Kentucky Derby creates qualifying race

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

Is there a prep race at Baden Baden?

The Dirk Nowitzki Cup

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

The Dirk Nowitzki Cup

Stalag 13 dash....the Colonel would be a cinch.

[ateamstupid]

What the flip is happening to this sport?

[Merlinsky]

Gonna be interesting trying to cram American horses into 19 spots instead of 20. The first time the Euro horse keeps out some bright and shiny up and comer on the bubble, they'll start hollering. Of course this assumes the Brit winner even makes the trip. I'm gonna guess it won't be as bad as using the UAE Derby to make the KY Derby--that goal still befuddles me. It's not gonna drive them to change Churchill to synthetic so folks worried about that need to calm down. They could still make it 'win and you're in'-esque if they made it a high enough graded stake purse so really we need to think of it as a cheaper way of doing that. If it works out, they'll increase the purse I'm sure and then the saved spot thing will be moot.

[Indian Charlie]

Dubai should buy the state of Kentucky and then limit the Kentucky Derby to horses that have raced in Dubai at least once.

[magic_idol]

@ the risk of going against the tide i think its great ,,You would be surprised by opening up the major races creates way more money more money bigger pools,bigger pools the more money you can win ;-).

All you need to do is look @ the melbourne cup sure you get the sh#ts when a overseas horse wins but the turnover from the race increases prize money etc & the fact is most times overseas horses wont win

Change is good people

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by magic_idol

@ the risk of going against the tide i think its great ,,You would be surprised by opening up the major races creates way more money more money bigger pools,bigger pools the more money you can win ;-).

All you need to do is look @ the melbourne cup sure you get the sh#ts when a overseas horse wins but the turnover from the race increases prize money etc & the fact is most times overseas horses wont win

Change is good people

The problem is that this change seems to have very little upside. Foreign horses have competed in the race before and should be held to the same qualifing standards as the rest. It would be interesting if an American horse went over and won the race. The fact that CD is allowing a horse in with special status because he happens to be based in Europe is troubling especially since they are giving out a bonus to them and the racing at their tracks here is suffering. Just another case of CDI missing the big picture and spending every waking hour trying squeeze one more dollar out of the Derby while the racing product at their tracks on a day to day basis is crumbling.