The Whitney

[Travis Stone]

The track was a bit tilted today. Closers who tried to close deserve more attention next time -- horses like Dry Martini who were parked out and ran okay despite a tough track on the closers.

[ArlJim78]

Lawyer Ron winning is not a big surprise, he was arguably the most accomplished horse in the race.

What I can't figure though is the time. Where in the hell did that come from?
Was the track playing that fast today?

I'm suspicious because if Lawyer Ron blew away the track record today, I believe it means basically that Wanderin Boy approximately equaled the track record finishing less than 5 lengths back. That just doesn't seem possible to me.

Maybe the speed figure experts on here can shed more light on it.

[letswastemoney]

It could happen.

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

It could happen.

LOL!!!
That's why it's called "horse racin"!

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

Lawyer Ron winning is not a big surprise, he was arguably the most accomplished horse in the race.

What I can't figure though is the time. Where in the hell did that come from?
Was the track playing that fast today?

I'm suspicious because if Lawyer Ron blew away the track record today, I believe it means basically that Wanderin Boy approximately equaled the track record finishing less than 5 lengths back. That just doesn't seem possible to me.

Maybe the speed figure experts on here can shed more light on it.

Not here to testify as a speed expert.
I think the girls where two seconds and 1/5 seconds behind the record. And that was Ginger Punch in a romp. So I guess that gives a bit of relativity. Diabolical was 6/10 ths of a second off the track record at 6f.

Lawyer Ron did go wider than the rest. So that makes the run a bit more impressive although he appearred to get to the first turn without trouble and had a clean race. So I think he popped a pretty impressive time on a track that was faster.

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by pgardn

Not here to testify as a speed expert.
I think the girls where two seconds and 1/5 seconds behind the record. And that was Ginger Punch in a romp. So I guess that gives a bit of relativity. Diabolical was 6/10 ths of a second off the track record at 6f.

Lawyer Ron did go wider than the rest. So that makes the run a bit more impressive although he appearred to get to the first turn without trouble and had a clean race. So I think he popped a pretty impressive time on a track that was faster.

Good point Pgardn.
We've been having t-storms lately, after a couple of rainy days. I don't know what was done to the track, though I guess it was rolled.
Those track conditions were the same for all of the horses that ran over it today.
Lawyer Ron ran a clean race, and good for him and his connections.

[miraja2]

Few things can be as misleading in determining the quality of a horse's performance as a NTR.
Remember when SOME people got really excited by some overrated horse breaking a track record at CD a few weeks ago? Well, he just finished eighth in the Whitney.
Still though, it was a strong performance by Lawyer Ron. I don't like him going much further than today's 9f distance, but from 8f-9f he is a very good animal.

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

Lawyer Ron winning is not a big surprise, he was arguably the most accomplished horse in the race.

What I can't figure though is the time. Where in the hell did that come from?
Was the track playing that fast today?

I'm suspicious because if Lawyer Ron blew away the track record today, I believe it means basically that Wanderin Boy approximately equaled the track record finishing less than 5 lengths back. That just doesn't seem possible to me.

Maybe the speed figure experts on here can shed more light on it.

There's an article on DRF where they are seriously questioning the time of the Whitney which would give him a raw Beyer of 138 and with a variant applied a 128 and Wanderin Boy a 120 and Diamond Stripes a 117. They're pretty certain an error was made timing.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

There's an article on DRF where they are seriously questioning the time of the Whitney which would give him a raw Beyer of 138 and with a variant applied a 128 and Wanderin Boy a 120 and Diamond Stripes a 117. They're pretty certain an error was made timing.

haha, thanks. I was waiting to hear what the beyer was going to be.
Lawyer Ron ran a fine race to be sure, but that time is really questionable in my view.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

with a variant applied a 128 and Wanderin Boy a 120 and Diamond Stripes a 117. They're pretty certain an error was made timing.

You don't often hear of a horse taking a 19 point jump from his lifetime best BSF in his 23rd career start.
A 120 would also be a seven point personal best for Wanderin Boy, and a 117 an eleven point personal best for Diamond Stripes.
Needless to say, that would be MORE than a little unususal.

[DJK]

I was there yesterday and didn't bet the Whitney, as I couldn't get a good feel for it. Someone I know was literally sitting there flipping a coin and finally shrugged. Didn't make it a bit less enjoyable to watch and I certainly was impressed by the performance of Lawyer Ron. (Although I didn't count off the time as the race was running: one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi...)

[Storm Cadet]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

There's an article on DRF where they are seriously questioning the time of the Whitney which would give him a raw Beyer of 138 and with a variant applied a 128 and Wanderin Boy a 120 and Diamond Stripes a 117. They're pretty certain an error was made timing.

They announced today that the timing WAS CORRECT. On the NYRA site today!

The time will stand as a record. The timing was done electronically, hand timed by NYRA person as well as others today went back and timed the race. ALL got the same exact time.

http://www.nyra.com/saratoga/stories...07302007.shtml