Breeders' Cup Picks

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Forbidden Apple — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:04:57 GMT

HOY should go to Tizway, his Met Mile/Whitney performances were far better than anything else this year. If entered in the 2011 BC Classic field, he would have smashed this group to pieces.

Union Rags was much the best on staurday, he should run again this year to grab the eclipse award that he deserves.

Hype of the Year award should go to Uncle Mo. First we all had to listen to how he was better than Secretariat, then how he would be the next Triple Crown winner, and finally how he would be horse of the year in 2011. Uncle Mo beat a bunch of inexperienced 2 year olds in 2010, big deal. In 2011 his best performance was winning a grade II race against Jackson Bend, big deal again. It's simple, the best horse he ever beat was Jackson Bend. Why would anyone get excited about that fact or want to breed to this hyped up horse?

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

spectacular bid — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:43:33 GMT

has mo finished yet?

mo vs frankel..really?

how bout mo vs quality road at 1 1/4 mile n see if either gets home in under 2;10..another pletcher fraud

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Householder — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:20:33 GMT

Draynay. G.O.D. has spoken.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

rorschach1992 — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:24:27 GMT

Reading Draynay's posts, ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who would whip who again in a Frankel vs. Uncle Mo match-up????? LMFAO!!!

Uncle Mo will win by 5???

LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!

Yeah you picked two winners on BC Friday! Way to go!! You only picked two winners that a blind bat could have come up with as singles. And another post-time favorite on Saturday, Bravo!!!

And Zenyatta got "whipped" you say??

Again ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!

Uncle Mo this year and Quality Road last year, we all know you were his biggest fan, are examples of whippings.

Oh man, Draynay: Don't stop posting, I haven't laughed so hard in a while!

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

furlongs — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:43:53 GMT

DRAYNAY-

Waiting on that $2000 losing Win ticket on MO in the Classic... also since your so good how much you come home with?? Thats what I thought! Your nothing more then a typical run your mouth track clown!

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

furlongs — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:42:14 GMT

I cashed 2 tickets Saturday but it was enough to make a small profit for this years BC. I did not attend Friday and didnt even look at the PP's. But I was all over the Exacta in the Sprint had a $10 Box and had a $10 Exacta Box on the Juv Race. Went home with a modest $370 winner but felt good considering the race results!! BTW those $10 each Down the Stretch Drinks they were selling are WAY better then any Mint Julip I ever had!! lol

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Mike Relva — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:43:27 GMT

DRAYNAY

I know, I know you actually didn't state Mo would win by five, right?

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Mike Relva — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:38:23 GMT

SYLVESTER

Say goodnite Gracie! lmao

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Mike Relva — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:37:42 GMT

ALLY SHEBA

Yeah and only ONE horse beat Zenyatta.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Linda in Texas — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 22:42:28 GMT

Lazmannick - agree with all of your post. Game on Dude to me is a great competitor and he is aptly named. It was 'almost' wire to wire for him. A shame he missed the honors.

But Drosselmeyer was not going to be denied and ran a great race. His is an old name that is new again and with it now a BC Classic Win.

I hope that we all are given the respect that our differences of opinions deserve. Loyalty is a virtue and one to be respected by all.

Some of us like some horses for our own reasons, and others don't

for their own reasons. To each his own.

The problem i have always felt some have is dissing the hell out of a good horse because they cannot accept hard work and great racing from a very deserving winner. Regardless of what side of the country they are based on and what type of surface they run on,it is not an easy feat to race or win time after time and stay sound all at the same time.

With that said i have always pulled for Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty and was disappointed yesterday and i will forever remember their owner Mike Repole for his total devotion and enthusiasm for horse racing and look forward to his contributions in the future.

Let me simply say,I respect every single horse and jockey that steps onto a racetrack and all the connections that it takes to have that happen. The gate loaders, the outriders and their ponies, the groomers, the hot walkers,and all who work backside and on and on. Thanks so much. Each and every one of you are an important cog in the wheel of a successful race time after time.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Kevin — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:47:03 GMT

Lets lay the cards on the table to put everything in perspective. I had a $450 bankroll for the two days and went home with $200. Only cashed tickets on the Juvenile filly (had the tri 3 times) and Regally Ready WPS. For everyone who was so confidant before the races, how did you do?

