Practical Joke
 

Is it me, or were the odds on PJ holding at 6/5 leading up to the race & even entering the gate (with Battalion Runner at even money) and then dropped to 4/5 and then 3/5 during the race? I know this happens from time to time, but I hadn't seen it in a while in a big race.

Yea, must have been some very large bets late in the wagering cause I saw the same thing.

Interestingly, if you could bet a quarter mile into the race, given the tepid pace, his odds would have gone up.

I concur 100%.

I was just curious to know what size bet(s) it took to move that line after 30 minutes of holding steady. I don't have a good grasp of the handles, etc.

to bad it never seems to work like that

He's way too much horse for that field. WAY too much.

He's been running in the wrong races for the right reasons....and over performing.

I hope the connections keep him as a miler type.

He's running in the Haskell next. It's the right race for a few reasons.

I'll bite. What are those reasons?

If he fails you are cutting back for the Kings Bishop. Has Classic Empire even worked in weeks? Im not a PJ fan but he looks like a 5-2 shot unless Bob ships.

Besides being under 4:1 in a $1 million Grade 1 race, and at worst using it to cut back to the Allen Jerkens ( ex-King's Bishop )?

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I am shocked by the number of smart people I see that handicap by reading between the lines, yet seem to have trouble doing it with topics around here.

:rolleyes:

You're purposefully cryptic, I indulge you by asking you to explain what you mean after saying all year that Practical Joke had no business in two-turn races, and you use it as an excuse to insult my comprehension. Always great to talk.

nothing wrong with a versatile horse :) he reminds me of Gun Runner a bit, eight & half furlongs is his max

Gun Runner just kept improving. I guess it makes some sense if your talking this exact time last year.

PJ is consistent just like GR ....... and NEITHER want a mile & a quarter ;)

Im not a huge Gun Runner guy, but other then Arrogate who is getting close to him at 10f? His last 4 races have been huge and nothing about his DWC says he doesn't want 10f.

That was GR best effort at 10f ..... and STILL hasn't won at the distance

You're making me defend GR. Isn't it circumstantial for GR? His 3 10f races are the Kentucky Derby, Travers and DWC and he ran 3rd, 3rd and 2nd. Losing to Arrogate 2x. What in that sample says he doesn't want 10f? Especially if you believe he has improved a ton since the Travers. I believe he has.

You SHOULD defend him :p he's a HONEST runner ...... but STILL misses that elusive 10f :)

This is almost as bad as the foolish argument that Medaglia D'Oro didn't run well at 1 1/4 miles just because despite running some of the best races of his career at the distance, he often finished second at 10 furlongs.

If it wasn't for Arrogate, he would have galloped in the Dubai World Cup. He has also clearly improved beginning with his late races in 2016.