Tips/Thoughts on Breeders' Cup tickets this year?

[Handicappy]

Originally Posted by Kasept

If you haven't seen Steve Crist's most recent zippy column, it takes dead aim at the silly braying for various horses to run in the Breeders' Cup "for the good of the game". For instance, John Pricci had one of those impassioned and idiotic calls for Zenyatta to run in the Classic that I thought was a particularly special display of grandstanding. Crist cuts to the core and is especially right here:

The theory seems to be that horsemen should ignore their own expert opinions about what would be best for their horses and run them where they don't really want to, because somehow this will send horse racing to the top of the charts and energize an apathetic general public.

When it comes to virtually any aspect of the game's qualities or deficiencies, Crist consistently can be counted upon to get it right and express it best. His work alone makes the DRF Plus subscription worthwhile...

Spare me, please, 'For the good of the game'
By STEVEN CRIST

http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do?NID=98991

NEW YORK - In these final days before the Breeders' Cup pre-entry deadline Tuesday, we've been hearing a lot about how various owners have a duty or obligation about if and when to run their horses under the banner of "for the good of the game."

This is why Curlin is supposed to run in the Classic despite his handlers' lack of enthusiasm for racing on a new synthetic track; why Zenyatta is supposed to take on the boys instead of being odds-on in the Ladies' Classic; why Commentator and Vineyard Haven and even Zarkava should be entered despite their connections' clear preference to call it a year.

In a sort of twisted version of "My country, right or wrong," owners and trainers are supposed to participate in and support the Breeders' Cup because this will draw more television viewers, create new fans, and attract hordes of new advertisers and sponsors.

What will draw more television viewers, create new fans, and attract hordes of new advertisers and sponsors is a competent marketing strategy. There is so much that can be done to bring in the young, old, female, and male. It is a perfect sport for Radio. Ideal! But, aside from your far too limited week day show Steve that is all we have.
They can never seem to get there heads around the idea that the owners and trainers are already doing their part by putting the best trained athlete's out there. Makes me crazy. I am going out there anyway. I love watching the championships whether they will actually crown one or not. The entire two days being around a community of horse players and horse lovers does it for me.

[Cannon Shell]

Maybe I am in the minority and i didn't read Pricci's article but running Zenyatta in the Classic isnt really that bad of an idea is it? I understand they have Tiago but she could sweep to horse of the year if she were to win the race couldnt she? She is proven over the surface unlike the other main contenders so she certainly has the home field advantage. I dont think that her going in the Classic would draw more than 12 extra fans or coverage and I dont think it would have any "effect on the sport" but I would be interested to see how she matches up against the big boys.

[blackthroatedwind]

In the Land of the Blind the One Eyed Man is King.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

In the Land of the Blind the One Eyed Man is King.

At least the one eyed man can see over the dashboard without a booster seat

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

At least the one eyed man can see over the dashboard without a booster seat

I was referring to Steve Crist......

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I was referring to Steve Crist......

The one eyed man can often be blinded by excessive hair in the face...

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

The one eyed man can often be blinded by excessive hair in the face...

The one eyed man doesn't have to worry about his eyes being bigger than his stomach.

[CSC]

Owner's don't have an obligation to run anywhere they don't desire, I think it is just a wish to some of the interested observers of the game to have someone step fwd and take risks in the game, to add some juice to the game. All I know is we would have never had a great story as in Seabiscuit/War Admiral match race if they ran today. Since everyone optically speaking mostly seems interested in protecting their horse's reputations these days.

[ELA]

Originally Posted by CSC

Owner's don't have an obligation to run anywhere they don't desire, I think it is just a wish to some of the interested observers of the game to have someone step fwd and take risks in the game, to add some juice to the game. All I know is we would have never had a great story as in Seabiscuit/War Admiral match race if they ran today. Since mostly everyone optically seems interested in protecting their horse's reputations these days.

I hear you, and in part I agree. However, I think this is taken to an extreme. We have seen, time and time again, fans, the general public, whatever you want to call it -- hold owners accountable to some nonsensical standard. Tafel with Street Sense, Jackson with Curlin, and the list goes on and on. Another aspect that is nonsensical is the person who emphatically states "If I owned . . . I would . . ." -- yeah, just like people who say if they won the lottery . . . It's an extreme sense of entitlement, feeling cheated, and holding people to some standard that doesn't exist. It often seems like much more than a wish, and it's BS.

Taking risks in the game cost money. It has a price attached to it. Some people don't know and don't understand the price. Others do. It's also not about the money sometimes. It is about whatever the owner wants it to be about. This has always been a business of self expression. As they say, nobody will ever have everybody like it. I have never critisized an owner like Tafel or Jackson because they didn't want to race in a particular race. I never would say they weren't sportsmen or they cheated the fans or anything of the like. The decision not to run is often used as blame for the state of the sport and business. I think the people that blame might be to blame.

Eric

[Danzig]

well of course owners have every right to run their horses where they wish, good of the game or not. after all, we all know the best thing for the game would be for the best horses to remain in training, when owners know the best thing for themselves is to make money and stay in the game-hence the quick route to the shed when they get a top horse.
but, for the same owners to take umbrage when fans and media don't give the kudos to those horses for staying in against weaker competition (zenyatta for example), they've got no one to blame but themselves. zenyatta could take hoy, she could get her praises sung to the heavens should she take on the boys, but she 'deserves' to stay vs females according to her owners. no, if he wants her to be considered as being great, then she has to PROVE it, not just make everyone assume.
that filly has beaten her peers time and again, and has the best three year old and best older horse coming west to run on an untried surface. i think they are wrong for skipping the chance to put her where she really deserves to be. this nonsense that fillies shouldn't run vs boys is absolutely ridiculous.
as for zarkava, i think they're doing the right thing with her. as for curlin, i appreciate jackson for taking him west. we all know curlin would have been gone long ago but for the legal issues...but so what. jackson could very well have remained on the east coast, and i don't think anyone would blame him.

and of course if the bc folks are unhappy with a possible watered down product, it's their own fault for giving owners too many choices for those two days. rather than adding all the other racing, they should have increased the purse for the classic. but then, we all know it's handle they're after, and the bc gets all handle for all bc races. they're killing the golden goose imo.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

In the Land of the Blind the One Eyed Man is King.

