The Belmont.

Gremlin Lad · 05-22-11, 08:19 PM

If that is true that MMM lost a shoe during the PREAKNESS, that explains his poor showing..

I figured MMM would be one of the horses following the "Shack" until the stretch and then give Animal Kingdom a run for his money.

Guess that is why they race the horses...NOTHING is for certain.

Rbyrne · 05-22-11, 09:13 PM

Nehro and Animal Kingdom will be co-favs for the belmont....shackleford cant finish 1st again because the belmont is so much longer than the preakness. Shackleford will lead for a long time and get passed by animal kingdom and nehro down the stretch. Shack will probly end up finishing 3rd or 4th in the belmont just like first dude did last year. Nehro and Animal Kingdom will be heavy favs for the belmont and they deserve to be but sucks there wont be much value.

foryourhandicap · 05-23-11, 12:22 AM

It's pretty early and I haven't looked into it too much, but Master of Hounds is the horse I got my eyes on.

dugbug15 · 05-23-11, 07:28 AM

my early pick will be astrology.this distance should be right up his alley,(galaxy?).

mikemca · 05-23-11, 07:40 AM

Originally posted by Rbyrne

Nehro and Animal Kingdom will be co-favs for the belmont....shackleford cant finish 1st again because the belmont is so much longer than the preakness. Shackleford will lead for a long time and get passed by animal kingdom and nehro down the stretch. Shack will probly end up finishing 3rd or 4th in the belmont just like first dude did last year. Nehro and Animal Kingdom will be heavy favs for the belmont and they deserve to be but sucks there wont be much value.

The difference between Shackleford and First Dude is tenacity/gameness.In the Derby when Nehro came up in the stretch and challenged Shack, Shack rebroke and opened up again but was too spent from running the whole race on the dead rail/cuppy/late speed favoring track to hold off the closers.In the Preakness when Astrology made his move and looked Shack in the eyes Shack took off and if the race were another half mile he would have done the same to Animal Kingdom.If Shack is in the Belmont I will most likely be playing against because of his odds but Romans won't put him in the race if he can't get the distance.

Originally posted by dugbug15

my early pick will be astrology.this distance should be right up his alley,(galaxy?).

Astrology had his chance in the Preakness and Shackleford chewed him up and spit him out

Seattle Slew · 05-23-11, 08:13 AM

They make the same excuse in the La. Derby? Maybe they need a new blacksmith.

MMM was done into the first turn when he was 10 lengths back. He's always been right near the lead. I think the excuses are BS. The horse is not that good, and I played him his last 4 starts but time to get off.

Originally posted by Gremlin Lad

If that is true that MMM lost a shoe during the PREAKNESS, that explains his poor showing..

I figured MMM would be one of the horses following the "Shack" until the stretch and then give Animal Kingdom a run for his money.

Guess that is why they race the horses...NOTHING is for certain.

BGboothA · 05-23-11, 08:34 AM

Originally posted by mikemca

The difference between Shackleford and First Dude is tenacity/gameness.In the Derby when Nehro came up in the stretch and challenged Shack, Shack rebroke and opened up again but was too spent from running the whole race on the dead rail/cuppy/late speed favoring track to hold off the closers.In the Preakness when Astrology made his move and looked Shack in the eyes Shack took off and if the race were another half mile he would have done the same to Animal Kingdom.If Shack is in the Belmont I will most likely be playing against because of his odds but Romans won't put him in the race if he can't get the distance.

Astrology had his chance in the Preakness and Shackleford chewed him up and spit him out

yeah I really liked Astrology in the Preakness, but Belmont isn't going to work for him.

rthoughton · 05-23-11, 08:57 AM

Did you people not see the racing form before the Preakness? There was nothing to like about astrology. As I mentioned in the Preakness thread, astrology was perfectly placed just off the pace in the G2 and G3 races prior. In one he had nothing and couldn't run down the leader and in the other he took the lead in the stretch and was outrun by another. Them he jumps in class to a TC race and now everyone likes him? read the program.
AK's close in the Preakness was no different than the derby, shack just had more left in the Preakness. He pulled away. Chewed everyone up and spit them out.

AlexanderNehro · 05-23-11, 10:17 AM

Astrology probably not going to race in Belmont per Steve Asmussen.

