Horse Racing questions and answers

[str]

I've gone through the Preakness field here is my take.

1. Goal Oriented: Most likely tries to get the lead from the one post. If not, just off it down inside but because he was "climbing" so much that it warranted a mention in the form from the chart caller, and that climbing was most likely due to the spray back or kickback that flies from the horses in front, all signs point to him trying to avoid that situation. For me, he is speed.

2. Journalism: Has done nothing wrong in all 6 starts. I can't expect him to today. He is the heavy favorite and deservedly so. Evan a bounce as people call it, still puts him 2nd or 3rd in all probability. On paper, no doubt the best horse today.

3. American Promise: Speed and or early position. As long as the other speeds run to their capabilities, I just don't see it here. He should be prominent early but I don't see him able to hold off the closers with a duel up front IMO.

4. Heart Of Honor: Looks like he runs mid pack early. Next to no form to go on. He is a nice horse I am pretty sure. But, today, and with little if anything to go on, If he wins , I lose.

5. Pay Billy: Local horse gets to swing for the fences. He will try but if he gets there, I won't.

6. River Thames: This horse looks like he could improve as he runs more. He could run well today and at high odds, I think I could use him in exotics.

7. Sandman: Most likely better than his last race. The question is... how much better? Lower odds has me looking elsewhere.

8. Clever Again: Speed. And three across the track it very well could be. If any of those can get loose and slow it down, that horse will have a huge chance. That said, for me, I will toss and hope for that 3 horse duel and fast splits early.

9. Gosger: Probably is allowed, if he cooperates, and I would think there is a good chance for that, to settle off the top three across the track and lay 4th, save a bit of ground around the first turn, advance when needed to keep his position and finish well. At nice odds, he will be on my tickets.

At current odds my plays would be:
Gosger to win at 20-1

An exacta box of 2,6,9. Then see the payoffs and most likely use the 9 with the 2 a bit more assuming the 6-9 box is big.

A triple box of 2,6,9

Hope that makes sense.

Let's get lucky!

GL everyone.

Who do you all like?

[JBEX]

One other thing I want to mention is for everyone that considers the " bounce" which I feel is over represented and misunderstood often, a prime horse to possibly " bounce" today is Journalism.

Wanting to lay 4th , 5th or 6th easily, which is his perfect setup, he was forced lay 10th early. He ran a great race. So is today for him a bounce candidate? Yes. While I hope not for the connections who got hosed in the Derby, if he runs flat, that would be a bounce. I'm not talking about Beyer numbers or figures, I'm talking about physical effort and excursion which the horse reached deeply for to run the race he did.
Hope that makes sense.

guess no matter how good the trainer is you just don't know till they run .. have to think with his pedigree they are considering what his resume will look like at the end of his career for stud fee
purposes and as you know that money dwarfs purses..I have an above avg amount of confidence that he's ok to go and if he works out a good trip he's going to win..will there be any value..no and that's why I like the idea of going for the exacta with him on top

[str]

One other thing I want to mention is for everyone that considers the " bounce" which I feel is over represented and misunderstood often, a prime horse to possibly " bounce" today is Journalism.

Wanting to lay 4th , 5th or 6th easily, which is his perfect setup, he was forced lay 10th early. He ran a great race. So is today for him a bounce candidate? Yes. While I hope not for the connections who got hosed in the Derby, if he runs flat, that would be a bounce. I'm not talking about Beyer numbers or figures, I'm talking about physical effort and excursion which the horse reached deeply for to run the race he did.
Hope that makes sense.

[str]

Having gone through the Preakness pp's once, it is obvious that the best horse on paper is Journalism. If he had had the opportunity to lay closer early instead of being squeezed back much further than they wanted him to be it very well could have been a different story. But... "the chosen one" had to get HIS spot and half the fields expense so shuffled back it is.
I will look at this race for a three horse exacta box, and maybe a small triple. I am not going to Laurel today so I will post it earlier than 1 darn minute to post time. Sorry again about that.

[str]

army mule saturday



monmouth 7 @ 3:56
#1 bel pensiero (3-1)

monmouth 8 @ 4:28
#1 ceepeegee (9-2)

churchill 1 @ 6pm
#7 brooklyn drew (4-1)




.

