Perfect Drift
 

Damn I love this horse!! What a great race he ran today....the old boy isn't done yet. Can you believe they let him get off at 10/1?

I can't believe Bailey and Moss, "is he good enough to win a Classic".
As though he were 14 lengths behind SL last year. Or "can he keep his form". Why not? He has ever other year.

GO DRIFTY!!!!! Love you FOREVER.

He's as game as they come.

I was sitting right below where Murray Johnson and the connections were standing and they thought they had it at first. He was so thrilled with old PD's performance and I bet that loss hurt worse than any of the others.

I still can't believe he lost it, I had every cent I had left on him to win only and in doubles.

This one was worse for me than when Borrego came up and nipped him in the Pacific Classic.

Anyone have a link to the photo, I would like to see it.

Ask and ye shall receive...

http://i5.tinypic.com/14se8uv.jpg

thanks ateam.

that one hurts me bad

It's really great to see these hard-hitting pros come back year after year.

But poor Perfect Drift still hasn't learned that you have to keep going after you pass all the other horses ... until the jockey says "Easy, boy!"

How many races has this gallant guy lost over the years ... because he stopped perservering in the final yards?

All it will take is one big one to shut people up and I am going to enjoy that moment....

For God sake, this horse has more heart than you could ever hope to.

Another great run by PD..... I thought he had won it but I'm thrilled all the same. Beating both Brass Hat and Buzzards Bay and still you critisize him??? Shame on you.

Doesn't seem to me like Bold Brooklynite was really being critical. He called the horse "gallant" after all. I love Perfect Drift but he does tend to slow it down a little when he makes the lead. He still ran a hell of a race today though. A very nice second. To the person who said they had all their $ on PD to win I say, that is crazy. This horse always runs strong races, but he usually finishes 2nd or 3rd. Even if you don't usually place/show bet, this horse is BEGGING for across-the-board bets, especially when he is sent off at 10/1.

Guys I love Perfect Drift also. One of the best names for a horse, I am sure DTS would agree. But PD was the beneficiary of death by speed at Churchill. Horses killing each other. Taking turns punching each other in the face.

The fractional times do not look exceptionally hot, but the race was a slugfest. I swear to God I hate this track. I cannot get anything right, so I rarely bet it. Too many quality horses. I will now retreat back to Lonestar.

BTW... Frankel's South American import got slapped in a big turf race on really soft going at LS. It rained pretty hard last night in Dallas. Horse wanted the lead in a bad way and got into early combat on very slow ground.

Well I'm sorry..... I might have been having flashbacks from other past Perfect Drift comments so excuse me please.....

Regardless, a very nice run by PD.

As usual.

BB is right about the way Drift gets in front and waits on horses. Many, many horses do it. It has to do with the pack mentality and horses that follow or lead. He's not an alpha horse and when he gets to the front he looks around for the horse he thinks he sjould be following. There's not a lot you can do about it except as a jock time the move to get him to the wire perfectly on time. It's why he constantly falls short.

Perfect Drift was my '02 Derby horse and I've loved him too all these years. But he is a maddening horse to root for. Even the Foster win three years ago was a bit tainted in my mind as Albarado was so god-awful on Minehaft.

But he's a trooper, and knowing that the BCC is at Churchill, you can expect another brave try. He was 5th.. then 4th.. then 3rd.. I said last year that you can expect him to win the Classic in '07 at Monmouth...

Pat,
Yes, I agree...GREAT name!
Many don't know that he's named for what you want your dry fly to do when it gently settles over the "honey hole". No drag.
Dances on the current...up comes a gaping mouth.
Still others don't know that I'm talking about trout fishing (LOL).

Perfect Drift showed heart. Almost caught a big one!
Maybe next. Don't think many saw Seek Gold.
Another cast.
DTS

Heck yes. Thats why I love this guy.
Bring back Evening Attire. We get Funny Cide in the mix, and everyone could watch the event from their favorite retirement home.

I must admit, when I was watching the race I was jumping up and down screaming "come on old guy! Show those youngins how it's done!"

What an awesome race. Seek Gold's jock new to keep him away from Drifty or drifty would have won that race. Reminded me of the close race Silver Charm lost that way.


