Lay off the sauce, Fredo, Close Hatches is anything but a fraud.

As long as Close Hatches wins at Keeneland next week she is champion older filly. She will likely be 2-5 for that race. I don't care if she losses in the BC. She has had a phenomenal year. Beholder is finished, the Baffert was clearly best last Saturday. Untapable better find her Oaks form if shes going to beat Close Hatches. Her Parx race was OK, she was wide and against the track, but I was not overly impressed with her that day. I believe it was a 94 or 96 beyer.

I agree that he is a very unlikely winner of the BC Classic, but if he were to wire the Classic he is a lock for HOY.

I would be stunned if Bayern pulled it off in the Classic and California Chrome is going the wrong way in my opinion.

I guess you think Trade Storm is chop liver?

reminds me of Ashado. Not sure she is fast

I'll say Wise Dan. No different than the last two years. He needed a horse to lose the Classic and a "right" horse to win it. It happened. He does need two horses to lose the Classic this year (Shared Belief, Cal Chrome) I think, but it can happen. You'll get a proper older horse to win the Classic...a Moreno or Zivo or some such animal, and it's all set up once again for the three-peat. Close Hatches has absolutely zero chance to beat an undefeated Wise Dan for HOY. IF Bayern wins the Classic, there is zero chance he beats an undefeated Wise Dan for HOY. If Wise Dan wins the Mile, the only two possibilities to beat him for HOY are Shared Belief and Cal Chrome. I say they both lose.

These dont feel like hall of fame seasons, but he is going in the Classic I thought I read so it should be settled on the track.

Wise Dan is running in the Classic?? I would say the chances of that are about zero percent. They will do what they always do.

No sure where you read that but here it says he's going to the Mile.

"In a post-race interview on NBC Sports, owner Morton Fink indicated that the gelding would head to Santa Anita to contend for a third consecutive victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. The Shadwell was a Win and You’re In event for the Mile."

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/br...-win-shadwell/

But LoPresti did not eliminate the idea of a dirt race for Wise Dan before the end of the year.

"I know the safest route is the Mile, and it wouldn't be too bad to win the Mile three years in a row," he said. "Then maybe we could go to the Clark Handicap (gr. I),"

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...#ixzz3FEodzyVB

Sounds like they're hoping for another HOY.

I thought I read it was up to the owner.

Well thats sporting of em!

racing

Lopresti throws that out there every single year (dirt race option)...usually it's maybe they'll run in the Woodward at Saratoga and then that disappears. He threw the Clark out there simply on the chance Shared Belief or Cal Chrome wins the Classic, then he'll need to win the Clark for any chance for HOY as a BC Mile win won't do it for HOY if that's the case with one of the 3 yr olds winning the Classic. Lopresti's done a great job with Wise Dan, I think he can do whatever he wants with him. He honestly doesn't need another HOY. With Shared Belief's great success on synthetics, and being a Candy Ride and a gelding, I wouldn't mind at some point Hollendorfer putting that one on turf just to see what he does.

Oh, I agree; I love Wise Dan and he doesn't need a third HOY, but it sounds like they are still hoping for it and planning accordingly if CC or SB wins the Classic.

If Wise Dan or Shared Belief gets it, it'll be six years since a colt won (the last HOY with testicles was Curlin).

Its not just if Shared Belief or CC wins the Classic. If either of those two, Bayern or Tonalist win the Classic then that horse is HOY.

Owner said no on NBC Sports. Randy, Jerry, etc. couldn't help but laugh at the definitiveness of it. It was like 'well, I guess that slams that door shut' right after Charlie dangled the carrot that he might.

Re: Wise Dan running in the Classic or on any dirt race... LoPresti has always seemed more "sporting" and willing to put Dan out there. Mr Fink, however, is a man who doesn't have much left in the tank and would rather watch his best horse excel at the same game and keep on winning. No shame in it, but it would be more fun as a fan to watch Dan lose a close one in the dirt at 1 1/4 than win again at 1 on the turf.

With Close Hatches loss, what does the top female vote look like now?

Love you Nick and totally respect your knowledge of game, work you do and time you spend at your craft. Where is her fast race?