If you called the shots on Rags to Riches.......

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Well, first off, the JC Gold Cup is not a "prep" for the BC Classic. That sort of attitude is one of the main reasons why the overall quality of racing has dropped considerably in the last decade (another reason being the dominance of the breeding side of the sport).

Secondly, the JC Gold Cup is sure to be a weak event given all the recent retirements, the lack of depth in the division, and the recent trend of giving horses several weeks off prior to the BC. It would be the easiest spot to get a second win against males, this time versus elders. I can't remember the last time a 3yo filly defeated older males in the States.

Lots of females defeated males in the heart of the season and still ran in the Distaff (eg Personal Ensign, Serena's Song, Lady's Secret, Winning Colors, etc).

It most certainly is a prep for the BC Classic. Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves. And I don't understand how the JCGC becoming a prep has anything to do with the lessening quality of racing.. All that happened is one race which used to be the destination has become the stepping stone to an even more prestigious destination. That's why racing sucks now? Because something has become more prestigious than the JCGC and reduced it to mainly a prep for something larger? I don't see the correlation.

Secondly, it just doesn't make a bunch of sense to jump in and face elder males, then if she wins, jump back in to face fillies and mares she's already proven she's faster than. If she's good enough to win the JCGC, she's probably too good for the BC Distaff and would be better suited for the Classic. Of course, if you're just trying to get an easy check..