Horse Racing questions and answers

[Easy-Rider 66]

"The Jockeys’ Guild became aware on Thursday, February 27, 2025, of a lawsuit filed in Jefferson Circuit Court in the Commonwealth of Kentucky by Gray V Train Racing, LLC and Westbrook Stables, LLC against jockey Luan Machado. The lawsuit purports to assert claims against Mr. Machado for breach of contract and negligence. The lawsuit arises out of Mr. Machado’s actions at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28, 2024 – specifically, the claim that Mr. Machado prematurely eased up on his mount."The claims asserted against Mr. Machado in the lawsuit are utterly baseless. They are also dangerous. The Kentucky legislature has entrusted the stewards of the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation with responsibility for determining if there has been a violation of the racing rules. The stewards made such a determination here and imposed a fine and suspension on Mr. Machado, which he paid and has served.

"There is absolutely no basis for private parties to try to undermine the stewards’ statutorily-entrusted decision by supplanting it with their own judgment as to what the

move forward

[Easy-Rider 66]

^Hey STR: want to get your opinion on the ride by Luan Machado on the #1 Hold My Bourbon in an allowance race at CD on 11/28/24. It is race #10. He is being sued for his efforts. or lack there of. I watched the replay. Not sure what to think? Don't know if you have access to the replay. If not, no worries. THX in advance.

[Easy-Rider 66]

"The Jockeys’ Guild became aware on Thursday, February 27, 2025, of a lawsuit filed in Jefferson Circuit Court in the Commonwealth of Kentucky by Gray V Train Racing, LLC and Westbrook Stables, LLC against jockey Luan Machado. The lawsuit purports to assert claims against Mr. Machado for breach of contract and negligence. The lawsuit arises out of Mr. Machado’s actions at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28, 2024 – specifically, the claim that Mr. Machado prematurely eased up on his mount."The claims asserted against Mr. Machado in the lawsuit are utterly baseless. They are also dangerous. The Kentucky legislature has entrusted the stewards of the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation with responsibility for determining if there has been a violation of the racing rules. The stewards made such a determination here and imposed a fine and suspension on Mr. Machado, which he paid and has served.

"There is absolutely no basis for private parties to try to undermine the stewards’ statutorily-entrusted decision by supplanting it with their own judgment as to what the

[str]

Did you know Johnny has a 100% success rate stealing 2nd base on Tuesday evenings, with a full moon. LOL

River Thames (Fountain of Youth)

He will be switching off Lasix, which is a curious move for Pletcher over the last five years. During that time, he is 8-52 (15%) switching 3-year-olds off Lasix in graded stakes dirt sprints while boasting a $3.86 ROI that is almost entirely propped up by Bourbonic winning the Wood Memorial at 72/1.

I do agree with EZ that you would rather have too much than too little. I think the key is reading the info and realizing whether it is useful or not .

In this case, the info is a head scratcher and it makes no sense Madison.


Why?

Because switching off Lasix is not a curious move in graded stakes these days. That is the rule. No Lasix in Grade 1 races which is to help with breeding transparency down the road.

Furthermore, winning Graded sprint races at a 15% clip is great.

And just to show you how totally silly this comment is if that wasn't enough, while they state Todd's win %'s in graded sprint stakes dirt sprints and say the Wood Memorial at 72-1 tainted the ROI. Well, The Wood is a mile and an eighth so it does not qualify as a sprint.

Yikes !

All the best Madison. And I always liked the Tuesday full moon angle. Lol.

[Easy-Rider 66]

^ NO i think the more info the better. Levels the playing field a bit? A handicapper can do some research and pick and choose what info to utilize. IMO. GL.

[Madison]

Anyone else feeling like there is just too much data nowadays??

Did you know Johnny has a 100% success rate stealing 2nd base on Tuesday evenings, with a full moon. LOL

River Thames (Fountain of Youth)

He will be switching off Lasix, which is a curious move for Pletcher over the last five years. During that time, he is 8-52 (15%) switching 3-year-olds off Lasix in graded stakes dirt sprints while boasting a $3.86 ROI that is almost entirely propped up by Bourbonic winning the Wood Memorial at 72/1.

[str]

some updates STR on the younger horses including your fav!
[COLOR=rgba(77, 76, 76, 0.9)]Black Tie Optional Showcase Footage[/COLOR]Enjoy the accompanying video with clips of Black Tie Optional at last weekend's Ocala Showcase!

https://cdnb-media.myracehorse.com/blog/video/BlackTieOptional022225_1740603342080/MP4/BlackTieOptional022225_1740603342080.mp4

Thanks Batt.

