Barclay Tagg's comments on NoBiz

[blackthroatedwind]

It's easy to see the appeal of the BC Mile considering both the weak field and NoBiz's terrific performance this weekend, however Tagg is pretty conservative, and considering his success level it seems more than unfair to suggest that any of us know better than he. From a fan's standpoint obviously we wish NoBiz was in the mile but I will defer to the judgement of someone who clearly knows better than any of us.

Running him in the Classic makes little to no sense. He's already proven to be vastly inferior to the competition he would face in that race. Perhaps next year if the handicap division is weak Tagg could conceivably take a shot on the dirt again during the year but my guess is once he races a horse successfully on the grass he is loathe to switch surfaces. Unlike Showing Up, who had feet issues which kept him on the grass, NoBiz could at least physically make the switch. Perhaps Chuck can answer this but it is my understanding that trainers usually don't like moving from one surface to another especially after establishing success on one.

As far as a Grade 1 on the turf increasing his value, well he already has a Grade 1 on the dirt, so I suppose this is possible, but I'm sure he will have ample opportunity to do so in the future without this year's BC Mile. Not only is the Hollywood Derby a Grade 1 but next year may look like a Grade 1 tree of ripe fruits if it's anything like 2007.