3yo's: Keeneland opener features 10 going 7f..

[Kasept]

SUNDAY (2/6) 1st Race (12:55 PM) MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT

7 Furlongs Dirt. Purse $48,500. FOR MAIDENS, THREE YEARS OLD. Weight, 122 lbs.

1 Ninja Blade (KY) 9/5 Julien R. Leparoux 122 3 C L Eddie Kenneally
2 California (KY) 4/1 John R. Velazquez 122 3 C L Todd A. Pletcher
3 Stormy The Cat (VA) 15/1 Javier Castellano 122 3 C L George Weaver
4 Runyon Humor (KY) 15/1 Juan C. Leyva 122 3 C L Larry Bates
5 Arch Traveler (KY) 2/1 Jose Lezcano 122 3 C L James A. Jerkens
6 Borrego's Boy (KY) 6/1 Joe Bravo 122 3 G L Allen Iwinski
7 B F Bird (VA) 8/1 Jesus Lopez Castanon 122 3 C L Nicholas P. Zito

[Betsy]

Pletcher's half to Bluegrass Cat was very impressive in breaking his maiden, but I've already seen posts on other boards declaring him:

1) Pletcher's best horse
2) A horse that just did something horses just don't do
3) A horse that is unrivaled in talent
4) The next Curlin
5) The easiest winner of the FOY, because those horses have no hope

All this despite the fact that most of the better horses from last year have yet to make an appearance. Does every talented horse bring out a reaction like this?

I'm sure Pletcher will push this horse to make the Derby, no doubt

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Betsy

Pletcher's half to Bluegrass Cat was very impressive in breaking his maiden, but I've already seen posts on other boards declaring him:

1) Pletcher's best horse
2) A horse that just did something horses just don't do
3) A horse that is unrivaled in talent
4) The next Curlin
5) The easiest winner of the FOY, because those horses have no hope

All this despite the fact that most of the better horses from last year have yet to make an appearance. Does every talented horse bring out a reaction like this?

I'm sure Pletcher will push this horse to make the Derby, no doubt

The hype is incredible...Look up the pedigree of Poof too.. Apparently the family does well with Distorted Humor.. Nice cull by Phipps?

[Kasept]

Shackleford 89 Beyer

Cal Nation 93 Beyer

Arch Traveler 90 Beyer

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Shackleford 89 Beyer

Cal Nation 92 Beyer

And FYI... Giant Oak 105 Beyer

Cal Nation = Real Deal

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

Cal Nation = Real Deal

He ran well, but Im fairly certain there was NOTHING BEHIND HIM.

[Dahoss]

Caps Lock= Serious Stuff

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by freddymo

The hype is incredible...Look up the pedigree of Poof too.. Apparently the family does well with Distorted Humor.. Nice cull by Phipps?

DH is a very good sire anyway, but AP Indy mares should never be bred to anyone but him - that cross is ridiculously good.

[Betsy]

http://www.drf.com/news/john-velazqu...fountain-youth

Kind of surprising

[Linny]

I have heard that Mott thinks that Clear Attempt is every bit as good as To Honor and Serve. Future bet on the Travers maybe?

[Linny]

Originally Posted by Betsy

Kind of surprising

Why? No need for JV to choose now. he can (and should) ride as many as possible. If Mo stubs his toe along that path and JV has opted to forego the ride on THAS he's not likely to get it back.

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by Linny

Why? No need for JV to choose now. he can (and should) ride as many as possible. If Mo stubs his toe along that path and JV has opted to forego the ride on THAS he's not likely to get it back.

I strongly disagree with this. Mott should make him choose, Im sure it would be UM and Mott should have found his new guy now. They have been trying to rate this horse and JV is not great at that, unless your looking for the wide press trip. They are pretty much the consensus 1-2 horses for the Derby. If Mott went with someone else then UM gets hurt he can get JV back if he wants. Why not get the new guy on him now? Why wait? UM is going to have 2 preps and likely face no one in those races. Unless he has turned into a cripple it would be a big suprise if he is not in the derby starting gate.

[3kings]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

I strongly disagree with this. Mott should make him choose, Im sure it would be UM and Mott should have found his new guy now. They have been trying to rate this horse and JV is not great at that, unless your looking for the wide press trip. They are pretty much the consensus 1-2 horses for the Derby. If Mott went with someone else then UM gets hurt he can get JV back if he wants. Why not get the new guy on him now? Why wait? UM is going to have 2 preps and likely face no one in those races. Unless he has turned into a cripple it would be a big suprise if he is not in the derby starting gate.

