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#1
06-14-2012, 02:07 PM
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Even worse -- a 4th place finish in the UAE Derby is worth as much as a win in the Breeders Cup Juvenile.
Yang Tse Kiang gets 40 points just for finishing 2nd to Daddy Long Legs in the UAE Derby. Daddy Long Legs had 100 points. Arazi, Sweetnorthernsaint, War Emblem, Charismatic, Mine That Bird, Lemon Drop Kid, Birdstone, Ten Most Wanted, Eight Belles, Giacomo, and Sea Hero --- they had a combined total of 104 points and all ran in the Ky Derby. So, Daddy Long Legs (100 points) VS 5 different Kentucky Derby winners, two others who were post time favorite in the Derby, and 4 different Travers winners with 104 points. 
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#2
06-14-2012, 04:04 PM
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 Did this even make the Kentucky Derby organizer's radar?
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#3
06-14-2012, 04:22 PM
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Things pop up now and again that make people complain about the graded earnings system (Danthebluegrassman, Homeboykris come to mind).
__________________
The world's foremost expert on virtually everything on the Redskins 2010 season: "Im going to go out on a limb here. I say they make the playoffs."
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#4
06-14-2012, 04:33 PM
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Homeboykris bumped out A Little Warm, who was next in line.
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#5
06-14-2012, 05:14 PM
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The new system sets up nicely as a Game system for an audience. In fact, it coincides perfectly with the Road To The Roses Fantasy game.
However, it may cause some havoc in the real world of horse racing, and the Derby trail. Forget the 2 yo races, they won't be at all important anymore. This may lead to a greater stress on young 3 yo's in a short period of time (February-April) and increased amount of high profile horse breakdowns.
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#7
06-14-2012, 06:14 PM
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The top point earner among the filly only races could get an invite...
100 points for the UAE Derby when the BC Juvenile is valued at 10 points is laughable, and makes one think of total and complete bribery... By offering only 10 points to some of the key 2yo end of season races, you are basically going to see many horses(especially relevant horses) skip these races altogether pointing towards the large point valued races. Are we going to have 15+ horse fields in the key prep races? Auxiliary gates? Or AE lists 10 deep?
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#8
06-15-2012, 06:22 AM
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I suppose they could try and say something like "you can't compare this system with past years, because the connections of the horses in past years would have planned differently and got the points" But, in many cases, that is simply 100% not true. War Emblem tried the Fairgrounds route -- He was dusted in the Risen Star. They had abandoned any Derby hopes for him and took him home for the Illi Derby. Even after he destroyed Repent and ran a 112 Beyer in the ILLI Derby -- his connections weren't going to run him in the Derby. Baffert came in and bought him. War Emblem (A Derby, Preakness, and Haskell winner) would never have qualified. He had 0 points and nothing about his prep schedule would have changed. Lukas rushed Proud Citizen back for a bid at the Derby. PC ran 7th in the SA Derby. He wasn't in a position where he could have done anything different. Even if you say 'well, connections would have just planned different' -- ah no, third place finisher Perfect Drift is the Kentucky Derby winner in 2002.
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#9
06-16-2012, 08:04 AM
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They could have just tweaked the graded earnings system by discounting the 2yo and filly races, and we could have a better system. I was always irked by the cry for somebody on the bubble who scheduled a 2 prep spring and then fell short of expectations in one of them. I agree completely that 2yo races and sprints should be discounted, but not by a 10-1 ratio. If you're going to do that, how about discounting your beloved Bluegrass since it's not on dirt? The breeders will never let that happen, but with so much emphasis on the March/April races, the Bluegrass will become more irrelevant than ever in terms of producing Derby contenders, and instead will continue a parade of turf bred misfits. If you have a proven dirt Derby contender needing a few more points, do you go to Keenland?
The other thing I don't like is that they are assigning the races to run and taking it out of the track hands. Somewhere like Sunland bumps purses to try to make themselves a relevant Derby prep, but it would now be hard for somebody else to step up to the plate putting money in the game because nobody will take that route since Churchill says it isn't the way to go.
__________________
Do I think Charity can win? Well, I am walking around in yesterday's suit.
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#10
06-16-2012, 08:33 AM
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Here is a list of every filly to race in the Derby since 1945: Quote:
But, I know, My Adonis needs and deserves to be in the starting gate -- over these undeserving fillies. And Grade 1 two-year-old route racing is more interesting and often more truly run races than the Derby preps. A lot of top 2-year-olds don't come back to form at age 3, but it's often because of physical setbacks and they rarely make the Derby -- and when they do -- they're virtually never taking the spot of a better horse. You're basically just eliminating horses like Birdstone and Lemon Drop Kid who were outstanding Grade 1 winning 2yo routers -- but had a few minor setbacks and performed poorly in the Derby preps. Is My Adonis more deserving because he clunked up for 3rd in the Holy Bull and 2nd Gotham and 4th in the Wood Memorial?
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#11
06-16-2012, 08:06 AM
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 All/ All/ Drift
__________________
Do I think Charity can win? Well, I am walking around in yesterday's suit.
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#12
06-16-2012, 08:17 AM
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Perfect Drift was a killer at ages 3 and 4.
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