He's in, but if the owner goes into the race with the overwhelming favorite in Uncle Mo, you would hope he would realize Stay Thirsty has absolutely no shot, and point him somewhere...anywhere but that race.

That horse stinks.

Bank on Shakelford and Stay Thirsty both running in the Derby.

What I'm wondering is if To Honor and Serve will run. Same with Soldat. I'd actually bet no for both of them if someone gave me 2-1 odds against running.

From the articles and quotes looks like both Soldat and To Honor and Serve are going. Especially Sodat they sold part interest last month, no way you buy in for that kind of money and have the earnings and back out now.

I was really hoping both would run well today so that they'd take action in the Derby.

If they honestly used the Florida derby as a test to see if soldat can rate, then they shouldn't go at all. That's a million dollar race today and he didn't look interested in running one bit. I thought to honor and serve may have moved too soon, but it seemed like everyone was waiting for shackelford to start backing up.

Really?

For a horse taken so far out of his game, I thought Soldat ran ok.

Interesting that both It's Tricky and Soldat turned in total non-efforts.

I think It's Tricky missed Artie.

what is his game?

He ran fine in turf races, when he rated.

If THAS runs, I'd be surprised; I can't possibly see what Mott would see in his performance to think he has a prayer. The horse can't rate and he's, unfortunately, not that good. I would imagine Soldat would go.

Well, turf for one thing.

I was mostly referring to race style. Like, you know, go to the lead, run without restraint, that sorta thing.

The problem is that he has only run well with perfect trips....either setting a modest pace or stalking in the clear. Yes, he has talent, but no ability to overcome even the slightest adversity.

However, given the dearth of speed in US turf racing, he could do very well in our turf races.

The decision isn't all Mott's to make.

I was trying to say that I think he ran a race that was better than generally acknowledged here.

I've never thought all that much of him to begin with. I had low expectations of him today, and until the end of the race, I thought he was running pretty hard.

As for his Derby prospects? It's a two horse race at this point, and he is not one of those two.

I don't know how you can say he ran better than generally acknowledged. He never ran a step. He finished behind Flashpoint. Think about that for a second.

He did beat Stay Thirsty. Funny, he was quite the internet darling going into the race, and now. shockingly, his supporters have completely evaporated.

Keep in mind, I had very little in the way of expectations of him, and in my eye, he was at least trying in a spot that he was a big disadvantage in. I never once in the race thought he was the winner, but I did say to myself during the race something to the effect of "at least he isn't spitting the bit and is trying to rally".

I guess I'm trying to say that while everyone else is off the bandwagon, he just moved up a little in my modest estimation.

It's all relative.

I feel that way about many posters on the internet....yet the number on my ignore list only goes up.

I try to not resort to such things, but that suggestion you gave me the other day, I added that one to my Morty list.

True, but the way Charlotte Weber talked prior to the race, it sounded like she was going to leave the decision in Mott's hands. I finally read some quotes from Mott after the race - maybe I'm wrong, maybe he will send the horse. I hope not. It's not impossible that he develop into a nice horse later on - perhaps even one that will rate - but that's not happening before the Derby or any of the other TC races. Boy, I loved this horse right after he ran 2nd in his debut - I didn't count on him not developing or, frankly, speed crazy.

I thought Shackleford ran a ton of a race, and Dailed In did well to run him down. I'm impressed with both of them.