Big Weekend ... Who's Excited

Sam · Postby **Sam** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:37 am

elviswastheking wrote:Maybe I should have narrowed it down a bit, I meant the Prix at Longchamp.

I'm pretty sure TVG is showing the Arc live (at the buttcrack of dawn pacific time).

Add Silent Witness' return in the Japan sprint race tomorrow night as well ... yeah, I've got some racing I'm looking forward to

roving boy · Postby **roving boy** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:48 am

Regarding Lost In The Fog's campaign, I think Gilchrist was quoted as saying something along the lines of "some people try and find out what their horse can't do". LITF is only a 3 year old and they have no plans of retiring him anytime in the next two years, so I have to agree with their decision.

A paid workout, go into the BC Sprint fresh against hardened older competition with the best possible chance of keeping the streak alive and further building the legend. This horse has a huge fan following - if the "powers that be" show any sense they will applaud Team Fog's management and use the horse's charisma to attract new fans to racing.

Then again, I forget that he is not owned by the "right people". And I forget that these same people pulled the attention grabbing, in your face "Pay the Lady" ads for Rip Torn speaking like an idiot to a handful of turf....

BenB · Postby **BenB** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 11:41 am

The L.arc tomorow will be a good one to view. 15 runners, 12 group winners joining the group Track today soft side of good, very good racing ground. Favourable to all, so it won,t be a real stamina contest. Rules out for a win problaby Shirocco who,s now in training with A Fabre, he does need heavy ground on his form from last year. For Westener the distance
on this ground could be proved to short.
With only 15 runners in the field, everybody, has enough place for sortening themself out in the field, plenty of space to go.
New studs will be made in this one.

jellac · Postby **jellac** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:16 pm

Borrego looked GREAT in his win - I just love watching that guy in a race - the way he settles way back of the pace and then often - as he did today - really pours it on! Though often criticized in the past as an under achiever I think he's really a tremendous competitor in any race - whether he could get to the lead or not - who just happened to need a bit more time to mature/reach his full potential.

austique · Postby **austique** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:58 pm

The older horses acquitted themselves quite well today with Borrego and Rock Hard Ten winning in hand. Flower Alley and his "rabbit" or "pacemaker" assured Afleet Alex of no challenge for champion 3yo. Lost in the Fog won easily as expected and I have to say that he will be champion sprinter regardless of how he does in the Sprint given that the Vosburgh winner doesn't have the background to take it from him. I was most impressed with Shakespeare who is a phenomenal looking individual. Little confused by Woke Up Dreamin who apparently forgot to wake up for his race and I nearly died laughing when Flower Alley hooked up with his own rabbit.

Overall a good day with the exception of the mishap in Louisiana which was very unfortunate.

Lucy · Postby **Lucy** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 5:46 pm

Am I the only one tickled pink by the result of the Flower Bowl? Nice to see that those old gals still got it. :wink:

skeenan · Postby **skeenan** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 5:30 am

I don't know everything Borrego has done up until now (I don't remember stats as well as you all do!), but to come from behind like that, passing the field like they weren't even moving, to finish so far ahead... that was *sick*! :shock:

And he looked to me like he coasted across the finish line... if he does nothing else after that, that was an impressive win to be proud of, IMO...

Yeah, the Louisiana race was horrifying, to see that horse go down like that...

Hope the jockey wasn't seriously hurt...

Lucy, I liked seeing Ashado win! Beautiful girl... :wink:

Sam · Postby **Sam** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 10:52 am

skeenan wrote:I don't know everything Borrego has done up until now (I don't remember stats as well as you all do!), but to come from behind like that, passing the field like they weren't even moving, to finish so far ahead... that was *sick*!

Damned impressive move .. but I'd be hard-pressed to endorse him for CH. Older Horse as even with a Classic victory, he'll still finish the season with a break even record (currently 7-3-1-2). I think he's in contention for it, and it's going to come down to who has the better finish in the Classic between him, RHT and Saint Liam.

