Slots are in at Gulfstream

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by Pointg5

The track configuration and spacing of the races for the Triple Crown is a nightmare, yes Barbaro won, but he won despite that set up. Look for horses to make an early start there and then ship out to FG and Oaklawn for their serious preps. That configuration is a joke...

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

[Pointg5]

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

You have to go a 1 turn mile or right to a 1 1/8th, that's too much for 3yo's that early, it's rediculous...

I don't think it will be the norm with a 5 week layoff, it happened once in a long time and it took a special horse to do it...

You can't compare Invasior and GZ to prepping for the Derby, they were older horses...

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

You can't be serious...

Barbaro was a huge bet against for many people because of that 5 week layoff. He was the exception more than the norm...

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

You can't be serious...

Barbaro was a huge bet against for many people because of that 5 week layoff. He was the exception more than the norm...

Not sure you're correct on this one, he was the favorite until literally the last click as they loaded the gate off a ML of 10-1.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by philcski

Not sure you're correct on this one, he was the favorite until literally the last click as they loaded the gate off a ML of 10-1.

Sorry, I should have been more clear...

Many smart handicappers didn't like his 5 week layoff. I think he went off at 6-1.

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

Ahh, but you didn't address the incredibly stupid track configuration.
Don't you think that some was asleep at the whell when they ok'd a track config that eliminated mile and a sixteenth races(at of all places a track that prides itself on being a place where three year olds go to prepare for the crown)? And even worse made the mile and an eigth races exteremely hard to win from outside post 5?
Trainers only have one two turn option, a mile and an eigth, and many three year olds don't wanna go that far in Jan and Feb and even in March.
It wasn't exactly well thought out, to say the least.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Ahh, but you didn't address the incredibly stupid track configuration.
Don't you think that some was asleep at the whell when they ok'd a track config that eliminated mile and a sixteenth races(at of all places a track that prides itself on being a place where three year olds go to prepare for the crown)? And even worse made the mile and an eigth races exteremely hard to win from outside post 5?
Trainers only have one two turn option, a mile and an eigth, and many three year olds don't wanna go that far in Jan and Feb and even in March.
It wasn't exactly well thought out, to say the least.

I don't know enough about it to address it. I have only spoken to people about layoffs and how longer layoff and 7-8 race campaigns are going to become the norm for good horses. I try not to talk about things I don't know about, unlike some people that need to comment on everything (see post count).

[Buffymommy]

I think that now that Barbaro proved the 5 week layoff CAN work, you will have a lot of horses trying it. Is it going to work? WHO KNOWS, but you know there will be some that will try it this year. I bet atleast two derby horses come out of the FL Derby.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

I think that now that Barbaro proved the 5 week layoff CAN work, you will have a lot of horses trying it. Is it going to work? WHO KNOWS, but you know there will be some that will try it this year. I bet atleast two derby horses come out of the FL Derby.

There normally are a couple... it's just harder to win the derby. Barbaro is a special horse.

Either way, I can't wait until the Florida Derby!

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

There normally are a couple... it's just harder to win the derby. Barbaro is a special horse.

Either way, I can't wait until the Florida Derby!

Me too!

Barbaro was a special horse and proved that it could be done. Not saying that it will happen again anytime soon, but people will try.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

Me too!

Barbaro was a special horse and proved that it could be done. Not saying that it will happen again anytime soon, but people will try.

He is a next year horse. He will catnip for Discreet Cat at 8f. Discreet Cat will toy with him.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

There normally are a couple... it's just harder to win the derby. Barbaro is a special horse.

Either way, I can't wait until the Florida Derby!

The horse he beat in an incredible stretch drive in the Fla Derby is going to prove to be something excellent too... this particular preson is crossing his fingers he wins the big one in 9 days...

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by philcski

The horse he beat in an incredible stretch drive in the Fla Derby is going to prove to be something excellent too... this particular preson is crossing his fingers he wins the big one in 9 days...

You're kidding...right?

Oh I think attendance and the casino type of atmosphere is going to work. But I think the percent of revenue that will trickle down to racing will be very little. I really hope I am wrong.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by philcski

The horse he beat in an incredible stretch drive in the Fla Derby is going to prove to be something excellent too... this particular preson is crossing his fingers he wins the big one in 9 days...

Yep, SH is a nice colt. My fingers are crossed too...

Originally Posted by philcski

The horse he beat in an incredible stretch drive in the Fla Derby is going to prove to be something excellent too... this particular preson is crossing his fingers he wins the big one in 9 days...

You cant be serious!!!!!!!!!!!

I sent Stronach a letter suggesting that he should hire a company that makes those little scooters and have them configure slot machines on them that will have a built-in accelerator on the lever. They could race year round and the purse could be a $20 slot voucher.

Wouldn't it be great to see 12 grandmas racing down the track pulling the slot lever to make the scooter move faster?

I dont think the track configuration really has anything to do with the Derby Preps. Most trainers are just trying to get a race for their Derby horse. I dont want to say that they dont care about winning these Preps, but they do understand the bigger picture. As far as layoffs go, some horses thrive off a longer layoff (Barbaro) and some like less time off (Alex). I really think it all depends on this horse. It is the trainers job to make sure he/she knows what is best for their horse so that the horse is 100% and sitting on top of a great race come the first Saturday in May.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

I dont think the track configuration really has anything to do with the Derby Preps. Most trainers are just trying to get a race for their Derby horse. I dont want to say that they dont care about winning these Preps, but they do understand the bigger picture. As far as layoffs go, some horses thrive off a longer layoff (Barbaro) and some like less time off (Alex). I really think it all depends on this horse. It is the trainers job to make sure he/she knows what is best for their horse so that the horse is 100% and sitting on top of a great race come the first Saturday in May.

I think you are right about some horses liking time off and some not. I shouldn't generalize because they are all different.

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Ahh, but you didn't address the incredibly stupid track configuration.
Don't you think that some was asleep at the whell when they ok'd a track config that eliminated mile and a sixteenth races(at of all places a track that prides itself on being a place where three year olds go to prepare for the crown)? And even worse made the mile and an eigth races exteremely hard to win from outside post 5?
Trainers only have one two turn option, a mile and an eigth, and many three year olds don't wanna go that far in Jan and Feb and even in March.
It wasn't exactly well thought out, to say the least.

Oddly enough, Hialeah, the empress of the Florida tracks, was a 9f circuit. It had a program of 3yo races to prepare them to go long, based on the assumption that the colts would have had a break of a couple months or more. For example, the schedule in 1970 was; 21 Jan Hibiscus S at 6f - 4 Feb Bahamas S at 7f - 18 Feb Everglades S at 9f - 3 March Flamingo S at 9f. Of course, it was assumed that these 3yos would go on to run in further 2-turn races before the Derby. For example, Arts and Letters, the champion 3yo of 1979, won the Evergaldes and Blue Grass, was second in the Flamingo, Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby. Went on to run close seconds in the Derby and Preakness, then win the Met Mile, Belmont, Travers, Woodward and JCGold Cup.