Bold Predictions

[Five Star Derek]

Maybe I'm not going out on a limb but here goes:

Henny Hughes is going to establish himself as one of the all time great sprinters even stretching out to a mile. He's at the begining of a winning streak that will see him undefeated for the rest of the year. Lost in the Fog will also go on a streak that will leave a highly anticipated matchup between these two. Henny will be the clear victor in this battle.

Indian Vale will go on to win the Go For Wand, as well as the Distaff.

Originally Posted by Sweetness

Indian Vale will go on to win the Go For Wand, as well as the Distaff.

Like many already know, I am a huge Happy Ticket guru and even I thought that Indian vale was the best Distaffer heading into this season after I saw her win last fall at CD...she is very talented but I'm not sure how genuine she is now after she flopped in the Shuvee....I'd like to see more fight out of here before I reinvest my liking towards her...at least Happy Ticket is a fighter....I still think Indian Vale is every bit as good as Oonagh MaCool from a talent perspective...just my opinion...let's see if she can rebound and salvage her season...se is by the very nice Marley Vale out of A.P. Indy so you won't see her racing for much longer before she retires to be bred...I say at the end of this season regardless of what happens....

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

Like many already know, I am a huge Happy Ticket guru and even I thought that Indian vale was the best Distaffer heading into this season after I saw her win last fall at CD...she is very talented but I'm not sure how genuine she is now after she flopped in the Shuvee....I'd like to see more fight out of here before I reinvest my liking towards her...at least Happy Ticket is a fighter....I still think Indian Vale is every bit as good as Oonagh MaCool from a talent perspective...just my opinion...let's see if she can rebound and salvage her season...se is by the very nice Marley Vale out of A.P. Indy so you won't see her racing for much longer before she retires to be bred...I say at the end of this season regardless of what happens....

I'm with you 100% on Happy ticket, she is a special mare. I would like to see Happy win a few more of those fights, but she is a pleasure to watch. I'm giving Indian Vale a mulligan, thinking maybe she didn't like Belmont like she didn't like Philly Park last year. I also thought she was the best coming into this year, and I think she will be vindicated. We already know she loves Saratoga, and Churchill, and 2 turns. I know she spit the bit pretty bad in the last out, but Take D'our proved last out that she is a possible force in the Distaff division, although I'd like to see her transfer those Belmont races somewhere else.

Originally Posted by Sweetness

I'm with you 100% on Happy ticket, she is a special mare. I would like to see Happy win a few more of those fights, but she is a pleasure to watch. I'm giving Indian Vale a mulligan, thinking maybe she didn't like Belmont like she didn't like Philly Park last year. I also thought she was the best coming into this year, and I think she will be vindicated. We already know she loves Saratoga, and Churchill, and 2 turns. I know she spit the bit pretty bad in the last out, but Take D'our proved last out that she is a possible force in the Distaff division, although I'd like to see her transfer those Belmont races somewhere else.

I really think Tour D' ur will prove to be a one-turn specialist...I can't see her wiring top-class fillies and mares around two turns....not gonna happen and I can't wait to bet against her when she stretches out around two turns because I know she will take a lot of money off of her recent form....she is purely a niche horse, which doesn't make her a bad horse...she has really blossomed nicely but I think her run is about up....

[irishtrekker]

Don't know how bold this is, but Lava Man will go undefeated the rest of the season (even against FA) and take the older horse division and HOY.

I personally think the sprint division will be the most exciting this summer/fall. TMB, LITF, HH...I might give the edge to TMB for the BCS.

Now that I've used up my daily allocation of acronyms, it's back to my thesis. 10,000 words due by tomorrow...gaaah.

Rumspringa will win the BC Sprint.

Originally Posted by boldruler

Rumspringa will win the BC Sprint.

You drinking already Ruler? I know its a holiday but I didn't have you pegged as a 9 Am drinker. You have to be drinking to make that prediction!!!

Originally Posted by irishtrekker

Don't know how bold this is, but Lava Man will go undefeated the rest of the season (even against FA) and take the older horse division and HOY.

I personally think the sprint division will be the most exciting this summer/fall. TMB, LITF, HH...I might give the edge to TMB for the BCS.