Yep. Want to keep track of him as he starts training.
Should be fun to watch him train and learn.

[batt33]

some updates STR on the younger horses including your fav!
[COLOR=rgba(77, 76, 76, 0.9)]Black Tie Optional Showcase Footage[/COLOR]Enjoy the accompanying video with clips of Black Tie Optional at last weekend's Ocala Showcase!

https://cdnb-media.myracehorse.com/blog/video/BlackTieOptional022225_1740603342080/MP4/BlackTieOptional022225_1740603342080.mp4

[str]

Enjoying catching up on the blog! And speaking of SNC..

https://cdnb-media.myracehorse.com/blog/video/4bd276dd46634da2a6b4950789f76823_1740506622432/MP4/4bd276dd46634da2a6b4950789f76823_1740506622432.mp4

Enjoy this video update from trainer Dan Blacker as our recent Riyadh Dirt Sprint winner enjoyed some grazing time with Juan Landeros at Meydan. Dan is thrilled with how well he looks out of the race, and as you will hear, Straight No Chaser will receive a few much-deserved days off before returning to the track.

He looks GREAT Batt.

[batt33]

It will take years to iron out all the mistakes that HISA will need to work through but with that said, it is far and away the best thing that could ever happen to USA thoroughbred racing.

Too late for me but that’s just fine. Thank goodness they are getting things right.

It makes me incredibly happy to see.

I hope they make as big an example out of these participants as possible.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...-pa-conspiracy

I 100% agree STR.....

[batt33]

Oh yeah, that carryover effect is real.

Horses know when they win. Some take it to another level.

If you look at how stoic some horses that win more than they lose prance around it’s like they are cocky. Lol.

Go back and look at Batts horse Straight No Chaser.
Correct me if I have them mixed up but wasn’t this horse antsy and washed out pre race last year. And somewhat agitated at times.
The horse I saw the other day was strutting around like a peacock and cool calm and collected.
He really does see the camera these days and he hams it up like he knows he’s a badass. I know I saw that in the videos last week before he strutted into the gate like he owned the joint and blew away the field without turning a hair.

Enjoying catching up on the blog! And speaking of SNC..

https://cdnb-media.myracehorse.com/blog/video/4bd276dd46634da2a6b4950789f76823_1740506622432/MP4/4bd276dd46634da2a6b4950789f76823_1740506622432.mp4

Enjoy this video update from trainer Dan Blacker as our recent Riyadh Dirt Sprint winner enjoyed some grazing time with Juan Landeros at Meydan. Dan is thrilled with how well he looks out of the race, and as you will hear, Straight No Chaser will receive a few much-deserved days off before returning to the track.

[str]

.
totally get the logic with that and makes perfect sense to me
..I think it would be more of an roi thing with winning a 3rd in a row .. horses who win 2 in a row aren't automatic underlays ..if they're stepping up in class and others (or another) are/is dropping I find the former often offer more value .. dropping in class is overbet imo which helps your angle from a betting perspective






not sure about SNC pre race and not surprised at your response regarding their mindset..you would think AM progeny would be especially good followup off a "drop win" candidates .. the natural competitive spirit in them would shine in that 2nd start and maybe above average chance to get the 3rd vs your average sire

I would agree with that. They try like heck in well beaten races. Have to think off a win and not placed in a real tough spot, they would run better than their last effort off the confidence and positive results of the last race.

[JBEX]

No question about it JBEX. It speaks to that seemingly crazy thing I said about sometimes it’s easier to win 3 in a row than it is 2 in a row.
I wonder if there is actually a stat on that? Too many variables probably to have merit but as crazy as it sounded, I still believe it in plenty of scenarios.

.
totally get the logic with that and makes perfect sense to me
..I think it would be more of an roi thing with winning a 3rd in a row .. horses who win 2 in a row aren't automatic underlays ..if they're stepping up in class and others (or another) are/is dropping I find the former often offer more value .. dropping in class is overbet imo which helps your angle from a betting perspective

Oh yeah, that carryover effect is real.

Horses know when they win. Some take it to another level.

If you look at how stoic some horses that win more than they lose prance around it’s like they are cocky. Lol.

Go back and look at Batts horse Straight No Chaser.
Correct me if I have them mixed up but wasn’t this horse antsy and washed out pre race last year. And somewhat agitated at times.
The horse I saw the other day was strutting around like a peacock and cool calm and collected.
He really does see the camera these days and he hams it up like he knows he’s a badass. I know I saw that in the videos last week before he strutted into the gate like he owned the joint and blew away the field without turning a hair.

not sure about SNC pre race and not surprised at your response regarding their mindset..you would think AM progeny would be especially good followup off a "drop win" candidates .. the natural competitive spirit in them would shine in that 2nd start and maybe above average chance to get the 3rd vs your average sire

[str]

sure you'd agree just needs to be placed in the right spot and she'll probably win within a couple of starts
..have to think mentally that must feel good for a horse who's been running over it's head and wins comfortably over a lesser field ..maybe even a carryover effect for at least a race or two afterwards


.