If Shackleford can set the pace and win @ a mile and a half I would shocked. He will be in the top 4 more than likely but not entirely convinced he can pull out the W on this one.

Will have to see how Nehro looks day of race. Sometimes a rest in the TC series can backfire. It reminds me of the Ice Box situation last year. Skipped the Preakness, and to me looked like a sure Belmont winner but then ran a disappointing 8th that day. Nehro likes to close out races in the same kind of fashion so it's just something to consider.

zebra58 · 05-23-11, 12:12 PM

Originally posted by rthoughton

Did you people not see the racing form before the Preakness? There was nothing to like about astrology. As I mentioned in the Preakness thread, astrology was perfectly placed just off the pace in the G2 and G3 races prior. In one he had nothing and couldn't run down the leader and in the other he took the lead in the stretch and was outrun by another. Them he jumps in class to a TC race and now everyone likes him? read the program.
AK's close in the Preakness was no different than the derby, shack just had more left in the Preakness. He pulled away. Chewed everyone up and spit them out.

how could you not like astrology horse was making 3rd start of 5 month layoff, ran 2 improving preps w/trainer pointing to preakness for same connections that won 07, 09

gtkid911 · 05-23-11, 12:13 PM

Nehro who skipped the Preakness will run in the Belmont so he'll be fresh and ready

AlexanderNehro · 05-23-11, 12:41 PM

Must just be the horse's running style. He lost a shoe in LA derby when they were nailed to his feet. In Preakness he was wearing glue on shoes.

AlexanderNehro · 05-23-11, 12:43 PM

Off the Belmont topic, but Paddy o' Prado was retired today. Too bad, he was an excellent race horse: http://www.drf.com/news/paddy-oprado...esamoid-injury

BGboothA · 05-23-11, 01:43 PM

Originally posted by zebra58

how could you not like astrology horse was making 3rd start of 5 month layoff, ran 2 improving preps w/trainer pointing to preakness for same connections that won 07, 09

How could we not like Astrology, it was lining up perfectly for the Preakness, if he didnt' draw the inside post, it may have been a different scenerio. Was good enough for third.

foryourhandicap · 05-23-11, 01:49 PM

I don't know about Astrology winning, but I don't understand how someone could not use him in the bottom part of exotics, for the Preakness.

rthoughton · 05-23-11, 05:37 PM

Originally posted by Seattle Slew

They make the same excuse in the La. Derby? Maybe they need a new blacksmith.

MMM was done into the first turn when he was 10 lengths back. He's always been right near the lead. I think the excuses are BS. The horse is not that good, and I played him his last 4 starts but time to get off.

The only race before the preakness that MMM missed the board was with a half in under :47. You knew this race was going to be under :47, therefore eliminate.

rthoughton · 05-23-11, 05:39 PM

Originally posted by BGboothA

How could we not like Astrology, it was lining up perfectly for the Preakness, if he didnt' draw the inside post, it may have been a different scenerio. Was good enough for third.

was not good enough for third. MMM and Dialed In and the other horses with clear class above this horse didnt show up and it was there for the Show. Look at the form. Against weaker competition the horse couldn't run down the closers and from a different poll was also placed the same and outrun after taking the lead.
If those horses dont skip the race, that horse isnt involved.

rthoughton · 05-23-11, 05:42 PM

the numbers are always there for you, but something seems to happen in your head. ha. sucks.

Rbyrne · 05-23-11, 06:08 PM

astrology is not gonna run in the belmont so stop talking about him...he had a good race in the preakness and his jockey mike smith is one of the smartest jockeys around which probly helped him finish 3rd. He is a good horse that deserves consideration for trifectas and superfectas but not to win

Rbyrne · 05-23-11, 06:11 PM

Let me remind yall about last years belmont. A very similar horse to shackleford and a favorite of mine First dude was the pace setter and got passed by Drosselmeyer and Fly Down to finsih 3rd. First Dude ran a great race but simply ran out of gas. Shackleford is a better horse than First dude was so i expect shackleford to finish 3rd in the belmont geting passed by the 2 best closers who are animal kingdom and nehro.

foryourhandicap · 05-23-11, 07:46 PM

Originally posted by rthoughton

was not good enough for third. MMM and Dialed In and the other horses with clear class above this horse didnt show up and it was there for the Show. Look at the form. Against weaker competition the horse couldn't run down the closers and from a different poll was also placed the same and outrun after taking the lead.
If those horses dont skip the race, that horse isnt involved.

