He's talking about LH in the Preakness, when he ran fifth I believe. Can't remember the race well enough to say what Smith did wrong.

What does that have to do with Johnny V riding a horse like Big Drama who always goes to the lead, and now finds himself in perhaps the most paceless race hes ever been in?

I think if you like Big Drama at all, you have to be thrilled with his post. Is there any other post a horse like him could get that would be better?

True... looked like a very tired horse that day. Horse had shown a lot of tenacity in every race and offered no resistance that day. I guess with Mike Smith you kind of assume he starts in the 4 path and works his way out.

LH broke on top, SJ stalking, Eddington & RHT started their rallies entering the far turn, Elliott said go at that point and the race was over.

It probably doesn't have a whole lot to do with Velazquez/Big Drama. I just brought up a situation where having the rail with the lone speed doesn't help.

More than anything, I just watched the 2004 Preakness again last night and thought the ride was comical.

I don't want to turn this into a Mike Smith bashing thread, but it seems to me he has lucked into more good horses in his time than many other riders Ie. Lure, Azeri, Zenyatta, Holy Bull...ect than actually making a difference on a horse. You could easily make a case any rider worth his salt would have no trouble winning with these horses. He rarely makes a difference in a race, and honestly when I bet horses he is on I just hope he doesn't Fcuk up.

I hope you wake up on the side that doesnt inclde GQ or Papa Clem

Why?

Both will not fire.

General Quarters is not good and Papa was a product of track condition in the derby.

Papa Clem's work was awful, which bothers me, and I don't think GQ is good enough but I'm willing to draw a line through the Derby for all the runners and start over- clearly some handled the track and others didn't. The only two that ran to their capability were Musket Man and POTN. At 20-1 I'm willing to find out if GQ is good enough and at 12-1 I'll forgive Papa Clem's workout, but nothing less than those prices. So you might be correct in the two that I don't use.

Actually I agree, good citations of bringing up those stats from his good years. He was always in Bailey's shadow and whether one likes Bailey personally or not, no one could dispute he was a great rider. The difference from the 2 in my opinion is Bailey could make a difference in a horse's performance often bringing in the less superior horse, problem is you still wouldn't get fair value because people bet jockies. Mike's wide moves were also well suited for Belmont and I often wonder wouldn't N.Y be better suited for his riding style, Though I do understand why he moved due to declining mounts.

Besides the obvious Rachel/all, I was planning a seperate box with MTB, PON, MM and PC. I was still going back and forth last night about whether or not to add GQ to it. The 8 scares me enough, along with his honest BG win, that I can't toss him from what would be a good payoff. My TriBox is RA/PON/MM.

I don't know, I've never known the connections of a speed type in a route race be really excited about having the one post. I'd much rather be outside the speed.

They just showed Rachel schooling on the Pimlico feed. She looks great.

I think she will get better with her new connections not worse. Surely a little Ass TLC and elixirs can only help her...

how? justify.

I think this field is just a fine and with RA is in the mix it makes it even better.

For someone who has sent Pletcher off to the Derby with plenty of horses that were hopeless, I find it comical that Lucarelli accuses Jackson of "self-serving interest" for entering Rachel.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/103774.html

i think this field is better than big browns derby field, let alone the preakness...

What a tool

Let's see, Afleet Alex was out of a mare by Hawkster, a 10f-12f turf specialist by Silver Hawk, and the second dam was by Hawaii, another long-winded turfer who sired a (real) Derby winner at Epsom. Moreover, Northern Afleet, his sire, was a winner at up to 8.5f (G2 San Fernando S) and was a half-brother to a winner of the Delaware H (10f). Stick a little speed on top of the stayers and if you're lucky, you get a horse with both speed and stamina

And Da' Tara? He was by an out-and-out stayer named Tiznow you may have heard of. Out of a mare by Pirate's Bounty, he by a staying influence named Hoist the Flag out of a dam by a son of Nashua. Dam a SP full sister to a Vanity H (G1) winner and a couple of other stakes horses, solid enough family, bit more speed back here, but you need both.