Southern California Racing

General racing discussion.

Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster

User avatar
bdw0617
Darley line
Posts: 9206
Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 10:19 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Southern California Racing

Postby bdw0617 » Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:13 pm

Is it me, or has the quality of racing took a nosedivet he last say.. 5 years in SoCal?

I mean.. look at Del Mar. Right now it's nothing more than a glorified Bay Meadows meet with the beach backdrop. NBC...nothin but claimers all day.. every day.

if you have a cliaming horse... there is a spot for you in Del mar

Contrast to what's going on at Saratoga.. I think i saw ONE true claiming race yesterday.. it wasn't more than 2.

That's why there is a Sothern californi and a nothern California meet. They are supposed to be a place to send the horses who can't run up to snub.

then look at the "star horses".. right now Tiago is the best horse on the west coast..at least on Dirt. On Grass it's a little if not a lot better with Kip Divelle, After Market, lava Man (sorta), Icy Atlantic and citronade, ValBenny, Lady of Venice and other turfers.. but man.. I gotta tell ya.

The fact that it's southern California is the only reason they are doing resonably well... because what they are offering as a product for the most part..stinks.

User avatar
Sysonby
Breeder's Cup Contender
Posts: 1755
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 2:27 pm
Location: California

Postby Sysonby » Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:00 pm

I think you just haven't been paying attention. Del Mar looks the same to me as it always looks.

California is an island. The same horses that have run on the circuit are running there and relatively few ship in.

Saratoga pulls from all over the East Coast and to an extent the midwest.

Actually when I was a pup, I remember Saratoga when it was the August only meet and I don't recall it having practically any claiming races. Since it has expanded, they have had to add them.

Ill-bred
Starters Handicap
Posts: 691
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 5:42 pm
Location: Lexington, KY

Postby Ill-bred » Fri Jul 27, 2007 6:39 am

I think the graded stakes fields in Southern California were much better 10-15 years ago in terms of depth and quality.

louis finochio
Darley line
Posts: 9181
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:21 am
Location: Alhambra-Calif.
Contact:

Postby louis finochio » Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:59 pm

There " are many reasons for the decline in quality and soundness in our tb. with 95 percent of the breed descending from 1 sire line the average starts for thoroughbred is 6.

Those of us who are older can remember those quality and sound thoroughbreds of the past. Those thoroughbreds were bred with a balance of many sire lines. Today those matings 4 X 4 of Mr. prospector, Northern dancer, raise a Native, Native dancer have left their mark of unsoundness on the breed.

When you look at the pedigrees of those triple crown winners of the past you will find many outcross pedigrees with the balance of sire lines. today many breeders are breeding to sell not race, as money talks in the breeding of a sales topper.
Those without sin cast the first stone.
Louis Finochio