8/7 (DMR): Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1)

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

This is a DIFFERENT era. Things are done differently. Once upon a time there was a distinction between sprinters and routers. It actually took some skill to work a horse up to a route race. Yet, in Southern CAL, horses regularly stretch out, after even a single sprint, and come from off the pace to beat closing routers. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if Sadler sent Twisted Candy to the ARC, without the benefit of another race, and had him win there. I understand some of this is breeding but come on.

Then you have the case with Lake (and others) where his routers are able to outrun sprinters sprinting, on a regular basis. This with no workouts published. And so on.

And, your point of focus for the past year or so has been the way this horse has been campaigned? Was there ever a case where you could actually have made a score with this horse? (Other than last year's BC, possibly).

You think she can win the Classic?

Why should I answer when you made no attempt whatsoever to address my question about the BS from the Z camp? I honestly don't even know where you are going with the rest of it.

Can she win the Classic? Sure, she could, but I don't think she will. I don't think she is near the same horse on dirt.

[Thunder Gulch]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Why should I answer when you made no attempt whatsoever to address my question about the BS from the Z camp? I honestly don't even know where you are going with the rest of it.

Can she win the Classic? Sure, she could, but I don't think she will. I don't think she is near the same horse on dirt.

Yes she can, but I don't think it really matters if she is as good on dirt as synthetic. This time she will face good dirt horses on dirt, not turf and dirt horses on Pro-Ride. The question will not be which surface she prefers, but is she really good enough to beat the best on a level playing field. That's point I beat my head against the wall trying to get some of you to understand. I'm of the opinion that she won't good enough to do so, but in one race scenario, I don't rule it out. If she faces the field that ran in the Whitney plus a few more, I'm betting against her doing anything more than sucking up for a minor share. Something like a 6-1 shot vs that group.

[the_fat_man]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Why should I answer when you made no attempt whatsoever to address my question about the BS from the Z camp? I honestly don't even know where you are going with the rest of it.

Can she win the Classic? Sure, she could, but I don't think she will. I don't think she is near the same horse on dirt.

How can I address your question when I don't own the horse? Tell you this much, if I agreed to go to OP on the condition that RA would be there, and she punked out after my 2nd stringer beat her, I certainly wouldn't be open to ACCOMMODATING her with a rematch -- especially one that entailed shipping cross country for. As for the taking on the males thing: what exactly does she gain by beating that sad bunch out there? Would they give her HOTY if she won a G1 for males?

If you don't think she can win the Classic, then bet against her, make a score, and have something to write about.

I don't get the obsession with this horse.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

How can I address your question when I don't own the horse? Tell you this much, if I agreed to go to OP on the condition that RA would be there, and she punked out after my 2nd stringer beat her, I certainly wouldn't be open to ACCOMMODATING her with a rematch -- especially one that entailed shipping cross country for. As for the taking on the males thing: what exactly does she gain by beating that sad bunch out there? Would they give her HOTY if she won a G1 for males?

If you don't think she can win the Classic, then bet against her, make a score, and have something to write about.

I don't get the obsession with this horse.

I'm not sure how much is about accommodating Rachel vs what Shirreffs said recently about not wanting to leave his barn for weeks at a time like he might feel he'd have to in order to do his best training job for Zenyatta. He was more interested in the Beldame last year, even though the BC was at Santa Anita while NY had detention barns, and I'm guessing it was because he could come right back to his home base. That was still a form of accommodation. The Apple Blossom was less so because she'd gone there before with no plan to face Rachel and won.

I'd argue Jackson was the one accommodating Oaklawn with the rushed return to the races for Rachel. He didn't duck Zenyatta as much as he decided (in a rare moment of logic) that he screwed up once, and why do it again? Didn't stop them from trying the figure 8 bit again, but as mistakes go, it's far better to make that one than throwing an ill-prepared RA to the wolves when Zenyatta wasn't hanging in a barn for 5 months doing nothing. She was in training that whole time. It's how we got tipped off she might not be retiring.

I just heard about RA's latest work. Sounds like she might be getting in better gear. I think she's still been kept in some state of mothball storage even up to the Lady's Secret. If it results in a Classic win, more power to'em, but then you gotta say the same to Shirreffs and the Mosses right? If we're being fair. Still, bloody frustrating.