BC Classic field after six furlongs based on pace figures
 

Quality Road in front by a length

Haynesfield 2nd by 1

First Dude 3rd by 1.5

Morning Line 4th by 2.5

Etched 5th by 5

Musket Man 6th by 6.5

Paddy O' Prado 7th by 9

Lookin at Lucky 8th by 9.5

Blame 9th by 10

Fly Down 10th by 11.5

Pleasant Prince 11th by 15

Zenyatta 12th by 28

Espoir City and Gio Ponti: ?


Obviously Mike Smith isn't going to allow Zenyatta to be 28 lengths back with just four furlongs to go - and he won't spot 18.5 and 18 length cushions to horses like Lookin At Lucky and Blame - who both can finish well.

She's going to have to work considerably harder early on than she has at any point this year... how that impacts her ability to finish remains to be seen.

Fly Down is clearly the horse who benefits most from a fast pace. Pleasant Prince isn't very good, but with Rosario, he'll run better than expected if he gets a hot and contested pace like he and Ice Box both did in the Fla Derby.

Haynesfield and Zenyatta would be the two who clearly benefit most from a slow pace.

pulled up; vanned off

here is hoping

Jockey switch to Desormeaux?

Good stuff DrugS. I suppose if she really is the superhorse some say she is, she will be able to run significantly faster early and still finish. I'll be shocked if she can and tip my hat to her.

I can hardly imagine an uglier pair of comments.

:tro:

Great stuff, DrugSy. Thanks for that.

Those are objective comments of hardened horseplayers.

Not ugly, Runyanesque.

Context.

Look it up.

Puhleeze, everything Coach says is tongue in cheek. So what it is tasteless. This isn't church...He doesn't want to see any horse hurt.

Thanks for clarifying.

Tasteless comments - even in jest or digging up the ghost of Damon.

What if something like this did happen? It's all too possible.

I've witnessed 3 fatalities of TB fillies at BC events, and it makes my skin crawl to think that another could ever occur.

Sorry if I don't buy into the some brands of humor.

Feigned outrage is the best.

That noise haunts me daily. I'm sure that guy loves being an internet phenomenon for that reason.

Tough words coming from someone who is never outraged about anything.:p

If I may speak for Coach I think he is outraged with the direction of our country and the lack of leadership....but no horsey outrage.

I try not to let my feigned outrage get to the point where I want to censor others.
Feigned meditation helps. I'm usually ohhhming when reading your posts.

Do black people meditate?