So he wasn't good enough for third, yet to get third, all he needed was for a couple horses to not have their best outings... ok, gotcha.

Big race jockey, ground saving post, and a horse that always finishes in the money. Not to mention a quality trainer that pointed Astrology towards this race. To ignore him in the bottom end of the exotics would have been foolish.

Gremlin Lad · 05-23-11, 08:32 PM

All I have been hearing lately after the loss in the Preakness is....Animal Kingdom broke poorly and fell 20 -25 lenghts behind,,,,,,,,,he then got into traffic and was getting dirt kicked up in his face.... At the finish, he was the ONLY horse moving forward.

Give credit to Shackleford for winning the Preakness Stakes. He broke poorly also...but recovered quickly to chase Flashpoint...then take over the lead and held on determinedly.

Note,,,,that in the Kentucky Derby, John V. kept Animal Kingdom outside in the 5 to 7 path going down the back stretch and there were horses all around him, BUT nobody was close. It looked like he was racing within a capsule.

They are now anticipating another matchup between Animal Kingdom vs Shackleford in the Belmont Stakes on June 11th.

PS: No confirmed entries in the Belmont Stakes to date........just assuming AK and Shack will go in the third leg of the Triple Crown races.

zebra58 · 05-23-11, 08:33 PM

Originally posted by rthoughton

was not good enough for third. MMM and Dialed In and the other horses with clear class above this horse didnt show up and it was there for the Show. Look at the form. Against weaker competition the horse couldn't run down the closers and from a different poll was also placed the same and outrun after taking the lead.
If those horses dont skip the race, that horse isnt involved.

he wasn't fully cranked for those 2 races he ran a good 2nd to twicetheappeal who was 10th in derby, no need to keep bashing the horse if you lost or made the wrong choices look deeper, good luck in the belmont

cecil127 · 05-23-11, 09:13 PM

i think AK takes it....

rthoughton · 05-23-11, 11:02 PM

I'm not bashing astrology. Not once. I'm just saying that horse had no shot to win that race, and it was right there in print for you to see.
And yes, if MMM doesn't lose a shoe, then astrology doesn't hit the board.
It doesn't matter now anyway.
When do we get the field set?

rthoughton · 05-23-11, 11:03 PM

Nehro.

dogkatcher · 05-24-11, 03:34 AM

I thought Astrology had a decent shot in the Preakness, and looked as if he
was going to go by Shack at the top of the stretch, only to be repulsed in his
bid. On to the Belmont, I believe horses need to be much closer up, within
3 or 4 lengths by the mile at the worst. Da Tara wired the field in 2008, it can be
done, Shack could do it too.

AlexanderNehro · 05-24-11, 07:12 AM

The field probably won't be set until the 8th or 9th.
I think both Nehro and Master of Hounds are solid picks. Will be interesting to see if anything is left in the tank for Shack and AK.

Here is what DRF released for Belmont probables: Alternation, Animal Kingdom, Brilliant Speed, Master of Hounds, Mucho Macho Man, Nehro, Prime Cut, Santiva, Shackleford, Stay Thirsty

Possibles: Awesome Patriot, Harlan's Hello, Isn't He Perfect?

Brewers in 7 · 05-24-11, 07:52 AM

I liked Astrology in the Preakness too, ran game 1st off the layoff, then had trouble before the race even began in the Jerome, there was a lot more to like about him than Mucho Macho Man in my opinion..

dugbug15 · 05-24-11, 10:12 AM

since astrology is not entered in the belmont, my pearly pick will now be master of hounds.right distance, right connections.

dise-pa · 05-24-11, 04:39 PM

longshot's give me long shot's........money money money!!!is their a double involved in this somewhere?

rthoughton · 05-24-11, 05:23 PM

why didnt astrology run in the derby?

zebra58 · 05-24-11, 06:13 PM

horse has distance limitations plus he wasn't quite ready, i think they wanted to win the preakness for jess jackson who just passed away

ATP123 · 05-24-11, 06:18 PM

Nehro absolutely demolishes the belmont field if Nakatani plays it cool, and its unlikely that Astrology would run in that race unless Ausmussen wants to saddle two in there that should be come from behind types. Hands down Nehro romps