider ditching -- or at least delaying -- the turf plans and going in the Whitney instead of the Man O' War. You'd have to imagine the former would be the easier race for him, but then again, as weak as the turf division is, he may be able to be win the Man O' War..

I think this is what is referred to as " speaking out of your ass. "

I would answer yes and yes.

How isn't he bred for the turf, his sire has thrown multiple turf stars and has Deputy Minister on his bottom. It isn't Kingmambo over a Theatrical mare but there is green in his pedigree

From a breeding perspective, I see no reason why he wouldn't take to the lawn.

First of all, you said " he is bred out the ass for turf " which is the overstatement of the year and the kind of crap the VI spews here. Now you seem to be switching gears. I never said he had no turf breeding, and there is plenty of sire influence, but maybe you should also take a good look at his dam side production. I am not saying this is even the most important thing, however you are basically making definitive assertions with, at best, a minor amount of information.

On the final remark, it would also be fair to say the opposite. I am not saying that will be the case but more I am pointing out the uselessness of the comment.

Here's the bottom line, any smart horseplayer looks to bet against horses like Curlin, a good dirt horse that is overbet when trying the turf for the first time. However, apparently with some's desperate zest to annoint Curlin the greatest horse since Hindoo, all common sense is flying out the window.

VI?

I never annointed him a thing, I said I didn't have an opinion on it just that he is bred for the lawn, I'll take back the statement of him being 'bred out the ass', the fingers were just flowing when typing.

I think that generation gaps cause alot of this, I haven't seen the horses that you have seen since you have been around so long, so maybe my perspective isn't as deep as yours.

If you don't know who the VI is then it might be you....or maybe it should be.

Any smart horseplayer wouldn't play the race at all. It isn't like there are a bunch of Europeans coming in for the Arlington race or Man O War. He is likely to face nothing special. The nominations are pretty weak.

http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbH...0080712-477451

And you are qualified to make this blanket statement.....because?

I am also confused on why you would not want to play a race where you can take a stand against a 1-5 horse