OMFG
 

So he'll lose to Goldikova, I don't see the big deal. American horses trying the Dubai Duty Free is way crazier in my opinion and we had 3 of them last year.

You didn't really read the article, did you?

I find it highly unlikely he'll lose to Goldikova.

I read too fast. Why six furlongs? That's obviously dumb.

It's dumb all around, especially with the easy money to be made here this year.

But 6f is beyond dumb.

Listen, it might be dumb, but are you considering that the owners might think it is once in a lifetime so why not take a shot? It isn't like the horse isn't paying his own way.

Foreign horses come here to run..why can't they go there and give it a shot?

Would be a nice get away if nothing else :)

I could think of few places I'd rather go to less than being around a bunch of stuffed shirt high hat British snobs.

The Brits absolutely loved Wes Ward when he was over, so they will be well treated..

the Ascot 6f straight course rides like a 7f race and our sprinters are never brilliant, so why not give it a go? They'll at least get a few nice pictures of them dressed in top hats and tails.

I'd rather race in Turkey and while over there, go visit Gobekli Tepe.

Speaking of that, Bourbon Bay and Champ Pegasus, who have developed a nice little rivalry in the marathon turf division in SoCal since last fall, are targeting the 12f race in Dubai rather than continuing their private war at home in the San Luis Rey and San Juan Capistrano.

If those two end up dead-heating for 8th place behind some horses from Hong Kong and Britain I guess it will be just as exciting.

Skellytown has won a couple of $12.5k claimers on the main track at the Santa Anita meet, so I suppose by default he's the early favorite for the San Juan.

My main gripe with this is the "once in a lifetime" BS. Caracortado is a once-in-a-lifetime horse now?

I guess so, if you are talking about the likelihood that a $5k CA-bred by Cat Dreams would develop into a Grade 2-calibur horse. However, none of that makes him qualified to tackle Group 1 company at Royal Ascot.

Last I checked, Fluke, the erstwhile allowance horse, won the Kilroe the other day.

What's the rush? He's gelded right? Why don't they build-up a resume with the Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve, Shoemaker Mile, and Eddie Read (the races he will miss with this silly venture)? If he happens to win a couple of those, then they could shoot for the Queen Elizabeth II or the Champion Stakes and at least bring a record that glistens with more than just a Sunshine Millions Turf victory.

Maybe the drugs dont last that long...Troll

I guess maybe they ought to run Setsuko right back then...Idiot

My thoughts exactly. He could make a shitton at home this year.

I agree with both of you completely and can only assume they figure he'll be around for 2012 and can have a domestic campaign. If they have him back for the Woodbine Mile that's a great spot to prep for the BC.

They were recruiting from Ascot this weekend at Santa Anita and it sounded like fun ( despite some comments in this thread....it would be fun ). My guess is it will sound like less of a good idea the more they think about it.

I would, but you havent been truthful about that plug since day one.. It's plainly obvious you are clued in. Let me guess Setsuko is part of phase 3 ROLLO trails..

Please NO Talamo. :mad:

No doubt it would a unique experience, and fun, but why 6f????????

That's a reasonable question.

Could it be because they consider European races more demanding, thus 6F is more like 7F in theory? Or, maybe they are avoiding Goldikova?

Caracortado did tie the course record for 6f at Hollywood in his comeback last fall, I presume that's the reason.

That and they probably realize that can't compete with top class Euros at a mile or more.

Your answers would not make sense to me, in their shoes.

If indeed it is a once in a lifetime opportunity, why be total pussies about it? I mean why go through all the hassle, give up a lot of earnings potential here, and then duck the better race, in which their horse is a much better fit (Goldikova notwithstanding)?

Didn't BC Mile winners Last Tycoon and Royal Academy mostly race in 5f and 6f races in Europe?

That was a long time ago, but you do have an interesting point.

Hollywood - Smallywood - whatever. The racing & course isn't up to par to what it is at Ascot.

Which is why Cannonball, a NY Bred, almost won the Golden Jubilee two seasons ago.

Since when are Euro sprinters all that?

Since never.

I was thinking the same thing, they probably won't face too much really. Getting win at Ascot would be more fun then getting a second (or off the board finish) against Goldikova, no?

It varies. No one was beating Starspangledbanner last year but the year before the field was weak.

Chamberlain Bridge has a big shot in the race in Dubai, so it's not like our horses can't be competitive over there.

He has the feel of a horse I wouldn't trust over there.

Came up from the claiming ranks, has run very well in races here after dealing with physical issues that came up close to the race, having clockers from different regions come in and just trash his chances for a race in which he goes out and utterly dominates a few days later.

That to me feels like a horse who might let people down over there. Hard to forget when horses with similar issues in Lava Man and Miesque's Approval went over there and put in total non-efforts together - running like a couple of horses with flat tires.

Wouldn't European sprinters rank behind US, Aussie and possibly Asian sprinters?

In terms of what?

On dirt - it's a complete joke how superior American sprinters are to the rest of the world.

Turf sprinting was largely ignored here until very recently - but I'd bet we're probably better than Europe at that. Especially 2-year-old turf sprinting. In terms of producing horses who are fast as fucl< and precocious as fucl< ... no one can come close to America.

I understand what you're saying but Chamberlain Bridge hasn't been in for a tag since he was taken by his current owner in March 2008. His biggest issue could be not being able to use lasix but American based horses have done very well in Dubai and England, specifically sprinting, without it.

Lava Man probably would have lost in Arizona and Miesque's Approval was 3 steps past done when he went to Dubai, so I'm not sure if Chamberlain Bridge's current situation can be compared. Take a horse like The Usual QT last year, who was a confirmed bleeder and he went there, raced without lasix, and put forth the best effort an American horse ever has in the Dubai Duty Free. It's a daunting task no matter what but I'm glad they're giving it a try. Running 5/8ths for $1 million is hard to pass up when you have a horse like him.

You're probably right about Lava Man - everytime he left So. Cal he ran like a $3,500 claimer.

If he had the Breeders Cup in So. Cal two years in a row - and he never shipped out of that circuit ... He'd probably be rated at least one of the top 2 or 3 handicap horses of the last decade.

The use of lasix is really a non issue because they are just using other things that prevent the bleeding.

Our horses virtually always run like piss in the turf races there every year.

It's pretty sad when The Usual QT gets drowned after having a dream trip and we can rightfully point to him as "putting forth the best effort an American horse ever has in the Dubai Duty Free"

Thoro-Graph makes numbers for foreign horses - and they will inevitably have our turf horses a little faster. They've selected a bunch of our horses like Notional ... only to watch him stagger around the track like he has a flat-tire.

He may have a fair shot on that 6f race. If they can train him to break fast and going hard on the cutback, he might be competitive in that race. Their sprinters have always suffered because they break pretty much the same as their middle distance runners, a hole Wesley Ward exploited to great success.

I say why not. To many times people are complaining because owners don't try something daring.

BTW, last I heard Goldikova was going to start a little later this year than last, so she probably won't run at Ascot anyway, but I would guess that a US miler would get dusted in the St James, even by middle level talent over there. The sprint though I think may be do-able.