Without even seeing the form yet, I would be way more surprised if all three ran off the board than if all three won.

If anyone is just looking for action, play these three and you can rest assured that you will get a hard trying run for your money on all of them.
I don't think there is another sire I would say that about more confidently than I do Army Mules.

[JBEX]

army mule saturday



monmouth 7 @ 3:56
#1 bel pensiero (3-1)

monmouth 8 @ 4:28
#1 ceepeegee (9-2)

churchill 1 @ 6pm
#7 brooklyn drew (4-1)




.

[JBEX]

army mule friday





woodbine 1 @ 1:05
#5 houlihan (5-2)

woodbine 2
#4 sultry sophie (6-1)


churchill 9 @ 4:55
#10 colonel caliente (8-1)

prarie meadows 7 @ 9:42
#2 kissed a cadet (5-1)






.

[JBEX]

army mule

two going in horseshoe R2 @ 2:41

#1 army girl (10-1)
#6 wonder if you (8-1)

[str]

an army mule ,or any say $15k + stallion, that's a homebred or isn't a cheapie auction purchase
generally has an edge in that kind of race and with AM you have one of the better first out stallions also .. lot's of the public knows that and not enough respect given to them by the ml maker ..of course now that we said this he'll probably go off 17-1 lol

Notes for this race yesterday. Watch the replay to see what I mean if you care to.

#3 Army Fever went off 7-1. I stick with my assessment that the 10-1 ML was dumb. Why? Because this horse was most likely the 2nd best horse in the race. It is not rocket science at this point that AM's all run there guts out. 5-1 should have been the line. Third choice most likely should have been the correct line.
This is a big edge for players looking for value. Anyone reading here knows all about Army Mule's. Some lines makers obviously do not.

This horse broke sluggish and was not ready to engage at first. He was either bothered by the spray back of dirt, which is something you just can't reenact in the mornings to the proper extent and, or, he just did not understand what was going on. Either way, the rider starts chasing him and pushing him early and the horse did not understand that OR, he didn't like it. It was a mistake. In almost all of these types of situations the thing to do is to get the horse to find a comfort zone and be in tune with the rider. I'm not knocking this jockey, well I guess I am to an extent, but, a rider with more understanding of this would have done better. Why? Because when chasing the horse and throwing the reigns at him did nothing, as soon as the rider stopped and took a cross with the reigns and allowed the bit to go back in the horses mouth, the horse understood that, grabbed it, and was mentally comfortable and engaged immediately thereafter.
This horse ate a ton of dirt, kickback, whatever you want to call it, stayed inside, responded immediately when asked , moved up inside horses to be a clear 2nd, all of which is extremely impressive, and was winded late by the experience and that allowed a closer to catch him late. An easy 3rd. He will be better next out especially if the rider is as well.

He wins against this group next out with any improvement from this experience.

On a side note, the winner has a lot of talent but... he never switched leads through the stretch or the gallop out. Unless he has exceptional talent, that gets him beat next out unless he has that exceptional talent and can get away with winning at about 60-70% of his overall ability.

Hope all this helps better see the races for everyone.

[JBEX]

A silly morning line which points to the fact that other than a very few places, morning lines are just not given serious consideration.

You have to pay for someone to put in the time and have the expertise. If you don't, they move elsewhere.
Some tracks pass this task off as just another thing that needs to occur for each card. I do not blame the odds maker . I blame management for not caring to provide a first class experience for the fans.
Anyone that plays at this track needs to know to not pay any attention to the morning line as it is obviously an underpaid position and an afterthought. I cannot figure out any other reason for such a blatant mistake. Just my opinion.

an army mule ,or any say $15k + stallion, that's a homebred or isn't a cheapie auction purchase
generally has an edge in that kind of race and with AM you have one of the better first out stallions also .. lot's of the public knows that and not enough respect given to them by the ml maker ..of course now that we said this he'll probably go off 17-1 lol

[str]

by army mule

horseshoe 1 @ 2:10
#3 army fever (10-1)


first time starter homebred .. certainly a decent shot vs statebreds

A silly morning line which points to the fact that other than a very few places, morning lines are just not given serious consideration.

