Haskin's piece from today ...

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Linny

I tend to question the choices every year for the 23 spots. Some are obvious (Pioneer, Friesan Fire etc) but horses like T14P? Dutrow said that part of the "improvement" was bringing him back to his best distance, 6 furlongs. That's a Derby contender according to the panel who put this together?

It would be an absolute outrage if This One's For Phil was left off ... and just because his alchemist trainer was grasping for every reason he can think of to explain the horses improvement to media types.

The horse had already won a stake race at a mile - and was a better router than a sprinter when Kathleen O' Connel had him.

The horse is by a son of Unbridled who broke his maiden going 10 furlongs on turf .. and as a sire .. he gets better production with routers than sprinters... both win percentage wise and avg TG figure wise.

The tail female family is loaded with slowpoke stamina ... he had a half sibling run in the Belmont Stakes and plod past some quitters to finish like 5th or 6th.

The horse can rate - and hasn't gone a route yet for Dutrow. He will take money. There are some on that list who won't take much money ... and they are the ones who might not belong.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

It would be an absolute outrage if This One's For Phil was left off ... and just because his alchemist trainer was grasping for every reason he can think of to explain the horses improvement to media types.

The horse had already won a stake race at a mile - and was a better router than a sprinter when Kathleen O' Connel had him.

The horse is by a son of Unbridled who broke his maiden going 10 furlongs on turf .. and as a sire .. he gets better production with routers than sprinters... both win percentage wise and avg TG figure wise.

The tail female family is loaded with slowpoke stamina ... he had a half sibling run in the Belmont Stakes and plod past some quitters to finish like 5th or 6th.
The horse can rate - and hasn't gone a route yet for Dutrow. He will take money. There are some on that list who won't take much money ... and they are the ones who might not belong.

wasn't that Tap Dancer? 2004?

[The Indomitable DrugS]

yes.

He was a complete slowpoke router.

The dam of This One's For Phil is also a half sibling to Stolen Beauty. She ran down Easy Goer's 1/20 favored sister from behind to win the '91 Demoiselle at 9 furlongs as a 2yo.

This One's For Phil is bred to go very long and be very slow.

[ateamstupid]

I don't get Haskin's obsession with plodders like Terrain. I remember last year he loved Visionaire for the Derby because of the terrific fifth he ran in the Blue Grass.

[berreman150]

Read Terrain has been sick but didnt he beat Pioneer of the nile 2x already and from all that I have read Pioneer is high on everyones Derby list to win?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by berreman150

Read Terrain has been sick but didnt he beat Pioneer of the nile 2x already and from all that I have read Pioneer is high on everyones Derby list to win?

Everyone that has no clue.

[justindew]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Everyone that has no clue.

For the record, I have him ranked 8th. Lower than Papa Clem. Higher than Bittel Road.

Adjust accordingly.