Week/Weekend Stakes Beyers: West Coast 108

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

I feel like watching Songbird at 4 was like watching Paseana at 6.

I liken the visual "decline" in performance to watching a regional champ move into the main circuit. Still winning (most of the time) but having to work harder to do it.

Whatever you can say about Songbird's brilliance at 2 and 3, one has to admit that a large part of the theatrics was the fact that she was pummeling turf horses (Mokat) and maidens (She's A Warrior) at Santa Anita (4 times mind you) to start the season, then faced a pair of late-running sprinters (Cathryn Sophia and Carina Mia) at 9f and 10f. She had those over a barrel and that led to the inflation of her reputation. The BC Distaff was the true measuring stick of her overall ability as a 3yo. Given the relative pace advantage and the fact that she lost, she failed the world-beater acid test.

While she has not improved this year, her races this year to me easily fit with her performance in the BC Distaff. The Ogden Phipps, off a layoff and a ship, was a loaded race based on subsequent performances. The Delaware Handicap, her weakest performance, was at a distance that she in all likelihood doesn't care for. Similar speed-laden females like Azeri, Sky Beauty, Serena's Song, Saratoga Dew, Ashado and Rachel Alexandra were all vulnerable at 10f. Many of those actually got beat at the distance by lesser rivals. Yesterday she got tagged by a horse that unlike Carina Mia and Cathryn Sophia, could sustain a run and had threatened to run her down in the past. Without as deep a field, but still with a formidable rival, the race played out much like the BC Distaff last year. It was a slight form reversal (by Forever Unbridled) at best.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

I liken the visual "decline" in performance to watching a regional champ move into the main circuit. Still winning (most of the time) but having to work harder to do it.

Whatever you can say about Songbird's brilliance at 2 and 3, one has to admit that a large part of the theatrics was the fact that she was pummeling turf horses (Mokat) and maidens (She's A Warrior) at Santa Anita (4 times mind you) to start the season, then faced a pair of late-running sprinters (Cathryn Sophia and Carina Mia) at 9f and 10f. She had those over a barrel and that led to the inflation of her reputation. The BC Distaff was the true measuring stick of her overall ability as a 3yo. Given the relative pace advantage and the fact that she lost, she failed the world-beater acid test.

While she has not improved this year, her races this year to me easily fit with her performance in the BC Distaff. The Ogden Phipps, off a layoff and a ship, was a loaded race based on subsequent performances. The Delaware Handicap, her weakest performance, was at a distance that she in all likelihood doesn't care for. Similar speed-laden females like Azeri, Sky Beauty, Serena's Song, Saratoga Dew, Ashado and Rachel Alexandra were all vulnerable at 10f. Many of those actually got beat at the distance by lesser rivals. Yesterday she got tagged by a horse that unlike Carina Mia and Cathryn Sophia, could sustain a run and had threatened to run her down in the past. Without as deep a field, but still with a formidable rival, the race played out much like the BC Distaff last year. It was a slight form reversal (by Forever Unbridled) at best.

a very very reasonable post!

I also think the shipping every dang race has to add up over time and wonder if it hindered a bit of development. You will never know that but its been a long 2 years.

[10 pnt move up]

Lowest stake winning Beyer in a race at Saratoga?

SAR Seeking the Ante S: Cause We Are Loyal 50 (Creative Cause) D. O'Neill/M. Gutierrez

[10 pnt move up]

I was very impressed with Battle of Midway. He has always been a talented horse but with the blinkers added he sure aired in this last race. Nothing about the effort can I critique and i think that was a very strong listed stake.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

I was very impressed with Battle of Midway. He has always been a talented horse but with the blinkers added he sure aired in this last race. Nothing about the effort can I critique and i think that was a very strong listed stake.

He's a nice horse, but I can't believe he's still holding his form (actually he's improving). Of all the horses that were likely to burn out from the Triple Crown trail, I would have banked on it being a colt that debuted in a 6f race in January that made its 4th career start in the Santa Anita Derby (and then on to Kentucky). I thought it was over for him after the Haskell debacle.

But the horse apparently likes to do the opposite of what you'd expect. What other horse has added blinkers and gone from a front-running style to settling into a stalking position? Added bonus is that he reversed form (to the tune of 10 lengths or so) on Gormley who was basically gifted the Santa Anita Derby when Battle of Midway did all the dirty work.

I presume the Pennsylvania Derby with its big purse is next. Personally if he were to win, I'd hope they'd still skip the BC Classic and maybe clean up late season prizes like the Clark, Cigar Mile, and/or Hollywood Derby. Next year seems like his time to shine.

[South Beach Luv]

Ami's Mesa win at Woodbine was impressive. She's never ran on dirt before but wonder if she'll be considered for the BC FM Sprint off that effort.