8/23-24 (DMR): DMR H. (G2); PacClassic (G1), O'Brien, Mile (G2's)

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

It was his freaking sixth lifetime start, going up against much more seasoned horses. Gift wrapped???

His first two starts this year were freaking exhibition races no less.

Game on dude had zero excuses. He opened up a big lead having it his own way, and the winner blew by him like it was nothing.

Saying that a horse who dueled through :22 and :45 splits going 1 1/4 miles "had zero excuses" for losing and "had it his own way" shows a pretty staggering misunderstanding of race dynamics. I'm just gonna assume it's the noise of the Shared Belief pom-poms blocking all rational thought in this case.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Saying that a horse who dueled through :22 and :45 splits going 1 1/4 miles "had zero excuses" for losing and "had it his own way" shows a pretty staggering misunderstanding of race dynamics. I'm just gonna assume it's the noise of the Shared Belief pom-poms blocking all rational thought in this case.

It was a slight overstatement. The reality is though that God is a horse that is much better running loose and he was able to do just that. Would you have preferred that he had gone 48.4 fighting his jock?

All in all, he ended up running a pretty good race. God that is.

I doubt had the race been run any differently, that he'd have finished any closer than he did

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

It was a slight overstatement. The reality is though that God is a horse that is much better running loose and he was able to do just that. Would you have preferred that he had gone 48.4 fighting his jock?

All in all, he ended up running a pretty good race. God that is.

I doubt had the race been run any differently, that he'd have finished any closer than he did

Stop bro, just stop. So if GOD went 47.3 w/out that long shot pressing him, he doesn't draw away turning for home??
I don’t buy it.

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

Stop bro, just stop. So if GOD went 47.3 w/out that long shot pressing him, he doesn't draw away turning for home??
I don’t buy it.

well, no. Shared Belief was still in the race. If the long shot wasn't in the race, then Shared Belief likely sits 5 or 6 lengths closer to GOD if he goes 47.3 and GOD is not drawing away from Shared Belief because Shared Belief was actually in that race. He's a better horse right now.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

well, no. Shared Belief was still in the race. If the long shot wasn't in the race, then Shared Belief likely sits 5 or 6 lengths closer to GOD if he goes 47.3 and GOD is not drawing away from Shared Belief because Shared Belief was actually in that race. He's a better horse right now.

It really is that simple. He's just a better horse right now. They go slower, he sits closer. Faster, he hangs back. This isn't some one pace grinder with no turn of foot. He makes his own trip.

[herkhorse]

Baffert whining like Coburn.

"Longshots are always the biggest danger to a horse like Game on Dude," Baffert said. "They always want to go after him. I hate to see that. I think he was gonna' win if they hadn't gone after him like that. It's frustrating to train a horse and get him ready for his biggest race and have a horse who has no shot to win take that chance away."

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...#ixzz3BO7s1VPv

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by herkhorse

Baffert whining like Coburn.

"Longshots are always the biggest danger to a horse like Game on Dude," Baffert said. "They always want to go after him. I hate to see that. I think he was gonna' win if they hadn't gone after him like that. It's frustrating to train a horse and get him ready for his biggest race and have a horse who has no shot to win take that chance away."

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...#ixzz3BO7s1VPv

horses with a particular style are prone to racing luck. front runners get brave when left alone, closers need a pace to come into and no traffic issues.
his complaints are silly. the horse may well have won had he been left alone-but it's not a valid complaint. what, they're supposed to just leave him alone and let him have his own way? ridiculous.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by herkhorse

Baffert whining like Coburn.

"Longshots are always the biggest danger to a horse like Game on Dude," Baffert said. "They always want to go after him. I hate to see that. I think he was gonna' win if they hadn't gone after him like that. It's frustrating to train a horse and get him ready for his biggest race and have a horse who has no shot to win take that chance away."

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...#ixzz3BO7s1VPv

Seriously Bob? I guess the rest of them should have just sat back and not challenged him at all so they could let him win and run for second.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by herkhorse

Baffert whining like Coburn.

"Longshots are always the biggest danger to a horse like Game on Dude," Baffert said. "They always want to go after him. I hate to see that. I think he was gonna' win if they hadn't gone after him like that. It's frustrating to train a horse and get him ready for his biggest race and have a horse who has no shot to win take that chance away."

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...#ixzz3BO7s1VPv

While ridiculous, I don't think Bob's comments are in the same category as Coburn's at all. Coburn's were beyond unsportsmanlike. Bob's grousing about longshot speed horses like people are out to get him or something. It's just being willfully oblivious to the obligations of other connections to their horse to set him up the best they could--a bit like Mine That Bird's in the Preakness where they clearly thought it was unfair to have to deal with un-nominated Rachel, to the point of trying to get another horse to enter to keep her out. They weren't shy about their frustration with her being in the race. There isn't a rule that there can only be one speed horse and who says they gotta be one of the favorites to warrant entering them? You don't get to have the race your way and anybody trying to keep you from that isn't just a big stupidhead. Mystery Train's connections knew what their horse was good at and had him do it. If Bob'd done his research he'd know that this horse's running style was a threat. Like GoD is the only horse that needs to be up there.

Mystery Train wasn't 'going after' GoD. He was trying to win. Didn't obviously, but he's not nobody. A MG1W in Argentina isn't a bum. He ran 2000m in 1:58.31 which was a NTR there. And Shared Belief's the one who took the chance away. Deal with it, Bob. Nobody let you get away with being loose on the lead. Boo hoo.

[robfla]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

Stop bro, just stop. So if GOD went 47.3 w/out that long shot pressing him, he doesn't draw away turning for home??
I don’t buy it.

sometimes horses that seem to always have "perfect trips" make their trips perfect by having both good early speed and a burst of speed when asked. IMO, Shared Belief was beating Game on Dude yesterday in any scenario. No one seems to have mentioned Shared Belief's awkward start where he brushed the gate... 2:00.small change for 1 1/4 miles on Polytrack is "racehorse" time.