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Footlick — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:04:22 GMT

Laz- don't even try to validate her to these people. Of course you didn't hear Larry Jones make another tongue-in-cheek reference to her, did you? He found out it is not so easy after all. The Zenyatta detractors will never own up to her efforts in the two BC Classics. But when they start making excuses for Mo and "Gracie" we can say, "They lost. Get over it." lol

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

tcc — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:21:37 GMT

Draynay and others who played Uncle Mo in the BCC to win, were given this tip ahead of time.

I guess you folks didn't read my post on the earlier column. NO US-RACED HORSE HAS WON THE CLASSIC WITHOUT AT LEAST ONE WIN AT 9F. And the vast majority had run in races of 10f or more at least once. Uncle Mo is not going to change that. Bad luck to those of you who have drunk the Kool-Aid.

Pedigree Ann 04 Nov 2011 9:17 AM.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

LAZMANNICK — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:06:21 GMT

According to the Track-O-Meter, Union Rags traveled 78 feet or 9 lengths further than Hansen. I like Hansen, but switch the trips and who is the better horse? A number of weak resumes for our best two year olds, especially from a Beyer perspective, but I would still vote Union Rags top 2 year-old.

I agree with GunBow that Caleb's Posse should be the top three year old. Without looking it up believe he is the only three year old male with more than one G1 win. He was such an emphatic winner. I wonder how he would run of Turf.

Maybe Dale Romans deserves some credit for Court Vision. He beat my Turallure fair and square in a head bob for the ages.

Royal Delta’s 104 Beyer in the Distaff didn’t do much for Beyer credibility in my mind. Six points better than the next best dirt Beyer and this after the track had been drying out. IMO the Distaff field was one of the weakest ever, nothing like the top fields in the 80’s and 90’s and for most of the editions this decade……173 lifetime starts and 8 total G1 wins in N/A. What’s happening here? It would have been a top race with Royal Delta, HDG, Blind Luck and Awesome Maria. So much for wear and tear and bad decisions about where to run a filly.

With regards to Mo I think we should give him a break. Draynay's usual exaggerations in touting him as a super horse have turned a lot of people against Mo. Draynay, do us all a favor and act responsibly. Hopefully we’ll see Mo next year. At this point, for stallion credibility, they might have to run him to build up his resume. I still think he’s the real deal if given a full year at the races to properly build his stamina, if not for the BCC, then at least for the mile.

Game On Dude is probably the best horse in America. I have never been particularly high on Chantal Sutherland as a jockey and I’ve followed her long before she ever went to the States. Her comments to the outrider coming back about Mike Smith made me wonder who does she think she is? She’s an 11% winning jockey that in her entire career will never accomplish what Smith did in his first year of riding. Game On Dude would be hands down HOY with a jockey that knew how to rate a speed horse. She obviously doesn’t and ran him as hard as she could for as long as he would take her. That’s not quality riding on her part. She did this same thing in the Goodwood when she got the mile in 1.34.1 and hung on by half a length to Awesome Gem. In that race the horse bailed her out. Yesterday she repelled several challenges from several different horses and amazingly, GOD, in spite of this, still managed to look like a winner at the 8th pole. Too bad.

Sylvester……if you’re reading this, maybe now you will gain a better appreciation of how good Zenyatta really was. HDG had no excuses against a mediocre filed, maybe the weakest overall BCC ever. Think, no look back at what Zenyatta did in her two BCC races and how difficult it is for any filly or mare to compete against G1 horses at 10F.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Kevin — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:11:26 GMT

Everyone is an expert before the races. I had no solid opinions either of the two days and didn't cash a ticket. Breeders Cup makes for some exciting racing, but near impossible to handicap.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Criminal Type — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:22:23 GMT

Word on AU Miner is he fractured both Sesamoid's in his left front fetlock. He was taken back to the barn where Xrays confirming the injury were taken. The horse was not unloaded from the ambulance but transported directly to Rood & Riddle in Lexington where Dr Bramledge will perform surgery Monday or Tuesday. Obviously the horse career is over. The prognosis is 50-60% that the horse will recover. Best wishes to AU Miner and his connections.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Criminal Type — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:15:52 GMT

