Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

SmartyJones4Ever — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:14:09 GMT

Between these 2, its tough, but I agree with choosing Proud Spell. But I REALLY think Eight Belles should win or at least be nominated. I mean, she got second in the KENTUCKY DERBY! That has to be equal to or, actually, EVEN BETTER than winning the Oaks. She beat EIGHTEEN COLTS, and lost to Big Brown, THREE-YEAR-OLD-COLT-OF-THE-YEAR!!! Indian Blessing should also be a candidate for her amazing season, including racing against older horses.

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

LDP — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:17:25 GMT

Matt, i don't think the Synthetics affected him as much as many do, i just plain hate synthetic, because of the plain and simple fact that a properly maintained dirt track is just as good or better than a synthetic. I also think that synthetics are a cover up, for what has happened to the breed. Because we breed for speed, not soundness and endurence, give our horses steroids, has greatly weakened the breed. I think if we correct all that then their is no need for a new surface. No other champion of the past has had to run on synthetics, though they have on mud. My point about the championships being held in slop last year, was that we humans have no control over that, but over synthetics we do. Last year normally the horse that deserved to win did, i don't think that happened so much this year. When i say the horse that deserved to win i mean somewhere in the top four favorites. For instance indian blessing, war pass, english channel was well favored, and so was Curlin. Corinthian had a good shot, Midnight Lute won too, the list goes on and on. I'm not saying the horse behind them were in perfect order, but the ones who were supposed to win or had a legit shot at winning did, this year i didn't see that. You can differ with me if you want i'm open to your opinion.

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Matthew W — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:41:57 GMT

Rechelle Ginger Punch won a string of GR 1's this year/lost by a nose to Cocoa Beach...Yeah she was sure showing signs of decline---NOT! Her four races leading up to THIS YEARS CUP were better than her form LAST YEAR!! Cocoa Beach is a monster! Practically unbeaten v tough competition! I hope to see her next year!

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Matthew W — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:37:15 GMT

LDP the slop at Monmouth was natural (organic) vs The Pro Ride of this year's Cup--But no way was it a more fair track simply because it was natural! And YES they DID run championship races on "that crap"! And YES that's why they sent out the best Euros--In recent years The Breeders Cup has been hard-challenged by Dubai World Cup---BECAUSE of Pro Ride, this years Breeders Cup was a GRAND SLAM over anything they've had in UAE---You make excuses over excuses because of Pro Ride yet you just seem to brush aside any excuses for last years sticky mud at Monmouth! That tells me there's no arguing with you about that and thats sad, cuz synthetics are here to stay---and I'm a fellow Curlin Lover!!!

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Rechelle — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:54:52 GMT

Matthew, who did Cocoa Beach beat, really? A Ginger Punch who was on her downslide? Who else? Really, Cocoa Beach had NO competition in that race. By that point, Ginger Punch was showing that she was not the same horse she was last season, which is absolutely no disrespect to her, since I love her & think she's a fabolous mare, but one who was past her peak. So yeah, Cocoa Beach won it but against WHO?

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

LDP — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:24:57 GMT

Matt, i am sorry, but i don't use any of the tools most of you people do for handicapping, just what i know about horses. So please don't laugh when i ask, but what do you mean by did i go "back" and look at the form charts. In answer no i didn't.

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

LDP — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:21:22 GMT

Matt, i never meant to dis anyone. Just get mad at some of the comments made about him, and sometimes loose my temper and don't read what i type. Zen is spectacular, i do agree with you there, BB well lets agree to disagree, K. Curlin has gotten me excited like no other horse has, not even Bernardini or Barbaro, and my heart broke for both, once when Barbaro broke down and the other when Bernardini lost his Classic. Now it breaks into peices, now that they are going to retire Curlin. You have no idea how much i loved watching him run, and how under appricated i think he was by many. I will miss him greatly, and wish so much they'd give him one more year.

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Slew.em.All — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:40:10 GMT

Rechelle: again I ask,...WHO runs their horse in the KY.Oaks,1st start of the year after a 6 month lay-off?..NOBODY if they know what their doing!..So don't hold THAT allowance race against her,it was the next logical race for her after breaking her maiden in Nov.07'..and look at the Gr.1 races she dominated after her "prep".

Music Note "lost to an unproven filly on American soil"..What?..Cocoa Beach had just beaten Ginger Punch in the Gr.1 Beldame,so that classifies her as a Proven Horse,I think.

Proud Spell is a Solid Filly,but she ONLY won half of her races,and LOST to Gr.2/3 type fillies in the process.These same horses that PS lost to,MN would've Destroyed em',period!..All in All look at their record this year: Music Note's only blemishes are a scant nose defeat to Proud Spell,and a Solid 3rd to 2 Solid Filles(outside of NY,too).While Proud Spell had numerous losses to less than stellar competition..please don't mention the sprinter Indian Blessing.

