4/2 (OP): AR Derby (G1), Oaklawn Mile, Fantasy (G3's), Carousel

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Not that Im Contreras guy, but don't you think her getting slammed/sandwiched at the start compromised her trip?

I do agree that she wasnt beating the winner, Flo gave a brilliant ride. The stretch run might have gotten a little interesting if Barber Road dint get into traffic trouble.

I thought the contact was minimal. Being 4 wide up the backstretch for no reason and then getting beat to the spot she was already in as they approached the turn was all on Contreras. That caused her to have to make that big looping move she made which zapped her late.

He's not a very good rider. That's why after her last I said he'd get her beat eventually. Last time he put her in a spot where she could have gotten into trouble. She can overcome him in small fields but larger fields are going to be an issue.

She's a really nice horse. Not a generational talent, but she ran well yesterday, despite the ride and she deserves a better rider.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

She's a really nice horse. Not a generational talent, but she ran well yesterday, despite the ride and she deserves a better rider.

Sharp post.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Barber Road, in my opinion, is confusing people. He keeps sucking up in slow races. I get the idea that if the pace gets hot, and the Derby falls apart, he could suck up again for a share but someone is going to have show me a race where he actually did some meaningful running....particularly in a reasonably fast race. Do we actually think he will out-close horses like Smile Happy, Zandon, or Mo Donegal in Kentucky?

At the end of the day, or in this case meet ( essentially ), the Arkansas preps this year were decidedly mediocre.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Also, Matt, please watch the start again. She had, pretty much, no trouble that affected her early position.

Originally Posted by Dahoss

I thought the contact was minimal. Being 4 wide up the backstretch for no reason and then getting beat to the spot she was already in as they approached the turn was all on Contreras. That caused her to have to make that big looping move she made which zapped her late.

He's not a very good rider. That's why after her last I said he'd get her beat eventually. Last time he put her in a spot where she could have gotten into trouble. She can overcome him in small fields but larger fields are going to be an issue.

She's a really nice horse. Not a generational talent, but she ran well yesterday, despite the ride and she deserves a better rider.

Truthfully I’m not sure about Barber Road in the long run, I just thought he had a chance to catch the winner if he didn’t encounter trouble in the stretch. He had a very good trip until then saving all the ground.

I couldn’t find a head on replay, even if the bump wasn’t that bad, I think it did put them back further than they would’ve liked. That being said after watching it again, I think Hossy is right about the ride. Contreras had a chance going in the first turn to get some position (would be been right behind Cyberknife) he ended up staying wide and was forced to make that crazy wide move.

A tale of two rides, Flo’s was excellent and Contreras’s was far from it.