No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

LAZMANNICK — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 23:02:41 GMT

Way to go Keelerman!

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

-Keelerman — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 21:39:52 GMT

Cleone & Aluminaut;

I'm glad you enjoyed reading my thoughts! Dr. Fager sits atop my list of the best Thoroughbreds in the history of American horse racing; right above Secretariat and Kelso. Cleone, I agree wholeheartedly that if not for Damascus's rabbit Hedevar, Dr. Fager would have without a doubt won the 1968 Brooklyn Handicap and perhaps even the 1967 Woodward. And Hedevar wasn't any ordinary rabbit! He once ran six furlongs in 1:06 4/5 at Arlington Park!

But perhaps even more remarkable than Dr. Fager's world record mile was his victory in the 1968 United Nations Handicap on turf. He had never run on turf before, but was forced to try it for the first time while carrying 134 pounds. A very tough field of runners lined up to face him, including Kentucky Derby runner-up Advocator and future Horse of the Year Fort Marcy.

Dr. Fager was never confortable over the turf course, going very wide on the turns and never really settling into stride. On the final turn he went very wide and allowed Advocator to sneak through on his inside. Advocator then took the lead and appeared to be on his way to victory. But Dr. Fager courageously came back at him stuck his head back in front.

But Advocator wasn't to be denied, and re-passed Dr. Fager to open up a half-length lead. But once again Dr. Fager wasn't to be denied, charging one final time. He stuck his neck in front. Advocator came back once more, but Dr. Fager simply would not let him pass, and the great champion crossed the wire a neck in front, running the mile and three sixteenths race in 1:55 1/5.

In my opinion, it was this race that truly defined his greatness; more so than his numerous daylight victories. He was handsomely rewarded for his 1968 campaign -- he was voted Horse of the Year, Champion Handicap Horse, Champion Sprinter, and Champion Grass Horse. Imagine a horse today winning those four awards!

-Keelerman

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Cleone — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:41:11 GMT

Keelerman, I'm a huge Dr. Fager fan! He did some remarkable things. If he hadn't been a sucker for a rabbit, he might have been the perfect racehorse. Thanks for the breakdown of his record-setting mile. He was amazing.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Aluminaut — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 07:12:26 GMT

I forgot about Touch of Evil. Loved the long opening shot.

Kellerman--Dr. Fager was amazing. My father always talked about him.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Mike Relva — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 02:20:29 GMT

I believe THAS will win tomorrow.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

-Keelerman — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:15:53 GMT

LAZMANNICK & Cleone;

Secretariat's fractions in the Kentucky Derby were indeed remarkable! Along similar lines, the fractions that the great Dr. Fager ran in the 1968 Washington Park Handicap were truly astonishing as well. He carried 134 pounds that day, and turned in a performance for the ages.

Somewhat surprising, he did not go straight to the lead on that occasion. Rather, he was about three lengths off the lead after the front-runners ran an opening quarter mile in an unremarkable :22 4/5. Therefore, Dr. Fager ran the opening quarter mile in :23 2/5.

However, Dr. Fager made his run to take the lead after that. He was just a head off of the lead as the field passed the half-mile pole. The half-mile fraction was :44 flat.

Therefore, Dr. Fager had run his second quarter mile in :20 3/5.

He coasted home after that. He ran three-quarters of a mile in 1:07 3/5 and hit the wire in 1:32 1/5, world record time. Although other horses have turned in faster miles on turf, no horse has ever run a faster dirt mile.

So Dr. Fager's fractions were. . .

23 2/5 20 3/5 23 3/5 24 3/5

What was most amazing was that he was not urged at all in the stretch. Not even hand urged! His jockey never moved. Had he urged Dr. Fager at all in the stretch, there is no doubt in my mind that he could have run 1:31 and change. And this while carrying 134 pounds!

-Keelerman

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

LAZMANNICK — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:08:45 GMT

Sorry, but my schedule is full.....I'm watching My Best Friend's Wedding again. There’s a marathon on TV. It’s on all day to day, all night tonight, and all day tomorrow. I just hope I can force myself away so I can catch the Fountain of Youth tomorrow afternoon.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Ted from LA — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:48:22 GMT

Fatal Attraction was my favorite romantic comedy.

My Road to the Roses stable has been selected. I did it over 5 hours ago and to my knowledge none of them have been injured yet. This is a record for Ted from LA.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

mz — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:47:35 GMT

Sorry, Ted. I forgot to include you in the escape scenario with me and Laz.