My money is on Ten. Literally. :wink:

BenB · Postby **BenB** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:54 am

Hurricane Run was a very impressive winner last sunday in the Big One,
with Kieren Fallon in the saddle, who was riding a superb tactical race.
Westener second, a very big misjudgement on me, Bago three as the last year winner, Shirocco became four, not finding his real beloved heavy gooiing. Kieren rode 3 gr 1 in one day.

skeenan · Postby **skeenan** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:19 pm

Sam wrote:My money is on Ten. Literally.

I can see why, after seeing him on TV... I'm still thinking about him! :wink:

What a horse... he's been fueling my daydreams of a *huge*, dark horse with his size and (hopefully!!) impressive appearance, if I can breed to the stallion I want to next April... boy, would I be happy! :mrgreen:

BenB, I couldn't believe the *cool* footage of that race... the videography looked like something you'd see in a National Geographic special! It was awesome, watching them come down the stretch in slow-motion...

Joe · Postby **Joe** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:00 pm

I had a good talk with an older trainer on Saturday about Borrego. After what looked like "seconditis" he seemed to wake up and this fella told me they sometimes do that and get full of themselves.

Well, with the BC coming soon, this is a real good time to wake up and get full of yourself.

The jockey went up on him shortly after the 1/16th pole, so the running line may even reflect that horses gained on him, but it was not the case. He could have easily won by 10. It was a monster move on that turn.

I was not one of the people sold on Bellamy Road at Aqueduct this spring, I was there and thought the 121 Beyer was artificial. However, this race that Borrego ran was deceptively better than on paper. To anybody who didn't see it, watch it before the BC. Garret Gomez looks back at the 1/16th pole and just comes up, no whip or anything and jogs him out. I was really impressed.

This horse may be a major player later this month.

jellac · Postby **jellac** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:25 pm

Joe said:

The jockey went up on him shortly after the 1/16th pole, so the running line may even reflect that horses gained on him, but it was not the case. He could have easily won by 10. It was a monster move on that turn.

It's even more impressive than you might think it "looks" Joe, the first portion of that race was run at very moderate fractions, the second half at much faster speed, so not only is Borrego making a huge move and making it look easy....he's doing it against relatively "fresh" and quickening rivals, not a bunch of tired, beginning to flag horses......all the more impressive to me.

If he comes out of this sound and ready to rock and roll my money's going to be on Borrego - because he is maturing/improving - really coming into himself physically, because he is capable (and then some) and because if up against a tough horse in the final furlongs he's already shown us he'll fight to the bloody end to do his best....."fold" is not in his vocabulary. I've always liked the fact that even when he was tagged with having 'seconditus' his were always hard fought, grudging second place finishes that seemed to take a lot out of those that did best him. Now that he seems to be coming into his prime -- look out!!

austique · Postby **austique** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:32 pm

I think Borrego and Rock Hard Ten were much more impressive than they looked on paper. Both were eased to the finish line and I think I actually saw Rock Hard Ten suck the heart right out of Roman Ruler when he passed him. :wink:

elviswastheking · Postby **elviswastheking** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 12:24 pm

As far as the races at Longchamp went, Danehill had a monster day from a sire standpoint.

But what's new, aye?

Playwithfire · Postby **Playwithfire** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 12:59 pm

One thing that bugs me about the JCBC is how the horses behind Borrego finished up the race in a really slow time. I agree Borrego looked great and could have won in a much faster time. But what about others. were they all not trying at the end? THe 3rd place horse was >10 lengths back, that's more than 2 seconds. Did anybody else clear 2:05 besides Suave? THe track certainly wasn't dead. Was his apparently brilliant move made look like that because the other horses were hardly moving, or because he really was moving fast? this isn't rhetorical, i'm seeking opinions. I watched the race but don't have the replay to see for myself.