Not to forget Pebbles, Indian Skimmer, Hatoof, and Estrapade. All ran very strong races in the Turf. What about Safely Kept, Meafara, Very Subtle, Honest Lady, Soviet Problem, and Pine Tree Lane....none of whom needed their own sprint race.

Zenyatta will do what they want to do and Casino Drive will do what his connections want to do. She will do fine in either and if they don't want to take on the boys that is understandable.

Casino Drive has proven he is good enough to compete with this year's top horses because there aren't any top horses with the exception of 5 or 6 of them. By your reasoning we should only have a 6 horse field for the BCC.

You could make the argument that Casino Drive is the 3rd best 3yr old in america, and it is not exactly a stretch.

Atleast Casino Drive has done something to make one believe he has the talent to compete at this level, because other than Big Brown and Colonel John there is not another 3yr old that belongs.

you could make the argument that CD is one of the best. you could also make the argument that he isn't. my contention is that two starts isn't much to bolster the argument that he belongs, while proven runners with more hardware in the trophy case belong ahead of a perceived talent.
i would think there are euros, asian horses, older horses, and other threee year olds who belong ahead of a horse having only made two starts. i would think all those would add up to more than six. i'd think you'd find more than six on the west coast alone who belong ahead of a two time starter/winner.

I put $20 win on Informed just to have someone to root for. Nothing better than rooting for a former claimer now in the great american O'neill's barn. Go USA!!

21K on CD to show (pool not my personal wager;))

sensational score is my pick and is around 5-1

relatively decent pk3 will-pays on informed and sensational score $90?



play Sensational Score to win and show?

A useful effort.

The TVG analysts want to have sex with him.

thanks for the image, lol

Nice horse - Trevor said he was never really asked. He's talented, no doubt, but I'm very nervous about him being asked to do way too much in a couple of weeks

I guess that tap with the whip and VE riding him the last part was an illusion. I have no idea what this race will or wont do for this horse in 2 weeks. I suppose it was about what they were expecting.

broke alertly. didn't show a ton of early foot, but he settled right away.

Made headway/Came to even terms approaching the far turn.




Showed a response in the stretch with hand urging.



galloped out well.


looked like a good animal from post parade to photo.


go bananas

Completely and totally in hand IMO. I think Victor was being prudent snapping the lines, waving the whip and tapping him. He seemed very responsive. Trevor said something like "needs to speed up a little here" -- and you could see that whatever Victor did, the horse just responded, let it out, strided out, etc. just a bit more. Nice colt; especially considering what he's done and how he's done it.

12 days back? In the Classic? Unless he is some incredible freak of nature and sitting on a monster of a performance (which I do not see), or something very strange happens, like the entire field falls apart, I say no shot. Very nice horse though. Looks like he has a lot of talent and ability. I'd love to own him.

Eric

I really just hope he runs well in the Classic- that would be an achievement in itself.

Bobby, thanks for the screen caps!

Eric,

Its just impossible to say who will, or will not run on that surface. Gamblers at least know Casino Drive can run over it. I would not be shocked with any horses winning on Breders cup day. Unless a horse has raced over that garbage the public will have no idea what to expect

I will not be making one single bet and thats unfortunate.

Nice win over drek, but if this is what they consider an orgasmic performance, they need a road map and a compass to their libidos and a lot of Viagra ...

Here's the replay... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ALzdAlL3Xg

That's a very good point and I think that certainly will have a lot to do with it. However, I don't know the exact #'s, but I said what I said knowing that some # of horses will have a "home field advantage" so to speak. I wouldn't be shocked if Casino Drive won -- again with an extreme anomaly, field falling apart, etc. However, if several of the key contenders (and that might remain to seen until they load) show up and run their race, I don't see him there. Could I see using him on a super ticket? Yeah, maybe, if others don't warrant the play. I just think it's more possible than probable, and not very.

Eric

I agree he will be no factor if the better horses in the division show up. However, how can any serious player bet the card with any conviction. All of these horses trying this track for the first time its impossible to send it with a solid opinion. Pathetic really

at least when the big brown goo-goos go googoo, it's over graded wins....gimme a break.

Horses lose alot more due to their style rather then if they handle the track. Its a nice talking point though.

I see we're still FIXATED on the DIRT superior to POLY position.

Yet, while handicapping OSA presently, I can't help noticing how so many horses are able to go from the poly at DMR to the dirt of FPX and then the poly of OSA. And quite a few of them are adept on the turf as well. These must be extremely unique animals.

Seems to me that (DIRT) handicappers have more trouble with poly than horses do.

When I play different tracks I need to make adjustments; changes in surface or otherwise.

You guys are right, since when does the surface make any difference.

I don't get it. The horse is a nice horse and he runs a nice race; no one is saying he's going to win the Classic. Why do you have a problem if people think he ran well today...? Again, I don't see anyone going over the top with this. I'm not trying to be defensive - I just don't get the antagonism towards this horse.

and i don't get why you're so concerned about my opinion, or why you get so defensive-or think lack of enthusiasm equates antagonism? yay, he won an optional claimer.
and i do believe i've seen some posts on here in day's past saying this horse would have a say in the classic. hilarious.

Hey! I resemble that comment.

He has good tactical speed. He's going to sit right off the leaders and if it's a fast pace, he'll get first run on them.

i think he has a legit shot, i wont be using brown or curlin on anything....
you have to use casino, go between and tiago IMO

Yeah! Tiago ftw!

FTW ?

i'm assuming that's for the win. if so, i would agree with hossy.

:rolleyes:


if casino drive didn't have two belmont winners as his siblings, everyone would be laughing their asses off at this horse and his hapless connections. but since he has better than honour as his mama, he suddenly has a shot-a legitimate shot?? and then i have to read how zenyatta is too lightly raced to attempt a shot as the classic as well.....we're nothing if not consistent on here. :zz:

Why on earth would any smart handicapper leave off either of those 2?

I may consider it. Both will be HUGE underlays... especially considering the conditions they'll be running in. It all depends on the type of bet you're making and how much you are risking.

for the women ;)

Great book.

I'm with you, I don't think it's a stretch at all to run her. She'd be 3rd or 4th choice, at worst, for a $5mm race.

If Curlins' connections decide to pass, it's going to be the weakest Classic field ever. Id give it a shot if I owned her. That being said, if Curlin goes Id stick with the Distaff.

I thought this was a great line from Crist's piece...

"With or without Curlin and the others, it's the best and busiest racing and wagering event of the year. I plan to handicap and bet until it hurts."

Yeah, I don't like that its on "Pro-Ride" or that they've split the card into two unnecessary days, or that some of the best horses aren't running, but I think its still a great event and look forward to it every year, even this year.