Belmont - First Race today (5-11)

[philcski]

Not the craziest stab in the 6th- the 9, Leaveitinthering. Steps up a level after running a career best, Coa hops off for the 8 but gets Garcia.

[blackthroatedwind]

I made a little bet on Bravo's Princess.

[philcski]

The fillies and mares in the 7th are worth nowhere near $45k. Most of these would struggle at $20k!!

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by philcski

The fillies and mares in the 7th are worth nowhere near $45k. Most of these would struggle at $20k!!

You think those were bad, take a look at the $35,000 claimers in the ninth.. They all belong at Suffolk. If Galluscio's horse has four legs, she should roll.

Whose bright idea was it to start running NY-bred maiden claimers at NYRA tracks? NY-bred maiden special weights are bad enough..

[philcski]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

You think those were bad, take a look at the $35,000 claimers in the ninth.. They all belong at Suffolk. If Galluscio's horse has four legs, she should roll.

Whose bright idea was it to start running NY-bred maiden claimers at NYRA tracks? NY-bred maiden special weights are bad enough..

Over the winter, I was OK with it because there were so many hopeless horses on the grounds and very few good ones. At Belmont? Come on. The racing secretary must really be struggling to fill races, I don't know if anyone's noticed but there has been NO 2YO races so far. There were 4 listed to date in the condition book, none have filled.

[blackthroatedwind]

How can they fill......one trainer has half the 2YOs?

[philcski]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

How can they fill......one trainer has half the 2YOs?

The same guy who had a quarter of the Derby field?

And needs 10 weeks between races?

[blackthroatedwind]

If anything Keeneland ran less than they used to. They certainly didn't run more.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Is the lack of two-year-old races at Belmont and fewer two-year-old races at Keeneland a coincidence, or a concerted effort by the top trainers to start their juveniles later in the season?

At this point I think there is no reason not to give them one start in a maiden race as a 3YO, then a final Derby prep, and go on to the big race.

Frankly, the Derby should be 20 heats of 20 horses each, all with two starts, and then a final showdown between the winners. They're not machines.....don't ya know.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Cardus

And how much time between the heats and the Derby?

Ten weeks?

God no! A year.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Did Keeneland run more two-year-old races this spring than usual because of its new surface, and if so, would that impact what Belmont's secretary has carded so far?

They ran 9 in 14 racedays, which I'd guess is pretty typical. 75 starters for an average of 8.33 per race. Yet NYRA can't round up even 6 to fill a race?? Something doesn't add up.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Carry on the Dream is pretty interesting in the 5th race. He had an unusually crazy trip in his lone turf race going long.

well done Andrew.