Calvin Borel continues to make the CD toteboard explode

[The Indomitable DrugS]

It will be.

It's long been a staple of my betting strategy to try and beat a favorite like Street Sense, a horse who has never run, what I believe, was a particularly strong race without the aid of a perfect trip...and doesn't appear certain to get that perfect trip again.

I understand that he's a very lukewarm favorite at 9/2, but, it's just against my nature to take a horse like him.

He hung in each of his three route races when he wasn't able to get the patented Borel rail trip---albeit two came over polytrack, and one came over an off-track.

I can understand why people would bet him, against that group, even at 9/2 odds...and I won't be shocked if he wins without his trip...but, he's just the kind of horse I want to avoid on the win end.

His mother won in her only career start over an off-track, and he's certainly bred to handle mud---so maybe he's a much improved horse since that loss in Chicago at two. We shall see.

[whorstman]

Calvin Borel is a beast. Churchill is his track. He really knows how to ride it. It's not by accident. He seems to get the proper ride out of whoever he rides. Which is why he will win or place in the Derby.

[hi_im_god]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I am going to box he and Any Given Saturday in a exacta a few times, but to be honest it does sort of bother me that everyone seems to like Any given Saturday. I know it doesn't really matter, but there are a lot of people following your lead on him.

he's 21-1 while tiago is 10-1.

i'd take some heart from those friday night odds.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

If you compare Giacomo's form with Tiago's form---not only does Tiago's not look any better at all....but Giacomo's form was littered with sneaky good efforts.

All those people who felt the need to knock Curlin, based on historical old trends and stuff, well shouldn't the same apply to Tiago?

He was less than one week away from not racing as a 2-year-old, and he's only had four career races.

I guess Tiago's this years version of what people call "the wiseguy horse" -- but, I never really "got" that term anyway....so I don't know.

If I had to take a horse out of the Santa Anita Derby---it would most certainly be Sam P. --- I felt he got very rank in blinkers for the first time in the SA Derby, he's as one-paced as they come--and Ramon isn't going to move too soon....he can round out a superfecta for sure.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

He was less than one week away from not racing as a 2-year-old, and he's only had four career races.

I guess Tiago's this years version of what people call "the wiseguy horse" -- but, I never really "got" that term anyway....so I don't know.

If I had to take a horse out of the Santa Anita Derby---it would most certainly be Sam P. --- I felt he got very rank in blinkers for the first time in the SA Derby, he's as one-paced as they come--and Ramon isn't going to move too soon....he can round out a superfecta for sure.

Yeah I guess with Chelokee not in, Tiago's getting the attention. Given all the talk I'd assumed Zanjero would get more of a 'wiseguy horse' label but he's still a long price. Didn't Fusaichi Pegasus do the almost no starts at 2 thing and total races thing similarly to Tiago?

I kinda enjoy Sam P. for his Cat Thief/Affirmed relations. The thing is I feel like I've heard about him more than noticed him even though I've watched races with him in it. Visually it must not've popped to me but I might go back and watch them again.

Are they not taking the blinkers off of Sam P. for this one? That is my understanding, hmmm. Wonder if that PP thing on the internet is uptodate should I rely on that?

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Sam P. got rank in blinkers last time....and I know Pletcher isn't a fool, I expect they will be off in the Derby.

The set of past performances I downloaded on Wednesday doesn't make note of either Sam P. or Liquidity taking the hood off....

However, the pp's on the racing forms website have them coming off.

http://www.drf.com/tc/kentuckyderby/...erby_basic.pdf