Oh yeah, that carryover effect is real.

Horses know when they win. Some take it to another level.

If you look at how stoic some horses that win more than they lose prance around it’s like they are cocky. Lol.

Go back and look at Batts horse Straight No Chaser.
Correct me if I have them mixed up but wasn’t this horse antsy and washed out pre race last year. And somewhat agitated at times.
The horse I saw the other day was strutting around like a peacock and cool calm and collected.
He really does see the camera these days and he hams it up like he knows he’s a badass. I know I saw that in the videos last week before he strutted into the gate like he owned the joint and blew away the field without turning a hair.

[str]

sure you'd agree just needs to be placed in the right spot and she'll probably win within a couple of starts
..have to think mentally that must feel good for a horse who's been running over it's head and wins comfortably over a lesser field ..maybe even a carryover effect for at least a race or two afterwards


.

No question about it JBEX. It speaks to that seemingly crazy thing I said about sometimes it’s easier to win 3 in a row than it is 2 in a row.
I wonder if there is actually a stat on that? Too many variables probably to have merit but as crazy as it sounded, I still believe it in plenty of scenarios.

[JBEX]

72-1 and 3 lengths off at the stretch. Wow. What a nice horse. I used to absolutely love a horse like that.
So special JBEX. She is awesome!

sure you'd agree just needs to be placed in the right spot and she'll probably win within a couple of starts
..have to think mentally that must feel good for a horse who's been running over it's head and wins comfortably over a lesser field ..maybe even a carryover effect for at least a race or two afterwards


.

[str]

It will take years to iron out all the mistakes that HISA will need to work through but with that said, it is far and away the best thing that could ever happen to USA thoroughbred racing.

Too late for me but that’s just fine. Thank goodness they are getting things right.

It makes me incredibly happy to see.

I hope they make as big an example out of these participants as possible.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/282826/hisa-ties-seven-equine-deaths-to-sweeping-pa-conspiracy

[str]

72-1 and 3 lengths off at the stretch call while losing by 10..no shot being pressed on the rail past the quarter pole but not winning this race from any post
.. I think it would've been a better result with a middle to outside post ..possibly a lone frontrunner or pressing the pace breaking from there




I think clm 50kn2l is where she belongs..nice purse and if taken,wins plus what she's won already the owners will have done well with her



.

72-1 and 3 lengths off at the stretch. Wow. What a nice horse. I used to absolutely love a horse like that.
So special JBEX. She is awesome!

[str]

You seen a barn get spiritual or have any traditions to get out of the funk STR ?

Santeria etc

A barn funk is not that tough to predict when it comes to claiming stables. A guy like Chad Brown just gets horses who have 3-4 wins in them even if they can’t win stakes because they are so well meant from the beginning. But a claiming barn that has a great, high percentage meet will more times than not, struggle at the next meeting. Why? Because the horses will run through their conditions that they were running and winning and that barn will either have to run them up the ladder against better horses and that usually means the winning slows down or the horses get claimed and the trainer needs to replace those winners with new horses and that can take a while to get the new horse In winning form.
A handicapping note that someone that follows a circuit year round should always look at. Same thing in reverse for the barn that typically does well but had a not so good meeting. Look for that barn to improve the next meet after their stock has been beaten and has the opportunity to drop down in company.

Both scenarios show up and if you are anticipating it, the gambler has scenarios to consider that other gamblers are not.
Try it. It works.

[str]

You seen a barn get spiritual or have any traditions to get out of the funk STR ?

Santeria etc

Well, No bonfires allowed around the barns but there are some good luck things that happen. Probably the most widespread is when you geld a horse you throw the gonads on the barn roof right away for good luck. Hey man, don’t ask me, that was there when I first showed up. Lol.

The old poop in the post parade has been a favorite of bettors forever as has betting lucky numbers like 7-11.

My favorite has to be when the pigeons at Pimlico who sat above the outdoor seating under the high overhang
took a crap, if it hit you, they always said, don’t wash it off. It’s good luck. I had to laugh when guys would walk around with pigeon crap on their hats or jackets. Only at the track.
There were more for sure but when you hear about them, I just shake my head and wonder if a form of intelligent life somewhere is watching and laughing at how weird we all are.

Thanks Lester. You have great questions ! Always enjoy them.