Nashoba's Key
 

People are starting to see that Joe Talamo isn't really all that good. Got the best horse in trouble again. I bet Carla Gains goes back to Victor Esponoza.

I didnt see that at all. I saw a mare that didnt like the ground. I tossed her early on because of that.

Horse never had a chance to run from down on the rail. He lacked the experiance to be able to get his mount in the clear to have a chance to run. Not sour grapes I personnally don't see what others see in Smokin Joe Talamo as such a natural talent.

thanks for the new signature

He did a good job saving ground. Altered course a little bit mid stretch and hung a bit the final 1/16th. Perfect may be right in that she didnt handle the track, alot different than the pooltable surfaces of SoCal. She didnt discrace, neither did Talamo imho...

I'm still trying to figure out how one mount, on a horse that clearly wanted no part of the surface, can cause one to jump to this amazing conclusion about Talamo's ability or lack thereof. I for one will take that action on C. Gaines abandoning Talamo for Espinoza if the OP is still offering

"She was trapped down on the inside and never could get out until it was too late. She made up ground, but she wasn't able to get to the winner. She galloped out past the winner. Turf racing is always difficult. I thought she'd be placed more forwardly than she was. Things happen."

—trainer Carla Gaines sounds a what-might-have-been note for Nashoba's Key
"poor choice to stay inside when he had the chance to get outside early" Mike Wellman

"What were you thinking Joe?" Quote from Jason Lavine

Kurt Hoover agreed with what Wellman said.

Joe has lost his bug and the luster is also starting to dull. It's not just from one ride.

I'm sure they would not have had a bitch if he used NK early to go with Simply Perfect, Precious Kitten and Arivale and got drifted wide when SP pulled up, right? by the 3/4 pole Talamo was in perfect striking position, horses closed in when SP drifted wide and there was no place to go - sh*t happens, especially over an unfamiliar surface where most of the runners were skittish to begin with....to blame the result on the jock is assinine.

Just watched the replay agian. Don't know what Wellmans thinking. Unfortunately Talamo never had a chance to move out as she was racing directly behind Argentina throughout the bs and far turn. A crease opened for her at the top of the stretch and she basically ran even. With the slow pace and turf condition, it all eliminates any kind of quick acceleration to make up any kind of ground. Yes it;s possible the race would have been closer if he was lapped on the winner at the head of the stretch. If you watch the replay, at the 1/8 pole he's even with Honey Rider, but HR out finished her. I doubt the gallop outs mean anything, all riders ease their horses up after the races differently..

On another note, could we see a Rags vs. Magnificence vs. Nashoba's Key matchup next year on the cushion at SA?? Or will she stay on turf :confused:

I thought Nashoba's Key's trip was fine.

Compared to half the other horses in that field it was an excellent trip.

Precious Kitten had a nice one!

I was surprised Nashoba's Key had a top four finish...coming into that race she was my 3rd or 4th throwout.

I totally agree with you on this, she was a toss very early on for me. I was shocked she did get even 4th. I actually would have loved to see her win it, the connections are wonderful people but the track was her undoing. My opinion of her is in no way brought down by this 4th place finish.

Dont forget that this was her first race at the distance also. She has never raced on a turf course less than firm and has faced 4 and 6 horse fields or cal breds in her 7 races. Her trip was fine as you sometimes have no choice but to save ground when you break from an inside post. She was clear early in the stretch and had no real late kick. It is not as though she was running over the top of horses and never got clear. On the turf I will take that trip every time. As a matter of fact she raced in the same path as the winners of the turf and mile who had considerably more horse down the stretch. Blame the jockey if you want but she just wasn't good enough.

No one that's ever ridden a race would have won on Nashoba's Key. She couldn't handle the footing and that's all there is to it.

I'll go with what Greg Gilchrist told me watching the race.. "The kid's the best natural rider I've seen since I don't know who... His decisions are almost always right. He does things that guys riding 20 years haven't figured out. If he stays healthy, he's going to win thousands of races."

The conditions on that turf course were impossible. Potholes and treacherous footing, et al... Treating whatever happened in those events as if they were run under anything close to normal grass racing conditions is a waste of breath.