Did something happen to Calvin Borel today?
 

Just turned on the computer and saw Borel is last-minute off his last two mounts at Churchill today - did something happen?

Ate some bad Jambalaya for lunch

He got a hot date???

maybe hemorroids

I don't know, but Coa is going to be sore tomorrow. Has anyone ever seen someone win a race after losing their irons. I'm not sure, but I think I saw Cordero do it once, or at least come real close.

Rail Burns

I remember that race at Saratoga. Mid 80s? Cordero had his legs forward and was sitting straight up the whole trip. Almost pulled it off. Think he finished third.

That sounds about right Slewbopper, maybe late 80's. I remember he even got the whip out in the lane. :D

Fernando Jara lost one of his irons coming out of the gate on Jazil in the Belmont, they went on to win.

It's an easy thing to do when you're on an awesome horse. :D

Worst Belmont winner of the 21st Century:

A. Commendable
B. Sarava
C. Jazil
D. Da' Tara

That's a tough one, huh?

NT

Obviously, I was joking.

A.

Oh, I know...the love for Jazil in this place has been there since Day 1.

For what it's worth- I'm voting A/B in my poll.

NT

you guys are nuts if you think Da Tara is a better horse than Commendable or Sarava.

I'd say Da Tara is the worst from that list. He's 2-for-14 lifetime without ever having run a triple digit Beyer.

I'd say Jazil is easily 2nd worst. He was 2-for-11 lifetime and his only triple digit figure ever (a 102) came in a last to first pace collapse in a Belmont Stakes that was put on a silver platter for him.

The tough one is trying to decide who is worse between Commendable and Sarava.

Commenable was a halfway promising 2yo who easily broke his maiden at Del Mar on debut - and than ran 4th in the Del Mar futurity behind three buzzsaws in Forest Camp, Dixie Union, and Captain Steve.

In his final 3 Derby Preps .. He was beaten only a length by War Chant in the San Rafeal, only 3.75 lengths by Fusaichi Pegasus in the San Felipe, and only 3 lengths by Unshaded in the Lexington.

So he wasn't disgraced by that years Santa Anita Derby winner, Kentucky Derby winner, and Travers winner.

He ran like a Lukas horse that was pushed too hard to make the Derby when 17th. Skipped the Preakness and beat Aptitude and Unshaded in the Belmont.

He finished his career with a 3rd in the Travers and a 105 Beyer 2nd to Tiznow in the Super Derby.

Yes he was only 2-for-12 .. but he gave a good account of himself in every race but the Haskell and Derby - and he faced some real horses.

As for Sarava, while he was disgracefully bad for the majority of his career - he is the only one of the four to win more than 2 lifetime races .. and his good race was better than the good race for the other 3.

He beat Madaglia D' Oro in the Belmont - and as a 4yo he ran Beyers of 109 and 110 back to back when beaten a length by Peace Rules in the Suburban and 2.25 lengths by Roses in May in the Whitney.

The whole thing was tongue in cheek and I think it's safe to say they were all bad. Commendable's accomplishments might be the best all in all but his Belmont victory will forever be horrible on paper and visually.

NT

I don't fully agree.

The horse who finished 2nd to him was coming off of a 2nd place finish in the Ky Derby. And it's not like he hated the track or distance .. he won the JCGC by 10 lengths later on when he was a lot better.

The horse who finished 3rd won the Travers in the summer.

He didn't beat bums.

And while his final time was very slow .. so was the track. Trippi won the Riva Ridge by 10 in 1:23.70 that day.

Everyone made a big deal that JR Holmes won a starter allowance race big in time only 2/5ths slower on that card ... but JR Holmes ran Beyers of 105, 104, and 101 in his next 3 starts after that starter alw win ... so is running 2/5ths faster than him really a black mark? I'd say no.

JR Holmes . I remember him fondly as well as that 12 F allowance on the card prior to the Belmont . What year did Left Bank rocket to stardom on the Belmont card ? Was it 2000 on that same day in a very fast 6F allowance ?

Commendable was far and away the best of that group of Belmont winners.
I don't know how anyone can remember otherwise.

I just remember that years Belmont... 2001 I think... was just the worst race I have ever seen live. That is including all the claiming races that I've seen at Turf Paradise and Rillito. So slow I felt like I could go out there and run faster... and I suck at running!