Majestic Warrior...is he a stallion prospect extraordinaire

[FOS]

hi Rok

Mr Mott is one of the most patient horsemen in the business, and "pushing" young stock just isn't his style - that may explain the lackluster performance last Saturday.

Yes Mott's patient. He's prudent too...and understands the ramifications related to a poor performance.

That said...I expect that Majestic Warrior was likely right, going into the race, and that Mott liked his colt's chances to win.

If he was, in fact...right (going into the Champagne) maybe something happened to him during the race (which might have hampered his ability to perform at his best), you know...throat, bled, chip, fracture...whatever.

There are other possibilities that might explain his lackluster performance, but maybe (if there was in fact nothing wrong with him) he's just not the caliber of racehorse that Mott (and others) thought he was.

Best.

Respectfully

[Rokeby Forever]

Hi FOS,

There are other possibilities that might explain his lackluster performance, but maybe (if there was in fact nothing wrong with him) he's just not the caliber of racehorse that Mott (and others) thought he was.

That's an excellent point and I've been trying to convince myself that it isn't true. I want this horse to be good!

In retrospect, the Hopeful set up perfectly for Majestic Warrior - two horses that had never run seven furlongs (and maybe don't want any part of that distance) slugged it out and Majestic Warrior picked up the pieces. The Champagne was quite a different scenario. So, maybe...just maybe...Majestic Warrior is very much like a Circular Quay type horse.

Nah...he's in the Mott barn. He'll move forward.

[Tappiano]

Given how heavily Coolmore was "pimping" Scat Daddy over the weekend over on ESPN, I'm sure they are disappointed they can't do the same for him. I think they goofed on one of the ads because they talked about SD and then they showed Thunder Gulch and said something about one of his sons entering stud next year and just when I was waiting to hear "Circular Quay" they shifted over to the closing of the ad.

[FOS]

hi Rok..hi all

I do not expect Majestic Warrior to run in the BC Juvie. Mr Mott is one of the most patient horsemen in the business, and "pushing" young stock just isn't his style - that may explain the lackluster performance last Saturday. The thought of running MW in the BC Juvie may have caused Mr Mott hives and now he has an "out" to not run and take his time with the horse.

You might prove to be right on all counts...BUT...

...the paragraph below (from brisnet.com, Oct 9/2007) seems to suggest that the door is still open re the possibility that MW might run in the BC Juvenile.

Conditioner Bill Mott said Hopeful S. (G1) winner MAJESTIC WARRIOR (A.P. Indy) appears to have come out of his dull sixth-place effort in Saturday's Champagne in good order. The bay colt was beaten 14 lengths in a race that his stablemate, Z HUMOR (Distorted Humor), was only beaten three lengths. "They both seem fine," Mott said. "It was kind of a head-scratcher for Majestic Warrior. It looks like both horses might go on to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile."...

Is the heat on (Mott)...what will he recommend (to MW's owners)? Will Majestic Warrior run or not? Does Team MW have the nerve (for lack of a better word) to roll the dice (if Mott recommends it), and run the colt in the BC Juvenile? I'd say the upside is potentially HUGE (likely 2-year-old championship honors, if he wins)...and the downside (if he runs and throws in another stinker) is arguably HUGE too.

Thoughts?

Respectfully

[Rokeby Forever]

Hi FOS,

Bill Mott isn't the type of trainer that will "force this issue" with a horse - especially a young one. My guess is that he won't want to run MW in the Juvie, and if the horse is entered, it's the connections telling Mott to run the horse. This scenario is probably why Bill Mott has never had a bunch of talented young horses at any time (until now) - these early races aren't Mott's "bag."

Steinbrenner is no spring chicken, so maybe he's thinking that this is his last chance of having a good colt. After another Yankees drubbing, I guess he can use something else to take his mind off of things - like the BC Juvie.

That's just my opinion/guess. I'm wrong more often than I'm right, so we'll see.

Best to ya!

As a sidenote: I don't know why some people still believe that the Hopeful gives a possible preview to a KY Derby winner. The last Hopeful winner to win the KY Derby was Affirmed in 1977 (and he was the greatest racehorse of all time).

[FOS]

hi Rok

My guess is that (Mott) won't want to run MW in the Juvie, and if the horse is entered, it's the connections telling Mott to run the horse.

I'd be surprised if MW runs (in the BC Juvenile), if Mott recommends otherwise.

The last Hopeful winner to win the KY Derby was Affirmed in 1977 (and he was the greatest racehorse of all time).

Very interesting bit of trivia re Affirmed, the Hopeful and the Ky Derby. Thanks Rok.

Best

Respectfully

[Rokeby Forever]

Hi FOS:

That statistic is hard to believe, isn't it? But here's the list of winners since Affirmed:

General Assembly (1978)
J.P. Brother
Tap Shoes
Timely Writer
Copelan
Capitol South
Chief's Crown
Papal Power
Gulch
Crusader Sword
Mercedes One
Summer Squall
Deposit Ticket
Salt Lake
Great Navigator
Dehere
Wild Escapade
Hennessy
Smoke Glacken
Favorite Trick
Royal Roberto
High Yield
City Zip/Yonaguska (DH)
Came Home
Sky Mesa
Silver Wagon
Afleet Alex
First Samurai
Circular Quay
Majestic Warrior

While some might argue that the Hopeful is a sprint, it was lengthened to seven furlongs in 1994 - prior to that, it was 6 1/2 furlongs. And prior to Affirmed winning the race, it was only a few short years earlier that Foolish Pleasure and Secretariat won the Hopeful. What's happened?