I gotta say, Breeders Cup Saturday was a bit anticlimactic for me. I was pretty much dissapointed all day. The only races I managed to do well in were the Juvi where I had the top three but they didnt finish where I would have liked and the Sprint where I also had the top three. Hansen did what I thought he could not do and that is run on dirt. I take nothing away from him, he did a remarkable job. However, I think the outcome would have been very different had not Union Rags had such a wide ride all the way around, he passed Hansen on the very next jump after the wire. You really can't take anything away from Union Rag's, though I would try him in blinkers when he goes next in South Florida to try to correct his bearing out issue. Also, I wouldn't look for Hansen at a mile and a quarter. As for Alpha, Second last (nuff said)

Moving on to Goldikova, Obviously her jockey is an idiot. Thinking he could force the issue, He cuts off Courageous Cat causing him to finish LAST and then says it was CC's fault because CC bumped Goldy at the break. (eyeroll) The stewards let her off easy.

As for the Classic, I don't think Trevor Denman even mentioned Uncle Mo or Stay Thirsty after the quarter pole. They both faded into obvilion. I really thought Stay Thirsty at least would do better. I guess he really does not care for Churchill Downs racing surface because he was a powerhouse at Saratoga. Havre De Grace did well to get up for 4th.

The best part of the whole day was when 18 year old Joseph O'Brien won on St Nicholas Abby. What a ride that cool young man gave that horse. Perfectly positioned the whole way, He deserved the win.

Congrats to all who picked the winners. I suppose Dray will be hiding under his rock for the next few days ignoring the fact that his precious Uncle Mo was still finishing the Classic while Drosselmeyer was already back in his stall. Still think Mo can beat Frankel at a mile Dray...LOL.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Johnny — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 08:32:48 GMT

Yep Uncle Mo wont pull a Quality Road LMAO Zenyatta she is no Uncle Mo

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

GunBow — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 08:16:48 GMT

Inconclusive day. Maybe the most inconclusive Breeder's Cup day ever.

Was EXTREMELY happy to see Amazombie and Bill Spawr take the Sprint. Amazombie and Spawr were on the wrong end of one of the worst dqs in history in the LA Cap earlier this year at Hollywood. Officially, Amazombie has won 5 stakes and 3 graded stakes races this year, but it should be 6 and 4. Please, don't hold the LA Cap against Amazombie when thinking about the Eclipse; he won that race!

Caleb's Possse turned in the performance of the weekend, and I expect his Beyer to be huge. I suppose Caleb's Posse deserves some consideration for champion sprinter, but with only two true sprint wins, I think a better case can be made for him as 3 year old champ. In a year like this, why not give it to a horse that's won 2 sprint stakes( 1 gr.1), 2 mile stakes(1 gr.1), and the Ohio Derby?

Rgeally Ready would be the hands-down turf sprint champion if there were such a category. This horse really blossomed this winter at Santa Anita winning 3 races on the downhill course, before winning a stakes Derby weekend. He went off form a bit but concluded the year with a gr.1 win in Canada and the BC Turf Sprint. He was much the best in the Turf Sprint.

St. Nick was also much the best in the Turf, and the O'Brien father-son story was certainly heart-warming. However, the race will have no Eclipse ramifications.

Then, things got weird. Yes, Hansen was not a total shock and there were many who gave him a big shot in the Juvy. But given how the rally wide runners were dominating, and how easily Union Rags ran up to Hansen on the far turn, how many saw Hansen fighting back on the inside to win? I've read comments from some NY based writers claiming Union Rags should still be considered for the Eclipse, but Hansen should and will be the 2 year old champ. Creative Cause from California was a close 3rd and has classic breeding; he galloped out nicely.

Court Vision? Really? Court Vision might be one of the most underappreciated horses of the last 5 years, with the Mile score giving him 5 career gr.1 wins. So, make no mistake, Court Vision has had a wonderful career. But his form this year had been nothing short of abysmal. It's hard to believe he actually won the race.

