Curlin/Jess Jackson throw down

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:33 am

Curlin would have to throw in a huge clunker to get beat by what he will be running against. Nothing in the Handicap division is terribly interesting other than Curlin and a few synthetic horses that are good with the company we have here. But still it's not a contentious division. I look for the fillies and mares to spark it up

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:50 am

you can only pray I get a horse as good as curlin, becuase my headline would have made the front page of USA today

"Look... my horse has already ran against the best and beaten the best. Big Coward.. er I mean Big Brown's Best buyer is worst than what Curlin can run on a bad day. But that's not the point. We are the defending champions. Big Brown's connections can either come and race us on our terms or they can shut the hell up, either way I believe fans across the nation would rejoice"

Tesio · Postby **Tesio** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:51 am

Maybe, but Kiaran McLaughlin's horse won the Met Mile beating Commentator by 2 lengths. His race prior he ran the 4th fastest dirt mile in No. American history dusting Grasshopper in the Gr. 3 Westchester.

If he can stretch his talent an extra furlong he could prove tough.

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:52 am

I for one don't see what the big fuss is about commentator now. He's the same horse he's been for the last what.. 4years now? he caught an extremely weak Grade 1 field and wired them. he's not a bad horse, he's a talented horse but he's not a world class one.

TBG · Postby **TBG** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm

Why is the Curlin camp so opposed to running Curlin on a synthetic surface? They wanted to prove he was a top grass horse, why would they think he couldn't run on synthetic? If he could prove he's superior on any surface, his stock raises even more. The excuse of not having anything to prove is weak. With that kind of thinking, how many great racehorses of the past would have been retired early? I think both camps know they won't meet. Neither is willing to alter their plans any. This way nothing is proven and everyone can just speculate. I think if Jackson were to commit Curlin to the Breeders' Cup Classic, Big Brown's people would eventually have some excuse to bypass the race, but Jackson isn't willing to do that. It's pretty easy for both sides to do alot of talking this way.

HR LLC · Postby **HR LLC** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:04 pm

How about Dutrow racing Jess Jackson around the track? I would pay to see that.

On a more serious note, they should do a match race at either Belmont or Pimlico.

Des · Postby **Des** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:40 pm

$2.5 Million Match Race
Distance 1 mile and a Furlong
Track: Belmont Park

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:52 pm

TBG wrote:Why is the Curlin camp so opposed to running Curlin on a synthetic surface? They wanted to prove he was a top grass horse, why would they think he couldn't run on synthetic? If he could prove he's superior on any surface, his stock raises even more. The excuse of not having anything to prove is weak. With that kind of thinking, how many great racehorses of the past would have been retired early? I think both camps know they won't meet. Neither is willing to alter their plans any. This way nothing is proven and everyone can just speculate. I think if Jackson were to commit Curlin to the Breeders' Cup Classic, Big Brown's people would eventually have some excuse to bypass the race, but Jackson isn't willing to do that. It's pretty easy for both sides to do alot of talking this way.

you can't possibly blame this on the curlin camp. First of all, the champ doesn't have to defend himself. that should be the end of it there.

But even more, the connections for whatever reason may be, do not want to run him on synethietcs. Notice the arguement has not once been they dont' want to run against big brown. it has nothing to do with big brown.

big brown on the other hand, doesn't want to run on curlin. If Curlin wasn't in that race I would be pretty sure they would be. Their ONLY chance of beating him is hoping that he isn't the same horse on synethics.

that is literalry the only chance they have, they know it, team curlin knows it.

so tell me, why should the person with the crown have to be dicated when and where he wants to run?

TBG · Postby **TBG** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:12 pm

bdw0617,
I agree that it seems to be the Big Brown camp doing the ducking. I have really never heard any reason why Curlin's people don't want to run him on a synthetic surface. He's proven to be very good on both dirt and turf, why wouldn't he be on a synthetic surface? I'm also not saying that Curlin has anything to prove necessarily, but what would be wrong with another Breeders' Cup Classic win? Yah, it’s been done, but what’s wrong with doing it again?

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:41 pm

BECUASE CURLIN HAS PROVED HIS IS NOT A WORLD CLASS TURF HORSE.

You have to look at it from his trainers eyes.

1. Pyro in the bluegrass
2. he trains in the midwest where the only synthetic track is really keen eland that he races on with any regularity, and with not a hell of alot of success.
3. Curlin has proven that, while he is more than competitive on turf, it's not his best surface, and cushion is alot like turf. horses that usually take to turf will take to cushion. that is advantage big brown I think big brown is a better turf horse.
4. with all that said.. we don't know just how safe the track is! we don't even know what it is going to be like. Can you really blame him for not wanting to risk the best horse of this decade on an unproven surface for what?

IT'S NOT WORTH IT. it's really just that simple.

I would even make the argument that he would get more out of going to Japan than running i the Breeders cup. We know he is competitive on turf, there is no reason to think he won't be on synthetic. by going to japan and running a muck over there you get a whole new type of breeder interested in curlin.

we shouldn't even be having this dicussion, god I hate the CHRB

TBG · Postby **TBG** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:02 pm

You've made so good points. I guess with questions about the racing surface and not knowing how Curlin would handle it, you might not want to find out the answers on the world's biggest stage.

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:09 pm

umm. no

that would be like back when Seabiscuit ran against WA Seabiscuit not only challenging the champ WAl, but saying he's a whip for not coming out to do it in Santa Anita.

It's basic 101 sports. The champ gets to make the terms. when I play video games with my friends the winner gets to decide where the next game is, not the next contestant or the loser.

had seabiscuit had did that he would have been laughed out of Baltimore.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:33 pm

IMO Alot of Curlin's folk not considering BCC is the trouble and questions that still remain about the track at Santa Anita

Des · Postby **Des** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:55 pm

And the Big Brown people will only consider Turf or Syntheytic surface because they think it will be much easier on BB feet.

It's all about the feet

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:30 pm

Why the turf in BC? They have Kip Deville one of the better turf horses in the US. Although they could of course run in different races. BUT without Curlin BCC isn't exactly screaming a salty race. In the Turf BB would bet his azz handed too him by some European freak, in the mile he'd have to run against Kip Deville.. and I don't think at this point BB is good enough with the problems he has to deal with. Furthermore the turf in CA Isn't a lush deep turf like they are out east it's a hear your feet rattle short growth hard grass course. His feet have a better shot on the main.