Two weeks from post!!!!!

General racing discussion.

Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster

jagger
Grade III Winner
Posts: 1119
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:49 pm
Location: Peoria, Illinois

Two weeks from post!!!!!

Postby jagger » Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:56 am

Well, we're two weeks from post and I don't think anyone has started a thread on predictions for The Derby.

I'm going with Friesan Fire, Pioneer of the Nile and Quality Road. Long Shots of General Quarters and Chocolate Candy. Maybe Dunkirk as well.

I predict the winner will have Fappiano in the pedigree somewhere.

Looking keenly forward to predictions from Bill and George.

User avatar
Toccet02
Leading Sire
Posts: 3649
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:00 am
Location: New York City

Postby Toccet02 » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:02 am

I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile, General Quarters, Chocolate candy.

That's my hunch bet. I have not handicapped the race.
All shouting does is make you lose your voice.
----Arrested Development

JaradM
Allowance Winner
Posts: 319
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:36 am
Location: Louisiana

Postby JaradM » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:13 am

Pioneer of the Nile is my pick.

Turn-To Fan
Maiden Special Weight
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:28 am
Location: San Diego, CA

Postby Turn-To Fan » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:39 am

Pioneerof the Nile, Friesan Fire, Quality Road, Chocolate Candy.

I can't remember a year when I've had so much trouble picking my horses for the Derby. I want half the field to win!

User avatar
spex4me
Grade I Winner
Posts: 1713
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:49 pm
Location: Virginia
Contact:

Postby spex4me » Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:41 am

Rational me: Quality Road (would be awesome for VA program!!) Sentimental me: General Quarters (pays to dream big with small pockets!!)
trying to come up with something brillant..... this may take a while. :)

Bill from WA
Breeder's Cup Contender
Posts: 1936
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:20 am
Location: Mountlake Terrace, WA

Postby Bill from WA » Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:52 am

HORSE / SPEED AVG / GSV / S/I / SCORE / EARNINGS

Speed average is based on a formula using BRIS speed numbers. GSV's are George William Smith's Genetic Strength Value scores. S/I is a stamina index based on the Modern Conduit Mare profiles (the lower the number the better). Score is a compilation of all the factors. Earnings are Graded Stakes earnings. The horses are listed in the order of their compiled score.

1) FRIESAN FIRE (100) (76.99) (0.62) (3.88) $570,465)

2) CHOCOLATE CANDY (92) (74.32) (0.73) (3.22) ($370,000)

3) TAKE THE POINTS (93) (57.61) (0.67) (3.22) ($85,000)

4) DUNKIRK (99) (76.71) (0.87) (3.09) ($150,000)

5) I WANT REVENGE (112) (69.68) (0.98) (2.98) ($774,000)

6) MAFAAZ (91) (70.96) (0.85) (2.94) (WIN & IN)

7) JUST A COINCIDENCE (102) (73.00) (0.93) (2.90) $75,000

8) DESERT PARTY (88) (72.4) (0.82) (2.89) ($641,667)

9) SQUARE EDDIE (95) (78.87) (0.94) (2.85) ($804,981)

10) PIONEEROF THE NILE (95) (72.62) (0.98) (2.69) ($1,193,250)

11) QUALITY ROAD (103) (75.00) (0.98) (2.69) ($600,000)

12) PAPA CLEM (98) (71.63) (1.04) (2.63) ($760,000)

13) REGAL RANSOM (96) (72.62) (1.08) (2.56) ($1,250,000)

14) GENERAL QUARTERS (99) (70.46) (1.10) (2.54) ($595,645)

15) FLYING PRIVATE (96) (70.43) (1.08) (2.53) ($124,000)

16) HOLD ME BACK (99) (71.45) (1.20) (2.43) ($438,000)

17) WEST SIDE BERNIE (102) (68.85) (1.26) (2.43) ($385,160)

18) ADVICE (91) (58.84) (1.20) (2.38) ($206,845)

19) MR. HOT STUFF (91) (68.99) (1.14) (2.33) ($114,000)

20) WIN WILLIE (101) (67.70) (1.32) (2.32) ($230,000)

21) JOIN IN THE DANCE (96) (69.68) (1.20) (2.31) ($90,000)

22) SUMMER BIRD (96) (66.44) (1.23) (2.30) ($100,000)

23) MINE THAT BIRD (88) (70.46) (1.16) (2.27) ($138,705)

24) MUSKET MAN (100) (62.33) (1.49) (2.09) ($485,000)
Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is like a broken winged bird that cannot fly.

Langston Hughes

oliverstoned
Restricted Stakes Winner
Posts: 929
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2006 2:17 pm
Location: Florida

Postby oliverstoned » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:36 am

Huh, I came up with the same thing as Bill from Wa just looking at it old school. 1) Freisian Fire (AP Indy's gotta sire a Derby winner, right?) 2) Chocolate Candy, subject to change though as I have to see how they look in the post parade and how they all work up to the Derby. One thing for certain the superfecta and ahhh whats that thing called when you pick five....well they are gonna pay huuuuge. I may pick 10-12 out of hat any which way and play it.

Aug27
Allowance Winner
Posts: 366
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:29 am

Postby Aug27 » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:20 am

Conventional / historical handicapping doesn’t seem to work anymore with the Derby …

Going back over the past 25 years (1984 through 2008), I see 433 Derby starters. Here’s the break down in year groups:
1) from 1984 thru 1993, total starters = 166
2) from 1994 through 2003, total starters = 169
3) from 2004 thru 2008, total starters = 98.