Goldi ran bravely, but she just isn't the same horse this year. In fact, her form this year reminded me of Zenyatta's form going into last year's BC. While Zen continued to win in 2010, she did so only because of the moderate competition she was facing, and even then she no longer was winning effortlessly. Similarly, Goldi started dropping tough decisions she would have won previous years. Team Goldi though should take great pride in winning 3 BC races, a record that's going to take some beating.

Drosselmeyer is clearly in the sharpest form of his career, but the fact he won the Classic has to be seen as a reflection of the mediocrity of the race. The final time of 2:04+ lends credence to my belief that either Blame or Zenyatta would have romped against this field.

No surprise for me that Uncle Mo was turned back the final quarter or that Havre de Grace was not as brilliant at 10 furlongs. Actually, given Havre was being hard ridden on the far turn, she did well to salvage 4th. Hopefully, her out of the money finish makes Zenyatta doubters realize what an accomplishment it was for a female to win a Classic and then run 2nd by a nose. The two best performances by a female in Classic history remain Zenyatta's two efforts.

Game on Dude ran up to his name, gamely turning back Mo, then To Honor and Serve, then So You Think, then Havre and Flat Out. On a surface more similar to Santa Anita, he's gone and we're crowning him Horse of the Year.

The Classic was all about running a Classic distance and doing it over a tiring surface. The 1-3 finishers were Belmont winners with plenty of stamina. As for Game on Dude, he was making his 4th start at 10 furlongs this year, and had run bravely in his attempts at the distance on dirt or the dirt-like Cushion Track. Watch the Big Cap, Hollywood Gold Cup, and BC Classic and see just what a tough 10 furlong dirt horse Game on Dude is.

The Eclipse picture is now a mess in many divisions. Here's my take in the divisions still in dispute:

2 Year old Male: Hansen

3 year old Male: Caleb's Posse or Animal Kingdom

Older Male: Game on Dude or Acclamation

Turf Male: Cape Blanco or Acclamation

Turf Female: Wait until the Matriarch.

My Miss Aurelia, Royal Delta, Havre de Grace, Musical Romance, and Amazombie should have their Eclipses wrapped up.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

GunBow — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 07:29:15 GMT

Apologize for referring to Royal Delta as Proud Delta. Proud Delta was a champion filly, but in 76'

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

jimmy redneck — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:01:46 GMT

Once again I told you so. Unca Schmoe just is not a distance horse. The classic was 21 lengths slower than the 1-2 finishers went last year and unca schmoe was 28 lengths slower than those two. Heck the juvies went 5 or 6 lengths faster for a mile than the supposed super miler unca schmoe. What happened to the 1:35 mile and who's gonna catch him? Good thing I tossed him and went with game on dude and to honor and serve as my keys. Played 10 tris (that's like 250 win and 250 place)counting on one of them to finish 1st or second and tossing completely havre de grace, mo, ice box, headache, rattlesnake ridge, and stay thirsty who were all pretenders. that's how you play your 200+ to win or place and make some money draynay.

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Snow — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:35:14 GMT

The overwhelming story line of the Breeders' Cup is whether Mike and Chantal should rekindle their romance? I think they should-it's good for racing!

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

Ally Sheba — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:35:10 GMT

Havre De Grace did great, only 3 horses beat her, she'll be horse of the year. Who else would be? Drosselmeyer didn't win anything else.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

LAZMANNICK — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:06:49 GMT

Another reason why you shouldn't really make you picks until you see how the track is playing. I'm happy for Drosselmeyer and Mott and Win Star, but this race tells me that N/A racing is in terrible shape and it's going to take a long time to fix it.

Regarding the Turf Mile......last year I bet Court Vision thinking that he had a good chance to upset off his Woodbine Mile win. He didn't show up. This year I hammered Turallure because of his rousing finish in the woodbine Mile and who beats me. Go figure, and at the second longest odds ever for a BC race. What I found upsetting is that Goldi’s number didn’t come down. That was shocking and Jerry Bailey said that he has been around the game for a long time and that the number should have come down. Those who had Gio in tries and who had the fifth place finisher in super boxes got shammed.

With regards to Draynay, go figure there also.

re: Breeders' Cup Picks

thomas — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:07:45 GMT

zenyatta or rapid redux will win HOTY LOL