hard spun ..impressed..not really

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by banter

Polytrack or no, I was impressed with Hard Spun's run today. The early splits were fast but he went right with the leaders, rated kindly off them, and pulled away easily when asked.

One measure of HS's success might be the good showing of Joe Got Even, who gave his usual game effort. Despite his liking for and familiarity with Turfway, and despite his experience in large congested fields, Joe was no match for the winner. Still, his connections should be pleased, as should those of Catman Running, who defeated JGE last out.

The horses who really turned in unimpressive outings, besided the already-mentioned Forefathers, were Casse's Approval Rating, Pitts' Sports Town, and Pletcher's Bullara, who proved themselves unable to keep up with the likes of Hard Spun. The latter two were run off their feet by the early pace. They're decent horses, and they'll come back to run well, but today's race showed that they should be competing in lower class brackets.

Pitts trains For You Reppo.

[banter]

I know, I hit the "post" button too soon.

It's nice to know that people can respond to the real gist of a message.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by banter

I know, I hit the "post" button too soon.

It's nice to know that people can respond to the real gist of a message.

Giving Sightseek a hard time around here won't help your board cred.

Approval Rating, Sports Town, and especially Bullara, were nonfactors when they were entered. Taking nothing away from Hard Spun, who run a terrific race, his beating them proved nothing. One is dramatically slow, the other is a sprinter at best and Bullara just stinks.

The problem with the race is that nobody else really showed up. This isn't Hard Spun's fault, and he did everything right, but none of the possible contenders even ran a lick. Since his next start is at Keeneland, we may not really know how he measures against the real talent until the Derby.

[2MinsToPost]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Giving Sightseek a hard time around here won't help your board cred.

Approval Rating, Sports Town, and especially Bullara, were nonfactors when they were entered. Taking nothing away from Hard Spun, who run a terrific race, his beating them proved nothing. One is dramatically slow, the other is a sprinter at best and Bullara just stinks.

The problem with the race is that nobody else really showed up. This isn't Hard Spun's fault, and he did everything right, but none of the possible contenders even ran a lick. Since his next start is at Keeneland, we may not really know how he measures against the real talent until the Derby.

Is the Oaklawn surface that difficult for some horses to handle, this is in reference to their on the air interview with the trainer

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by 2MinsToPost

Is the Oaklawn surface that difficult for some horses to handle, this is in reference to their on the air interview with the trainer

I'm not a trainer, and Larry Jones is a good trainer, but according to his pps and really any speed figures you use, Hard Spun ran his best career race at Oaklawn. The bottom line is Jones found the weakest race with the best purse to guarantee Hard Spun a spot in the Derby if he won. I applaud him for that but find this " he didn't like Oaklawn " stuff to fly in the face of the facts.

I am not saying I will always be right, as sometimes the stories are true, but for the most part ignoring " trainerspeak " is the best thing you can do.

[Pointg5]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I'm not a trainer, and Larry Jones is a good trainer, but according to his pps and really any speed figures you use, Hard Spun ran his best career race at Oaklawn. The bottom line is Jones found the weakest race with the best purse to guarantee Hard Spun a spot in the Derby if he won. I applaud him for that but find this " he didn't like Oaklawn " stuff to fly in the face of the facts.

I am not saying I will always be right, as sometimes the stories are true, but for the most part ignoring " trainerspeak " is the best thing you can do.

Generally, I would agree with this, but I did see another quote where Asmussen said he noticed some horses not getting over the Oaklawn track(this was post Curlin win), so there might be some validity in what Jones was saying.

[Grits]

Forefathers didn't hit a lick, he shouldn't have been in the race to begin with. Horse was outmatched in the Hutcheson.

Zito does this to his horses, he talks to much. Everytime he gets on Central Kentucky bluegrass he thinks his horses are gonna run lights out.

Pass.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Grits

Forefathers didn't hit a lick, he shouldn't have been in the race to begin with. Horse was outmatched in the Hutcheson.

Zito does this to his horses, he talks to much. Everytime he gets on Central Kentucky bluegrass he thinks his horses are gonna run lights out.

Pass.

While stretching him out may not have been the 'right' decision, what trainer with a horse that can run isn't looking for a way to stretch them out and get into the Derby?

One could reason the cause of this 'outmatching' in the Hutcheson...

[Grits]

I don't think it was the right decision, and nothing in the Hutcheson showed me that it was. Trainers and owners get hopeful, they aspire to be in the Winners Circle in May and not all horses can be.

Just the way I feel about this particular horse.

Originally Posted by Sightseek

While stretching him out may not have been the 'right' decision, what trainer with a horse that can run isn't looking for a way to stretch them out and get into the Derby?

One could reason the cause of this 'outmatching' in the Hutcheson...

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Grits

I don't think it was the right decision, and nothing in the Hutcheson showed me that it was. Trainers and owners get hopeful, they aspire to be in the Winners Circle in May and not all horses can be.

Just the way I feel about this particular horse.

I agree with this...the Bay Shore could be an excellent race each year if more and more owners remained realistic.

Yeah Zito could learn alot from Grits. He's practically a novice at putting horses in the right spot.

[miraja2]

At this time of year, we all tend to get caught up in what each race means in terms of a horse's Derby chances. Coming into today I didn't think Hard Spun was going to be a legit contender for the Derby, and I still don't think he will be.
BUT, this was still an impressive and important win for Hard Spun. Whether we like it or not, being able to win on poly is becoming a pretty important aspect of the game these days. Joe Got Even (my pick for this race) is a pretty decent stakes horse at TP and he ran his usual decent race today. Hard Spun defeated him easily despite being close to a hot pace and a bit wide. That's fairly impressive.
Today didn't convince me that he is going to win or be close on Derby Day, but it did convince me that he could be a very quality stakes horse this year on multiple surfaces.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by miraja2

At this time of year, we all tend to get caught up in what each race means in terms of a horse's Derby chances. Coming into today I didn't think Hard Spun was going to be a legit contender for the Derby, and I still don't think he will be.
BUT, this was still an impressive and important win for Hard Spun. Whether we like it or not, being able to win on poly is becoming a pretty important aspect of the game these days. Joe Got Even (my pick for this race) is a pretty decent stakes horse at TP and he ran his usual decent race today. Hard Spun defeated him easily despite being close to a hot pace and a bit wide. That's fairly impressive.
Today didn't convince me that he is going to win or be close on Derby Day, but it did convince me that he could be a very quality stakes horse this year on multiple surfaces.

Excellent points.

[dellinger63]

didn't it have something with graded earnings?

He did what he had to.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Since his next start is at Keeneland, we may not really know how he measures against the real talent until the Derby.

I got Any Given Saturday, Great Hunter, Street Sense in the Blue Grass... he wont be tested here? Or its a poly thing?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by pgardn

I got Any Given Saturday, Great Hunter, Street Sense in the Blue Grass... he wont be tested here? Or its a poly thing?

For me it's a Poly thing. I just see it as a third surface at this time.

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by pgardn

I got Any Given Saturday, Great Hunter, Street Sense in the Blue Grass... he wont be tested here? Or its a poly thing?

Does Pletcher reconsider sending 'Saturday to the Bluegrass considering he needs more graded stakes earnings?