You have to pay for someone to put in the time and have the expertise. If you don't, they move elsewhere.
Some tracks pass this task off as just another thing that needs to occur for each card. I do not blame the odds maker . I blame management for not caring to provide a first class experience for the fans.
Anyone that plays at this track needs to know to not pay any attention to the morning line as it is obviously an underpaid position and an afterthought. I cannot figure out any other reason for such a blatant mistake. Just my opinion.

[JBEX]

by army mule

horseshoe 1 @ 2:10
#3 army fever (10-1)


first time starter homebred .. certainly a decent shot vs statebreds

[Madison]

Amazing the lyrics from the 70's and 80's. Not much to my liking nowadays.

Isn't the Byrds "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress"? Somewhere on my recent Youtube playlist. Also David Gilmour and various versions of "When My Guitar Gently Weeps". There's one with Prince who I never appreciated as much as I should. I could go on and on. But let's not turn this into an old guys music thread. LOL

All my best!

[str]

Always appreciated.

It's just amazing that when all I did was gamble I wouldn't think twice about boxing the 1/13 with the field. 2 or 3 years ago I finally shredded a shoe box full of "signers" from the 80's. Yes, I'm sick, I held them that long and I'm still holding a few. The real dilemma is that I now have 1000x the money I had back then and I have -1000x the B@LLS. I would win/lose thousands daily back then, now I can't tolerate losing $100. I had no conscience back then and now I'm pathetic as a gambler.

I once bet 3300/3000 on a CF game Colorado vs Colorado St. Back then (80's) you had to stay up til midnight watching and hoping you'd see the result. Apparently one or the other kicked a 40 yd fg in a snowstorm and I won. It was probably about 50% of my net worth.

Sorry to bother/clutter the thread, just getting old. Now I do a semblance of the same in the stock market.

BOL to all!!

From the music side of things:

How about the Byrds.

"I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now".

All the best sir.

[Madison]

OH, and yes I'm a BIG music guy. Jackson Brown, Seger, etc, etc.

[Madison]

Hi Madison. I don't know if you are a music guy or not but I am.

From one old guy to another, listen to this song if you are so inclined.
It kind of says it all.

Have a great day sir!

The Older I Get
Song by Alan Jackson ‧ 2021
OverviewLyricsListenArtists Search Results

Main Results

Lyrics
The older I get
The more I think
You only get a minute, better live while you're in it
'Cause it's gone in a blink

And the older I get
The truer it is
It's the people you love, not the money and stuff
That makes you rich

And if they found a fountain of youth
I wouldn't drink a drop and that's the truth
Funny how it feels I'm just getting to my best years yet

The older I get
The fewer friends I have
But you don't need a lot when the ones that you got
Have always got your back

And the older I get
The better I am
At knowing when to give
And when to just not give a damn

And if they found a fountain of youth
I wouldn't drink a drop and that's the truth
Funny how it feels I'm just getting to my best years yet

The older I get
And I don't mind all the lines
From all the times I've laughed and cried
Souvenirs and little signs of the life I've lived

The older I get
The longer I pray
I don't know why, I guess that I've
Got more to say

And the older I get
The more thankful I feel
For the life I've had and all the life I'm living still

Always appreciated.

It's just amazing that when all I did was gamble I wouldn't think twice about boxing the 1/13 with the field. 2 or 3 years ago I finally shredded a shoe box full of "signers" from the 80's. Yes, I'm sick, I held them that long and I'm still holding a few. The real dilemma is that I now have 1000x the money I had back then and I have -1000x the B@LLS. I would win/lose thousands daily back then, now I can't tolerate losing $100. I had no conscience back then and now I'm pathetic as a gambler.

I once bet 3300/3000 on a CF game Colorado vs Colorado St. Back then (80's) you had to stay up til midnight watching and hoping you'd see the result. Apparently one or the other kicked a 40 yd fg in a snowstorm and I won. It was probably about 50% of my net worth.

Sorry to bother/clutter the thread, just getting old. Now I do a semblance of the same in the stock market.

BOL to all!!

[JBEX]

army mule

thistledown R7 @ 3:50
#7 sgt york (9-2)

[JBEX]

This why I'm so lost.

CD R7 ... #1 Gearing up comes out of my stable. I make note that #13 is Unc Mo/Tapit. Race runs 13,x,1 and .50 tri pays $1850.

