Pletcher going to California

[SentToStud]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Misinformation?
You say its headed in the right direction?
I have a few questions for you then.
1) Are the purses there not embarassingly small given the type of horses who winter there(like the ones YOU cited) and the fact that there is a huge horse population to draw from?
2) Are the weekday cards not an absolute disgrace containing nothing but cheap claimers and maiden claimers(as cited by trainers last year including Frankel when they went to management to complain about it)?
3) Was the refurbishment of Gulfstream Park not incredibly stupid and undertaken with no foresight as the mile and an eigth dirt races give an unfair advantage to the inside pp's causing trainers to scratch horses out of these races when drawing the outside?
Was it not also incredibly stupid to refurbish the oval leaving horseman without the possibility of running mile and a sixteenth two turn dirt races, something that Zito, Pletcher, etc complained about citing how vital they are for three year olds starting their tri crown campaigns who are not ready to go a mile and an eighth of the layoff yet need two turn seasoning?

Now geniuses, if one of you wants to debate me and tell me which one of these FACTS, not opinions, that you disagree with please feel free.
Otherwise stick to what it is that you know(perhaps needlepoint?), because you sure don't know much about how many people feel about the "new Gulfstream Park".

Agree, except #3.

What's so precious about being able to run 1 1/16 2-turn races at Gulfstream? There are several 9F dirt tracks as you know. They cant run 8.5F there either. It's obviously a negative for the 3 yo's but how can they really build a rack for, what, 5-10 races? People (me, at least) like 1-turn mile races and they must think they can card far more of those than they can at 1 1/16. And of course turf racing on a 1 mile track is far superior to that on a 7/8 course.

As an aside, I'd bet dollars to dimes there will not be slots at the '07 GP meet. Jeb Bush will continue his legal challenges as long as he is in office.

I agree wholeheartedly on your #1 and #2. What they put up last year (and will again this year) is a joke.

Originally Posted by SentToStud

Agree, except #3.

What's so precious about being able to run 1 1/16 2-turn races at Gulfstream? There are several 9F dirt tracks as you know. They cant run 8.5F there either. It's obviously a negative for the 3 yo's but how can they really build a rack for, what, 5-10 races? People (me, at least) like 1-turn mile races and they must think they can card far more of those than they can at 1 1/16. And of course turf racing on a 1 mile track is far superior to that on a 7/8 course.

As an aside, I'd bet dollars to dimes there will not be slots at the '07 GP meet. Jeb Bush will continue his legal challenges as long as he is in office.

I agree wholeheartedly on your #1 and #2. What they put up last year (and will again this year) is a joke.

Stud last year several trainers were forced into bad situations because they wanted a two turn race off the layoff and had horses who werent ready to go a mile and an eigth. Zito and Pletcher were two of those guys.
As revolution pointed out by stating the Tri Crown race winning horses whowere stabled there, Gulf has always been known as the preparation grounds for derby trail horses. A mile and an eighth oval may be ok at some venues, but at a place synonymous with three year olds, do you really think it was the greatest idea to eliminate that distance? It forces trainers with derby trail horses to send em farther than they wanna go, or a one turn mile which doesnt help em get ready for two turn races.
Why do you think Oaklawn has has such an influx of tri crown candidates in the last few years? They have two turn races which get longer in progression and build a horse up to a fitness level.
In addition its incredibly hard to win from any post outside number 6, and even that isn't easy, when you go a mile and an eigth there.
I find it abslutely incredible that that much money could be spent putting in a fantastic racing surface and that those issues weren't addressed beforehand.
The trainers obviously agree based on the comments made over the last two years since it has been in place. How many three year olds ar ready to a mile and eigth in January? How do you adequately prep for the derby preps and even in February most guys don't wanna be sending three year olds that far in stakes races. Its too much too soon.

[jpops757]

Just look at what is important at GP. They concentrated on a 4star hotel and casino then added a racetrack.

[Scav]

you know, what is more important is who will be riding for him out there? Does Raffie make the move to Cali and dominate the circuit? it is possible, or does DeCarlo get a huge opportunity to take down some serious purses OR does my guy Mena get a huge opportunity, he had been riding for Pletcher at Turfway

Originally Posted by Scav

you know, what is more important is who will be riding for him out there? Does Raffie make the move to Cali and dominate the circuit? it is possible, or does DeCarlo get a huge opportunity to take down some serious purses OR does my guy Mena get a huge opportunity, he had been riding for Pletcher at Turfway

Gomez is going to Cali for the SA meet. I'm sure he will ride for him.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Gomez is going to Cali for the SA meet. I'm sure he will ride for him.

Do you think that Pletcher will keep riding him? With all those horrible rides he's been giving him I'd think he may look for a new rider. LOL. I'm just busting your chops.

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

Do you think that Pletcher will keep riding him? With all those horrible rides he's been giving him I'd think he may look for a new rider. LOL. I'm just busting your chops.

Rupert he hasn't given Pletcher the number of bad rides recently thats hes given others.
To try and defend rides like Too Much Bling, Sigfreto, and Milwaukee defies comprehension.
Hes still prone to disasters unlike Pval, Prado, and johnny who never get locked in jackpots they can't get out of for an entire race.
Gomez is going out there this winter because the purses dwarf Gulf's especially in the stakes races.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by Scav

you know, what is more important is who will be riding for him out there? Does Raffie make the move to Cali and dominate the circuit? it is possible, or does DeCarlo get a huge opportunity to take down some serious purses OR does my guy Mena get a huge opportunity, he had been riding for Pletcher at Turfway

With the barn he has he can make the rider. He can pick any rider and take them to the top. I say he picks Jon Court or David Flores.