No Icon Project in the Beldame
 

This sucks. Apparently she is instead going to Keeneland for the Spinster :eek:

Where did you hear this?

http://www.drf.com/news/article/107652.html

ELMONT, N.Y. - Icon Project, who would have been the favorite for Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Beldame at Belmont Park, will skip that race and instead run in the Grade 1, $500,000 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 11, trainer Marty Wolfson said Wednesday.

The decision was made Tuesday night after owner Andrew Rosen, who was in France, and Wolfson talked by phone. By running in the Spinster, it will give Icon Project a start over a synthetic surface. The Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic on Nov. 6 will be run over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface.

"He just wants to run in the Spinster," Wolfson said of Rosen. "I think it's probably the synthetic issue."

The Spinster also keeps Icon Project racing around two turns. The Beldame, like the Spinster and Ladies' Classic, is also at 1 1/8 miles, but contested around one turn.

In June, Icon Project won the New York Stakes at Belmont by 13 1/4 lengths in a race that was moved from the turf and run at 1 1/8 miles around one turn. Icon Project is coming off a 13 1/2-length win in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga.

The defection of Icon Project figures to leave Music Note as an overwhelming favorite in the $600,000 race. Others expected to run include a Team Valor entry of Captain's Lover and Unbridled Belle, Briecat, Copper State, and possibly Morena

God damn I can't wait until we're rid of this synthetic nonsense. I hope they never run the Breeders' Cup on that garbage again. It doesn't just screw up the BC, it messes with the entire year of racing.

The funny thing about it is that let's say she goes to Keeneland and hates it. Does that mean she doesn't like synthetics? It's been proven time and again that no two synthetic tracks are equal. I think Marty should have just told the owner that they'd find out how she likes synthetics on November 6.

Takes an awful lot of starch out of the Beldame.

NT

That's what I say too. I have always felt that prepping over a surface to find out if a horse likes it is one of the dumbest things in racing. If they don't, now you've lost two races and the Beldame would have fit her perfectly. if she does like Keeneland, that doesn't mean she has to like SA too. It could rain at one of them. It could be 100 degrees at SA on BC day. If she doesn't like Keeneland, then what are they going to do? Probably say she doesn't like the track and toss the race. Waste of time.

Exactly. Look at Fabulous Strike who found out he isnt a synthetics horse and wasted only 1 race on the junk. He had a nice campaign in 08 before that race and was able to come back and have another nice year in 09.

For Icon Project, why not win the Beldame on dirt and then roll the dice at SA? If she doesnt like it, rest her for 3 months then bring her back at Gulfstream in February.

...and it's not like there's a bunch of $$ to be made on the dirt for a female after the BC either. What would they run her in if she didn't like the synthetics, the Falls City?

At least males still have the Clark and the Cigar Mile.

Smart move. She has nothing to gain running on the dirt.

As an owner who wouldn't rather run at a packed Keeneland instead of 8000 at Belmont.

Any chance they're drawing the Super Saturday card at Belmont today (Wednesday) instead of Thursday?
I thought since it was such a big day, they might have the draw earlier than normal.

Does anyone else feel a little bit dumber all of a sudden?

I would have thought that they'd take double entries today as well, but Saturday's card will be drawn tomorrow.

Welcome to the party. You're late. It's not all of a sudden.

Yes, it is possible that all of the following have been brought to us by the same person:

On the Beldame:

On Rachel:

On Stronach:

On Favre:

On Rachel again:

On the NTRA:

It's really been quite a twelve day campaign from this new addition to the board.

NT

I CRYED. BEST OLDER FILLY IN THE COUNTRY, BEST STAYER, I would have bet her in the JCGC.

Are you on medication of any type?

NT

No, but at 1 1/4 I would have bet her vs the crap thats running Saturday in the JCGC. There was a little noise after her last that it was possible.

Just Troll'd. Crossfire is a dead giveaway.

Booth Operator? Thats my main guess.

Yeah, I think Tool Operator is too retarded to be true, and is therefore a troll.

Crossfire, I'm not sure they are the same person.