Does LA constitute a separate country for the purposes of witness protection?

Thought if anyone would know, you would.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

mz — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:42:59 GMT

Laz: we both got trouble.

Let's give up.

Where you wanna go that doesn't have an extradition treaty?

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

mickey 1957 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:32:24 GMT

one of the best movies ever made was (the last picture show)1971.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

mickey 1957 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:29:03 GMT

berthren won't be going to the florida derby,how about the arkansas derby,champion's race in arkansas......the big mo is ducking brethren....in fact big mo is ducking everyone.please go read my comments at the end of this weeks derby dozen or should I say haskins top 25.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Billy's Empire — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:25:27 GMT

Carlos, he has only had 6 works, and two of them were of the 104 variety, basically a timed jog for a horse of his caliber. Mott is even a little skeptical about his chances first out, but he will only get better and Derby will be 3rd start off a layoff. The light just comes on in these 3yo 3rd back. It is something I always look at when capping races. Recency is a big factor for me.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Karen in Texas — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:37:59 GMT

Not saying these are best, 'cause this is so subjective, but five of my favorite movies are: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; To Kill a Mockingbird; Some Like It Hot (comedy); and for great individual performances, Rain Man and A Beautiful Mind.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

LAZMANNICK — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:24:46 GMT

Certainly, right after you explain what smart meters and the HST are, and assuming that you live in Ontario, what is the Retirement Debt on your hydro bill all about and why would the government improve another hydro rate increase.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Carlos in Cali — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:09:11 GMT

Agree that THS will not be fully cranked for this one but,he's been posting pretty damn good workouts @ deep Payson Park.Class-wise he towers over these and that alone should get him to the wire 1st.Soldat for 2nd and the long winded longshot Racing Aptitude battles Casper's Touch for 3rd.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Footlick — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:42:03 GMT

I agree, Billy with your assessment of THAS. I don't think Mr Mott needs to win this race and just wants a good race out of him. But then we get to hear Dray say what a bum THAS is.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Footlick — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:40:33 GMT

Billy- what about Cleopatra Jones?

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Slew — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:54:19 GMT

Whats up with folks???

Best movies:

Bullitt

The Great Escape

Crash

Psycho

To Kill A Mockingbird

Anatomy of a Murder

Biggest tear jerkers:

Back Street (Susan Hayward)

An Affair to Remember

Casablanca

Breakfast at Tiffanys

Steel Magnolias

Best horse racing movies:

Phar Lap

Casey's Shadow

Best current tv series...Southland

Best horse in the FOY: THAS

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Billy's Empire — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:51:36 GMT

I don't know if Mott has THS 100% cranked in this one yet. Mott wants to get a race in him and let him peak at Derby, so I have to play against. I know he is good colt, and would not want to race him next out in the Florida Derby, but he may be short in his first back. Mott is not that type of trainer.

With that said, I would use him on the bottom of exoctics, going for the win with Casper's Touch, Soldat, or Bowman's Causeway.

You could probably single Dancinginherdreams in a p4, as she is 5/2 morning line and get a nice payoff.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

2:24 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:09:35 GMT

It seems like many folks think Gourmet Dinner or Soldat takes the Fountain of Youth. I think I'll go with To Honor and Serve, a horse I think many people are discounting because it is his first start back. I think this horse is brilliant and will romp.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Billy's Empire — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:59:26 GMT

Sleepless in Seattle?

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Billy's Empire — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:58:50 GMT

Carlos in Cali, Now that did actually make me laugh out loud. If we are going that route,

Boys in the Hood (Ricccckky)

Meance to Society(What you say bout my momma?)

Juice(You got the Juice now Q)

American Gangster

Kings of New York ("If there's a nickle bag sold in the park, I want in": Frank White baby)

New Jack City(Pookie)

I could go on and on.

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

mz — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:52:48 GMT

Hey Laz:

1. Can you recalculate your numbers on baseSham instead of baseSecretariat?

2. Can you explain why a horse has to carry stones in the Darby?

3. How do you convert furlongs into kilometers?

and finally

4. How much chuck can a woodchuck actually chuck (presuming no wind, and on dirt, not poly)?

re: No Derby Bind...Even After 105 Beyer

Footlick — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 04:23:45 GMT

I forgot:

El Amor Brujo

Matador

Touch of Evil

Repulsion

Diabolique (Simone Signoret)