This used to be a home run for me. Now?? Getting old really Sux.

apologize for missing the point of this..would've taken a lot of combos to cash the triple but certainly a big reward for those that did

[str]

This why I'm so lost.

CD R7 ... #1 Gearing up comes out of my stable. I make note that #13 is Unc Mo/Tapit. Race runs 13,x,1 and .50 tri pays $1850.

This used to be a home run for me. Now?? Getting old really Sux.

Hi Madison. I don't know if you are a music guy or not but I am.

From one old guy to another, listen to this song if you are so inclined.
It kind of says it all.

Have a great day sir!

The Older I Get
Song by Alan Jackson ‧ 2021
OverviewLyricsListenArtists Search Results

Main Results

Lyrics
The older I get
The more I think
You only get a minute, better live while you're in it
'Cause it's gone in a blink

And the older I get
The truer it is
It's the people you love, not the money and stuff
That makes you rich

And if they found a fountain of youth
I wouldn't drink a drop and that's the truth
Funny how it feels I'm just getting to my best years yet

The older I get
The fewer friends I have
But you don't need a lot when the ones that you got
Have always got your back

And the older I get
The better I am
At knowing when to give
And when to just not give a damn

And if they found a fountain of youth
I wouldn't drink a drop and that's the truth
Funny how it feels I'm just getting to my best years yet

The older I get
And I don't mind all the lines
From all the times I've laughed and cried
Souvenirs and little signs of the life I've lived

The older I get
The longer I pray
I don't know why, I guess that I've
Got more to say

And the older I get
The more thankful I feel
For the life I've had and all the life I'm living still

[JBEX]

This why I'm so lost.

CD R7 ... #1 Gearing up comes out of my stable. I make note that #13 is Unc Mo/Tapit. Race runs 13,x,1 and .50 tri pays $1850.

This used to be a home run for me. Now?? Getting old really Sux.

see some subtle good things about the winner but would only be a flyer type play at best..think considering how bad (and late) his first start was I have to credit "part" of this to those bloodlines..for the record paid $71 to win .. think amongst his progeny kingsbarns (unc mo/tap also ) will get some nice turf runners down the road

[Madison]

This why I'm so lost.

CD R7 ... #1 Gearing up comes out of my stable. I make note that #13 is Unc Mo/Tapit. Race runs 13,x,1 and .50 tri pays $1850.

This used to be a home run for me. Now?? Getting old really Sux.

[str]

Looks like Sandman will now run in the Preakness. The trainer sees how weak the race will be so I think it makes sense. . However, from the betting perspective getting a depressed price ( I assume) on a horse that was not going to run until the trainer saw how weak the race was going to be has to be taken into consideration when betting the race. My recommendation would be to look and see if you think he should win on paper. Then, see if he would win in your opinion if he was 90%. That is probably what you will get assuming he was supposedly 100% for the Derby going in.
Of course, last minute horses for these races can and do win, but , you have to assume the horse will not be at his absolute top level in all probability.
Thats not a knock , just being practical.
Hope that helps.

[JBEX]

Well... the Preakness is down to maybe the Derby runner up and 7 others with 1 having won a graded stakes race in their career.

No lie when I say that as I type this, I feel sick to my stomach. This is incredibly sad.

amazing that potentially there could be only 1 other graded stakes runner (not winner )in the race besides the derby runner up ..no more clearer message that things need to change but of course they won't

[str]

Well... the Preakness is down to maybe the Derby runner up and 7 others with 1 having won a graded stakes race in their career.

No lie when I say that as I type this, I feel sick to my stomach. This is incredibly sad.

[str]

and just thought of something else..the new belmont will probably be open next year and it's supposed to be an amazing upgrade..why not run an extra week there ..they have extended the saratoga meet a few weeks anyway over the years

as far as making it 5 weeks (vs 4) to the belmont stakes (besides the test of going 1.5 miles) makes sense to give horses who ran in the first 2 legs a little longer break and there will probably more of those with this spacing ..understand again this could have ripple effects on upcoming stakes but that's as far as I'll take it..some off-the-top of my head ideas

All it takes is someone to coordinate all this with cooperation from the three ownerships.
You would think it would be a great opportunity for all of them but it never seems easy for whatever reason

[JBEX]

you might be right about changing the name of the races but part of me still kind of likes the idea

