Hard Spun - Haskell

[ArlJim78]

Nothing would surprise me too much here. but at 9F on this track i think Hard Spun might have an advantage. i guess i'll predict that he finishes 1 or 2.

I'm still a little suspect about how good AGS is, and Curlin may not be cranked. HS / Curlin-AGS-CB or Curlin-AGS / HS

[alysheba4]

Originally Posted by Danzig

he sure is, why the derby proved that.

.....well the derby proved that hard spun with a perfect trip couldnt seal the deal, curlin may not be cranked but a blind man can see he is better than hard spun....

[Danzig]

no way i would argue who's better between hard spun and curlin, but my problem was the 'different zipcode' comment. no way curlin has shown he's in a different zipcode than anyone else in the top tier.

of course that could all change today, but hard spuns chances only got better with stormellos defection.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

.....well the derby proved that hard spun with a perfect trip couldnt seal the deal, curlin may not be cranked but a blind man can see he is better than hard spun....

you're kidding, right? only a perfect-er (real word? i think not!) trip for street sense got hard spun beaten that day.

[alysheba4]

Originally Posted by Danzig

you're kidding, right? only a perfect-er (real word? i think not!) trip for street sense got hard spun beaten that day.

....so, hard spun didnt have a great trip?? i am sorry, talking smack is the fun part of horse racing. i just think curlin is the better horse, no harm intended. i am playing the pick 4 and HOPE curlin DOES NOT WIN..... it will be interesting to see where spun gets placed, cable boy looks very fast, his last race was HUGE.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

....so, hard spun didnt have a great trip?? i am sorry, talking smack is the fun part of horse racing. i just think curlin is the better horse, no harm intended. i am playing the pick 4 and HOPE curlin DOES NOT WIN..... it will be interesting to see where spun gets placed, cable boy looks very fast, his last race was HUGE.

no, he got a really good trip. but i think pino opened up on him a bit mid way thru the race, rather than giving him a breather...that didn't help his cause when street sense came up late. i'd say the winner got the MORE perfect trip, and that made all the difference.

curlin on the other hand had to deal with traffic throughout and finished up well. had he also gotten a good trip, hard spun may well have had problems placing.

BUT monmouth plays to speed, the race is a bit shorter, and i think that all helps hard spun here.

oh, and don't apologize! i have no issues talking opinions (until things degenerate into name-calling, stating opinions should never get personal!)..i can handle the smack!

[Hoist Her Flag]

I think this year's Haskell is a great Match-up. The best since 1987 when Lost Code, Alysheba and Bet Twice went at it. This year I see Hard Spun as the Bet Twice, Curlin as the Alysheba and Any Given Saturday as the Lost Code, although the "Code" had accomplished a lot more coming into the race. Stormello's Deflection changes the pace immensely. I Hope it's actually a good race with 3 or 4 horses with a chance to win with an 1/8th to go. I like Any Given Saturday, but can accept a victory by Curlin or Hard Spun.

[Danzig]

personally.....i hope curlin never wins again--well, unless they change trainers.

[slotdirt]

Hard Spun just loves to finish second these days. They need to cut him back and let him loose...

[NoLuvForPletch]

In 1997 I fell for a beautiful gray named Free House (RIP big boy). Broke my heart often as a 3YO, but redeemed himself nicely as an older horse. 10 years later we have Hard Spun. Funny story, I was at the Belmont, and my seats were really bad at the top of the stretch, and was right there as Free House took the lead turning for home. It was only for a brief moment, but it was right there. I've been saying that Hard Spun is another Free House since the Preakness. He was in almost the same spot as Free House was in the Belmont, but my seats are in the Clubhouse now. Fortunately I've only got a few more opportunites to lose money on Hard Spun as he will not race after his 3YO campaign.

Anyone think the Bernard Baruch is an option? Would like to see him on the grass. How about the Kings Bishop? Too short?

[Cajungator26]

Speaking of Freehouse... whatever happened to Freesgood?

[NoLuvForPletch]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Don't really see the Free house correlation, but I also liked Free House a lot. He was a very nice horse and fast too. I suppose the baruch is an option, but tackling older on the turf first time might not be his best option. There is the Saranac on the turf later in the meet against straight 3 year olds. There are also a few turf races this fall at Belmont and Delaware where he could go.

I don't think the Kings Bishop is a bad spot at all for him either. Besides Teufelsberg and Most Distinguished I am not sure who is pointing towards it. Black Seventeen maybe.

Free House 10-1 in Derby finished 3rd passed in final 1/8 of a mile, Hard Spun 10-1 in Derby finished 2nd passed in final 1/8 of a mile.

Free House was thought to have best chance in Preakness, finished 2nd, Hard Spun thought to have best chance in Preakness, finished 3rd.

Free House makes wide move on the turn to the lead in Belmont, finished 3rd, Hard Spun makes wide move with winner and runner up in Belmont, finished 4th.

Free House runs next in Haskell, finished 3rd, Hard Spun runs next in Haskell finished 2nd.

Correlation being always a bride's maid, never a bride. Both of these horses were always there with a real good shot and didn't get it done in these 4 races.

Thinking more about The BC Mile for his October race, thus the Bernard Baruch instead of the Saranac. Although I guess in the grand scheme of things 1/16 mile longer isn't that big of a deal. Maybe the Saranac, Kelso, BC Mile route? I'm not sure he's so quick that the 6f BC Sprint would work.