Storm in May

[citycat]

Tiger Ridge's will be few and far between in the future unless you wanna ship your mare to South Africa

[brianwspencer]

1.) Don't worry for me on the Storm in May/Scat Daddy wager. I know I've lost already, luckily the as yet undetermined stakes will be small. It was tossed around some time ago before Storm in May looked like he would actually get into the Derby.

2.) I don't think he's got a shot to win, not at all. I'm not pipe dreaming about the horse and won't have him on just about any tickets short of a couple of cheap supers keying him in fourth. I'm not being unrealistic about his chances in here, and neither is Kaplan luckily given his quote in the DRF article.

I really just love this horse's versatility and the fact that he's run well enough at so many distances on both surfaces. He's my sentimental choice for a good run on Derby Day.

And Andy, I would respectfully disagree that he is a good candidate to finish last. With his style and the way he finishes his races (evenly, at worst), there will certainly be a horse, if not more than a few who will be stopping. He's shown a propensity to at least finish his races acceptably enough even if he isn't flashy. He's consistent, and when you think about the Beyer that the last place finisher in the Derby usually earns, I don't see how a horse with his running style could not pass any stragglers, if not a few more depending on the race shape.

[blackthroatedwind]

Obviously without seeing all the pps together it is hard to have a serious opinion, but it is hard to believe he will beat, at most, three horses. He isn't very good and he is severly distance challenged, especially on the dirt.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Obviously without seeing all the pps together it is hard to have a serious opinion, but it is hard to believe he will beat, at most, three horses. He isn't very good and he is severly distance challenged, especially on the dirt.

Well in being realistic, I'm expecting a finish about five or six from the back.

Don't get me wrong, I am really trying to be realistic about this one's chances. I've never said he has a shot at the top spot, and really will only play a few cheap supers with him at the bottom.

I wouldn't call him "severely distance challenged," though, as in his route races, while he doesn't close strongly, he is rarely passed. He doesn't keep going after making his move, but he runs evenly. Thus, I find that his running evenly at the end of the Derby will allow him to pass more than a couple.

[dearheart54]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

Well in being realistic, I'm expecting a finish about five or six from the back.

Don't get me wrong, I am really trying to be realistic about this one's chances. I've never said he has a shot at the top spot, and really will only play a few cheap supers with him at the bottom.

I wouldn't call him "severely distance challenged," though, as in his route races, while he doesn't close strongly, he is rarely passed. He doesn't keep going after making his move, but he runs evenly. Thus, I find that his running evenly at the end of the Derby will allow him to pass more than a couple.

Not that my opinion matters in the grand scheme of things, but I have been following Storm in May’s progress since he ran in the Tropical Derby on January 1, and I think has as good a shot as any of the horses. He has run four more races since then, and only tanked once in all five (the Hutchenson). He hit the board on the other four races he ran this year. And if he runs, he would be the token gray, which would make me happy. Besides, it really doesn’t matter who wins, it is an honor to be nominated.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by dearheart54

Not that my opinion matters in the grand scheme of things, but I have been following Storm in May’s progress since he ran in the Tropical Derby on January 1, and I think has as good a shot as any of the horses. He has run four more races since then, and only tanked once in all five (the Hutchenson). He hit the board on the other four races he ran this year. And if he runs, he would be the token gray, which would make me happy. Besides, it really doesn’t matter who wins, it is an honor to be nominated.

Of course I love the horse, but I just think he's too slow to legitimately compete for the top spots. I love that he's consistent though like you noted the Hutcheson was his only tankjob, and that was with a bit of an excuse on the turn as well.

[dearheart54]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

Of course I love the horse, but I just think he's too slow to legitimately compete for the top spots. I love that he's consistent though like you noted the Hutcheson was his only tankjob, and that was with a bit of an excuse on the turn as well.

As for me, I'm a Derby post position believer. The over-all percentages of the last 132 Derbys are high for post positions 1 through 5, 8 and 10. I'll be pondering my exotics after the post position draw. Or, I might just do what I did for Derby 131, and bet two bucks across the board on all. Giacomo and Closing Argument helped me win back all my money and then some. All in all, it should be a fun day at Trackside Arlington.

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

he is rarely passed. He doesn't keep going after making his move, but he runs evenly. Thus, I find that his running evenly at the end of the Derby will allow him to pass more than a couple.

Can you explain what happened to him in ARk Derby where he dropped back from like 2nd to 7th or something on the backstretch? I think that was him. What was that all about?

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by easy goer

Can you explain what happened to him in ARk Derby where he dropped back from like 2nd to 7th or something on the backstretch? I think that was him. What was that all about?

Beats me completely. I'd wonder about it, and I was worried about it watching the race.

When he runs on dirt, he tends to run from off the pace, and on the turf he has of late been running up on the pace or very near it. You're right though, he broke in the top flight and then dropped well off the pace -- which in the end probably served him well once it all panned out. Who knows though....

I thought you were going to say that they deliberately took him back but now..?

The race sure had its share of problems or weirdness attending to it. 3 horses got bumped owing to Strorm in May at the start, although Oficer Rocket comes from behind he seemed to never recover from that. The "slew" horse got blocked in the stretch. Storm in May is going backwards in the backtretch hard to figure then how good Curlin really is.