9/2 (SAR): Woodward, Spinaway (G1's), Saranac, Glens Falls (G3's)
 

Where are all the two year olds in Saratoga?

Rally Cry in an upset. Do I think he's as good as Gun Runner, no. But with a likely odds difference of 1-5 and 4-1 he's worth a shot. He has thrown a few very big races, including his last that make him competitive.

No advanced praise for Bricks and Mortar?

That is a really interesting race actually. The invader from WO looks outstanding too.

Cinch.

Hardly. Have you seen the Woodbine horse? He looks like a top horse.

Horse won by half a pole.
Da Silva never let the horse extend........he never moved his arms on the straighten.
Freak.

Caviar Czar is the only horse in the race making his turf debut. Dam was a stakes-placed turf runner imported from France.

More importantly, his second dam, Love Me True is the dam of the 2013 Epsom Derby winner, Ruler of The World as well as 2008 Champion older horse Duke of Marmalade (Juddmonte International, King George, Prince of Wales's, etc.).

Fourth dam is uber-broodmare Lassie Dear (A.P. Indy, Summer Squall, Lemon Drop Kid, Honor Grades, etc.).

Caviar Czar's sire, Medaglia d'Oro, in addition to siring slow 3yo fillies (Rachel Alexandra, Elate, Songbird, Plum Pretty) has sired numerous Grade 1 turf winners and overseas champions. He himself was by top turf stallion El Prado (Kitten's Joy, Artie Schiller, Timo, etc.).

Caviar Czar had two blistering works over the Belmont turf course in June, both bullets at 1/2 mile. Not sure what the delay was making his turf debut, but last race was off-the-turf. John Velasquez opts for this over stablemate Master Plan.

He was an MTO in that race.

While it's strange it's taken this long to run him on the turf, my guess is that after the race, it won't seem so strange. Still, you have to toss him in multis.

Rabbit not allowed entry to Woodward:

http://www.drf.com/news/paoluccis-ra...oodward-stakes

What do you guys think? I can see both sides.

Cautious Giant was entered as a rabbit in the Whitney, set the pace for about a 1/2 mile and even threw a shoe at his target (Gun Runner) and still couldn't soften him up.

Baffert will have a real rabbit in collected for the BC

Thanks, I failed to do all the proper research, just presumed they were pointing for the grass with those two bullet works back in June. Kind of hard to think he didn't handle it based on the times, but perhaps the clockers (and Pletcher) weren't impressed.

I guess there's always the Discovery to point for. At least I got a Timo reference in there.

Cupid, with his horrendous running style (blows turns, lugs in, stays on wrong lead) is the real secret weapon. He can play the rabbit, float horses wide, and impede them on the rail in the stretch. About the only thing he doesn't do is break poorly, which would have been good for clobbering some rivals at the start penalty free.

I know its sad, but I laughed.

Only chance has of winning for Rally Cry is to be ridden aggressively and try to run him off his feet, if he cedes another candy trip to Gun Runner I doubt he can pass him when it matters.

Riders are rarely that aggressive on this circuit so I expect a nice slow pace jog win for Gun Runner.

I think I could have timed the last quarter of the Spinnaway with a sun dial.

Horribly slow race, the 6th, a maiden, went more then one second faster. Unless the track changed drastically this is a sad Grade One effort.

The pace was better than average but that race is weak all around.

Of course I fell for all the Seperationofpowers is the next great thing and singled her, when I knew she road a gold rail to the big win.

wow, this horse has gotten really good, that was his best race to date.

Gun runner is a monster!

Gun Runner has gotten very good.
Arrogate >GR

I think I shall retire from playing the turf races on the NYRA circuit...

yea, the riding there makes it impossible to handicap in my opinion.

I am hitting at 35% on dirt, 6% on turf this meet.

c ya..need more dirt races and they have few there.

Man,he sure is good right about now.
Classic chalk.......I think.

That's a quad for Voodoo Song this meet,starting with a claimer........finishing it off with a Grade 3.
Outstanding. :tro:

It seems to me this merited more discussion. Can anyone remember something similar happening before? That is, has a clear rabbit ever been refused entry?

I can see both sides, too, but I'm wary of situations where the power to act is completely discretionary.

I had an okay little Pick 4 going singled to War Flag, using her because I expected her to be on or near the early lead. Well, I missed the start of the race and when I turned it on I couldn't believe to see her last. Figure damn she missed the break. But the chart makes no mention of that. So I guess they took her back to last on an opening half on 51...:zz: Oh well, guess that's a handicapping blunder on my part.

FWIW, thought she was best in the race. Coming from that far back into those fractions when the 1,2,4 place finishers all were close up hroughiut.

I get ya, Bricks and Mortar was forced into a close up stalker who had to make a turn move and still finished great all because the way those races are being run on maybe the most biased turf course I have ever seen, anywhere. Its been inside speed the 2 weeks that would make keeneland envious.

pretty lengthy discussions in a few other places...it doesnt seem right if the stewards are going to let some people run rabbits and some others not....if that was maybe a more established, and less outspoken name owner, that the horse would have been allowed to enter.

it certainly would not have changed anything.

Yeah I wonder if Juddemonte would have been denied. I tend to think not but NYRA has set a precedent now and they should be held to this standard in future. Beyer was on with Andy and was none to happy with the decision. I give if credit for saying the right thing

I think the issue is that they wanted to use an 8000 claimer who hadn't run past 5.5f in his last 10 starts as the rabbit. Why not use the same rabbit as last time?

the last one was not fast enough to do his job.

I think using one that looks like it even has less chance to win makes more sense.

I have no idea why they could not have been coupled and allowed to run like we have done for the last 150 years.

Been waiting all meet to bet Givemeaminit back..only thing that makes it tough is most of these have ridden gold rails to wins so I dont actually have a feel for how good anyone is, but I know this horse ran a great mdn and at 8/1 really figures here.

The hoss who bombed him is in there. He lugged in about 7 paths because there was room to do so, but if there were other hosses there the jock would have been steadying and holding on for dear life. Doubt he gets that clear run here.
I think the Mcpeek guy comin it of that game win going 7/8 is gonna drown that field. With any luck Serling won't pick either if our guys and we'll at least have a fighting chance.

Look at the horses that are used as rabbits overseas (e.g. Coolmore, Godolphin, etc.). They are normally half-decent horses, not sprinters plucked from the bottom class.