Mott obviously wants JR to ride his horse otherwise he would have gotten someone else. When was the last time the 1-2 horses early in their three year old season both were 1-2 choices when the gates opened the first Saturday in May. JR should ride all the good horses and make as much money as he can, that is his job.

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by 3kings

Mott obviously wants JR to ride his horse otherwise he would have gotten someone else. When was the last time the 1-2 horses early in their three year old season both were 1-2 choices when the gates opened the first Saturday in May. JR should ride all the good horses and make as much money as he can, that is his job.

For JV its great. Im talking for Mott. How long do you wait to get another fit for the horse? Of course JV should ride this horse, this horse could be better then UM.

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

I strongly disagree with this. Mott should make him choose, Im sure it would be UM and Mott should have found his new guy now. They have been trying to rate this horse and JV is not great at that, unless your looking for the wide press trip. They are pretty much the consensus 1-2 horses for the Derby. If Mott went with someone else then UM gets hurt he can get JV back if he wants. Why not get the new guy on him now? Why wait? UM is going to have 2 preps and likely face no one in those races. Unless he has turned into a cripple it would be a big suprise if he is not in the derby starting gate.

The horse can rate - he did in his maiden win under JV. There was absolutely no speed in either the Nashua or Remsen and THAS, the best horse, fell onto the lead - it wasn't because he wouldn't rate. Mott had previously indicated that he wanted a new jock on THAS as soon as possible, so clearly he had a change of heart - and that DRF article gave us nothing. That said, as others have mentioned, Mott and Webber don't think it's a big deal, so I guess it's not.

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by Linny

Why? No need for JV to choose now. he can (and should) ride as many as possible. If Mo stubs his toe along that path and JV has opted to forego the ride on THAS he's not likely to get it back.

Agreed. No need to make an unnecessary change just yet. After all, it's only February. As we have seen in years past, things change weekly, even daily on the road to the Triple Crown. Nothing is guaranteed.

[Linny]

I went to dinner with JV and his family last year after the Wood. If you told JV that night that he would NOT be on Eskendereya in the Derby gate he'd have laughed. Anything can happen.
Mott clearly likes the way Jon rides THAS. If he didn't, Sleepy would be riding the colt. If Mott and Mrs. Weber are happy knowing the JV is also the "go to" rider on UM, then why should we worry about it? It's not like the principals here are unaware that come early May a decision will have to be made. Meanwhile, they dance with the one that bring 'em. Look if UM goes to Tampa and gets his head handed to him (unlikely) or gets sick or hurt, then they gan keep their jock. I guess they will have to make a decision at some point (if all goes smoothly in Mo-Land) but why now?

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by Linny

I went to dinner with JV and his family last year after the Wood. If you told JV that night that he would NOT be on Eskendereya in the Derby gate he'd have laughed. Anything can happen.
Mott clearly likes the way Jon rides THAS. If he didn't, Sleepy would be riding the colt. If Mott and Mrs. Weber are happy knowing the JV is also the "go to" rider on UM, then why should we worry about it? It's not like the principals here are unaware that come early May a decision will have to be made. Meanwhile, they dance with the one that bring 'em. Look if UM goes to Tampa and gets his head handed to him (unlikely) or gets sick or hurt, then they gan keep their jock. I guess they will have to make a decision at some point (if all goes smoothly in Mo-Land) but why now?

Maybe Im making to big a deal out of it.

[3kings]

Originally Posted by Linny

I went to dinner with JV and his family last year after the Wood. If you told JV that night that he would NOT be on Eskendereya in the Derby gate he'd have laughed. Anything can happen.
Mott clearly likes the way Jon rides THAS. If he didn't, Sleepy would be riding the colt. If Mott and Mrs. Weber are happy knowing the JV is also the "go to" rider on UM, then why should we worry about it? It's not like the principals here are unaware that come early May a decision will have to be made. Meanwhile, they dance with the one that bring 'em. Look if UM goes to Tampa and gets his head handed to him (unlikely) or gets sick or hurt, then they gan keep their jock. I guess they will have to make a decision at some point (if all goes smoothly in Mo-Land) but why now?

That's what I was saying but didn't want to type all that. Also I didn't have dinner with JR last year.

[cakes44]

Originally Posted by Linny

If he didn't, Sleepy would be riding the colt.

Who is Sleepy?