Dubai Duty Free

[Left Bank]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Well I certainly agree with you that it was ridiculous to send him to this race. In fact, I said that several times in the "Lava Man to Dubai" thread.
But your suggestion that he has no problem shipping, and that he simply can't "handle the tougher competition," is quite frankly, just wrong. It wasn't simply Invasor and Berbardini (the better competition) that beat him in the BC last year. Brother Derek also defeated him easily, but when those two squared off in Cali, Lava Man was the clear winner. His speed figures also dip considerably when he ships.
I am not saying that he would be able to defeat the Invasors of the world if the races were run in SoCal, but he would certainly be more competitive. He never runs the same races outside of SoCal that he does IN SoCal. That is jut a fact.
Let's hope they never take him out of SoCal again. Whatever way you look at it, that was just an absolutely ridiculous decision.

Brother Derek is a Piece of sh_t,So beating him does not add any glory to Lava Man.In fact it demotes him even more in my book.
But I agree with you,Let's keep him in SoCal,where the competition is easy for him.But it will be interesting to see how he recovers from this trouncing.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Kimmeastar

Brother Derek is a Piece of sh_t,So beating him does not add any glory to Lava Man.In fact it demotes him even more in my book.
But I agree with you,Let's keep him in SoCal,where the competition is easy for him.But it will be interesting to see how he recovers from this trouncing.

But regardless of what you think of Brother Derek's ability, the differing results when the two squared off is one indicator (one of MANY I might add) that Lava Man really does run better races in SoCal than he does when he leaves SoCal.
My larger point is this: It does not makes sense to me to refer to a horse that has won 12 stakes races (including 6 G1s) as just a "claiming horse." If he is a claiming horse, than how would you describe the horses actually running in the claiming races in SoCal? Or what about the ones in NoCal, or any other track that is a step down from the SoCal tracks?
He is a horse that can be pretty good in the right conditions. When his connections foolishly take him away from those conditions, he is very ineffective. That doesn't make him a bad horse.....just one with very specific limitations.

[Left Bank]

Originally Posted by miraja2

But regardless of what you think of Brother Derek's ability, the differing results when the two squared off is one indicator (one of MANY I might add) that Lava Man really does run better races in SoCal than he does when he leaves SoCal.
My larger point is this: It does not makes sense to me to refer to a horse that has won 12 stakes races (including 6 G1s) as just a "claiming horse." If he is a claiming horse, than how would you describe the horses actually running in the claiming races in SoCal? Or what about the ones in NoCal, or any other track that is a step down from the SoCal tracks?
He is a horse that can be pretty good in the right conditions. When his connections foolishly take him away from those conditions, he is very ineffective. That doesn't make him a bad horse.....just one with very specific limitations.

Because those Stakes races were filled with sub par horses,as are most SoCal races.I don't care if they were graded,name some horses from ANY of those races that have gone on to do ANYTHING.I AGREE he runs way better in SoCal,and it is because there is no competition there for him.Brother Derek,Giacomo?Super Frolic,Good Reward,Ace Blue?What a bunch of Garbage.What have ANY of these horses gone on to do?In his last race he beat a six year old who just passed the N2X level.WOW Impressive.
I have said before,my opinion of SoCal racing is extremely low,and it is my opinion and I stand by it.To me it is all bottom of the barrel racing out there.But like I said,I would love to own him.Against all that crap out there,his races are virtual walkovers.

[ALostTexan]

Originally Posted by Kimmeastar

Because those Stakes races were filled with sub par horses,as are most SoCal races.I don't care if they were graded,name some horses from ANY of those races that have gone on to do ANYTHING.I AGREE he runs way better in SoCal,and it is because there is no competition there for him.Brother Derek,Giacomo?Super Frolic,Good Reward,Ace Blue?What a bunch of Garbage.What have ANY of these horses gone on to do?In his last race he beat a six year old who just passed the N2X level.WOW Impressive.
I have said before,my opinion of SoCal racing is extremely low,and it is my opinion and I stand by it.To me it is all bottom of the barrel racing out there.But like I said,I would love to own him.Against all that crap out there,his races are virtual walkovers.

Giacomo did win the Derby...

ALostTexan

[Left Bank]

Originally Posted by ALostTexan

Giacomo did win the Derby...

ALostTexan

FLUKE!!! And went on to do what?

[ALostTexan]

Originally Posted by Kimmeastar

FLUKE!!! And went on to do what?

That was a joke. Just relax.

I agree that Lava Man was in over his head, either via the shipping or the caliber of company, but I cannot agree that SoCal horses are "Claiming Horses". But, to each his own...

ALostTexan

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Kimmeastar

Because those Stakes races were filled with sub par horses,as are most SoCal races.I don't care if they were graded,name some horses from ANY of those races that have gone on to do ANYTHING.I AGREE he runs way better in SoCal,and it is because there is no competition there for him.Brother Derek,Giacomo?Super Frolic,Good Reward,Ace Blue?What a bunch of Garbage.What have ANY of these horses gone on to do?In his last race he beat a six year old who just passed the N2X level.WOW Impressive.
I have said before,my opinion of SoCal racing is extremely low,and it is my opinion and I stand by it.To me it is all bottom of the barrel racing out there.But like I said,I would love to own him.Against all that crap out there,his races are virtual walkovers.

Okay you are really not getting it. So never mind.