I believe the only three

[Sightseek]

Taking nothing at all from Zenyatta because that was a fantastic race, but it drives me nuts to read some articles declaring this year's Classic field as the "deepest" or "toughest" field.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Taking nothing at all from Zenyatta because that was a fantastic race, but it drives me nuts to read some articles declaring this year's Classic field as the "deepest" or "toughest" field.

No way!!!

Link?


This years Classic field was about the worst ever.

Rip Van Winkle was 3/1 in the betting .. and he's only running a couple lengths faster than 2yo's in Europe going his best distance.

Summer Bird was 3rd choice in the betting .. he never ran on a synthetic track before and had less than ideal turf breeding.

Twice Over was 4th choice in the betting. He ran 3rd even though I thought he was struggling with the turns somewhat and didn't seem comfortable.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

No way!!!

Link?


This years Classic field was about the worst ever.

Rip Van Winkle was 3/1 in the betting .. and he's only running a couple lengths faster than 2yo's in Europe going his best distance.

Summer Bird was 3rd choice in the betting .. he never ran on a synthetic track before and had less than ideal turf breeding.

Twice Over was 4th choice in the betting. He ran 3rd even though I thought he was struggling with the turns somewhat and didn't seem comfortable.

I don't have time to find them all, but a quote from your hero John Sherriffs:

"That was the biggest moment for me," he said. "The streak was on the line, the fans were there to see her run. A chance for Horse of the Year was on the line. She was running against one of the best Breeders' Cup Classic fields ever assembled. As they say in poker, we were all in."

Blood-horse says this ever year, but I think they suffer from early alzheimer's for the most part.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I don't have time to find them all, but a quote from your hero John Sherriffs:

"That was the biggest moment for me," he said. "The streak was on the line, the fans were there to see her run. A chance for Horse of the Year was on the line. She was running against one of the best Breeders' Cup Classic fields ever assembled. As they say in poker, we were all in."

Blood-horse says this ever year, but I think they suffer from early alzheimer's for the most part.

to support your argument I would not used biased comments from the connections.

[10 pnt move up]

The females to males thing, I think this will go on for a while, the best males hardly make it to 4 in todays game....ie see Zensational, most have done enough after 8 races.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

to support your argument I would not used biased comments from the connections.

I didn't realize I was presenting in front of a court of law. It's all over the place..

The big decision leading up to the 2009 Breeders’ Cup was whether Zenyatta would take the easier route in the Ladies Classic, a race she won last year, in her quest for perfection or tackle one of the deepest Classic fields ever assembled.


http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...z-one-and-only

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I didn't realize I was presenting in front of a court of law. It's all over the place..

The big decision leading up to the 2009 Breeders’ Cup was whether Zenyatta would take the easier route in the Ladies Classic, a race she won last year, in her quest for perfection or tackle one of the deepest Classic fields ever assembled.


http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...z-one-and-only

so you go to Steve Haskin, who might as well be the leader of the pretty pony club....I am sure he is a nice guy but he is kind of like the media and Obama, he wont criticize racing.

What do guys like Crist, Beyer, etc say. It was an "ok" field.

[CSC]

BTW who did Inside Information beat in the BC, I remember her biggest competition that year was stablemate Heavenly Prize and that one had a snowball's chance on a sloppy track that day.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

so you go to Steve Haskin, who might as well be the leader of the pretty pony club....I am sure he is a nice guy but he is kind of like the media and Obama, he wont criticize racing.

What do guys like Crist, Beyer, etc say. It was an "ok" field.

What would you like Haskin to do?

[smuthg]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

No way!!!

Link?


This years Classic field was about the worst ever.

Rip Van Winkle was 3/1 in the betting .. and he's only running a couple lengths faster than 2yo's in Europe going his best distance.

Summer Bird was 3rd choice in the betting .. he never ran on a synthetic track before and had less than ideal turf breeding.

Twice Over was 4th choice in the betting. He ran 3rd even though I thought he was struggling with the turns somewhat and didn't seem comfortable.