Looking at how many ‘high graded’ (Grade I and Grade II races) each entrant had:

From group 1 (10 years, 1984 to 1993)
0 or 1 Grade 1+2 starts, n = 62
2 or 3 Grade 1+2 starts, n = 57
4 or more Grade 1+2 starts, n = 47

From group 2 (10 years, 1994 to 2003)
0 or 1 Grade 1+2 starts, n = 52
2 or 3 Grade 1+2 starts, n = 73
4 or more Grade 1+2 starts, n = 44

From group 3 (5 years, since 2004)
0 or 1 Grade 1+2 starts, n = 26
2 or 3 Grade 1+2 starts, n = 52
4 or more Grade 1+2 starts, n = 20

Now, here’s where it really gets interesting. How many from each combination finished in the exacta?

From group 1 (10 years, 1984 to 1993)
0 or 1 Grade 1+2 starts number = 2 of the 62 (3%)
2 or 3 Grade 1+2 starts number = 8 of the 57 (14%)
4 or more Grade 1+2 starts number = 10 of the 47(21%)

From group 2 (10 years, 1994 to 2003)
0 or 1 Grade 1+2 starts number = 6 of the 52 (12%)
2 or 3 Grade 1+2 starts number = 9 of the 73 (12%)
4 or more Grade 1+2 starts number = 5 of the 44 (11%)

From group 3 (5 years, since 2004)
0 or 1 Grade 1+2 starts number = 6 of the 26 (23%)
2 or 3 Grade 1+2 starts number = 4 of the 52 (8%)
4 or more Grade 1+2 starts number = 0 of the 20 (0%)

In old school handicapping, I’d look at the class of horses by seeing how well they ran in high classes races, and “give extra credit” to those who were battle tested, with multiple good races in high class preps. Before 1994, those kinds of horses did the best in the Derby, with 21% of them finishing in the exacta. They comprised 28% of the field of runners, but 50% of those who finished 1-2.

In the next decade (1994 to 2003), things leveled out. The 4+ G1 or 2 group comprised 26% of the starters and 25% of the in-the-exacta finishers. They did their fair share.

The most recent five years, none of the runners with 4+ Grade I or II starts even hit the exacta. That’s 0 for 20. And these weren’t a bunch of hopeless longshots: half of them were Grade I winners, like The Cliff's Edge, Afleet Alex, Brother Derek, Scat Daddy, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Tale Of Ekati, etc.

As Todd Pletcher noted in his latest interview, the historical trends just aren’t holding up any longer. Horses do not have the foundation they used to. This data proves it. In the past, I would have leaned toward a horse with proven form at the highest levels, like Pioneerof The Nile (6 G1 or 2 starts). Nowadays, maybe someone like Dunkirk is a better proposition, with only 1 G1 start?

Bill from WA
Breeder's Cup Contender
Posts: 1936
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:20 am
Location: Mountlake Terrace, WA

Postby Bill from WA » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:24 am

Interesting research Aug27. Thanks for posting.

Bill
Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is like a broken winged bird that cannot fly.



Langston Hughes

mikec
Starters Handicap
Posts: 697
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:37 am
Location: New Jersey

Postby mikec » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:47 am

Going with Desert Party & Musket Man. Maybe throw in General Quarters as part of a trifecta.
Bring 'em back tired ; but bring 'em back sound !

Worksoplad
Starters Handicap
Posts: 541
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:09 pm
Location: Manhattan Beach, California

Postby Worksoplad » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:08 pm

POTN, IWR, Mr. Hot Stuff, and Desert Party superfecta
"Who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, but he who destroys a good book kills reason itself." John Milton.

User avatar
walaa
Starters Handicap
Posts: 510
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:34 pm
Location: tennessee

Derby

Postby walaa » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:19 pm

Summer Bird, Mine That Bird, Papa Clem, General Quarters, Win Willy, West Side Bernie. Not in that order of course, but definitely 3 of those will be in the top 5 :D Just my prediction. I live in middle Tn, I have tried to make bets before, if anyone lives close enough or can have wine shipped to your state, I will bet a bottle of wine, (you will have to buy your own cheese) that POTN, who seems to be in everyone's, top picks, doesnt come in the top 5 :D or we can meet at the licqour barn in Lexington before the Ft yearling sale, July to settle up :!:

jagger
Grade III Winner
Posts: 1119
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:49 pm
Location: Peoria, Illinois

summer bird

Postby jagger » Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:00 am

walaa,

What is it about POTN that stimulates your prediction? What is it you like about Summer Bird?

User avatar
walaa
Starters Handicap
Posts: 510
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:34 pm
Location: tennessee

Derby

Postby walaa » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:02 am

Nothing scientific or proven or anything like that, just too much hype. That usually doesnt bode well for any favorite or close to being favorite. I said USUALLY, people, dont go crazy on me :D Cant remember everything about my picks either, so I might be confusing them, but isnt he the one that has never run on "real" dirt, or just never run well on it? And personally, for no good reason, I dont like Empire Maker. I like Summer Bird for the big late run in the AD, another 1/8 th and he would have been the winner, in his only 3rd start. and for the past few years, horses with less starts are doing quite well, even though they arent suppose to. I just really like those 5 of the horses I know are running. I also havent picked the winner in about 10 years :)

User avatar
diomed
Grade III Winner
Posts: 1142
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:16 pm

Postby diomed » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:24 am

Right now, I am looking at these:
(no particular order)
Quality Road, I Want Revenge, Friesan Fire, POTN
(that's my WIN bet pool)