MY FAVE GUSTY GELDING! I will wear my hat proud!:)

I was kicking myself when he drew clear in the stretch for not betting him to win. I absolutely hated Buzzards Bay at 6/5 and didnt trust the only other horse I thought could beat Perfect Drift, Love of Money. I boxed those 2 and was in mental agony when Drift kicked clear from the contenders, Love of Money was deader than dirt.

There was a lot of dirt out there after that little get together.

So, I have a sportswriter telling me that if PD ever won the BC that it would be because every other horse was crummy and that he doesn't *deserve* to win a 5 million dollar race. What the heck kind of logic is that? It's not like PD has not shown himself. Yeah, he hangs, but he could easily get a big one one day and he doesn't "deserve" it? So why don't we just send in ballots based on paper statitstics as to who gets to deserve to be in a race or win a race. When industry folk have these kind of blinkers on, it is no @#$#$ wonder that racing doesn't enjoy the status it once did on a national scale. PD is the kind of horse people LOVE to watch and there is no one out there making historic moves on the the tracks, no Dr. ***er's, no Secretariat's, so just what is the point if you can't love a horse like PD and what is the point if you have to have some "super criteria" to "deserve" to be in a certain race. Good lord. If he consistantly came in last every year in the BC OK, I might concede, but he only improves. Grrrrrrr.

Just waiting for Joel to come in and **** all over Perfect Drift like he did Funny Cide. JUST KIDDING JOEL!!!! :)

It wasn't a bet I made with my head, I am fully aware that Perfect Drift has a hard time getting to the winner's circle.

I had a bad day at the windows, and I just took what I had left and said "to hell with it, I'm betting this guy to win again."

I have bet him to win almost every time he has entered the gate. Never cashed a place or show bet on him, and never will.

Just one of those sentimental ones......it was only $40.00 and a double going into the last.

Moodwalker, I LOVE your signature. And I really don't know.

Oh of course you do.....

nice to see some positive things for a change about the big boy! he ran a helluva race and shown he still has the talent to compete with and beat the top dirt horses in the world so as long as its on a fast track, pd can handle the off going he just wont run his best race on it! wish i had a similiar situation to his owner who puts the horse in his own backyard in kansas every winter, someday ill be able to have my horses at home=) hopefully PD comes outta the race well, cant wait to see him out there again!


1 last thing, it was great today seeing the replay of his triumph over mineshaft:)

I had 20 bucks to win on Perfect drift and gave my bro a 20 dollar win ticket on Perfect Drift as well for his birthday. We watched the race together and thought it was in the bag for sure when he grabbed the lead, I am still convinced that he won the race! I was mad, but seeing how emotional Borel and the owners were and their tears of joy kinda made it easier to swallow.

Playa, the end result must have broken your heart though, admit it. When he drew clear all I could think about was how stupid I was not to take a shot with him at 10/1 in a field where I hated the chalk, and how many posts you would make regarding his win and how everybody on here had been so wrong about him being a hanger. :p

That was an impressive win over Mineshaft, but Bejarno butchered the ride on Mineshaft that day.

That was Robby Albarado -might as well give "credit" where "credit" is due. Mineshaft should never have lost that race......if I recall correctly, he moved way too early........

For the record ...

... this was the first time ... in over 4,500 posts on various Forums ... that I have ever commented about Perfect Drift.

Steve and I ... and many other keen racing observers ... are correct about him ... he pulls himself up when no one is in front of him ... that's why he has so many places and shows relative to his wins.

What a heart breaker...I bet 'Drift' based on his value and how the race would set up.....when he made the lead at the top of that long stretch I turned to my Dad and said, "He'll never hold on that long...somebody will get him"..and sure enough, he got nailed and I lost the Pick 4 and A LOT more on that single NOSE-loss...

The thing about Drift that everybody whop keeps up with him knows, is that he is top-shelf but doesn't like to win the close ones where he has to gut out the victory....I knew that long stretch lead would be difficult for him but he actually held better than I thought...nice ole horse....too bad he is a gelding.

The way I ended up on him (aside from the fact he figured to get a great setup) was that I just ame to the general conclusion that this year's handicap horses are not as good as last year's, so if Drift, who loves CD and the Foster distance, could run back to anything close to his BC Classic effort iof last fall then I thought that would put him right there at the wire at 10-1....it worked, but I should've known he wouldn't win it if it was close..