I realize you could vary the timing and it doesn't have to be exactly 4 weeks in between them all .. I think an extra week so it'd be 3 is not enough for the preakness but it could possibly be 4/5 instead of 4/4 (ex:4 wks to preak and 5 to bel) ..that recognizes the added physical challenges of going the belmont distance ..if they would start saratoga a week later (I like that idea) it would give them even more flexibility..just some suggestions and understand there are a lot of considerations
that go into making such major changes as these

and just thought of something else..the new belmont will probably be open next year and it's supposed to be an amazing upgrade..why not run an extra week there ..they have extended the saratoga meet a few weeks anyway over the years

as far as making it 5 weeks (vs 4) to the belmont stakes (besides the test of going 1.5 miles) makes sense to give horses who ran in the first 2 legs a little longer break and there will probably more of those with this spacing ..understand again this could have ripple effects on upcoming stakes but that's as far as I'll take it..some off-the-top of my head ideas

[JBEX]

I would hope people can see the difference and not try to compare today to 50 or 100 years ago. Horses had to stop for gas and people to eat in the back of a trailer way back when. Now they fly all over the place.

Racing can reimagine the Triple Crown spread over 3-5 months therefore giving every venue a chance to reestablish dates for other key races. I think people could understand the difference, just like a 1000 yard rusher in football or scoring 40 + points in the NBA before the 3 point line. Or the home run total with less games.
I mean, what a novel idea. Actually working together for a unified single goal which would be the excitement and enthusiasm of the fan base and grow the game.
Racing needs to get out of the house some and realize it isn't 1972 anymore.
This is something IMO they should have addressed years ago.

Records will fall and it might become easier to win a triple crown , but with technology, most everything does fall and is easier. Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey, Golf, etc. all have records falling because of a multitude of things which can all pretty much be lumped into progress.

It makes me ill to watch this slow moving car wreck that is taking place.

you might be right about changing the name of the races but part of me still kind of likes the idea

I realize you could vary the timing and it doesn't have to be exactly 4 weeks in between them all .. I think an extra week so it'd be 3 is not enough for the preakness but it could possibly be 4/5 instead of 4/4 (ex:4 wks to preak and 5 to bel) ..that recognizes the added physical challenges of going the belmont distance ..if they would start saratoga a week later (I like that idea) it would give them even more flexibility..just some suggestions and understand there are a lot of considerations
that go into making such major changes as these

[str]

by army mule .. thursday


aqu 8 @ 4:48
#9 army proud (7-2)

like this one





.

Agreed.

Looks solid JBEX.

[str]

also mentioned once before that if they do this I feel they have to do away with calling them triple crown races. it's new spacing and that should be distinguished by calling them something else

I would hope people can see the difference and not try to compare today to 50 or 100 years ago. Horses had to stop for gas and people to eat in the back of a trailer way back when. Now they fly all over the place.

Racing can reimagine the Triple Crown spread over 3-5 months therefore giving every venue a chance to reestablish dates for other key races. I think people could understand the difference, just like a 1000 yard rusher in football or scoring 40 + points in the NBA before the 3 point line. Or the home run total with less games.
I mean, what a novel idea. Actually working together for a unified single goal which would be the excitement and enthusiasm of the fan base and grow the game.
Racing needs to get out of the house some and realize it isn't 1972 anymore.
This is something IMO they should have addressed years ago.

Records will fall and it might become easier to win a triple crown , but with technology, most everything does fall and is easier. Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey, Golf, etc. all have records falling because of a multitude of things which can all pretty much be lumped into progress.

It makes me ill to watch this slow moving car wreck that is taking place.

[JBEX]

by army mule .. thursday


aqu 8 @ 4:48
#9 army proud (7-2)

like this one





.

[JBEX]

agree with a different spacing for the triple crown races..4 weeks apart would leave an option after the preakness to possibly choose between the haskell at monmouth or go on to the belmont stakes..the belmont on to the jim dandy would be a little tight , and without a lot of extra thought, that might be the the least favorable situation of that spacing in my opinion ..a lot of horses pointing for the travers want a run over the strip in the JD and probably wouldn't get it if they ran in the belmont..I think it's a worthwhile tradeoff though as the travers with it's tradition and prestige will always attract the best horses ..just some off the top thoughts of paths without making a deep dive

also mentioned once before that if they do this I feel they have to do away with calling them triple crown races..it's new spacing and that should be distinguished by calling them something else

[JBEX]

With the Derby winner now skipping the Preakness, what exactly does that say?

