Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

re: Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

Estuardo — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:50:52 GMT

Oh, and Dettori...I agree: big hits but big blunders. Too effusive. If he's won 7 Breeder's Cup races, it's just because he came with the best for grass and Euros have dominate grass in Breeders' Cup forever.

re: Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

Estuardo — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:49:00 GMT

It should have been Heatseeker...no doubt in my mind. Raven Pass? Distance will not help. When fields are small, it may be overcome, but with this field... The Duke is my bet; I hope he doesn't come too tired from the hard campaign he's had this year.

re: Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

Ranagulzion — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:18:31 GMT

Raven's Pass, the "Duke" and the "Navigator" are spicing up the BCC on paper but Curlin who won in the "soup" last year is being souped-up to be the one of the three soups (cinch) of this years Breeders Cup, the others being Red Rocks and Zenyata.

re: Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

Alex — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:44:58 GMT

He sounds like he may be a horse to beat in the Classic...

re: Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

mg — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:16:30 GMT

Raven's Pass is certainly a very sharp horse with a very good conditioner. In addition he has been working over the synthetic surface on the Lingfield course for this race. His distance limitation however is a major concern as it is with Henrythenavigator. Although they have battled each other all year at the mile distance I don't believe either are capable of dealing with Duke of Marmalade at a mile and a quarter moreless Curlin. The true monster of the Euros is the Duke if he brings his A game.

p.s. Dettori as a plus can be a big question mark. As you state he has won a Breeders Cup before but has also butchered several others especially Swain in the BC.

re: Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

JLDecker — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:15:10 GMT

I must admit, if there's one positive thing the Synthetics' Cup has done, it's effectively lured some of the big names from across the pond. After the soup brought down George Washington last year, I doubt many of them would have come without the surface change.

Additionally, this years' Classic is shaping up to be a legitimate challenge for Curlin , Big Brown or no. It's not the Arc that Jackson was hoping for, but it's certainly got international flare on par with the DWC. And with the Pro-Ride surface, any one of those pre-entries could take it. Should be a salty race, whatever the outcome (though personal opinion says it'll be Curlin by a long neck ^-^).

re: Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

aspradling — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:21:18 GMT

I am SUPER excited about the foreign mega stars coming over to compete this year.

re: Horses Americans Should Know: Raven's Pass

The King of the Derby — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:57:52 GMT

Great catch on Ravens Pass, the Euros present a handicapping conundrum with regard to the classic, all of the pre-entrants are highly accomplished on grass and for some reason attracted to the synthetics. I would be concerned about his pedigree to hold up with dirt style classic racing, but it would not be a surprise to see the Euros all finish in the money.