Crist on the Preakness:


http://www.drf.com/news/preakness-pi...animal-kingdom

If the timer can be believed, Shackleford led the Derby field through an opening six furlongs in 1:13.40, the slowest such split in the Derby since 1947, when the track was officially rated slow and Jet Pilot’s winning time was 2:06 4/5 – nearly five full seconds off Animal Kingdom’s 2:02.04. Dialed In was 19th and last after that slow fraction, 18 1/2 lengths behind the leader. Half a mile later, he had passed 11 of his 18 rivals to be beaten 7 1/2 lengths, running a sizzling final half-mile in slightly less than 47 seconds. The only faster final Derby half-mile anyone can find was Secretariat’s 46 3/5 in 1973.

I think most people know a lot of horses bleed and I don't think anyone was acting like lasix is a miracle drug.

I don't agree the races she ran at Gulfstream were over a very speed favoring surface. People love to rush to claim a surface speed favoring. There is no evidence based on results that the courses were very speed favoring.

ok

Come on man, don't be that guy. Did you watch the races on the days she ran at Gulfstream?

That was a very speed favoring surface?

I played the whole meet at GP, almost every day, and my opinion is that turf course, especially the inner is very hard to close when it is firm at the route distances.

I guess the use of 'very' was incorrect because it made it sound prominent.

I played the whole meet also. Yes, there were days when it was a kind to speed. However, I disagree that was the case on the days she ran. Again, the results of the days don't really back your opinion.

I had every intention of going with Flashpoint but every time I look at the pp's Dance City jumps out at me.

4,8/4,8,13/all

(Good luck, Paddy. Please tell your jockey to stop fantasizing about Dala during the race cause last time he did that he let someone pass him and I'll have to strangle him if it happens again). :D

Dance City was the first horse I thought of

8-11-6

11-10-9....chalky but what the heck.

Since I visited the 3M farm last week - I'm going 9-11-1

Safe trip & best of luck to all contestants.....

10-11-8

You can't see a darn thing on the track feed with all of those infield tents. :mad:

I don't know what's more ridiculous...the racing so far or those tents.

Way to go Pimlico!!!

No Dixie on NBC?

I guess interviewing Kathy Ritvo was a bit more important.

:wf:wf

* spoiler alert *








Paddy won!

Oh boy...Dance City and Shakleford not behaving well..

And wins anyway.

Damn I wanted Animal Kingdom to run him down.

so...the end of the world-ers were sort of right. jesus won!! lol

Dance City is trending on Twitter for some reason. Not the Preakness, not Animal Kingdom, not Shackleford. Dance City.

Kind of a weird wrap up by Bob Costas. Did he plan to give us a spiel on Dick Ebersole or was that improvised?

Didn't you win a bet on the Galorette?

Yeah. Doesn't change the fact the racing was an embarrassment and the tents were worse.

The card worked when trainers were willing to wheel-back in two weeks, but now Pimlico is left with nothing but the leftovers. Belmont, I think, has the best Triple Crown undercard, and they're in a better spot with 5 weeks off the CD races and a later time in the year for other horses to get going.

Those Tents remind me of being at a dog show.

Thank You.

What an awful, horrible race the Preakness was. I just need to get that off my chest.

The purses are also a joke.

Welcome to Maryland racing.

Doesn't matter though... if you put another $100k on each of those races, do the fields grow by that much?

No. That being said what a waste of a grass course they have at Laurel.

i don't think the top end needs attention, but the bottom end of the spectrum sure does! if the bread and butter daily fare were to get purse boosts, thus helping more folks to actually make a little more money to cover expenses, you might manage to entice more owners into the game. and that's what the sport needs. the super rich and rich can afford a high priced hobby, but many others cannot. help them get in, and stay in, and other wants will follow. more owners-trainers make more. fields grow. the number of fans would most likely increase with better betting opportunities-plus more owners means more friends and family in their wake.

I think the "high percentage" trainer factor hurts this area of the industry. Unless you can get in with one of those, you will struggle. If you increase the purse, it mainly helps those same high-percentage types. I mean, if I go out here and give Danny Velasquez (or Sean whatever from HRTV) money to claim horses, my chances of competing are just not good.

I keep reading about what a poor ride Johnny V gave Animal Kingdom on other boards and blogs. What am I missing here?

Nothing. It's idiocy.

He finished second on the second best horse.

It was obvious from the Kentucky Derby that Animal Kingdom can be positioned anywhere in a race and that his record of sitting 10th or further back at the first point of call in 4 out of 6 starts is purely rider decision.

He should have gone wire-to-wire to avoid the dirt in the face.

Ive been critical of JV at times but, I don't see how he could have rode him any better.

Agreed. He rode him well in both races.

Rollo is exaggerating, but that is basically the sentiment of some people. Calling for him to never ride the horse again. If only these people bet.

Not that I gamble based on gallop-outs, but Shackleford won the gallop-out... he was simply he best horse this past weekend. Johnny V did nothing wrong... in fact, he rode the race pretty well.

Hell, down the backside, I wasn't sure AK was going to even fire.

I agree completely and it applies to all circuits/venues. It also makes betting harder. Do you dare take a shot against a 38% trainer when he's also over 30% with all applicable categories or bet him in P3's or 4's hoping you are right in the other legs as well? Do you pass? I sometimes do and I imagine others do and tracks wonder why handle is down.

It must be hard to be an owner when you can't pay JC Guerrero (mid Atl) or the Englehart (Finger Lakes) or Jamie Ness others of their ilk. How often do you have to watch their horse's tails before to get out.