Great book.

[cowgirlintexas]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Maybe I am in the minority and i didn't read Pricci's article but running Zenyatta in the Classic isnt really that bad of an idea is it? I understand they have Tiago but she could sweep to horse of the year if she were to win the race couldnt she? She is proven over the surface unlike the other main contenders so she certainly has the home field advantage. I dont think that her going in the Classic would draw more than 12 extra fans or coverage and I dont think it would have any "effect on the sport" but I would be interested to see how she matches up against the big boys.

I think the same Chuck..She's beaten everything in the female divison..Why not take a shot at the boys? So many before have zig-zagged around it and we never really ever got to see they could have..She looks to be somethng special and one that could very well beat Curlin and Big Brown etc.

Course then, we'd be crying out for a match-up between her and Zarkava

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by cowgirlintexas

I think the same Chuck..She's beaten everything in the female divison..Why not take a shot at the boys? So many before have zig-zagged around it and we never really ever got to see they could have..She looks to be somethng special and one that could very well beat Curlin and Big Brown etc.

Course then, we'd be crying out for a match-up between her and Zarkava

I'm not saying that she should or is even good enough but it isnt that much of a stretch to see her in there. Though the good of the sport theory is laughable since virtually no one outside of hardcore fans have even heard of her before.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Maybe I am in the minority and i didn't read Pricci's article but running Zenyatta in the Classic isnt really that bad of an idea is it? I understand they have Tiago but she could sweep to horse of the year if she were to win the race couldnt she? She is proven over the surface unlike the other main contenders so she certainly has the home field advantage. I dont think that her going in the Classic would draw more than 12 extra fans or coverage and I dont think it would have any "effect on the sport" but I would be interested to see how she matches up against the big boys.

I'm with you, I don't think it's a stretch at all to run her. She'd be 3rd or 4th choice, at worst, for a $5mm race.

[VOL JACK]

Originally Posted by philcski

I'm with you, I don't think it's a stretch at all to run her. She'd be 3rd or 4th choice, at worst, for a $5mm race.

If Curlins' connections decide to pass, it's going to be the weakest Classic field ever. Id give it a shot if I owned her. That being said, if Curlin goes Id stick with the Distaff.

[smuthg]

I thought this was a great line from Crist's piece...

"With or without Curlin and the others, it's the best and busiest racing and wagering event of the year. I plan to handicap and bet until it hurts."

Yeah, I don't like that its on "Pro-Ride" or that they've split the card into two unnecessary days, or that some of the best horses aren't running, but I think its still a great event and look forward to it every year, even this year.

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Maybe I am in the minority and i didn't read Pricci's article but running Zenyatta in the Classic isnt really that bad of an idea is it? I understand they have Tiago but she could sweep to horse of the year if she were to win the race couldnt she? She is proven over the surface unlike the other main contenders so she certainly has the home field advantage. I dont think that her going in the Classic would draw more than 12 extra fans or coverage and I dont think it would have any "effect on the sport" but I would be interested to see how she matches up against the big boys.

If this were Europe or Australia, there would be no question; a female horse who has run out of competition among fillies and/or mares naturally takes on the males. Like Zarkava did in the Arc. And Pride, who was second a couple of years ago. And like Sunline did, and Makybe Diva, who became the first 3-time winner of the Melbourne Cup, did. We used to do it in the USA, too, and not that long ago. Easy Goer's dam Relaxing ran third to John Henry in the JC Gold Cup.

[ELA]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Maybe I am in the minority and i didn't read Pricci's article but running Zenyatta in the Classic isnt really that bad of an idea is it? I understand they have Tiago but she could sweep to horse of the year if she were to win the race couldnt she? She is proven over the surface unlike the other main contenders so she certainly has the home field advantage. I dont think that her going in the Classic would draw more than 12 extra fans or coverage and I dont think it would have any "effect on the sport" but I would be interested to see how she matches up against the big boys.

I don't have a strong opinion either way, yet. I'll see after the entries and see how the field looks. Sure, you can make a case for it. I wouldn't hold it against an owner if he did it for ego or for sportsmanship. I agree it's not about drawing more extra fans -- and if Curlin vs. Big Brown did, it would be short-lived at best. Of course as many know, that is not the solution.

I don't think any of it -- not one day -- will have an effect on the sport. It's the difference between a diet and a lifestyle change. "They" will get it one day. When they need so much else in order to survive.

I think Crist hit the nail -- dead center perfect -- right on the head.

Eric

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Maybe I am in the minority and i didn't read Pricci's article but running Zenyatta in the Classic isnt really that bad of an idea is it? I understand they have Tiago but she could sweep to horse of the year if she were to win the race couldnt she? She is proven over the surface unlike the other main contenders so she certainly has the home field advantage. I dont think that her going in the Classic would draw more than 12 extra fans or coverage and I dont think it would have any "effect on the sport" but I would be interested to see how she matches up against the big boys.

They can't bear to watch Tiago get smoked.. What does horse of the year mean? Who cares about this crap do trainers get some type of monetary perk for winning HOY? i

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by freddymo

They can't bear to watch Tiago get smoked.. What does horse of the year mean? Who cares about this crap do trainers get some type of monetary perk for winning HOY? i

Trainers rarely get monetary perks for anything.