Its easy to say after the fact that this field was "weak", but as late as last week, people were making arguments that Rip "would have eclipsed Sea the Stars" and no one know what to expect from Quality Road, Summer Bird or Gio Ponti, etc., on the Pro Ride, so yeah now that they "didn't fire" its easy to say the field was terrible. I don't think you can defend last year's field or even the 2005 field as any better than than this one...

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by smuthg

Its easy to say after the fact that this field was "weak",

I probably said VERY weak before the fact ... and if I didn't ... I assumed it was so obvious that everyone would know.

Calling it weak by past Breeders Cup Classic standards...would be very, very, very kind.

Originally Posted by smuthg

but as late as last week, people were making arguments that Rip "would have eclipsed Sea the Stars"

Rip Van Winkle ran 3/5ths of a second faster than 2yo's in his last race .. and that was at his best distance.

Originally Posted by smuthg

and no one know what to expect from Quality Road, Summer Bird or Gio Ponti, etc., on the Pro Ride,

Gio Ponti ran twice on Santa Anita's Pro Ride before. He finished 5th behind Cowboy Cal in his most recent try over it in the Strub Stakes.

Quality Road and Summer Bird would have been DOMINANT favorites if the race was run on dirt. It wasn't ... that's why they weren't being bet.

I don't think you can defend last year's field or even the 2005 field as any better than than this one...

Those two were also weak.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Rip Van Winkle ran 3/5ths of a second faster than 2yo's in his last race .. and that was at his best distance.

That was his 2nd Group I win in a row. His 3rd race back, in July, was a 2nd place finish (by a length) to European Horse-of-the-Millenium, Sea of Stars. I think it's fair to consider Rip Van Winkle a top-notch European, and lately that's been enough to threaten our best. According to multiple observers (and I mean before the race) he shipped terribly and had major problems acclimating to his Santa Anita environs. His connections admitted as much in the days just before the race.

--Dunbar

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Yeah --- it all could be. The connections talked about feet problems or something.

I don't follow Euro racing at all - let alone rabidly enough to have solid opinions up and down on Euro horses.

His last race though ... the final time was highly unimpressive when compared with other races that day at the same distance.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Yeah --- it all could be. The connections talked about feet problems or something.

I don't follow Euro racing at all - let alone rabidly enough to have solid opinions up and down on Euro horses.

His last race though ... the final time was highly unimpressive when compared with other races that day at the same distance.

FWIW, and I'll grant you I don't even know who votes, Rip Van Winkle is ranked 3rd in the most recent "World Thoroughbred Rankings". From the DRF, http://drf.com/news/article/108893.html :

World Thoroughbred Rankings

Rank
Horse
Rating
Trained

1
Sea the Stars
135
Ireland

2
Goldikova
130
France

3
Rip Van Winkle
129
Ireland

4
Fame and Glory
128
Ireland

4
Zenyatta
128
USA

6
Cavalryman
125
France

6
Conduit
125
Britain

6
Gio Ponti
125
USA

6
Rachel Alexandra
125
USA

6
Youmzain
125
Britain

I don't know what was going on with track condition (or with the timers?) in the race you're comparing to 2-yr-olds, but there's no question Rip Van Winkle was considered one of Europe's best this year.

Maybe their current 2-yr-old crop will blow us away next year. ;>)

--Dunbar

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Taking nothing at all from Zenyatta because that was a fantastic race, but it drives me nuts to read some articles declaring this year's Classic field as the "deepest" or "toughest" field.

I cant for the life of me figure out how people are calling it that. I mean even the best entrant pre race (Summer Bird) was out of his elemant. I guess Rip Van Winkle made it the best classic ever? LOL Its middle of the pack at best.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Taking nothing at all from Zenyatta because that was a fantastic race, but it drives me nuts to read some articles declaring this year's Classic field as the "deepest" or "toughest" field.

I read the same thing in at least one article. I thought it was absurd. This was in no way a strong field. This was a very weak Handicap division this year. Comparing this year to recent years, there were no Ghostzappers, Roses In Mays, Pleasantly Perfects, Invasors, Curlins, Bernardinis, Invasors, Saint Liams, etc. this year.