Belmont the Fall Championship Meet

Tim,
Don't you see the problem? What if one of em doesnt win? Then what?
Thats the problem Tim, older horses spend the year ducking each other because thats whats smart. WHy would Invasor or Lava have shipped this year to meet each other when they could stay home and win grade ones. Suppose they run 6th and 7th in the BC, it happens Tim. Speed duels, injuries, bad rides, not liking the track, etc.
Thats the rub. How you decide which horse was better if they both don't fire when they meet? The cup encourages only year end meetings between horses, and often times their form isnt the same as it was earlier in the year.
It deprives fans and racetracks from good all year round matchups.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Tim,
Don't you see the problem? What if one of em doesnt win? Then what?
Thats the problem Tim, older horses spend the year ducking each other because thats whats smart. WHy would Invasor or Lava have shipped this year to meet each other when they could stay home and win grade ones. Suppose they run 6th and 7th in the BC, it happens Tim. Speed duels, injuries, bad rides, not liking the track, etc.
Thats the rub. How you decide which horse was better if they both don't fire when they meet? The cup encourages only year end meetings between horses, and often times their form isnt the same as it was earlier in the year.
It deprives fans and racetracks from good all year round matchups.

Wouldnt you say race grading also has something to do with the ducking? I have always said that the races should be graded AFTER they have been run or not at all. Too many phoney graded stake races out there.

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Wouldnt you say race grading also has something to do with the ducking? I have always said that the races should be graded AFTER they have been run or not at all. Too many phoney graded stake races out there.

Well there is too many Graded Races in my opinion. Here is a list of Grade I's for 2006 for males 3 year old and up at a distance longer than 1 mile.

Belmont
Breeders Cup Classic
Cigar Mile
Clark Handicap
Donn Handicap
Florida Derby
Haskell
Hollywood Gold Cup
Jockey Club Gold Cup
Kentucky Derby
Metropolitan
Pacific Classic
Pimlico Speical
Preakness
Santa Anita Derby
Santa Anita Handicap
Stephen Foster
Suburban
Toyota Bluegrass Stakes
Travers
Whitney
Wood Memorial
Woodward Stakes

23 Grade I Stakes. That is insane.