Now that I've used up my daily allocation of acronyms, it's back to my thesis. 10,000 words due by tomorrow...gaaah.

Lava Man will lose his best friend when he has to travel away from the West Coast just like he did last year.....nice horse though....

[Pointg5]

I predict Minister's Bid will win the Travers, I have been a big fan of his since his debut and boldruler, I remember you saying everyone knew about this horse: How did he go off at 10-1 in his debut, if everyone knew about him?

[mclem10011]

Call me crazy, call a shrink, order a straight jacket, get an x-ray tech to look deep inside my skull, do whatever you want but I have a prediction! At different places within this UNITED STATES OF AMERICA this very week the sun will shine and rain will fall! I'm sorry people, I just have these syKICK moments sometimes! LMAO!

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

Like many already know, I am a huge Happy Ticket guru and even I thought that Indian vale was the best Distaffer heading into this season after I saw her win last fall at CD...she is very talented but I'm not sure how genuine she is now after she flopped in the Shuvee....I'd like to see more fight out of here before I reinvest my liking towards her...at least Happy Ticket is a fighter....I still think Indian Vale is every bit as good as Oonagh MaCool from a talent perspective...just my opinion...let's see if she can rebound and salvage her season...se is by the very nice Marley Vale out of A.P. Indy so you won't see her racing for much longer before she retires to be bred...I say at the end of this season regardless of what happens....

Indian Vale's Shuvee flop was a shocker, but Todd must have found something because I don't believe she's worked since then. I wonder if she'll come back at all. That race was too bad to believed.........If she's ok, she's very talented. It would be a shame if she couldn't race again.

Originally Posted by Five Star Derek

Maybe I'm not going out on a limb but here goes:

Henny Hughes is going to establish himself as one of the all time great sprinters even stretching out to a mile. He's at the begining of a winning streak that will see him undefeated for the rest of the year. Lost in the Fog will also go on a streak that will leave a highly anticipated matchup between these two. Henny will be the clear victor in this battle.

I actually agree with a lot of this....nice prediction.......Henny is a monster in my opinion...in know he beat nothing when the Smart Strike colt and Keyed Entry both scratched, but I was VERY high on him as possibly being the most talented sprinter in the country before that race and I only needed to see a solid return to affirm my belief.....I would consider his return WAY better than I was expecting.....he is a monster and I've been warning people on ATRAB about his comeback for months....

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

I actually agree with a lot of this....nice prediction.......Henny is a monster in my opinion...in know he beat nothing when the Smart Strike colt and Keyed Entry both scratched, but I was VERY high on him as possibly being the most talented sprinter in the country before that race and I only needed to see a solid return to affirm my belief.....I would consider his return WAY better than I was expecting.....he is a monster and I've been warning people on ATRAB about his comeback for months....

Even though he may not have beaten much and certainly wasn't tested I think it's important to remember that the horse hasn't run in 7-8 months and he nearly set a track record on his return. He has logged more frequent flyer miles this year that I have in my life and he still managed to mature and come back with the same incredible speed and fluidity that made him a force as a 2 year old. I will solidly get behind this prediction.

[SentToStud]

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

I actually agree with a lot of this....nice prediction.......Henny is a monster in my opinion...in know he beat nothing when the Smart Strike colt and Keyed Entry both scratched, but I was VERY high on him as possibly being the most talented sprinter in the country before that race and I only needed to see a solid return to affirm my belief.....I would consider his return WAY better than I was expecting.....he is a monster and I've been warning people on ATRAB about his comeback for months....

Help me out. How did you come to think Henny Hughes was at/near the top of U.S. sprinters BEFORE his race last weekend? The horse hadn't run in nine months, hadn't sprinted in 10 months and hadn't won in eleven months.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by SentToStud

Help me out. How did you come to think Henny Hughes was at/near the top of U.S. sprinters BEFORE his race last weekend? The horse hadn't run in nine months, hadn't sprinted in 10 months and hadn't won in eleven months.

S2S,

I can confirm that JC has been flogging for HH on "At the Races" in anticipation of his return... My answer to the question above? KMc..

