Fabulous Strike wins his tune-up
 

Off of Beyers of 119 and 115 in his last two starts, Fabulous Strike made his 4-year-old debut look easy---winning by 6.5 lengths, in the 75K Panhandle Stakes at Mountaineer. In hand pretty much throughout, he won with his ears pricked in what looked more like a workout than a race.

He got his five furlongs in 57 flat over a racetrack that yielded some comically slow times---the days opener, a maiden claimer for the boys at 1 mile and 70 yards, was won in the final time of 1:50.11 That amounts to a raw figure of 16....about 95 points less than the raw figure achieved by FS in his paid workout.

Trained by the suspiciously good Todd Beattie, Fabulous Strike is a gelded son of Smart Strike. The same sire of such horses as Curlin (who Robby Alberarto so cleverly had positioned in 14th place after a half mile today) and English Channel.

Perhaps, FS can prove himself the best six-furlong horse in the East this year.

All beyers earned in WV are suspect. Winning the Panhandler is a major accomplishhment though.

Why do they seem to only race this horse at Mountaineer?
I agree the horse looks to be a ton out there, but sometimes what you see is not what you get at the Mountain.

Think of it as an exceptional workout....

This horse can run....and his trainer.....he's magic....in a blue kind of way.

Beattie said he "just wanted to sharpen the pencil" ---- he plans to take on the big boys next---and, I doubt the betting public will be as dismissive about his figures as most people would think.

I realize I now have 2/3rds of the post in this thread.....

I looked at the Thoro-Graph sheets in their "Red Board Room" ---- They have Fabulous Strike running a Ghostzapper like Negative 6 in his last race.

He has won a pair of mild stakes at Belmont Park, running 6 furlongs in 1:08.64 last time there, and earning his first of what is certainly now four negative sheet numbers.

The Northern California based Humana Distaff winner Hystericalady ran open lengths faster than the boys in the Grade 2 CD Cap today. The East's best sprinter...I assume Silver Wagon....is more of a seven furlong/one-turn miler horse.

Being the best horse in the East Coast at six furlongs, is a lot like being the prettiest girl at the fat camp.......but, it's probably safe to assume Fabulous Strike might just have that high honor now....but, I can understand why people want to see him beat something first.

East Coast sprint division is a mess though Half Ours may be returning to sprints

I expect him to as well. I think this horse is a better sprinter than Half Ours. He's run races outside of low-level tracks that would suggest that.

Hes a really nice horse. He made short work of Talent Search, whos posted multiple triple digit numbers since his comeback winning a stake and a 3x I believe. I think they will hook up on the undercard of the Preakness.

I think he would drown Half Ours at 6F.

133 equibase figure for Fabulous Strike's win Saturday night.

19 points faster than Steet Sense's Derby win, which they gave a 114, 5 points faster than Smokey Stover's 128 (which was there fastest number of the year to this point.) and 3 points faster than the 130 Bernardini ran last year (which was last years fastest equibase number)

Not to legitimize Equibase computerized figures...as they aren't exactly the most respected out there, but, it goes to show you that yet again, this horse ran a monster number on everyone's figures.

It will be fun to see what happens when he's not facing less than moderate groups, and racing outside of MNR.

drugS did you catch your other hot 'trainer' ryan beattie on ATRAB tonight?

I didn't.

Ryan doesn't have the same magical numbers as Todd and Stephanie---but really, who else does? I only first heard of Ryan when I saw him as the trainer of record of the Lake horses at Gulfstream in '06, when Scott Lake was serving his suspension.

I've had the great misfortune of getting to know one-time key Scott Lake asst. Steve Krebs....who famously once posted (on another board) "I can be on my computer for 23 hours a day, 7 days a week, and I'll still always win at over 20%."

This is a nice horse.
I was going to bet him third choice last year for Henney Hughes comeback race. Fabulous Strike scratched and won somewhere else at about 2-1, and Henney Hughes ran a huge one anyway, so things worked out good for me in the luck department.

Strike isn't a top grade 1 sprinter but he could win a graded stakes race with the right setup. He really beats up on those Mountaineer animals.

I don't know if you can compare Equibase numbers earned at five furlongs, with those earned at 10 furlongs. The comparision to Smokey Stover is more appropriate but that one has raced against much tougher. Time will tell.

