Taconeo..Another superstar?
 

Another possible Superhorse from Venezuela... Runs in Fridays Yankee Victor Stakes at Belmont.
http://www.drf.com/news/article/95580.html

Good luck to that horse. Not a great field Friday, and winning the race wouldn't prove much, but I will guess he is in over his head in there.

The breeding on that horse is interesting.

The sire, Water Poet, is out of one of my favorite 1980's mares, Love Smitten, which makes Water Poet a half to Swain. He's by Sadlers Wells.

What's interesting is that Water Poet has had five crops to race and he's been leading sire in Venezuela five times.

In final answer to the question posed in this thread.....



absolutely not under any circumstances whatsoever.

do you think mechant marine can be a decent handicap horse ?

Well, it was nice to have hope for a little while :rolleyes: Looks to be just another "average" Joe.

Yeah, a decent overnight stake handicap horse.

Good or Bad ride???
 

Did Maragh give Shopton Lane the best chance to win the race? Was slowing the horse down in the opening quarter to a strong gallop the right thing? Or should he have opened up ten and seeing if they could have reeled him in? He basically turned the race into a 2f sprint for home (turf race).

Enlighten me. Please.

If he opened up Hunting would have been second to the winner. Maragh gave Shopton Lane a perfect ride. He wasn't winning and he easily didn't have to be second.

I would be interested to see Merchant Marine in the Forego after a likely butt kicking in the Whitney.

I don't know what they paid for him but it's hard to see him being competitive unless he runs for a tag. Maybe he has value in Venezuela for breeding but based on today he's not competitive here.

Looked like he was having trouble with the surface or was that just the TV I was watching?.

Probaly right, looks like the Aq inner and the speed favoring Monmouth surface have SL a little "dressed up".

He ran better than I thought he would today. Bruce Levine's horses are certainly running well ( in NY and Monmouth ).

i agree last 2 he was all out, the division is so weak though...