D'OH! No Queen's Plate for Rocker..

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I don't think anyone was portraying him as a superhorse. He had been extremely impressive, both visually and figure wise. And in a year when the 3 year old crop is mediocre at best, it appeared he might be a good one. I'm more apt to see how a horse bounces back from an effort where he/she might have a legit excuse like surface and or distance.

The Plate Trial was Harlem Rocker's first going 2 turns and first over a synthetic surface. Considering how good J Be K looked Belmont Day and considering Harlem Rocker pissed on him, isn't at least possible to assume that harlem Rocker is a lot better than the Woodbine effort showed? Maybe he has distance limitations and maybe he didn't like the track, but until he comes back, who knows?

So if he went in the Preakness that race would of been his first around two turns and against BB. Nobody seemed to think that would of been an problem for him that day and he would of had to been a superhorse to win that race. I hope for the sake of racing that he turns out to be good but people were way off about this horse at the moment.

[blackthroatedwind]

This thread is really too much.

Nobody said Harlem Rocker was a superhorse, or was going to crush Big Brown, but merely pointed out that he was a good horse and might present a real challenge to Big Brown in the Preakness.

Some of us like to see a challenge in racing. Others are delusional. That's OK....it takes all kinds.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

This thread is really too much.

Nobody said Harlem Rocker was a superhorse, or was going to crush Big Brown, but merely pointed out that he was a good horse and might present a real challenge to Big Brown in the Preakness.

Some of us like to see a challenge in racing. Others are delusional. That's OK....it takes all kinds.

Well said!

[MisterB]

The only thing I thought was confusing, was when everyone , including the hype about how NYRA was so glad HR wasn't running in the Preakness to assure a TC.

[Bigsmc]

The only thing this thread is lacking is an appearance by DT's most famous Canadian member to defend his country's honor against this clown.


Where or where is WarranT when his country needs him?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by MisterB

The only thing I thought was confusing, was when everyone , including the hype about how NYRA was so glad HR wasn't running in the Preakness to assure a TC.

no, it was to assure a TC attempt. and that happened.
seriously tho, i don't know why anyone would find it shocking that frank stronach wanted to run in, and try to win the Queen's Plate.

all in all, a jewel of a thread.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by Danzig

no, it was to assure a TC attempt. and that happened.
seriously tho, i don't know why anyone would find it shocking that frank stronach wanted to run in, and try to win the Queen's Plate.

all in all, a jewel of a thread.

Your right the Queens Plate does soooo much more for a horse and its stock then winning that crappy Preakness race.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by Danzig

no, it was to assure a TC attempt. and that happened.
seriously tho, i don't know why anyone would find it shocking that frank stronach wanted to run in, and try to win the Queen's Plate.

all in all, a jewel of a thread.

I worked out pretty good for Stronach with Awesome Again, in turn the sire of his Ghostzapper and Ginger Punch, two more irrelevancies.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I don't recall a lot of people touting him in the Preakness. I remember people being impressed with his Withers and making the comparison to bernardini, because they had similar starts to their careers. I don't remember anyone comparing their talents, just that their careers started similar.

Let me ask you, had Harlem Rocker tried the turf and not the synthetic and run so-so, would you be looking at him the same way as you are now? Because essentially the poly is as foreign to dirt racing as turf is.

Yea I just went back to the threads about Rocker and the preakness, there were comparisons about Bernardini and Rocker, thats what got me riled up, but the person that was touting him as a Superhorse was Better Than Honour so take that for what its worth. But still there were some others saying he had a shot in the preakness but he got beat by nothing up in Canada. And yes I would think differently if he tried the turf and ran so-so because those would of been turf stake horses running on turf and these were dirt horses running on synthetics. He should of handled these horses if he was anything.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by kgar311

And yes I would think differently if he tried the turf and ran so-so because those would of been turf stake horses running on turf and these were dirt horses running on synthetics. He should of handled these horses if he was anything.

Oh, so because it fits your now disproven claim that people hailed him as a superstar to knock Harlem Rocker, you are now claiming synthetics are just like dirt courses, and not like turf courses.

I think you are the one who needs to reread your posts from the past year and a half.

I have news for you.....Big Brown got drowned in the Belmont. It happens. It doesn't mean you have to lash out irrationally. If they can get him back to the races he may very well get to take on Harlem Rocker. Wouldn't it be nice to see these horses decide the question on the racetrack....and not on the internet?

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Oh, so because it fits your now disproven claim that people hailed him as a superstar to knock Harlem Rocker, you are now claiming synthetics are just like dirt courses, and not like turf courses.

I think you are the one who needs to reread your posts from the past year and a half.

I have news for you.....Big Brown got drowned in the Belmont. It happens. It doesn't mean you have to lash out irrationally. If they can get him back to the races he may very well get to take on Harlem Rocker. Wouldn't it be nice to see these horses decide the question on the racetrack....and not on the internet?

