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Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance
I have to say that i agree with almost everything you say here. As you say, people are complaining when races are dropped in distance, which is most likely to do with the breeders and their wants/needs. Now people also complain with longer distance races.
However, i'm not sure this kind of race should be on the BC, when the schedule is being packed full so it seems.
More 12 furlong races by all means, but i'm not sure if the BC is the right place, not while they continue to add races like they are going out of fashion.
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I agree there. People complain if races are shortened, they complain if races are lengthened. Some complain that the rest of the world seems more interested in turf and we're crazy for being dirt-centric, then others get upset at the idea that turf is getting more play because the foundation is just not there yet. I understand the dilution issue if you cover every conceivable distance and surface, that's absolutely a concern. I do think we'll have some lousy fields potentially but the BC folks are looking at their job glass half full (of handle, hopes and dreams, more handle...) and is it really their fault many owners, trainers, and breeders aren't thinking about getting a horse all year to the end of the year to run a championship race and decide instead to tip toe with their hothouse horses? They used to have that mile and a half on dirt distance in mind, at least some did anyway. As for who's going to win that 1 1/2 (that I would've preferred to see at 1 3/4 to ideally 2 miles or so) I am actually a little intrigued by the situation in which they've put themselves. Not sold but intrigued. I'm not going to complain about this one, I've been wanting more route races, I'm gonna hush and let them give me one. I will however do like I do with the juvenile turf preps and critique the lead up. Can't just throw those things into a vacuum. Speaking of which you just knew they'd pad the schedule once the 3 races came on Friday...I knew they couldn't help themselves and were eying this as a KY Oaks-day style deal but not just for the ladies.
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Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind
But, there's really a great deal of hypocracy to go around. Considering it was the BC itself that caused races to be cut back in distance it is a real side splitter that they now seek to create a race for the very types they helped diminish. Oh the great BC knows both benevolance and irony.....don't they?
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Amen. There's so much irony I don't know where to look. The industry's getting so full of blame--one side blames the other and then turns around and causes part of the problem. It's almost becoming a chicken and the egg deal right now. The downfall of stamina definitely coincided with the BC era but that was also the glut in the stallion market right? Bubble days with the yearling purchases,etc I mean. That played a role in 'bubble'-wrapping the expensive purchases and protecting them from too much pesky racing and wear and tear. (sarcasm) These animals cost money don'tcha know. Is the argument that the BC fed into the bubble-fest? You'll have to forgive my slight obliviousness and educated guess at the connection. I wasn't really terribly focused on adult matters at that age. Not to date the rest of you but some folks here have more of a first hand experience of the change in the industry. It helps to have things put in context for us spring chickens.
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Originally Posted by miraja2
Man, you were spot on in this prediction.
People in this thread have been so busy complaining about the 12f race that they have missed how absolutely stupid it is to have a juvenile turf race for filles. How completely ridiculous can you get?
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Yup, the first thing I chuckled at was the going ape over the 12f when my reaction was to the juvenile turf race for fillies. Surely there's enough spots in the juvenile turf and not much difference in the sexes at that age that you'll get a fuller field with just the one. That's not crazy right? Are people that afraid to go co-ed on turf at 2? Turf mares face boys a lot more in Europe, really it's in our interest if they're trying to follow that model to just throw em all in the pot and start it young. I like the concept of the Breeders' Cup, not gonna lie, I just feel execution's an issue because there are so many variables and breeding dollars are just nuts. I'll applaud the effort to promote turf and distance here because I've always thought that would be a good idea (though through the BC, that's a whole can of worms) and I'll spend the next few years watching in between my fingers like you do with scenes in movies where you really don't know if you're gonna enjoy the thing but you can't quite help yourself.
Let's not joke about the Greys only race thing. Some folks would truly jump at it.