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Matthew W — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:27:22 GMT

LDP Yes but you'll NEVER hear me dis Curlin--Indeed, I threw back Drays disses of "The Big C" EVEN THOUGH I agreed with him as to Big Brown's superiority! But you cannot watch Curlin and NOT percieve greatness! Curlin has old time stamina/no doubt about it, and he'll quickly rise to the top in Kentucky breeding circles, God willing! When I tout Zenyatta for HOY/Big Brown as best since 'Bid---In no way am I dissing Curlin! I love Curlin and all he represents!

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Matthew W — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:18:39 GMT

LDP have you gone "back" to the form charts? I did, and I'll admit I was lacking in my handicapping skills---My exacta was Curlin--Tiago....But Henrythenavigator was even money vs Goldikove in an 11 horse field just seven weeks before BCup/Ravens Pass was right there v Henry--They were both the class of English Racing 3yolds!! And Euros were strong this year! Team Curlin waffled too long and they were outcoached! That's my opinion--if thety do their homework (instead of beating up on Wanderin Boy) Curlins a two time HOY!

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Matthew W — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:11:46 GMT

Rechelle Cocoa Beach won Beldame in her 2nd start in states/on a wet-fast speed favoring track---I'd say that AND her subsequent 2nd to Zenyatta makes her WAY LEGIT!! Instead of "penalizing" her for too few starts, wonder aloud how many fillies can win Beldame in her 2nd start! And LDP saying Zenyatta has "no chance" sounds like a dis to me but thats just me!

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

LDP — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:53:05 GMT

Curlin will get older horse of the year because of his consistent beating of others before the BC. Matt it rains sometimes, and we can either run our horses on it or not, but mud is a natural surface, the synthetic crap is not. We should not call a race a championship race, if the surface is pretty much untested. Mud isn't untested, it's wet dirt. HOY has always been decided on dirt, whether it's been on mud or a fast track, it's been on dirt. Now were going to change it all of a sudden and say it's going on synthetics??? no you can't do that it's down right stupid. Half the horses didn't even show up, look at proud spell and commentator. Those horses would've shown on Cup day had it been run on dirt, rain or shine. You want to decide a HOY the deciding race on a natural, not man made, surface.

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Matthew W — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:16:39 GMT

I'm saying her 3rd place in Ladies Classic was good enough for 3yo filly of the year---Just like Curlin's 4th place fin is good enough for Older horse of year--I don't see any inconsistency in that---to say if Music Note gete filly award then Curlin gets HOY---thats just skewed logic! Curlin got his last year on a track most horses didn't handle---I had no arguments then and I want no excuses this year--thats all I'm saying....

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

LDP — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:07:17 GMT

Matt

I have dised nobody, i have nothing but respect for Zen, i just point out the facts of what both her and Curlin have done. Honestly last years classic i do not consider a freak show as much this years. My POV is that horses run in mud, it happens sometimes, and if you can handle it then more points to you, Curlin could, proving his versitlity on dirt. SS is a fantastic horse, but less versitle a horse on dirt than Curlin, Curlin gets the edge. This year man has make up a stupid synthetic track, to say they are doing a good thing for the sport, but really a good maintained dirt track is just as good or better than synthetics. My point last year was mother natures doing, which happens, horses have to deal with it at times, but some dumb man made surface that is basicly brown turf, no. The greats didn't have to be great to win on synthetics, or turf. All they needed to do is prove on gods good dirt, or turf either one, that they could take their game on the road and run on soft, fast, firm, good, muddy, or sloppy. They didn't have to race on every surface to be considered great.

O, and i rememeber when i did get kinda nasty bout Zen, i am sorry. I get kinda mad when i read all the people dising the horse i have supported ever since i first saw him race (the rebel). I know two rights don't make a wrong, but before you do tell me i'm being rude and bias, look at what some other people put up against Curlin, that are for BB or Zen, and you can see why i get so fired up.

re: Who Will Be the 3-Year-Old Filly Champion?

Rechelle — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:24:54 GMT

Matthew, Cocoa Beach has run 3 races *in the States*!! I don't care about her record out of the country. She ran 3 races total in the States. She won the Love Sign which is what, an allowance? It certainly isn't a graded or stakes race. She won the Beldame and then beat Music Note in the Breeders Cup. One grade stakes race does not make a fine record. It either makes it luck or she'll be a great horse next season. We'll see. Fact remains, Music Note lost to an unproven filly on American soil.