It can be as little as, the horse has given the trainer indications that he won't be at his best for either the Preakness, or, if he runs in it, the Belmont. Or, he won't make the Breeders Cup Classic maybe?
It could be those or, it could be that the full body of work for the horse while laying it out for the year in a perfect scenario, does not logically work over the next six months if you run in two weeks and then back in 3 weeks for the Belmont.

What I know without a doubt is that Bill Mott understands all this and has looked at every angle of this before making a judgement.

So while we do not know the exact reasoning, it is safe to say that unless the Triple Crown reimagines the three races and the spacing of each one, it will become less significant every year moving forward.

For instance, the NFL has expanded games in season but remember when there were 6 preseason games? They adjusted.

MLB has added playoff games galore as compared to back in the day. They adjusted.

The NBA won't go for less games and nor will the NFL or MLB, because it is a revenue source for owners. But we all should know that a MLB game in April, May or June other than opening day is just a nuisance that players have to deal with. The NBA just has games these days where players simply sit.

The difference is (and when it comes to Horse Racing there always is a difference and typically not for the better), this is not a revenue sharing game. It is every man for themselves. So unless, IMO of course, the triple crown owners come together ( don't hold your breath), the triple crown will become a little less relevant every year. We are watching it unfold in real time .

Let me say this for probably the one thousandth time. Maryland racing is on life support and they might as well pull the plug without the Preakness meaning anything. Without proper spacing which in todays game would be about every 5 weeks, the Preakness will just fade away and probably become G-2 status in ten years or less. That fits right into tearing down the old Pimlico and building a new one so nobody can be there. Yes, I'm rolling my eyes.

A slow moving train wreck unfolding that seems to be gaining speed every year. And as I type this, I was going to say, what a shame. But no, it's not a shame. What it was was no vision, no leadership and a false sense of thinking that nobody would notice.
You reap what you sow. Now please Md. racing! Make me eat these words. I'm begging you.

agree with a different spacing for the triple crown races..4 weeks apart would leave an option after the preakness to possibly choose between the haskell at monmouth or go on to the belmont stakes..the belmont on to the jim dandy would be a little tight , and without a lot of extra thought, that might be the the least favorable situation of that spacing in my opinion ..a lot of horses pointing for the travers want a run over the strip in the JD and probably wouldn't get it if they ran in the belmont..I think it's a worthwhile tradeoff though as the travers with it's tradition and prestige will always attract the best horses ..just some off the top thoughts of paths without making a deep dive

[JBEX]

A couple of things about Derby Day and Md. racing.



Well, one of my favorite trainers, you know, the chosen one, was at it again in the Derby with the 1 horse. Breaks and goes to the lead AND THE 8 PATH right away. I certainly understand horses breaking to the outside but the riders hands and arms say that was intentional, IMO of course. And because I knew in my mind, that Bob wanted to shine in his first year back at any expense, this horse would be given every opportunity to run it's best. And... yes, that is what you strive for as a trainer, but not at the expense of multiple horses to your immediate outside. I mean, it was an important day for the 2,3,4,5,6,7, horse as well. But... as the Beatles and George Harrison pointed out decades ago, "All through the day, I me mine, I me mine, I me mine. All through the night, I me mine, I me mine, I me mine".

I have to give major props to the gate crew. They load a race faster than any track I have seen. That was awesome!! Take note racing.

The track superintendent did a fabulous job maintaining the track ! Unsung hero in my book.

The betting syndicates at work ? Well, pass me a barf bag will someone. I have not seen how the money came in for all the races including the Derby but... the winner with zero minutes to post time, roughly 20 seconds before the race started. He was 9-1. He finishes and he is 7-1 change. Now don't get me wrong. I am NOT saying anything except this. These mega money syndicates are using algorithms to be able to bet amounts on the entire field so no matter who wins, they break roughly even. Then, they receive ( not you and me), but THEY RECIEVE a rebate for their handle. Easy game isn't it ? Don't expect that to change as long as tracks allow this to occur. If they were forced to play the same game as everyone else, this would at least slow way down if not stop. But that won't happen as long as track ownership is part of the rebate team. I call it FGS. Fans getting screwed.

