Arkansas Derby Grade???

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Unless you are a breeder why do you care about what breeders crow about?

Ya gotta answer my first question first. Why are races graded? Just for breeders?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by pgardn

Ya gotta answer my first question first. Why are races graded? Just for breeders?

That was the original intent.

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

That was the original intent.

I care because a grade I count more points in The Road To The Roses Contest which I fail miserably at every year. So maybe making the Arkansas Derby a grade I will shake things up a bit.

So could you talk to somebody and explain my dire situation...

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by pgardn

I care because a grade I count more points in The Road To The Roses Contest which I fail miserably at every year. So maybe making the Arkansas Derby a grade I will shake things up a bit.

So could you talk to somebody and explain my dire situation...

The way the graded stakes committee works we should lobby them to drop it a grade and it's a sure Grade 1 next year

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

The way the graded stakes committee works we should lobby them to drop it a grade and it's a sure Grade 1 next year

I'll take that to mean we are not in tight with the powers that be.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by pgardn

I'll take that to mean we are not in tight with the powers that be.

We are in tight enough but they have some obsure system that they use. Common sense is not part of the formula

[Merlinsky]

I think it's ridiculous for a racing series of the quality Oaklawn's created to culminate in a G2. I think if a track's demonstrated that they've created a prep series for the TC races that pulls in top contenders including one of the favorites (such as the Arkansas Derby has done the last few years) it's earned the right to build to the G1. You ought, in theory, to be weeding out the pretenders as the series goes along and the G1 should have those likely to press for the Derby, Preakness, or Belmont. Whatever pushing and motivating the track folks need to do to keep the bums from watering down the place and encouraging the contenders to come is part of the responsibility of such a series and they should be held to a high standard to maintain the G1 status.

One thing to consider is some horses are kept in training for the G1s at the beginning of the season and the hope of a Derby win. These are some of those likely to drop out before the fall and be retired. Do we think if the other preps are made G2 that they might just say 'ah screw it' if they already have a G2 as a 2yo and the horse's got a foot bruise or something? I mean you'd have to win the Derby, another TC race, or wait til the fall and you might go 'hey that's great, they'll stay in training longer and not push so much so early in the year' but I think many of them would just retire sooner. The longer they stay in training, the more that can go wrong in the eyes of some. Not saying it's right, I'm just trying to predict what they'll do vs. what they ought to do which is not go for the easier G1 and break the horses early and instead make us happy with a strong 3yo fall campaign for the underdevelop youngsters. Seriously, easy way out--they do it every time.