Harrys picks & etc. 060914 The American classic season for the crop of 2011 is a done deal- aside from some sterling running from California Chrome there wasnt much computation to speak of- until Tonalists nose got photographed before that of Commissioner in the Belmont Stakes- The 2014 Belmont Stakes will in all likelihood be recollected as where “hard feelings” surfaced before the dust had settled- as a reporter was on scene with his “mic” to capture some ungracious remarks uttered by “hillbilly” Jim a unsatisfied patron of the Belmont Race track- perhaps most insulting to viewers was Mr. Rooster Coburn turning to his wife and telling her to “STFU” while he continued his excellent rant- it was certainly an unexpected tongue lashing to the racing Lords- but I think most fans would be on the side of “tradition” and eschew any changes to a format which has proved pretty exciting over the last 95 years- California Chrome is said to be been stepped on out of the gate in the rush for early position and had to run a long way with a gash- again I think most observers would think had “Chrome” remained intact he still would not have won this race- but no one can ask “California Chrome his thoughts on such speculations and all he can do is go home relax a while -recuperate from his injuries and settle any scores in the big races down the line- The NBC coverage which may have been planned and executed by people who spend most of their lives at the Rusty Nail and not at the track was for the most part downright maddening- but that is how TV works after all the super bowl gets a bevy of hefty guys talking for five hours before the pre-game show even goes on- since we live in an age where there is no greater sin than “silence” babble rules the day and there was much of it on the Nets- Mr. Evans who own Tonalist is a famed horse person and Im guessing he is a son of Thomas Mellon Evans who ran Buckland Farm, this family is steeped in racetrack decorum and manners and sportsmanship- the “hot” remarks of half the ownership group of beaten California Chrome pulled the wheel of the slot machine and came up with 5 Aces (at least) and a brilliant bit of breeding science as well- for the dumb ass partners picked up a mare inbred to sensational Numbered Account for the cost of a meal for 10 at La Scala. The Belmont Stakes has traditional been the one race run in our country where “Breeding” may be employed with confidence when handicapping the event- a fine race horse like Samraat – for intense – its pedigree can be viewed and those who have looked at a few five generation pages could without much problem decide that Samraat was not a “classic” type of col,t- and a similar rationalization may have been employed concerning the chances of Lucky Pulpit winning at 12 furlongs- Perhaps of legitimate importance is to my mind anyway, how “sprinters” can if they are in shape can win the Derby and the Preakness- when form holds up after two weeks the Derby/Preakness double seems a very doable plan-0 and Big Brown and Smarty Jones and Funny Cide and California Chrome and War Emblem and Real Quiet and Silver Charm and Spectacular Bid have all come to the Big Apple sporting the double within their saddlebags- Affirmed the last triple crown winner who had to dispose of his equal and as a sire superior Alydar went back in time to a full sister of one of the greatest horses who ever lived Domino!- “The Black Whirlwind” was the idol of his time- was managed by brutes- whipped within a inch of his life and dying after siring 1 crop of foals- a group which altered the face of American bloodlines and blood-horses forever- (if not the the world)- and when the term “freak” is used in race horse parlance Affirmed was one in the best sense of the term- for his pedigree line of Exclusive Nate x Wont Tell You x Crafty Admiral was very far from the “classic” ideal- So what has been developing in our bloodlines programs in the states is that in every crop there comes forward almost no exception horses bearing the classical imprint and a few “sprinting” types of extraordinary precocity able to vanquish rivals at the 10 furlong distances of the first two jewels of the so-called triple crown- The Belmont Stakes at 12 furlongs is the dirt version of the Derby Stakes of England and both the Belmont and the Derby Stakes have consistently provided the best sires who have won “classics”- While this general statement may be fraught with eager debaters the gist of it I believe is true- or to be more definite- if I were breeding a mare and had resource to breed to a Kentucky Winner or a Belmont Stakes winner I would without hesitation chose the Belmont Stakes winner and that would go if I had a choice between a 2000 guineas winner and the champion of Englands Derby Stakes- Again such speculations matter little to the everyday Johnnie or Joan scraping together a small living from racing- the stud fees for classic winners at least until they prove themselves inadequate stallions is very “dear”- That the dumb ass partnership was able to get a Derby and Preakness and Kentucky Derby winner from a season to Lucky Pulpit will be discussed for the next century whenever breeding students discuss “magical” breedings- Suffolk 1-1e 2-2 3-2 4-2 5-3 6-1 7-2 8-10 9-6 Delaware 1-4 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 6-7 7-2 8-4 finger lakes 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-1e 5-4 6-1 7-6 8-2 9-5 presque isle 1-2 2-7 3-3 4-2 5-1e 6-2 7-5 8-3 ruidoso 1-1 2- 3-1 4-1 5-3 6-2 7-2 8-3 9-7 mountaineer 1-6 2-7 3-6 4-5 5-3 6-1 7-5 8-6 9-6 parx 1-6 2-4 3-1 4-7 5-3 6-7 7-9 8-1 9-1 10-8 h/
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 05:39:30 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015