Horseracing (was: The Belmont Stakes)

[stlouie_lipp]

Watching a horse hit that turbo button is like watching a MLB pitcher just dialing up 100 mph heat and nobody having a chance.

Exactly, and CC couldn't do it Saturday at the Belmont. I understand where the owner is coming from, but CC could have won that race if he was 'special'. To ask for none of the other horses to have that turbo button at the end is really silly, even if they probably wouldn't if they ran all three races.

Take a look the replay on the King Edwards Stakes yesterday. Good example of the turbo kicking in. It's the 2 horse in orange silks that is the one to watch coming out of the last turn.

http://www.equibase.com/

wow. pretty impressive.

[jim]

I'm going to turn this into a general horse racing thread, there might be some minor interest on the board. There are a couple of races tomorrow to keep your eye on, first the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga (http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA ... tml#RACE10) with the Belmont winner Tonalist, as well as Wicked Strong (1st at the Wood Memorial, 4th at the Kentucky Derby, 4th at the Belmont), Commanding Curve (2nd at the Kentucky Derby), and Kid Cruz.

The other race to watch on Sunday is the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. The horse everyone is talking about is a 3 year old filly named Untapable. She is undefeated this year in four tries, winning a Grade 3 and then Grade 2 stakes races early, then following those wins with a win at the Kentucky Oaks and then the elite race for Fillies in the year - the Mother Goose Stakes. She is the only filly in the field, and I think she will do just fine. She has a morning line as the clear favorite at 2-1 right now.

[lukethedrifter]

un-tape-able or un-tap-able?
totally different.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

Thanks for the info jim

[Jocephus]

un-tape-able or un-tap-able?
totally different.

[jim]

Wicked Strong wins the Jim Dandy, with the Belmont winner Tonalist second. I watched the race on my phone, WS was wicked strong. He ran even with Legend until the last turn with Tonalist lurking, and then broke free down the stretch and was no match.

http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pd ... 4USA10.pdf

Small field with one scratched horse, and some paltry payouts. The exacta payed a weak $12.40, $6.40 to win. Glad I passed on this race.

[jim]

Article and race video:

http://www.americasbestracing.net/en/th ... jim-dandy/

[jim]

Untapable got beat in the Haskel today, she went off at pretty strong favorite at 1.40. You never know with horse racing, it's so unpredictable. They are fickle and downright stupid sometimes. She gets into the starting gate and her neighbor, Social Inclusion, freaks out and knocks the jockey off the mount. So obviously there is alot of commotion going on in the starting gate right next to her, and they say she stayed calm but who knows what goes through their heads. And then Social Inclusion about trips and falls right in front of Untapable before regaining her feet, practically catapolting the jockey again, and then bumps into Untapable about 100 feet out of the gate. Then the horse looks back at Untapable like he's trying to ask her for a date, and then takes off like a rocket. Probably showing off.

You just don't what these [expletive] 'n animals are going to do.

It was not a good trip, she went 3 wide in the first turn and 4 wide in the second, and just ran out of gas in the stretch.

But the real story was Bayern, who got out of the gates like a flash and wired the field. Every time a horse would come up on him, he found a new gear. He had a great trip, and fired when needed. Down the stretch he was the class of the field, pulling away for a 7 length win.

http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pd ... 4USA12.pdf

So the second half of the racing season has officially kicked off, with Tonalist and Untapable taking serious, if not fatal blows, to any hope of Horse of the Year awards. California Chrome is not running until September at Santa Anita, the word is that he is healing well but they want to make sure that he's 100% before running a couple of tune-ups for the Breeders Cup Nov. 1. If CC wins that, he's the guy.

[jim]

They will be running the Whitney Stakes this Saturday at Saratoga, with two big name horses on the card. It's being broadcast on NBC at 4PM CT. This is a "win and your in" race for the Breeders Cup.

Palace Malice will be going off as a favorite with a morning line of even money. He has not lost in 4 races this year, and looks to be the horse to beat. Palace Malice won the Belmont Stakes in 2013, so if the name sounds familiar that's where you probably heard it.

Will Take Charge, the 3rd old horse of the year last year (over Palace Malice), will be the main threat. WTC has ran against slightly better competition with not as impressive results this year. He was upset by Moonshine Mullin in June and finished 6th in the Alysheba Stakes in early May (Moonshine Mullin won that too). The last win came in a Grade 2 race in April against light competition, has had several good workouts under his belt. Expecting 4-1 odds

Departing will challenge as well, running 3rd behind Will Take Charge at the Stephen Foster. 6-1 is the expected morning line.

Very hard to see how Palace Malice can get beat, but I don't know if I would lay money down on him at 1-1 in a 9 horse field. WTC is hard to get excited about with his past performance and post position, but his recent workouts are promising and he is a proven horse. Departing hasn't run in the same company, but has had some good results recently and gives better odds.

I might lay a little something down on this one after I look at some of the lesser horses, maybe an exacta will with Palace Malice and a couple of other longer shots. 4-1 on WTC ... I don't know.

Or maybe I'll just handicap it, and do a pretend bet. I've never lost one dime on a pretend bet.

[stlouie_lipp]

I'm going to Arlington this afternoon for our annual firm outing.