So its off to the last Preakness to ever be run at the original Pimlico. Do expect all the PGS money to show up again as ownership I have been told is part of that syndicate.

Then, they will build a new Pimlico, but leave the existing track in place to save roughly 350 million. Key the two old guys in the commercial clanging beers saying... BRILLIANT !

So no 6 1/2, 7/8ths, or a flat mile races on dirt. Just 5 or 6 furlongs or a mile and a 1/16 or longer. I mean, who doesn't want to do that? Oh, and barely any stalls as the horses will ship for the races and train on a farm many miles away. I swear, I don't want to be critical. I really don't. I love Maryland racing. I spent a many of year there in my life. But with decisions being made by non horse related professionals, who I have plenty of respect for, this is kind of like me, going in to run the Washington Commanders. I love the NFL. A born and raised sports fan from that area. But as the old saying goes, " Know your role and shut your mouth", doesn't someone with the authority look in the mirror and see a person that is I am sure, was and is really good at what they do THAT THEY ARE A PROFESSIONAL IN. There seems to be no common sense at the helm. There does seem to be plenty of egos though. Maybe not. But that is what it looks like.

The horsemen collectively are in mourning at the Maryland tracks. They know what the future holds. It was so sad as every person that have worked for decades at the track will now be facing a choice of, live out of a suitcase, uproot your entire family and move, or retire because Md. racing will no longer be anything close to what it was. A boutique meet at best. And most likely a fairly boring one as I have yet to see a real reason why it will be attracting support other than turf racing. Bye Bye, Maryland breeding industry. I mean, what will be the incentive going forward to be a Md. bred?
Maryland racing had a window in the 80's to shine brightly IMO. But the fates had other ideas. So here we are and so many peoples lives will be affected by it.
Ownership will sell Laurel for development so I am told. It is being talked about as a place where housing will be built. All I can hope for is that they remember to put those new houses on stilts like the Outer Banks because half of Laurel Park at least, is in a flood plain.

What did Vince Lombardi on the Green Bay sideline say in that old clip. "What the Hell is going on here!"

I have always found those distances to be the most interesting to handicap ..the cutbacks from 2 turns for 6.5 or 7 and then just the ones which need a little extra ground but are not 2 turn horses ..a track without those distances,for sure, is a real turnoff to me

besides that,as you said, really a shame for all the horsemen that have made a living at it and only know that way of life for a long while .. some would go to colonial,delaware and maybe parx I guess but probably not the easiest thing to do ..the breeding industry also suffers as you mentioned .. be a lot less incentive to buy statebreds with a lot less races to run in

[str]

With the Derby winner now skipping the Preakness, what exactly does that say?

It can be as little as, the horse has given the trainer indications that he won't be at his best for either the Preakness, or, if he runs in it, the Belmont. Or, he won't make the Breeders Cup Classic maybe?
It could be those or, it could be that the full body of work for the horse while laying it out for the year in a perfect scenario, does not logically work over the next six months if you run in two weeks and then back in 3 weeks for the Belmont.

What I know without a doubt is that Bill Mott understands all this and has looked at every angle of this before making a judgement.

So while we do not know the exact reasoning, it is safe to say that unless the Triple Crown reimagines the three races and the spacing of each one, it will become less significant every year moving forward.

For instance, the NFL has expanded games in season but remember when there were 6 preseason games? They adjusted.

MLB has added playoff games galore as compared to back in the day. They adjusted.

The NBA won't go for less games and nor will the NFL or MLB, because it is a revenue source for owners. But we all should know that a MLB game in April, May or June other than opening day is just a nuisance that players have to deal with. The NBA just has games these days where players simply sit.

The difference is (and when it comes to Horse Racing there always is a difference and typically not for the better), this is not a revenue sharing game. It is every man for themselves. So unless, IMO of course, the triple crown owners come together ( don't hold your breath), the triple crown will become a little less relevant every year. We are watching it unfold in real time .

