Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Matthew W — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:08:32 GMT

YES--Santa Anita is loaded!!--both Georgie Boy and Pyro have hed easy preps, that is, they've only had to run for 1/4 mile....Georgie Boy has passed much better stock, he also won Dmr Futurity on a VERY tiring track--Del Mar's new track was extremely deep and loose in the afternoons last year, and he beat a huge field--traditionaly Del Mar and Saratoga have the best two year olds on the planet---the West Coast has been weak the past few years but not, I believe, this year.....Georgie Boy has more positional speed than Pyro, who has impressed me as well but lets see him run with the Cal bred in the stretch.....

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Johnny — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:37:37 GMT

Fortunately War Pass scoped clean and has no infection. If he is able to resume training and make his next race, I'll defer "judgement" until I see him run again.

I certainly hope everything will still work out.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

draynay — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:21:15 GMT

The horse got into to traffic at the start and folded like a house of cards... He came in LAST !!!

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Johnny — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:05:40 GMT

I guess when a horse like War Pass wins all his races and earns a championship, then loses one race because of a variety of factors, that's supposed to mean he's done?

I would never buy into that. I realize lots of people handicap and money is on the line, but what ever happened to giving a horse, especially a champion, another chance?

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Smittytoo — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:17:12 GMT

I think the Santa Anita Derby might be loaded this year----Col John, El Gato Malo, Georgie Boy----they've all impressed me---'not sure about anywhere else but the West looks strong this year....."

The SA Derby looks like it will be a very good race, but I`m not sure if any of them can run on real dirt. Sierra Sunset may like dirt better than poly, but I would really like to see some of them run on a conventional surface before I wager on them in the Derby.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Slew.em.All — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:24:56 GMT

No worries, we believe you Jason. I also hit the exacta,trifecta,superfecta & placed hefty "show" bets on the first 3 finishers in the race,(thanks to all the"bridge jumpers") the "show" pay-outs were ridiculous (cha-ching)!!..

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Jason Shandler — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:09:31 GMT

Slew: Im working on a new blog. Probably post on Monday. Im covering all these races this weekend, so havent had time.

How did I get lumped in as a War Pass fan? I had him rated No. 1, so I guess I deserve it. Not that any of you will belive me, but I had Big Truck to win and hit the exacta. 1-9 was ridiculous!

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Slew.em.All — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:27:07 GMT

Jshandler; We need a new Blog about this weekends Derby preps my man...I'm raring to go!! lol,or are you waiting to see if your boy War Puss,..er! Pass has an excuse other than the always available:"he didn't handle the track".?

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

draynay — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 14:10:04 GMT

War Pass is done... he was headed and done... no heart ! He had a fever... he was restless... whatever !!! He was beat by Gentleman James a horse that barely won his maiden and no race since. Anyone betting this horse come Derby time is throwing it away.

Santa Anita Derby loaded ??? Georgie Boy is a decent horse but he is no Pyro. The talent is thin in Cali and will they run on the deeper dirt in Ky ???

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Matthew Wohlken — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:09:31 GMT

I think the Santa Anita Derby might be loaded this year----Col John, El Gato Malo, Georgie Boy----they've all impressed me---'not sure about anywhere else but the West looks strong this year.....

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Johnny — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:12:59 GMT

I don't believe that War Pass is a "coward." Whenever I see a horse of this caliber run a clunker, I worry that something is going on physically and/or mentally. Yes, the horse isn't used to adversity, but he got squeezed back pretty good at the break, which put him in a hole. I'm not making an excuse for him and he tried to overcome that. War Pass seemed to try and stay up with the leaders, but it was soon apparent that he wasn't ready to run today and it resulted in a very dull performance. Even while loading, the horse appeared agitated.

The most important thing is that War Pass is OK. Again, if there's anything bothering him, that could explain the poor performance. I just don't think the reasons are completely clear yet.

The horse came into the race undefeated and with a championship; and yet now when he has one bad race, some people are ready to write him off.

I'm still on his bandwagon.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

draynay — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:15:52 GMT

Well.. War Pass looked like a coward. Now we know what this horse does when he is headed. He folds like a chicken. This is no Derby winner folks... Derby winners have heart this horse has none. He is a pretty boy front runner. Time to look for another with heart like Visionaire.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Johnny — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:56:07 GMT

It's good to see that this race filled. I was reading some of Nick Zito's thoughts and his goals for War Pass earlier. This is certainly a trainer I admire very much, and wish him and War Pass all the best.

Today's Tampa Bay Derby should be interesting and there's some other speed that could test War Pass's ability to switch it off if necessary.

I hope everyone enjoys the contest, and especially War Pass.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Johnny — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:57:41 GMT

Smooth Air is bypassing the Tampa Bay Derby this Saturday and will run instead in the Florida Derby on March 29th.

