Let me guess,

the great Rail Trip?

Don't you think it's time for you to update the board on how you're doing in the TVG fantasy contest?

Drugs, may have a future hour long weekly spot on TVG giving updates on the fantasy contest, if they keep losing tracks.
Maybe they'll just add it to the bottom scroll across.

There really needs to be a room here, perhaps it can be combined with the dopey room, devoted to DrugS's exploits in Fantasy contests.

And, his mother's exploits in handicapping contests.

Whatever.

I stumbled into Illman's blog today - he picked Wisconsin Lady in this race!

I'm at a loss for words.

Baffert now saying Indian Blessing may miss the Kentucky Oaks.

Here is the story.

INDIAN BLESSING COULD MISS KENTUCKY OAKS AFTER FIRST LOSS


After suffering her first defeat yesterday in the Fair Grounds Oaks, Bob Baffert said last year’s 2-year-old filly champion Indian Blessing would receive a break and possibly miss the Kentucky Oaks on May 4.


“I think I might just freshen her up,” Baffert said Sunday morning at Santa Anita. “I don’t know about the Kentucky Oaks. I might not run her.


“We learned something in the Fair Grounds Oaks,” Baffert continued. “Garrett (Gomez) tried to get her to slow down, but she was fighting him. We realized that you’ve got to just let her go or she’s not going to give you that extra kick. We learned that. (But) she’s just fast. Her weapon is to run ‘em off their feet and just separate herself and let them come get her.


“Yesterday, they stayed close to us; that was good tactics on their part (trainer Larry Jones, who saddled winner Proud Spell, ridden by Gabriel Saez). They’re two really good fillies.”


Proud Spell won by 2 ¼ lengths over Indian Blessing, the 3-10 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile race.


Baffert said Indian Blessing was due back in California this week.

That still doesnt prove your point simply because he was just stating the obvious and the fact that they arent willing to go on with the old "run em off their feet" tactic is telling.

Why should they?

They clearly have a better chance of winning the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Sprint than they do the 9 furlong Ky Oaks in a promising looking 3yo filly division.

Indian Blessing is already a champion and multiple Grade 1 stakes winner at route distances, it's not like a Ky Oaks win will significantly enhance her value as a broodmare. So why not do what's best for her?

I called her a better sprinter than router before anyone else did - dropping out of the Oaks and going that route would be a breath of fresh air.

Here's a video of Japan's best turf horse from the 90's - he was a very moderate horse throughout the early stages of his career when they tried to harness his speed and rate him into absolute submission.

In this video, they finally let him roll, he maintains a 15-to-20 length lead throughout and obliterates a Group 2 field in track record time...and the 2nd place finisher in the video later won that years Hong Kong International.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSMQ5FD2lIY

If you and Gomez got a hold of him - you'd probably do a job on him that only the Boston Strangler could appreciate.

Didn't it always seem like Baffert understood the right path to take with her was the Acorn and Test and maybe the Prioress in between? Those are three pretty nice Grade 1s to add to her already substantial resume.

I find Baffert's words very encouraging. Especially, if I read into them a little bit. I see Bob LOOSE REIN training this filly in the mornings from now on. Ler her run on her and learn to relax that way, BOB, RATHER than having the MACHO jocks try to bully/restrain her. Bet she'll be able to give that 'KICK', then.

What a novel way to go. No more 'biceps riding'.

Every so often I see a horse on the lead with loose reins. One of the Baze boys is particularly good at it. It can be done.

When Go Go doesn't have his head up his @$$, he still is very handy rider. He had three wins and two seconds yesterday. Garrett didn't have biggest fan following in FG paddock yesterday.

Fan favorite (and one of my favs), Calvin "Boo" Borel, was away yesterday piloting Jonesboro to handy win in Oaklawn Park Razorback Handicap. Also at OP, congratulations to Luis Quinonez as he pulled off four-bagger himself.

I love the Ferdinand/Alysheba classic.

Here is one of the greatest international races ever...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L73fO0MDmAg

The '98 Mainichi Okan featuring the battle between Japan's two greatest horses of the 90s.

The brilliant run-off Silence Suzuka VS the great El Condor Pasa.

It was there only meeting and El Condor Pasa's only career loss in Japan. He lost a big stretch duel with Montjeu in the Arc the following year, while Daylami struggled with the ground that day.

This was one of Silence Suzuka's 6 straight Group stake wins before breaking down with a 15 length lead on the far turn in the Emperor's Cup. The final time was 1:44 4/5ths for 9 furlongs.

It seems to me this is a very difficult situation.

You have a very talented horse that does not
appear to be rateable. I definitely think the horse
was hurt by being restrained in this particular race.
I think the horse wasted a lot of energy fighting
and then running inefficiently. She may have lost
anyway, but she was definitely not going to win
with that kind of chokehold early with the two horse
pressing. I would have been inclined to loosen up
earlier than Gomez did if she fought that hard.
Seems like that should have been discussed.

I thought that a trainer is supposed to take care of
this during training. Did they train her in company and
she was responding well to being held back but just
got excited in the race and took off?

Its a tough way to experiment... during a stakes race.
And with the length of that stretch run... Indian Blessing
was not having any fun.

Here's the race where Silence Suzuka broke down on a 15 length lead on the far turn - dying. It was sort of Japan's Ruffian or Barbaro type situation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osrn-FOEHwM

He actually ran three consecutive 10 and change furlongs in this race - for a 32 3/5th three furlong move that left the field stretched about 50 lengths.

Most of those Japan horses don't ever travel, but in this race, I'm sure you'll notice 2nd place finisher Stay Gold. He shipped to Dubai and won a nose bob over Fantastic Light on World Cup day, and that was the year that Fantastic Light was voted Eclipse Award champion Turf horse in America and Horse of the year in Europe.

So sad... :(