Saratoga Condition book is out

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Norfolk

When in January I saw that on 8/9 a Saturday they no graded race I begged NYRA to bring back the Saratoga Breeders Cup at 10F. The race could have kept its grade and they could have run it for $150,000, $100,000 NYRA money and $50,000 BC money. If they don’t run the race this year it will lose its graded status. Instead they added 5 overnight stakes costing NYRA $500,000 NYRA money and they still do not have a 10F race for older horse at Saratoga. I think that is a disgrace for a track of Saratoga’s renown.

I think the lack of a graded stake on a Saturday is odd, to say the least, but the fields will be interesting and bettable. Off the top of my head, I can't think of whether EA has run well on turf in the past, but they do have a long distance $80k turf race (which I believe will be the 4th week this year.) Maybe that could be a spot for him?

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

So the Woodward and JCGC should both be 1 1/4 mile races?

I have no problem with that idea, especially with the Whitney at 1 1/8 earlier in the meet.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by philcski

I think the lack of a graded stake on a Saturday is odd, to say the least, but the fields will be interesting and bettable. Off the top of my head, I can't think of whether EA has run well on turf in the past, but they do have a long distance $80k turf race (which I believe will be the 4th week this year.) Maybe that could be a spot for him?



I have no problem with that idea, especially with the Whitney at 1 1/8 earlier in the meet.

The problem with having two 10f races so close together obviously is how to fill them. A top horse is expected to prep for the 10f jcgc with the 10f woodward and then possibly ship across the country for the BC at 10f. How many top horses are you going to get to do that? How many horses are you going to get to do that period, good horse or not?


Didnt that Suburban tell us something?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

The problem with having two 10f races so close together obviously is how to fill them. A top horse is expected to prep for the 10f jcgc with the 10f woodward and then possibly ship across the country for the BC at 10f. How many top horses are you going to get to do that? How many horses are you going to get to do that period, good horse or not?


Didnt that Suburban tell us something?

ZERO there arent any

[sumitas]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

The problem with having two 10f races so close together obviously is how to fill them. A top horse is expected to prep for the 10f jcgc with the 10f woodward and then possibly ship across the country for the BC at 10f. How many top horses are you going to get to do that? How many horses are you going to get to do that period, good horse or not?


Didnt that Suburban tell us something?

Hey , the BC Marathon is 12 F .

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by sumitas

Hey , the BC Marathon is 12 F .

Apparently your month vacation was not spent drying out.

[sumitas]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Apparently your month vacation was not spent drying out.

It's almost post time at the FLakes. May the numbers that come out of your hats be in the money.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

The problem with having two 10f races so close together obviously is how to fill them. A top horse is expected to prep for the 10f jcgc with the 10f woodward and then possibly ship across the country for the BC at 10f. How many top horses are you going to get to do that? How many horses are you going to get to do that period, good horse or not?


Didnt that Suburban tell us something?

What did it tell us?

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

What did it tell us?

That regardless of the purse or prestige of the race, it is extremely difficult to get a decent field of handicap horses together for a 10f race on dirt.

The suburban was the only 10f Grade 1 race for older horses for months and I honestly can not name half of the field.

What good would it be to have two 10f races so close together in the fall? Wouldnt the Woodward have a better chance of filling with quality if it were 9f instead of 10f?

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

That regardless of the purse or prestige of the race, it is extremely difficult to get a decent field of handicap horses together for a 10f race on dirt.

The suburban was the only 10f Grade 1 race for older horses for months and I honestly can not name half of the field.

What good would it be to have two 10f races so close together in the fall? Wouldnt the Woodward have a better chance of filling with quality if it were 9f instead of 10f?

Probably. But I don't think the Suburban failed to attract good horses because it was run at ten furlongs. I think it had more to do with the Foster and Hollywood Gold Cup being run two weeks earlier for $1,000,000 and $750,000 respectively, plus the reality that there just are very few good handicap horses out there.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Probably. But I don't think the Suburban failed to attract good horses because it was run at ten furlongs. I think it had more to do with the Foster and Hollywood Gold Cup being run two weeks earlier for $1,000,000 and $750,000 respectively, plus the reality that there just are very few good handicap horses out there.

True...especially the lack of good handicap horses.

I dont want to sound like an alarmist but something is going to have to give. We are either going to have to change the way we breed or change the way we race. Seeing how we are a society of instant gratification, I would imagine it would be more practical to change the way we race.

What I am getting at is the races are going to have to start getting shorter in order for them to fill. Do you agree?

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

True...especially the lack of good handicap horses.

I dont want to sound like an alarmist but something is going to have to give. We are either going to have to change the way we breed or change the way we race. Seeing how we are a society of instant gratification, I would imagine it would be more practical to change the way we race.

What I am getting at is the races are going to have to start getting shorter in order for them to fill. Do you agree?

Nah, I don't think so. I don't think there's all that much difference between a nine-furlong handicap horse and a ten-furlong handicap horse. Plus, the sprint and miler divisions are no great shakes either. I just think we caught a crappy year in terms of older horses, and the retirements of Street Sense, Any Given Saturday and Hard Spun didn't help..