Vale Dori

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Well, that was clearly the toughest field Songbird had ever faced and had she wilted down the stretch after the comfortable pace setup, sure you could say she was exposed. But visually, she clearly responded when challenged by a much more experienced and battle-tested mare in Beholder. I think she validated the "hype" and it will be interesting to see what she does at 4. As you know, many a top class 3yo filly have faltered the next year (My Flag, Silverbulletday, Winning Colors, etc.) but hopefully we see her progress.

As for Stellar Wind, I'm surprised that she gets a pass and avoids the "overhyped" branding. She has never delivered when it counted most.

I am a Songbird fan and connections are as sporting as any. Rachel was a shell us herself, I wonder if Rachel's connects had more to do with it then her, or maybe it was Woodward? Untappable fits this profile as well. Stellar Wind is a puzzle 3 grade 1's and when she fires she is terrific, I cant figure her out, the 16 Distaff was different then the Oaks and 15 Distaff(much softer competition) in both of those races she ran very well.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by taxicab

Beholder ran a much better race ?
Beholder was a whisker better then Songbird.......that's it.
You're also assuming Stellar Wind was going to run a giant race.
If she breaks slow for a barn that is winless (with a large sample) in BC races that's her mistake.
Songbird doesn't make mistakes.
Songbird is a seven time Grade 1 winner @ distances ranging from 7 to 10 furlongs at DMR/KEEN/SA/SAR(twice)/PARX,she's also a soon to be two time Eclipse award winner.
When a horse puts up that kind of resume and drops a photo by a hair to a first ballot HOF mare,it solidifies her reputation as a freak.
BTW.....
Here's the splits from the Distaff & Classic......
The Songbird fractions seem to be in the same neighborhood as Chrome.
And Chrome wasn't hooked the entire stretch.
Distaff: 23.32/47.16/111.14/136.15/149.20
Classic: 23.28/47.15/110.96/135.72/200.11

You dont get a better set up in a BC Distaff, she ran very well, how couldnt she have? It's ok to be objective and not knock a wonderful horse. She fired no doubt. She is suppose to win comfortably, she didnt face Beholder at her very best which was electric stuff in Pac Classic. I can tell you for sure the Rachel Alexander I saw gallop in Haskel and run her guts out in Preakness and Woodward would have draw off by 4 or 5 after that set up. Does that REMOTELY detract from Songbird, not to me!

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Alabama Stakes

Lol soft setup in 23-47-1:11

Isn't a soft setup more like 24-49-1:13.... something like that ?

On the SA surface in the Breeders Cup Distaff or at Saratoga in 9'f 25?

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Stellar Wind is a puzzle 3 grade 1's and when she fires she is terrific, I cant figure her out, the 16 Distaff was different then the Oaks and 15 Distaff(much softer competition) in both of those races she ran very well.

As I mentioned prior to the BC, Stellar Wind has never done well when racing with less than 6-8 weeks off in between. If you watch the paddock or post parade you'll see that quite often these Curlin fillies are little runty types (Curalina is, too). Maybe they can't take much racing and training.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

As I mentioned prior to the BC, Stellar Wind has never done well when racing with less than 6-8 weeks off in between. If you watch the paddock or post parade you'll see that quite often these Curlin fillies are little runty types (Curalina is, too). Maybe they can't take much racing and training.

You would know way more about that stuff. TAP would prefer to run 5 times a year and I really don't follow Sadler enough save his obvious horses. Curlin was a fairly big horse he must have been 16+ no clue about if his fillies are mostly runts, they are fast

[FATPIANO]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Yep, responding to the mid-stretch challenge of a 3-time BC-winning, 3-time Eclipse winning, 18 for 26 overall, 14 for 16 on the Santa Anita main track older horse and fighting tooth-and-nail to the wire only to lose on a head bob was one of the all-time great exposures of an over-hyped, purported champion.

Reminded me of when that phony Spectacular Bid lost the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Affirmed. What a joke that horse was.

But I understand where you coming from, all this talk of "greatest Distaff of all time" takes away from Personal Ensign's grinding win over 3yo Derby winner Winning Colors in 1988.

Reminded me of when that phony Spectacular Bid lost the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Affirmed. What a joke that horse was.


what drugs do you take?

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by FATPIANO

Reminded me of when that phony Spectacular Bid lost the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Affirmed. What a joke that horse was.


what drugs do you take?

Not sure, but I'm seeing double.

I'm definitely not drinking from the town well.

[Alabama Stakes]

Originally Posted by FATPIANO

Reminded me of when that phony Spectacular Bid lost the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Affirmed. What a joke that horse was.


what drugs do you take?

He was being sarcastic. Bid ran really fast every race

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

If you watch the paddock or post parade you'll see that quite often these Curlin fillies are little runty types (Curalina is, too). Maybe they can't take much racing and training.

Which is so funny because I was in the paddock for his derby and when he walked by I said "look at that f#$% monster of a horse". Maybe because he was pure chestnut and they often look a tad bigger but I was pretty impressed with a horse who had run like 3 times.

[RHT2004]

The beat rolls on. Mike Smith wants to big race hunt w/ her.
She is OK.