Bailey vs. Azeri

[blackthroatedwind]

Bailey rode Roar Emotion exactly as she figured to be ridden. It was Day's job to deal with it, and Lukas's, and they failed to do so.

Smarty Jones lost the Belmont because eventually Stewart Elliot was forced to make actual riding decisions on that horse. Not surprisingly he failed miserably.

[justindew]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Bailey rode Roar Emotion exactly as she figured to be ridden. It was Day's job to deal with it, and Lukas's, and they failed to do so.

Smarty Jones lost the Belmont because eventually Stewart Elliot was forced to make actual riding decisions on that horse. Not surprisingly he failed miserably.

Bailey's decision to go that fast was insane, and he did it because he was more concerned with Azeri than his own horse. Period. If he was trying to ensure the best possible finish for Roar Emotion, the last thing he would have done was run a hole in the wind.

Sightseek, Wild Spirit, Imperial Gesture....all horses that lost to Azeri with Bailey aboard.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by justindew

Bailey's decision to go that fast was insane, and he did it because he was more concerned with Azeri than his own horse. Period. If he was trying to ensure the best possible finish for Roar Emotion, the last thing he would have done was run a hole in the wind.

Sightseek, Wild Spirit, Imperial Gesture....all horses that lost to Azeri with Bailey aboard.

Call me back when you find JFK's real assassin.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Call me back when you find JFK's real assassin.

maybe this isnt the real and authentic justindew posting?

[justindew]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

maybe this isnt the real and authentic justindew posting?

Oh no. Not again.

[Left Bank]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

maybe this isnt the real and authentic justindew posting?

PG1985 in disguise????

[King Glorious]

I am in agreement with both sides. Bailey conceded the race alright. He just didn't concede it to Azeri. He did everything in his power to make sure that his own filly wouldn't win though and to me, that's not professional. In my opinion, u are supposed to do what u can in order to give your horse it's best chance to win. Sure, in this instance, it was to go to the lead because that was Roar Emotion's running style and trying to take her back and making her chase Azeri would have been giving up too. But I would have expected a veteran hall of famer like Bailey to slow it down a little. By going that fast, it was pretty obvious that he was deciding that he didn't care where his horse finished, just so long as Azeri didn't win. It reminded me of when Woody Stephens sacrificed Forty Niner in the 1988 Preakness by telling Day that his only job was to make sure Winning Colors didn't win, his own chances be damned.

At the same time, Day is also a hall of famer and should have adjusted better to what was unfolding in front of him. My opinion is that it was unprofessional what Bailey did and stupid what Day did. Azeri's greatness was shown by the way she nearly overcame both obstacles to win.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Cardus

I recall Stevens saying, "We might finish last, but she'll be next to last" (or the opposite).

Yeah, something like that. Totally classless to sacrifice a horse that could have conceivably won the race just because he was mad that a filly had won.

[disappearingdan_akaplaya]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Bailey rode Roar Emotion exactly as she figured to be ridden. It was Day's job to deal with it, and Lukas's, and they failed to do so.

Smarty Jones lost the Belmont because eventually Stewart Elliot was forced to make actual riding decisions on that horse. Not surprisingly he failed miserably.

well this debate will never end but i think elliot made the right choice that day, he couldnt just sit out wide all the way around, smarty woulda been beaten by more had he done that

[blackthroatedwind]

The Triple Crown offers a myriad of challenges to any horse and that is the real reason why it is so elusive and difficult to win. Inevitably in a challenging three race series even the best horse will be faced with situations that prevent it from overcoming the obstacles. More often than not the Derby is the toughest race due to the extreme field size. Smarty Jones's Derby was dramatically compromised by the thunderstorms that turned the track into a quagmire and prevented a true race from being run. But, ultimately he was unable to succeed in all three races, whether it was rider error or a more fairly run race that eventually did him in. Much like Afleet Alex and Point Given, Smarty Jones was most likely the best horse of his generation, but not good enough to win the Triple Crown. That doesn't diminish his talents....it is merely the reality of the situation.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Much like Afleet Alex and Point Given, Smarty Jones was most likely the best horse of his generation, but not good enough to win the Triple Crown.

IMO, compared to the rest of their crops, all three of them were easily good enough to win the triple crown, they just didn't do it.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

IMO, compared to the rest of their crops, all three of them were easily good enough to win the triple crown, they just didn't do it.

They didn't " just not do it. " They lost becuase they weren't so vastly superior to their opposition to overcome all the obstacles the Triple Crown presented.

Sure each could have won the race they lost if they ran it ten times....but each would have lost another leg had they run that one ten times.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

They didn't " just not do it. " They lost becuase they weren't so vastly superior to their opposition to overcome all the obstacles the Triple Crown presented.

I hear ya.

But, each of them were good enough to do it. In one case (PG Derby) a horse just didn't fire - and in two cases (AA Derby & and SJ Belmont) I think they both clearly ran the best race of anyone - albiet in losing efforts.

You look at a horse like Real Quiet - who was smoked by Indian Charlie in the SA Derby and had embarassing losses in Northern California and at Santa Fe Downs earlier on....with a highly criticized Belmont ride, he came within a nosebob of a triple crown sweep.

I do understand your point, however, contrary to recent history and all the stats, I'm not really sure you have to be so vastly superior to your opposition to sweep the series. It just seems that way.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I hear ya.

But, each of them were good enough to do it. In one case (PG Derby) a horse just didn't fire - and in two cases (AA Derby & and SJ Belmont) I think they both clearly ran the best race of anyone - albiet in losing efforts.

You look at a horse like Real Quiet - who was smoked by Indian Charlie in the SA Derby and had embarassing losses in Northern California and at Santa Fe Downs earlier on....with a highly criticized Belmont ride, he came within a nosebob of a triple crown sweep.

I do understand your point, however, contrary to recent history and all the stats, I'm not really sure you have to be so vastly superior to your opposition to sweep the series. It just seems that way.

Same with Silver Charm. A lot of people speculated that, because of the type of heart he had, if he had seen Touch Gold coming up on him in the Belmont, he might have dug in and held him off. What people forget is that had it not been for horrible racing luck in the Preakness, Touch Gold would have won that race too and he, not Silver Charm would have been the dual classic winner. Instead it was SC that got the honors. I think in his case, not only was he not vastly superior, I don't even think he was superior at all.