Let me say this for probably the one thousandth time. Maryland racing is on life support and they might as well pull the plug without the Preakness meaning anything. Without proper spacing which in todays game would be about every 5 weeks, the Preakness will just fade away and probably become G-2 status in ten years or less. That fits right into tearing down the old Pimlico and building a new one so nobody can be there. Yes, I'm rolling my eyes.

A slow moving train wreck unfolding that seems to be gaining speed every year. And as I type this, I was going to say, what a shame. But no, it's not a shame. What it was was no vision, no leadership and a false sense of thinking that nobody would notice.
You reap what you sow. Now please Md. racing! Make me eat these words. I'm begging you.

[str]

A couple of things about Derby Day and Md. racing.



Well, one of my favorite trainers, you know, the chosen one, was at it again in the Derby with the 1 horse. Breaks and goes to the lead AND THE 8 PATH right away. I certainly understand horses breaking to the outside but the riders hands and arms say that was intentional, IMO of course. And because I knew in my mind, that Bob wanted to shine in his first year back at any expense, this horse would be given every opportunity to run it's best. And... yes, that is what you strive for as a trainer, but not at the expense of multiple horses to your immediate outside. I mean, it was an important day for the 2,3,4,5,6,7, horse as well. But... as the Beatles and George Harrison pointed out decades ago, "All through the day, I me mine, I me mine, I me mine. All through the night, I me mine, I me mine, I me mine".

I have to give major props to the gate crew. They load a race faster than any track I have seen. That was awesome!! Take note racing.

The track superintendent did a fabulous job maintaining the track ! Unsung hero in my book.

The betting syndicates at work ? Well, pass me a barf bag will someone. I have not seen how the money came in for all the races including the Derby but... the winner with zero minutes to post time, roughly 20 seconds before the race started. He was 9-1. He finishes and he is 7-1 change. Now don't get me wrong. I am NOT saying anything except this. These mega money syndicates are using algorithms to be able to bet amounts on the entire field so no matter who wins, they break roughly even. Then, they receive ( not you and me), but THEY RECIEVE a rebate for their handle. Easy game isn't it ? Don't expect that to change as long as tracks allow this to occur. If they were forced to play the same game as everyone else, this would at least slow way down if not stop. But that won't happen as long as track ownership is part of the rebate team. I call it FGS. Fans getting screwed.

So its off to the last Preakness to ever be run at the original Pimlico. Do expect all the PGS money to show up again as ownership I have been told is part of that syndicate.

Then, they will build a new Pimlico, but leave the existing track in place to save roughly 350 million. Key the two old guys in the commercial clanging beers saying... BRILLIANT !

So no 6 1/2, 7/8ths, or a flat mile races on dirt. Just 5 or 6 furlongs or a mile and a 1/16 or longer. I mean, who doesn't want to do that? Oh, and barely any stalls as the horses will ship for the races and train on a farm many miles away. I swear, I don't want to be critical. I really don't. I love Maryland racing. I spent a many of year there in my life. But with decisions being made by non horse related professionals, who I have plenty of respect for, this is kind of like me, going in to run the Washington Commanders. I love the NFL. A born and raised sports fan from that area. But as the old saying goes, " Know your role and shut your mouth", doesn't someone with the authority look in the mirror and see a person that is I am sure, was and is really good at what they do THAT THEY ARE A PROFESSIONAL IN. There seems to be no common sense at the helm. There does seem to be plenty of egos though. Maybe not. But that is what it looks like.

The horsemen collectively are in mourning at the Maryland tracks. They know what the future holds. It was so sad as every person that have worked for decades at the track will now be facing a choice of, live out of a suitcase, uproot your entire family and move, or retire because Md. racing will no longer be anything close to what it was. A boutique meet at best. And most likely a fairly boring one as I have yet to see a real reason why it will be attracting support other than turf racing. Bye Bye, Maryland breeding industry. I mean, what will be the incentive going forward to be a Md. bred?
Maryland racing had a window in the 80's to shine brightly IMO. But the fates had other ideas. So here we are and so many peoples lives will be affected by it.
Ownership will sell Laurel for development so I am told. It is being talked about as a place where housing will be built. All I can hope for is that they remember to put those new houses on stilts like the Outer Banks because half of Laurel Park at least, is in a flood plain.

What did Vince Lombardi on the Green Bay sideline say in that old clip. "What the Hell is going on here!"