Smart Strike is the most underrated sire in America.. Loving seeing him do so well.

I believe Bernardini's 130 from last year was run beyond nine furlongs.....but like I said...the Equibase computerized figure isn't that respected a number. My point for bringing it up was just to show how his fig had to, once again, come back crazy fast on everyones numbers.

Comparing the derby winner to a 5f sprint at Mountaineer?? I have now seen it all...

Only the figures given out by a not-so highly respected computerized figure maker.

I assumed people would be wise enough to realize that.

For the record though, it doesn't matter if you're looking at Beyers, Thoro-Graph's, Ragozin's, Equibase's, Bris's, or anyone elses....Fabulous Strike's figure is going to be higher than Street Sense's.

Exactly, you are so enthralled with "figures" or "numbers" that you seem still completely miss my point.

With Street Sense, who just won the most important and prestigious race in the United States, you somehow see it justifiable to compare his 1 1/4 mile figure to a crack sprinter who won a 5f sprint vs 3 pathetic opponents at a dump called Mountaineer Park.

You are doing this because you are thinking it will give Fabulous Strike more credibility somehow.. which you know it doesn't, a horse still earns credibility with the fields he beats, regardless of his final "figure" or "number" or fractional times.

I repeat, I have seen it all......

Your point is obviously highly idiotic....and your reading comprehension "skills" are horrid.

I simply mentioned that the figure given out by equibase for Fabulous Strike was faster than any figure they've given out this week (which happened to be Derby week) or this year, or last year.

You are trying to paint it as though I am saying that FS's Mountaineer win should be a bigger story than the Derby...solely because he ran a faster number.

I couldn't care less how much credibility Fabulous Strike has....he ran the same giant numbers, at the same track, in his previous two races....why should his status be elevated off this performance? Point is...he's running almost unparalled figures, most people don't know who he is, and he's back and involved in a soft looking sprint division.

Tapout--

Who would you bet at same posted odds in a 5f race, against the same field you decried--FS or SS? (You have to choose one.)

The answer seems obvious this week, and it has nothing to do with prestige, or acclaim or roses.

The once-a-year horse bettors can only focus on the Derby, but there is nothing wrong with us noting superior efforts by unheralded animals at less galmorous distances.

Tapout

FS has beat some nice horses. None as nice as the horse he drummed by 8 at that dump Mountaineer.

The horse, Talent Search, that he drubbed by 8 in a canter was very impressive at Pimlico in defeat yesterday.

Bernie Blue, a horse which ran a distant third to FS in his last, returned to be beaten a half length by the very quick Coach Jimi Lee and receive a 104 Beyer on Saturday.

There should be a little smilie with pom-poms for you guys to use for your Fabulous Strike updates.:)


Do we know yet where and when he might make his next appearance?

He is scheduled to run on Belmont day I believe.

What is wrong with following what appears to be a wickedly fast horse?

thanks,

there is nothing wrong with it, I like the updates.

just having some fun. what is wrong with laughing at ourselves a little?

I'll join the Pom-Pom and cheerleader outfit crew then too, thanks :D

I'll loan you my Invasor pom-poms for a few month's.:D

Don't worry, I've had my own for a loooong time. :o

Maybe I'll just substitute my Panty Raid pom-poms!


Moral of the story is, nothing wrong with latching on to a lesser horse you find intruiging. At least you'll get to see him/her run a few times, unlike the big names these days.

Fabulous Strike is not a " lesser horse " and never was. I remember when he appeared at Belmont last spring, with solid figs from Phili, and while I would normally pitch a horse like that I realized upon looking up his races that he was more than legit. He paid a very solid 2-1 in a pretty good field ( while running very fast ). His subsequent effort at 7F in the Woody Stephens wasn't bad either and he's clearly improved since.

I am very skeptical about performances from Mountaineer, as well as many Mid-Atlantic tracks, but this horse is the real deal and I will hardly be surprised when he's a major factor in " real " races later in the year.

Let me rephrase- "less known". He's the real deal.
I was bet to my balls on him in the Woody Stephens, and he ran his eyeballs out.

A lot....

For starters....we all know Street Sense would blow him off the race track going 5 furlongs.