Who will show drastic improvement in the Derby?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Stewart Elliott get a mention in that category?

I think Zanjero has little chance, no matter who's aboard.

NT

Oops.....my mistake. He totally sucks.

[brockguy]

Originally Posted by ARyan

I am still waiting for a horse named Giggs!

hes playing class at the moment. Coolmore have had Solskjaer and Van Nistlerooy, could be one soon!

[ARyan]

Originally Posted by brockguy

hes playing class at the moment. Coolmore have had Solskjaer and Van Nistlerooy, could be one soon!

I would settle for one named "The Welsh Wizard"


You don't happen to know where one could pick up one of those t-shirts about Giggs only playing for the Welsh National Team and Not England do you? Been looking for one of those since I heard about them.

[brockguy]

Originally Posted by ARyan

I would settle for one named "The Welsh Wizard"


You don't happen to know where one could pick up one of those t-shirts about Giggs only playing for the Welsh National Team and Not England do you? Been looking for one of those since I heard about them.

had a quick look - quite bored right now.. but couldnt see any to match your description.. i know there is a famous pic of him playing for england as a schoolboy cant quite find it yet..

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Stewart Elliott get a mention in that category?

I think Zanjero has little chance, no matter who's aboard.

NT

Nah, I think Ron Franklin retired the trophy.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

While I don't particularly like Tiago for this race, it won't shock me if he runs OK, but Zanjero feels like a plug who just sort of sucked up in the Bluegrass where no real running was taking place. I will be very surprised if he is any real factor in the Derby. He just feels slow.

Every race I look at Zanjero and expect improvement and it has not happened, I dont see why it should in a few weeks. I am through with him.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

He's an obvious detriment to the horse's chances but we've seen him weave through traffic at Churchill before to win the Derby with a much slower horse so I won't be able to dismiss this horse solely based on his jockey. At least we know he won't put the horse in a stranglehold on the first turn and destroy all chances like Kent D will.

give me Mike in a big race over half these nags riding......now if its a mdn 16k claimer on the inner you might as well have CC Lopez (as long as he is not in on a fix with Coa)

[JDank34]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

give me Mike in a big race over half these nags riding......now if its a mdn 16k claimer on the inner you might as well have CC Lopez (as long as he is not in on a fix with Coa)

Really?

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by JDank34

Really?

Some people find a way to get it done in the big spots............then again maybe some people are really lucky.

[JJP]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

If that was the case. from a speed figure standpoint anyway, there would be not a single horse running in the race.

As par for the race is 110 on the Beyer Scale, and Curlin's top figure of 103 puts him 4 1/4 lengths shy of par.

It doesn't matter what par is. All you can do is see how you stack up against the others. When Giacomo won, I don't think he made any considerable move forward; just many horses regressed. If nobody can route a 105 Beyer, then you have to anticipate a Beyer for the Derby winner to likely be under 110. And if you've been running 88s or 87s even in a weak year, you better forget about the Derby.

[ninetoone]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

On a related note....if they gave jockeys Beyer figures, what do you suppose Mike Smith's would have been for the inner track meet......23?

LOL, you joke around, but I've sometimes thought they should give jockeys some kind of figure like a beyer based on the ride they gave a horse,etc...

[POINTGIVEN1985]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

On a related note....if they gave jockeys Beyer figures, what do you suppose Mike Smith's would have been for the inner track meet......23?

mike is riding alot better as of late, hes picking up winners cost to cost, and hes on the a derby horse who alot of ppl like.

[POINTGIVEN1985]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

give me Mike in a big race over half these nags riding......now if its a mdn 16k claimer on the inner you might as well have CC Lopez (as long as he is not in on a fix with Coa)

agree with you, mike gets bashed bad on here, but ppl tend to forget hes a hall of famer, and hes still solid, better then half the guys around i'd say

[slotdirt]

Ah, the Mike Smith path. I can't wait to see Tiago go 37 wide on both turns.

[NTamm1215]

I wonder who the board would collectively rather have on their horse right now, Jorge Chavez or Mike Smith?

Back in the day, summer of 1999 these two kept swapping mounts on Affirmed Success and Artax in the sprint races in NY. It seemed like every time Chavez got on Artax the horse ran better. That played out in the BC.

NT

[10 pnt move up]

Mike rode like **** at Aqueduct, I dont think he would deny that.......still though in big races he is more into it and finds a way.

Good luck to Curlin and Albarado in a 20 horse field.

Whats funny is I see Mike get blasted constitently but I here narry a peep about Solis who has had MUCH MUCH better mounts the past year or so.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Ah, the Mike Smith path. I can't wait to see Tiago go 37 wide on both turns.

Poor Flashy Bull. Smith did do a great job of keeping him out of traffic that day though didn't he?

[Unstable]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

Mike rode like **** at Aqueduct, I dont think he would deny that.......still though in big races he is more into it and finds a way.

Good luck to Curlin and Albarado in a 20 horse field.

Whats funny is I see Mike get blasted constitently but I here narry a peep about Solis who has had MUCH MUCH better mounts the past year or so.

What has happened to Solis? The only time he wins is when he is on the best horse by far and I refuse to bet him.