You mention HH "hadn't won in 11 months", but he also hadn't been worse than 2nd in those "loses" (to Sam in the Champagne and Hopeful, Stevie WB in the BCJ).. I'd say his credentials coming back were more than solid. I saw him Belmont night in the barn, and he looked terrific. McLaughlin is as good as any trainer in the world bringing them back, and you had to figure that in the early summer of his three year old year he'd be stronger than he was as a baby. Based on his proven ability going short at 2, that made/makes him eligible to be as good as any of the sprint specialists out there.

That's my take anyway..

[SentToStud]

Originally Posted by Kasept

S2S,

I can confirm that JC has been flogging for HH on "At the Races" in anticipation of his return... My answer to the question above? KMc..

You mention HH "hadn't won in 11 months", but he also hadn't been worse than 2nd in those "loses" (to Sam in the Champagne and Hopeful, Stevie WB in the BCJ).. I'd say his credentials coming back were more than solid. I saw him Belmont night in the barn, and he looked terrific. McLaughlin is as good as any trainer in the world bringing them back, and you had to figure that in the early summer of his three year old year he'd be stronger than he was as a baby. Based on his proven ability going short at 2, that made/makes him eligible to be as good as any of the sprint specialists out there.

That's my take anyway..

Thanks... He sure looked the part the other day.

I just always take a jaundiced view of short-priced comebackers, notwithstanding what happened in the past or how highly a trainer speaks of his runner. Flower Alley also came back strong. Don't Get Mad did not. HH ran a super race but I'll still wait until he runs in a race where he has to work hard to beat a decent horse who also wants the same part of the track and/or holds off or collars a good one in the stretch. That said, he just appeared to glide over the track effortlessly.

Originally Posted by SentToStud

Help me out. How did you come to think Henny Hughes was at/near the top of U.S. sprinters BEFORE his race last weekend? The horse hadn't run in nine months, hadn't sprinted in 10 months and hadn't won in eleven months.

I don't look for accomplishments so to speak, I try to forecast potential, and I've always thought based on his pedigree and brilliance and class as a juvenile that he'd prove to be a top class sprinter at three and as an older horse....Great sprinters are possessed with an uncanny high-cruising speed and he has it....he can effortlessly carve out a 45 second half with the jockey sitting on him like a statue...this quality is huge because he can place himself in any race in the world without exhausting himself early....that is rare....additionally, he still has a pretty good push button off of that and he showed that he is a fighter when stretching out in last year's BC Juvy to be a game second when I know 1 1/16-miles is not close to his best distance being a Hennessy out of a Meadowlake mare....that was pure class and heart that carried him that far IMO....Additionally, if you examine his stride it is simply peotic...to have that quick a turn of foot, ge looks like he does it so effortlessly and his stride is so efficient he looks like he is one of those horses that won't have to carry his track with him because his biomechanics are as good as it gets in a horses stride that he should take to any track as good as any other horse he races against.......I love this colt, and I agree that physically he is superior looking now to waht he used to look like.....Sometimes you just can tell the goods when you watch them run and he is the goods....

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

I don't look for accomplishments so to speak, I try to forecast potential, and I've always thought based on his pedigree and brilliance and class as a juvenile that he'd prove to be a top class sprinter at three and as an older horse....Great sprinters are possessed with an uncanny high-cruising speed and he has it....he can effortlessly carve out a 45 second half with the jockey sitting on him like a statue...this quality is huge because he can place himself in any race in the world without exhausting himself early....that is rare....additionally, he still has a pretty good push button off of that and he showed that he is a fighter when stretching out in last year's BC Juvy to be a game second when I know 1 1/16-miles is not close to his best distance being a Hennessy out of a Meadowlake mare....that was pure class and heart that carried him that far IMO....Additionally, if you examine his stride it is simply peotic...to have that quick a turn of foot, ge looks like he does it so effortlessly and his stride is so efficient he looks like he is one of those horses that won't have to carry his track with him because his biomechanics are as good as it gets in a horses stride that he should take to any track as good as any other horse he races against.......I love this colt, and I agree that physically he is superior looking now to waht he used to look like.....Sometimes you just can tell the goods when you watch them run and he is the goods....

Man when he switched leads and took off it was something to behold. I haven't seen a burst like that in a long time.