AQU
 

I think the track has been a bit weird. Don't get me wrong, I think they've done a great job on it. Think it will take a few more days (and some warm weather) to get straight.

You may see some major form reversals now that they're back on the main track. The main track is a totally different surface from the inner-dirt track.

You may also see some major form reversals on some of the horses coming from Gulfstream. Some horses may move way up while others will totally regress. A perfect example of the former is Wicked Strong, who hated Gulfstream and ran poorly there. When he went back to New York he ran great. There are others horses who are monsters at Gulfstream but they can't win anywhere else.

Wicked Strong 'ran poorly' at Gulfstream? Savvy opinion..

Did KYRIM tell you this?

How would you describe his Gulfstream performance?

A perfect first race back off a 6 month break in a setting/assignment not suited to his style. And, on top of that, better than even Jimmy Jerkens had expected.

I was talking about his races there last year. He was running very well in New York. Then he went down to Gulfstream and ran 4th and then 9th. Then he came back to NY and won the Wood Memorial.

Jerkens said the horse didn't like Gulfstream:

"Still, Jerkens was hopeful. The horse had been training “super,” he said, and as Wicked Strong didn’t appear to like the Gulfstream Park surface, Jerkens made the call to ship him home to New York to run in the Wood."

“It was a big surprise that he didn’t run too well in Florida,” said Centennial’s Little after the race on Saturday, “but we took into account that that track wasn’t to his liking, and as soon as he got back [to New York] last Sunday, he settled in.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/teresage...athon-victims/

You're talking about a horse's performance in his 4th and 5th races from 12-13 months ago when he ran at the track in March? OK..

I thought it was pretty obvious he was talking about 2014. He was making a point about some horses having big moves forward coming to Aqueduct from Gulfstream, and Wicked Strong's performance in last year's Wood after 2 lackluster starts at Gulfstream made him the poster child.

--Dunbar

How is talking about Gulfstream 2014 germane when the track has been completely different this year than in years prior?

It's germane because it's a prominent and dramatic example of a form change between Gulfstream and Aqueduct.

There may or may not be the same kind of form reversals this year. Rupert merely said you "may" see form reversals and gave an example everyone might remember.

--Dunbar

Excellent...in fact, it was why I bet him in the Wood. He was WAY against the bias. Every trip handicapper worth anything liked him a lot off his Gulfstream race in 2014.

Yup.

He ran 9th in the Holy Bull. He had zero excuse. Horses in front of him drew away from him. And horses who were laying behind him blew right by him. His trip was no excuse.

It would be one thing if he closed some ground but just couldn't close enough because of a speed bias. That didn't happen. As I said before, he lost ground to the speed horses and the come-from-behinders blew right by him. He didn't like the track. In the allowance race at Gulfstream right before the Wood, he ran a little better. He ran 4th. But even in that race he couldn't catch the speed horses and one of the come-from-behinders (Mexikoma) blew right by him.

Jerkens himself said the horse didn't like Gulfstream. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. I agree with you guys that Wicked Strong was going against a bias at Gulfstream. That was one of the reasons he didn't like the track. It was hard to close ground on. But it was more than just the speed bias. Otherwise you wouldn't have seen horses who were even further back than him blowing by him.

Redboard 1 year too late

My picks are a matter of public record, idiot.

along with 6 other horses. Nice pick nonetheless

Andy Serling talked about it on the NYRA feed and what he said made sense. The main track is basically sealed down hard for the winter and left alone. You would want to let the winter stay on top and not get into the surface, as much as possible.

It will take a little bit of everyday work to get it where they want.

Because of the way this winter just kept hanging on, I'm sure they couldn't ( and didn't want to ) start earlier with the main.

He's an idiot.

You must be a Mensa member.

I need a couple of guys to drop out.

Andy is not an idiot. You may disagree with him, which I do at times, but he's very much a fan of the game and on our side. He's very opinionated and I like that. People who don't care aren't opinionated.

Andy is very sharp. I think we're lucky to have guys like him who show up and suit up every day. He will say negative things, which are good and very constructive. I don't think there is any bigger fan of NY Racing than Andy and that was even before he worked for NYRA.

That's very nice of you to say ( really ).

I was just joking. I assumed everyone realized that I am Andy ( that I'm not joking about ).

Wait...Blackthroatedwind is Andy S??

Didn't know that and was very sincere. I go back to the old days at Siro's and I miss those days. I remember when Harvey used to call you "Little Andy". One day leaving the track he told me "that kid is sharp as a tack, listen to him".

I used to hang out with one of your high school teachers, Alan. He used to bartend at the 1/16th pole. Super good guy. He used to say you were the smartest guy he ever taught.

I think you do a great job everyday. I watch Talking Horses and think it is great. Mike Beer is good and both of you are great together. The FOX work is great too and I'm enjoying seeing you on the national stage.

Are you opinionated ? Yes, absolutely. i love that. Do I agree ? No, not 100%, but I love that you say it and stand behind it. We need more like that who aren't afraid to say "This is BS".

I'm a 100% Andy fan.

Thanks.

The teacher you are referring to is probably Nick Alex. A great guy for sure.

He was Alan, we used to go across Union Ave. after the races, maybe at Duke's or one of those joints right across the street. Super nice guy. He told me his last name, but I forgot it. He tended bar inside the grandstand at the 1/16th pole for about 5 or 6 years and he retired in 2012 or so. I lost track of him.

At least he told me he was Alan. Maybe he could have been Nick. Who knows. Maybe I could have been Nick, maybe I could have been Alan.