Dude relax, your always so negative. Im not lashing out at anybody im just having a conversation. I said I hope HR turns out to be good, its good for racing. The reason I knock HR and other horses is because people on this site are so quick to put other horses who have proved nothing in front of horses that have proved themselves, like winning the Derby out of post 20. First it was HR then it was CD all the while the Derby and Preakness winner was getting bashed for beating everyhorse that was put in front of him just because the crop was "weak".

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by kgar311

Dude relax, your always so negative. Im not lashing out at anybody im just having a conversation. I said I hope HR turns out to be good, its good for racing. The reason I knock HR and other horses is because people on this site are so quick to put other horses who have proved nothing in front of horses that have proved themselves, like winning the Derby out of post 20. First it was HR then it was CD all the while the Derby and Preakness winner was getting bashed for beating everyhorse that was put in front of him just because the crop was "weak".

If I was any more relaxed I would lapse into a coma....but thanks for considering my well being.

I'm always so negative? Um, I was one of Harlem Rocker's biggest ( realistic ) supporters around here. Is that negative? Maybe it is to you, because you had irrational expectations for Big Brown, and are now lashing out at others because of your disappointment. I have news for you, Harlem Rocker not handling polytrack, or maybe two turns, doesn't change the Belmont result.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I don't have the PP's for the Plate Trial handy, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't dirt horses he was running against at Woodbine. By your line of thinking, shouldn't Big Brown have won the Belmont?

I believe BB would of won the Belmont if it hadnt been for the crack. You can't interrupt training for 3 days and pussyfoot around with the horse after that. He had to be at the top of his game the entire time and he wasnt. He came up short on training. And regardless who HR he raced against at Woodbine, it serves the connections right for going up there and trying to steal a couple of races all the while ducking BB. Now look instead of being defeated by BB he runs out of the money against nobody.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by kgar311

And regardless who HR he raced against at Woodbine, it serves the connections right for going up there and trying to steal a couple of races all the while ducking BB. Now look instead of being defeated by BB he runs out of the money against nobody.

Don't mean to be condescending, but this is an utterly indefensible comment...

The 'connections trying to steal a couple of races'..? What are you talking about? They were trying to win the Queen's Plate, the oldest stake in North America, Canadian Breeders' most important race, and one of the world's most prestigious events.

Stronach, who manages to offset his inept track operations by making few mistakes on the racing/breeding side, has a nice Ontario-bred and had every right to try and point for the QP. And given that the Plate was the goal, skipping a potential gutting in the Preakness to get a feel for the polytrack at Woodbine made some sense. (Though Pletcher wanted to run at Baltimore).

It didn't work out and they'll reboot his campaign on main tracks stateside, but to belittle Harlem Rocker and the connections for hoping to win a race like the Queen's Plate is just ridiculous.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Don't mean to be condescending, but this is an utterly indefensible comment...

The 'connections trying to steal a couple of races'..? What are you talking about? They were trying to win the Queen's Plate, the oldest stake in North America, Canadian Breeders' most important race, and one of the world's most prestigious events.

Stronach, who manages to offset his inept track operations by making few mistakes on the racing/breeding side, has a nice Ontario-bred and had every right to try and point for the QP. And given that the Plate was the goal, skipping a potential gutting in the Preakness to get a feel for the polytrack at Woodbine made some sense. (Though Pletcher wanted to run at Baltimore).

It didn't work out and they'll reboot his campaign on main tracks stateside, but to belittle Harlem Rocker and the connections for hoping to win a race like the Queen's Plate is just ridiculous.

Canadian horse racing is irrevelant. And I think actually you just proved my point a little bit more. Not only did he get "rocked" in Canada but by Canadian bred horses also? How many Champions from Canada come down to the US and get handled regularly.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by kgar311

Canadian horse racing is irrevelant. And I think actually you just proved my point a little bit more. Not only did he get "rocked" in Canada but by Canadian bred horses also? How many Champions from Canada come down to the US and get handled regularly.

You have to stop. You're killing me.

Have you ever heard of Awesome Again?

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

You have to stop. You're killing me.

Have you ever heard of Awesome Again?

Thats one. How many people can name 3 out of the last 5 HOY's out of Canada and name the last triple crown winner up there. You have 1 minute to answer, we all now how to use google here.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by kgar311

Canadian horse racing is irrevelant. And I think actually you just proved my point a little bit more. Not only did he get "rocked" in Canada but by Canadian bred horses also? How many Champions from Canada come down to the US and get handled regularly.

It's irrevelant? That's funny.. You just made any time spent trying to explain anything to you pointless.

[blackthroatedwind]

Then there's that bum Northern Dancer. He was clearly irrelevent.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Irrelevant to who? How many champions win the Derby and preakness and then run last in the Belmont? Answer: only one, Big Brown.

Only the ones that have their training compromised and have about a weeks time to make up for it.