Everyone HIDE, our fearless leader is reading the thread :)

I hear what you are saying and I felt exactly the same way after the Florida Derby but the more I look through this garbage we are presented with as a Derby field and from watching all the preps that took place since then this horse is the one at long odds that keeps on looking better and better. After Big Brown and Pyro I can make as much of an argument for Smooth Air as I can for any other horse in the field. Hell, I think Anak Nakal has a hell of a chance at getting up for fourth or fifth and that horse would make Andromeda's Hero look like a speedster. There are two solid dirt horses with question marks and one Tiznow proven on the synthetics, and a bunch of crap in this race. I can go on every thread and give multiple reasons not to like every horse in the field and I'll be right on 19 out of 20 of them for the win and 15 out of 20 for running top five. So if you are so sure that Smooth Air has no chance before the draw then who do you like before the draw that you'll guarantee beat him? You want Tale of Slowkati? Pick a horse besides the top three, I'll bet you a few rounds at Siro's (or Clancy's if our wallets are light) on it head to head against Smooth Air.

Tale of Ekati is a much better horse than Smooth Air though he too is probably distance challenged.

I've seen enough of Smooth Air to be reasonably confident he's a non-contendor. I will wait for the draw to form any other opinions.

OK, but if you don't want to take a bet against him with anyone but the three favorites then you can hardly make it out like those of us drinking the Smooth Aid are holding an indefensible opinion.

So, Andy, before the draw -- who do you specifically like? Please be clear and definitive! Just kidding.

Eric

I don't get the discussion. I don't want to make any bets at all....why should I want to? I have no real opinion. It's a week and half before the race. There's plenty of time.

I understand people get worked up for the Derby. That's great. I don't. I spend hours every day agonizing over races being run that day ( or the next ). I have plenty of action without having to worry about silly ego related bets on a race I will, at best, have a vague opinion on.

Out of curiousity, have you ever had a real strong opinion on the Derby, results?

I understand, it's hard to defend the indefensible. :rolleyes:

How do you have an opinion about the results before the race

Did you mean after the race? I am guessing Andy isn't going to lie about it, was just curious that is all.

^^lost cause...

Yes, I loved Silver Charm and I loved Go for Gin.

I also absolutely hated Smarty Jones.

i have almost no opinion on smooth air.

but i hate recapturetheglory and think he has zero chance.

do i really need to have a winner to respond to the recapture fans because i'm dumping on him?

Ok, I deserve that, I read it wrong. been reading all day, lines are swiggly

What I was trying to ask BTW was in response to how he said at best it would be a vague opinion, in respect to the Derby, and I was just curious if he had any stories about betting the Derby.

Easy you two English scholars...

I think you at least have to find a recapture fan. I haven't seen a bigger no chance horse in the Derby since Cowtown Cat.

my thoughts exactly.

If you want to get all English scholar just ask Andy what a non-contendor is. Sounds Spanish, must be Tomcito.

Shouldn't you know it all, god?

:D

if it were all pre-ordained wouldn't that take all the fun out of it?

Not necessarily. As long as you only told me (and maybe a few others) the results, then all would be good. We woudn't want the odds going down too much, ya know.

there is no fun where there is no risk.

trust me.

Trust me, I agree. The stock market gives me plenty of risks all day long ... I could use a little simplicity in regards to the rest of my life. LMAO :D

Yeah, because that's what I asked him. :rolleyes:

Judging from his Lexington race that as close TOMCITO has been to anything outside of Peru.

And we all know how conclusive those polytrack races are. Besides, as much as everyone rails on him (and he was definitely a bad bet at 3/1), he was only beaten 3 3/4 lengths on Saturday.

With the mediocrity in this crop and the consistancy of Smooth Air I think its very difficult to exclude him. Not only that I think his best races are yet to come. Hes not flashy, but he runs his race each time you lead him over and theres something to be said for that. In this particular field he figures to factor.

He was the only horse, other than BB, to pick his feet up in G1 Fla derby.

Quick question...How many here even considered Smooth Air as a contender before Steve's write up on the Home Page?

I haven't even seen that..... I just log onto the forum.

My friends here know I've been a fan of his for a while.

I don't base who I like on what anyone else says, writes, etc.

I agree, you get consistency from Smooth Air and if he takes to the track he can get it done.

I haven't read it. When Steve and Hooves first mentioned him as a contender on here I thought they were crazy. The more I cap the race though the better he keeps on looking against the rest of the field. A dream trip horse should be a bet against the next time out, and normally I'd want to play against him. But against the crappy horses he'll be running against and likely odds of 25 to 30-1 he is a lot more interesting than your normal dream trip horse on the runback. I think he could run 5 lengths off his Florida Derby and still have a shot at getting up for 3rd or 4th. That is how woeful this collection of horses are going into the Derby.

I do think he's overbet though, as you can tell, a lot of people are picking up on a few of the positives on his PPs.

He's a nice horse who tries hard every time which you have to respect. The problem is that he isn't a classic distance horse and I don't think wants any part of 10F. Even with a dream trip I think it is unlikely he figures for a check.

My 3 are SA, BBJ and CJ. They are visually the best time and again.

Who in the field is a classic distance horse that wants 10 furlongs?

Court Vision, Pyro, Z Fortune.

Pyro and Court Vision are ok although I'd hardly call them a classic distance horse. Z Fortune's sire has an AWD of 6.7 furlongs and his damsire has an AWD of 6.5 furlongs so I have a tough time calling that a classic distance pedigree.

Adriano, Colonel John, Cool Coal Man, Court Vision, Cowboy Cal, Monba, Pyro