Nobiz takes lead in Dispatch Derby Poll
 

With a cagey win in last Saturday's Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Nobiz Like Shobiz moved back into the top spot and assumed a commanding lead in the points through week three of the Racing Dispatch Derby Poll. Four new faces entered the top twenty following the races this past weekend.

View Poll: http://www.racingdispatch.com/poll.php?year=2007&week=3

Looks pretty good.

The only horse in the top 7 that wouldn't be in my own personal top 7 is Circular Quay.

Adore the Gold while impressive in Swale should not be that high. Believe Forefathers ran more impressive race as he was between horses for most of races and made nice run against the grain to get second.

Yeah, he should be a top 3

based on what?

Joe,

I think Adore the Gold is the goods.. I put him up near the top on my ballot. Can go, can duel, can stalk.. Got the benefit of GP Saturday, but is far from one dimensional. Nice colt.

I was surprised to see Adore The Gold rank so high as well. I think the numbers are fairly accurate... Scat Daddy drops, as he should, with another somewhat dissapointing effort. Ravel, who was awesome in the Sham, moved up too.

Perhaps the one aspect that really made me double-take was Scat Daddy's 10 first place votes... a lot jumped ship from Street Sense. I don't think Nobiz showed us he was any better than last year yet - but that's why we have 20 voters!

No doubting his quality, just questioning if he will go mile and a quarter. Do love connections though. Will never hesitate to use Gorham horses especially at Spa

his 3-2-0 record in 5 starts...

2 Graded Stakes wins (including a G.1)
2 Graded Stakes placings (including a 2nd in the BC Juvy)


... how many horses have a better resume? I know some believe he may have distance limitations, I don't think that's been proven at all yet. Maybe he doesn't improve as a 3YO, I think he will and I think he's got to be considered at least a threat in the Derby(as of now), if not a top contender to win it.

I dont like him that much. Hes a nice horse but Im not sold yet, he was just lugging in too badly in the stretch.

Here's a link to the mp.3 of Gorham with us on ATRAB yesterday.. He and Mr. Murphy appear rather psyched about him:

http://www.attheracesandbeyond.com/stream/2507a.mp3 (Starts at bottom of hour, about the 30:00 minute mark if you want to skip to it..)

Circular Quay reminds me a lot of his mother......I thought his race in the Juvenile was lousy and I just don't see him getting much better with age or added distance.

Thanks for link

Circular Quay has the RAN curse. He won't win the derby. :p

Boy, we disagree on that for sure. He and Street Sense moved together pretty much in tandem, the major difference being CQ took the circle route on the turn and SS cut the corner along the rail. Why do you say his Juvy race was lousy?

He got a dream pace setup in a collapsing race......he and Street Sense were fortunate enough to be racing 13th and 14th (last and 2nd to last) early on, behind that insanely fast pace.

I agree that Street Sense had the better trip of the two---however, with the kind of setup Circular Quay got...he should have been running on MUCH stronger than he was through the lane in my opinion.

You know, I agree with you on that. I thought CQ really flattened out in the stretch even though he still got by the rest of the field. Was it because of the wide trip, or did he not like the distance... or was it something else? I want to see him try it again, I'm hoping he shows a better sustained drive through the stretch next time.

His mother was 3-for-5 with a 2nd place finish in sprint races...including a Grade 1 win at Saratoga, going 7 furlongs, and beating Surfside. She ran four times in route races, and never finished 1st or 2nd.

She was also trained by Pletcher. She also sold for $700K at a 2-year-old in training sale....after a very fast work.

Didn't FuPeg end the RAN curse? Like Funny Cide ended the gelding curse? Now, we need to find someone to end the Juvie Jinx, and it ain't gonna be Street Sense.

What on earth is the "RAN curse?"