Horseracing (was: The Belmont Stakes)

[jim]

I was 10 years old when Secretariat won, but I definitely remember it. I think at that time certain sporting events were just more in the national spotlight than today. The Indy 500, the Kentucky Derby/Preakness/Belmont, The Masters, ... I think that had to do with the fact that where I grew up we got 3 TV stations, and sometimes the CBS one was all fuzzy because it was 80 miles away. But when a sporting event like this came about, it was on one of those stations, and everyone watched it. You weren't off watching the Cards and Royals on mlb.tv.

Those bigger sporting events stay with me in my memories, which probably just shows my age more than anything. But to me this is a pretty big day in sports, it's huge in fact.

[Socnorb11]

The final name on the horse is not the owner, the owner only submits requests that get approved/denied.

I never knew this!

So there's a racehorse organization or something that has to approve it?

[jim]

The final name on the horse is not the owner, the owner only submits requests that get approved/denied.

I never knew this!

So there's a racehorse organization or something that has to approve it?

Yep, the Jockey Club:

http://horseracing.about.com/od/breedin ... eingtb.htm

[jim]

Commanding Curve is down to 8-1, Ride on Curlin is 7-1. They had morning lines repsectively of 15-1 and 12-1. I said above I liked Commanding Curve, at 8-1 I wouldn't bet on him. Wicked Strong is still at 6-1, California Chrome has moved to a 4-5 favorite. Tonalist has moved to 15-1, which I think makes sense. He has 4 career races, only one stakes race that was a Grade 2. He won, but lost ground late, and this is a much longer race. But ... he's just such an unknown that he has to be a horse to keep an eye on.


In my heart of hearts I think California Chrome wins the race. If I were at the track today I'd lay a little coin down like this:

$20 to win on California Chrome
$10 place on Ride on Curlin
$10 show on Ride on Curlin

That's a $40 wager, not going to get rich on it for sure. I'll stick with this as my fake bet and I'll see how it pays out at the end of the day.

[Socnorb11]

In the "office pool" I pulled Wicked Strong and Tonalist.

Good thread, jim ............ I've enjoyed reading your insight. I've always thought that horse racing would be a great hobby. Our nearest track is about 3 hours away, otherwise I'm afraid I might be a regular.

[jim]

Wicked Strong is a good horse, what I didn't like about the horse was that he finished 9th in a grade 2 stakes race on Jan 25. After that he ran a claiming race - meaning that anyone could have just put the claiming price in (it was 75k which is as high of a claiming price as you will see) and taken the horse. If the horse is that good, why is the owner risking that? And then the horse finished 4th.

Of course WS went on and won the Wood Memorial(that's a big one right before the Derby), and then finished 4th in the Derby despite less than idea lanes and finished strong with plenty left. And he took the Preakness off.

Ride On Curlin is my upset horse, although I worry about him because he ran both the Derby and Preakness.

[Vidor]

NBC has a ten man team to broadcast a three minute race.

[Vidor]

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, entropy increases, and horses do not win the Triple Crown.

[jim]

And had I have made my bet, I would be out $40. He just had nothing left, when he swung him outside on the last turn I thought he had a chance, but out of the turn you could see he just wasn't firing.

[jim]

Coburn with less than a gracious moment there. Not that he doesn't have a point, but not the time or place.