I had a friend call me after the race and say, "Man, I know you crushed that race because you know how to bet Perfect Drift."..and I said What are you talking about....he said, "You were always the one who said he could run second to anyone in the world so just back wheel him in the EX and TRI and it would have produced a $1,000 EX"...didn't do it though :(

Ho down there Cunningham.
If he were not a gelding, do you think we would still see him on the track? JEEZUS... this is part of what is wrong with this game. We dont get to follow specific horses cause they go to the shed.

Geld as many as possible.
BTW. The winner is also a gelding. God Bless them.

heh. Like Sheets said after Anew's fourth win since gelding "we're going to start cutting everything we claim".

yeah the almighty mineshaft, blame it on robby blame it on robby. well what was mineshafts excuse for losing to balto star earlier that year? LOL was it the jocks fault then too. fact is had robbie not moved the horse at the point of the race he still woulda been trapped behind a wall and wouldnta even finished within pissing distance of perfect drift that day. speakin of bejarano i think he won the race the following year in the slop on a huge longshot

ahhh yes it was Albardo. My bad on that. Thanks for the enlightenment :D

This is mostly legend. It isn't really true, at least not in the last 3 years. It happened Saturday. He never led in his 3rd place finish in the BC last year. He never led in his 4th place in Hawthorne GC last year. HE never led in his 3rd place Foster finish last year. He never led his 2nd place Pacific Classic finish last year, both he and Borrego closed strong wearing down Lava Man. He won the Washington Park Hdcp. He never led the Clark last year finishing 3rd. He never led Roses in May his 2 seconds to him in 2004 (if he did lead it was quite narrow as they were side by side.) He never led the Foster in his 3rd there in 2004. He never led finishing 4th in the BC. He never led finishing 3rd in the Clark in 2004 behind St Liam. He did lead the Hawthorne God Cup when Freefourinternet ran him down. I don't remember much his 4 year old year, but he won a lot more so I am guessing it didn't happen much.

I've basically got 2 races his last 4 years when he was caught on the lead in the stretch, Saturday and the 2004 Hawthorne GC. (Perhaps his turf allowance this year as well, but I don't count that one.) His high number of 2nds and 3rds are mainly because he RARELY IF EVER HAS A LEAD, not because he is giving up leads.

HOC,

You're not wrong at all, but what you bring up is sort of the point.. Drift doesn't "want" the lead. He has the ability and the turn of foot to get to the front, but resists the urging to PASS HORSES. Common trait of pack horses that aren't the alpha. You can sometimes train it out of them, but not at age 6 or 7...

Drift does not like to win, but will if he has to,
I'm surprised that noone mentions that the race that absolutely proved that he doesnt want to make the lead, the 2004 WHitney. After an absurd pace that was set by the Lone Star shipper Yesirgeneralsir, Roses In May was exhausted on the lead and Perfcet Drift had a perfect trip. Day had a handful and still not moved so much as hands on his mount, but when he did, shockingly he would not pass Roses. Roses batlled for a nose win and Drift hung. You could see drift just refusing to run by. He does pull himself up, and will only win win tons the best.

I'll agree about not wanting to pass horses perhaps, but the thread sounded like this horse was constantly giving up leads in the stretch. I was just stating it seemed like he rarely led the last few years to give up leads.

Horse,
I agree that he hasnt the opportunity to pull himself up on the lead like he did on Saturday, but hes had quite a few races when he has just glided up to challenge the leader in a stretch duel with no urging from the jock and seemingly has dead aim and stunningly refuses to pass. The Whitney always stood out as a day when this was the case to me. Anybody watching that race, who watched Drift just glide up to an exhausted roses with no urging from Day whatsoever was just stunned when he refused to run by.
On Saturday he definitely pulled himself up and it was equally stunning to see that.

Drift didn't see Seek Gold so I wouldn't call it hanging but more of a once I got the lead kinda easied thinking I had it. Even Seek Gold's jockey said, "i kept him away from Drift so he wouldn't see him and fight back."

Maybe he doesn't win alot, but dang the old guy has got heart and tries everytime. Give him his props for a very nice race on Saturday and quit trying to bash him. I don't see Funny Cide running like Drifty did Saturday nor Evening Attire. Give props where they are due. Drifty still has enough class to run with the top tier horses, he may not win, but he will get a check.

I for one am a big fan of this horse as most of you know. But if I was a person just watching racing for the first time and saw that race on Saturday by a 7 year old gelding, I may have been more intrigued to watch some more. So give Drifty some props. I think he is a damn good representative for racing.