Mayan King ... The HOTY March Begins

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Shouldn't you be getting ready for your flight, Bold?

Been there ... done that.

Mrs. Brooklynite and I were in Hungary in September 2004 in conjunction with a spectacularly successful secret mission. Wonderful place ... Budapest, Lake Balaton, Sopran, Tokay, Dunabogdany ... yeah, really nice.

[randallscott35]

Does Mayan King even hit the board is a better question?

[Betsy]

This isn't exactly a top-class field and Mayan King is a talented, improving colt. I see no reason why he couldn't win.........not saying he will, but he is definitely a contender.

[horseofcourse]

Hey Bold Brooklynite. I saw earlier your predictions. How sure are you of this race? I see on the morning line that Mayan King is the 10 choice at 15-1 and is only carrying 112, pretty much the light weight. If he is as good as you say, this would appear to be stealing money. This is an ok field but certainly not a great one. Should we go for the gusto and bet a lot of money to win on Mayan King?

[miraja2]

Ooops I didn't see this thread and I started a new one about this race which is about......2 more threads than this race deserves.
Anyway I like the #1 horse Gouldings Green.

[Ruffian2]

Bold, I've got a deal for you. I'll put $2 on this horse. If he wins, I'll add a signature line that says I worship you. If he doesn't, you add a line where you say you worship me. Deal??

Originally Posted by Ruffian

Bold, I've got a deal for you. I'll put $2 on this horse. If he wins, I'll add a signature line that says I worship you. If he doesn't, you add a line where you say you worship me. Deal??

You express this as if my being worshipped were some sort of novelty ... but ...

... I've been so widely worshipped for such a long time ... that one worshipper more or less amounts to nothing more than chump change.

I've never claimed to be a handicapper ... but I know that Mayan King has far more quality than any horse in this field ... and he seems to be coming to peak form.

Whether or not this translates into a victory ... after being shipped with Contessa's sfogliatelle all the way to god-knows-where Iowa ... I really can't tell.

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

Hey Bold Brooklynite. I saw earlier your predictions. How sure are you of this race? I see on the morning line that Mayan King is the 10 choice at 15-1 and is only carrying 112, pretty much the light weight. If he is as good as you say, this would appear to be stealing money. This is an ok field but certainly not a great one. Should we go for the gusto and bet a lot of money to win on Mayan King?

There are always the unknown factors of a different track ... shipping ... first stakes race of the year ... etc. etc. etc. ... but ...

... if this race were run at Belmont ... I guarantee you he'd win it.

Take that for what it's worth.

[Independent George]

Originally Posted by Bold Brooklynite

There are always the unknown factors of a different track ... shipping ... first stakes race of the year ... etc. etc. etc. ... but ...

... if this race were run at Belmont ... I guarantee you he'd win it.

Take that for what it's worth.

hhhhmmmmmm, about 5 cents, tops.

[1st_Saturday_in_May]

I understand your point BoldBrook, but I look at it like this. Siphon City (pp3), Master Command (pp9), Courthouse (pp10), and Alumni Hall (pp11) do their best running from on or just off the lead. That means, BEST CASE SCENARIO, he is three wide around the first turn but more likely four wide. How many horses win when they are four wide around the first turn in a 9f race? Practically none. And lets say that he is able to weather the frontrunners and finds himself alone atop the lane...then he has to hold off Gouldings Green, Congrats, Real Dandy and Good Reward who will be moving late. He's not receiving enough weight - no more than 5lbs from anyone to make a huge difference and I respect your backing of this horse but his race is likely over before the gate opens.

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by Betsy

This isn't exactly a top-class field and Mayan King is a talented, improving colt. I see no reason why he couldn't win.........not saying he will, but he is definitely a contender.

Except that he is a front-running type in a race with several other front-running types. And he is breaking from the 12 hole - gonna he hung out 4,5 wide in the first turn. There are G2 and G3 winners in here, and horses who have placed in such races. What is Mayan King's stakes experience? Finishing far back in the Lane's End. He may be a talented horse, or merely an unexposed horse. After all, his win last out was a n3x; who'd he beat? Noble Causeway? Who was beaten the same distance by Alumni Hall the time before? And I don't think AH is a likely winner.

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

Except that he is a front-running type in a race with several other front-running types. And he is breaking from the 12 hole - gonna he hung out 4,5 wide in the first turn. There are G2 and G3 winners in here, and horses who have placed in such races. What is Mayan King's stakes experience? Finishing far back in the Lane's End. He may be a talented horse, or merely an unexposed horse. After all, his win last out was a n3x; who'd he beat? Noble Causeway? Who was beaten the same distance by Alumni Hall the time before? And I don't think AH is a likely winner.

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree. It's not fair, IMO, to count the Lane's End against him; MK got hurt in that race and it was a long time ago. I never said he was a lock to win, but I definitely think he's a contender. We'll know soon enough.

[1st_Saturday_in_May]

Doesnt have a chance in hell

I'm amazed that supposedly sophisticated racing fans are unable to properly interpret Mayan King's past performances. So please allow me to 'splain things to you.

1. He didn't race as a 2YO because of minor physical setbacks.

2. When he finally came out as a 3YO ... he won his first two times out.

3. Contessa ... always high on this horse ... put him on the Triple Crown trail ... but after shipping to Kentucky for his first stakes try ... he shattered a bone in his hind leg ... and had to sit out for 11 months.

4. Coming back with a steel bolt in his leg ... he won first time out.

5. Second start off the long layoff ... he ran into a very good horse in Rathor ... and put on a good show even though a one-turn 8f is short of his best distance of 10f.

6. Third start off the layoff ... he runs a mile on Friday just as fast as Silver Train runs the Met Mile on Saturday ... and he still had another 1/16 to go. He was so sharp that he ran on the front end ... after stalking in his previous three wins. He has now won four of the five races which he finished on four legs.

7. So Contessa takes the trouble to ship him ... plus Keith Partridge and a dufflebag full of biscotte ... all the way to Iowa ... to catch a softer field than the Suburban ... which may be a mistake ... but Belmont's leading trainer doesn't ship 1,000 miles just to see how corn grows.

There are a million ways that the best horse can lose a race ... especially when shipping and coming back from a serious injury ... but Mayan King is the clear quality in this race ... and if he runs back to his last win at Belmont ... he crushes this field.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

Does Mayan King even hit the board is a better question?

A resounding no.

[prudery]

Might we click our heels together thrice and say Mayan, Mayan, Mayan, and the imaginary HOY will appear . So much for brilliance and predictions .

[randallscott35]

No problem with making predictions. I give the man credit for sticking his neck out. No shame in that at all. More people should do that instead of redboarding about horses after the fact.

[prudery]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

No problem with making predictions. I give the man credit for sticking his neck out. No shame in that at all. More people should do that instead of redboarding about horses after the fact.

No problem with what you are saying, but you missed the point. Agree also that after the fact redboarding is lame ,and unsporting as well . Everyone should get credit for bravery in personal convictions, though some seem to have a self-generated surplus .

It was way past his bedtime ... and Gary made a big mistake sharing his sfogliatella with the horse in the paddock. Those things sit like lead in the stomach for hours.

And ... hey ... I never predicted he'd win this race ... I just said he'd be Horse Of The Year ... so we'll just have to wait and see who's right about that.

[NoCarolinaTony]

You are quite right, At least he stuck his neck out. Redboarding is too easy and very un becomming.

NC Tony