Bless You George Washington...

[richard burch]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Horses who've won the BC with less than 2 career Grade 1 wins coming into the race.

1984: Wild Again
1986: Skywalker
1991: Black Tie Affair
1993: Arcangues
1994: Concern
1996: Alphabet Soup
1998: Awesome Again
1999: Cat Thief
2000: Tiznow
2002: Volponi
2003: Pleasantly Perfect

11 of them would have been excluded by this ever so ingenuis rule.

i am speaking of european turf horses winning on US dirt tracks.

as far as i know, most if not all euro racing is on grass. those so-called tracks are in fields that are not level.

you can also see that they run in the opposite direction which can cauyse problems when they come to the US. this was evident in a race yesterday when 3 horses blew the far turn.

if the euros want to run here they should should try to get some dirt tracks and run in the other direction.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by richard burch

i am speaking of european turf horses winning on US dirt tracks.

as far as i know, most if not all euro racing is on grass. those so-called tracks are in fields that are not level.

you can also see that they run in the opposite direction which can cauyse problems when they come to the US. this was evident in a race yesterday when 3 horses blew the far turn.

if the euros want to run here they should should try to get some dirt tracks and run in the other direction.

I hear ya.

However, your new rule was awful.

If the BC Classic was restricted to multiple Grade 1 winners on dirt - in many years you'd have a four or five horse field running for a $5 million purse.

You'll actually run the risk of having more horses breakdown that way. Because the connections of a long in the tooth or sore horse who won a pair of Grade 1's in the past....they will do everything possible to make a race against three or four opponets that carries a $5,000,000 purse.

[NoChanceToDance]

We do have left-handed tracks as well, you know?

However, we only have once track in England that is as tight (possibly tighter) than the tracks you have in the US.

Four of the five synthetic tracks in Britain and Ireland are left-handed.

[Cannon Shell]

You cant legislate out breakdowns with rules...

Though I feel remorse for the groom and lads connected to the horse I think it is especially tragic when a top horse breaks down in a race where they had no chance.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I hear ya.

However, your new rule was awful.

If the BC Classic was restricted to multiple Grade 1 winners on dirt - in many years you'd have a four or five horse field running for a $5 million purse.

You'll actually run the risk of having more horses breakdown that way. Because the connections of a long in the tooth or sore horse who won a pair of Grade 1's in the past....they will do everything possible to make a race against three or four opponets that carries a $5,000,000 purse.

Plus you'd have some completely off form older geldings entering the race to try and get fifth cause they had 2 G1 wins earlier in their career. Or horses like Silver Wagon who have no business going 10 furlongs.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by merasmag

if a bc race can only get 5 entrants then they are TRULY a sham

Well, let's take a look if this highly amusing rule would have been in place for Saturday's BC Classic.

Of the field of nine - Any Given Saturday (one Grade 1 dirt wins) Hard Spun (one Grade 1 dirt win) Awesome Gem (0 Grade 1 dirt wins) Diamond Stripes (0 Grade 1 dirt wins) George Washington (0 Grade 1 dirt wins) - would all be excluding from running.

That leaves us with a four horse field for the Breeders Cup Classic consisting of.....Tiago (2 Grade 1 wins) Curlin (2 Grade 1 wins) Lawyer Ron (2 Grade 1 wins) and Street Sense (3 Grade 1 wins)

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by merasmag

if the rule had been in place trainers woulda planned for it

How would trainers have planned for it?

You mean they would have actually tried winning Grade 1 races?

This might be your best post yet!