Curse of Belmont Stakes suck-up closers continues

[randallscott35]

Orb looks like 9 furlongs is a limit to him...he was aided by the slop to get 10 panels, not unlike Super Saver...Has been tired at any distance since...Just not as good as perceived after a nice effort in the Derby....of which the horses who ran directly underneath him have done nothing since. Needs more water and aroma therapy down at Fair Hill me thinks.

[Calzone Lord]

I realize that he was wide against a rail favoring track in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and he didn't get much of a pace setup either, and he was in with legit older males, but I just don't think Orb will be winning any major races anytime soon.

It's amazing that a legend came be born simply by...

* Narrowly edging out Violence after he chased a run-off Majestic Hussar in a two-turn race that melted down. Violence came out of the race seriously injured, but anyone who doesn't think he was the better horse that day is incompetent.

* Winning the Florida Derby in a final time almost 2 full seconds slower than a blowout performance in the Gulfstream Oaks, by a 3-year-old filly, on the same day, over the same surface, at the same distance. I've studied result charts for every champion quality colt since the 1890's ... that stuff never happens to them. It's extremely rare when they win a top race where a 3yo filly goes 2 lengths faster...12? never.

* Winning the Derby in a +30 pace meltdown with Golden Soul second.

This is all it takes to earn comparisons to Easy Goer from no less of an authority than the Associated Press.

I hope his connections keep running tests looking for a health problem, but I think his problem on Saturday was: the bias, the pace, the competition, and most of all, Orb's genuine lack of ability as it relates to being a top class dirt horse of all-ages.

[randallscott35]

People are desperate for a Triple Crown. It tinges everything they feel and Shug looks like he wants to hug you when he talks...but it takes the horse, not the story.

[asudevil]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

People are desperate for a Triple Crown. It tinges everything they feel and Shug looks like he wants to hug you when he talks...but it takes the horse, not the story.

[Calzone Lord]

Fortunately, those allowance races didn't go, forcing Shug to enter the Fountain of Youth and challenge Violence. Something he said he really didn't want to do, even after winning the Kentucky Derby.

Golden Soul would be the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner had Shug not hand his hand forced with Orb, winning the FoY.

I love Shug and he's an incredibly honest person and certainly a legendary trainer. He has a very interesting A. P. Indy two-year-old who goes in the Champagne.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Fortunately, those allowance races didn't go, forcing Shug to enter the Fountain of Youth and challenge Violence. Something he said he really didn't want to do, even after winning the Kentucky Derby.

Golden Soul would be the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner had Shug not hand his hand forced with Orb, winning the FoY.

I love Shug and he's an incredibly honest person and certainly a legendary trainer. He has a very interesting A. P. Indy two-year-old who goes in the Champagne.

Did Honor Code break the AP INDY SPA curse?

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Did Honor Code break the AP INDY SPA curse?

No. I wrote about it here:

No horse sired by A.P. Indy has ever won a race of any kind at six furlongs or less at either Saratoga or Del Mar.

I first shared this fact with a friend, NYRA TV analyst Andy Serling, during the 2006 Saratoga meet. Ever since, whenever an A.P. Indy offspring has started at six furlongs or less at Saratoga, Andy has referred to this fact, on the air, as "The A.P. Indy curse."

Curious parties have asked how many A.P. Indy offspring have started at six furlongs or less at Saratoga or Del Mar. The answer is 91.

They are 0-for-67 at Saratoga. Remarkably, in 19 instances, the horse went off at odds of 5/2 or less.

At Del Mar, A.P. Indy offspring are 0-for-24 in races at six furlongs or less.

So the "A.P. Indy curse" equals an 0-for-91 stat, with his offspring burning up enough money to fill the Grand Canyon with ashes. (Logically enough, these horses usually improve markedly when stretched out in distance in the start following that sprint.)

http://www.horseracingnation.com/blo...f_A_P_Indy_123

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Did Honor Code break the AP INDY SPA curse?

Really excited to see him vs Havana this Saturday. That Havana race has not been as good as it looked on paper, right afterwards. Im curious as to who JV will ride??