That leaves War Pass to confront only Big Truck and Atoned, unless there will be some other entries. I know very little about these two horses.

As much as I love War Pass, and as good as I think he is, I'm beginning to wonder how any horse can get ready for the KY Derby with preps like these; but then we don't know yet what will transpire in the Tampa Bay and hopefully Big Truck and Atoned will make it interesting for him, and perhaps the Wood Memorial will be a tough race as well. War Pass needs to be ready.

Just my opinion for what it's worth.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Jason Shandler — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 03:40:17 GMT

Predict: Haven't heard of any Europeans. As far as Miner's Claim, he was going to be entered in the John Battaglia, but Casse had to scratch him because he ran a temperature leading up to the race. Not sure if he will go in the Lane's End or if he is off the trail now.

As far as J Be K, he wont be softening up War Pass if he doesnt get there. He has no graded earnings as of yet.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

predict — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 03:25:30 GMT

Pyro could use a little help, possibly in the form of J be K softening up War Pass on the front- Do you think?- looked like Desormeaux had a strangle hold on J in the La. Derby, then stood up on him when everybody started running, looked like they have a way to go with him, but this could be the plan to soften up War Pass on the lead.

Has there been any talk of any Europeans for this Derby? And what about a Canadian - like Miner's Claim, could he be coming down?

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Jason Shandler — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:33:58 GMT

Johnny: As much as I like War Pass I do want to see how he reacts when he is pressed or has to rate. Im not sure at this point which horse that would be in the Derby, but most years, there is a rabbit in there that seems to spoil speed. I'm looking forward to the Tampa Bay Derby to see if Zito changes his running style at all, just so he can try to teach him a bit.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Johnny — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:11:24 GMT

Jason: Which horse can possibly stay with War Pass on the lead? The only one that comes to mind may be Big Brown, if he's really as good as he appears to be right now; and if so, these two won't meet until the big one.

Hopefully War Pass will also be willing to rate if called on, but if nobody can stay with him in his preps, how's he going to learn that? That's my only concern, but somehow my gut feeling is that this is the Derby winner.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Jason Shandler — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:26:55 GMT

War Pass and Smittytoo: We will find out who is is the Tampa Bay Derby field Wednesday. I am looking forward to seeing a)War Pass have to fight for the lead or rate, and b)how he reacts when forced to do either. I hope there are enough real challengers in there that we can learn more from him.

Right now, I still put him ahead of Pyro, just for the fact that he's already beaten him three times. How can you not?

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

draynay — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:46:43 GMT

Well ... like I said Pyro is better than you think but he is 0 for 3 against War Pass...however War Pass has not gone 1 1/4 yet and may face pace pressure if Big Brown makes the dance. The horse you have to watch is Visionaire !!!

Remember Visionaire was beat by Pyro by a few lengths but the pace was very slow and he got caught on the rail behind slower horses. He showed real guts in the Gotham and will get a much quicker pace to run at in the Derby.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Smittytoo — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:30:55 GMT

Any idea on who`ll War Pass will be facing at Tampa next week? What`s wrong with my monitor that I lose the first four letters of every line?

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

War Pass — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:25:43 GMT

Nick Zito is running War Pass in the easier prep races because he is trying to build him up to a mile a quarter. He started at a mile, now he's going to a mile and 16th, then a mile and 8th, and then finally the derby at a mile and 1/4th. Also he ran him in the allowance race because he had a case of colic which set him back a week or so and he wasn't 100 percent. I would expect Nick Zito to try and teach War Pass to rate soon. Possibly this weekend in the Tampa Bay Derby. I am also very high on Cool Coal Man who is improving just in time. What do you think? When it comes to the Kentucky Derby Nick Zito knows how to get his horses ready so look for these two to be in the starting gate with a big shot on the first Saturday in may!!!

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Slew.em.All — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:05:02 GMT

Hear me out War Pass:...Once War Pass feels any kind of pressure,he will cave in like the filly Indian Blessing who has the same free running style.Whats he gonna' do when he hits the wall on the far turn?Undoubtebly he will eventually face some (cheap speed) in his upcoming races, which will soften him-up. Point being...he is not battle tested yet, and Zito is placing him in the easiest of prep races he can find..I can't wait until Pyro & War Pass meet again!

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

Johnny — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:49:39 GMT

War Pass: I hope, and I feel, that you're absolutely right. I think War Pass will win, but I also hope that leading up to the Derby, the really good horses, like Pyro, keep getting better; and then I want to see War Pass leave them all in his dust.

re: Derby Thoughts - With Two Months To Go

War Pass — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 23:53:14 GMT

Pyro's last 2 preps looked fantastic and seemed to show signs that this horse is for real. Many are forgetting about who he is running against. In all of preps there has been no early speed what so ever. Did you know that the fillies before pyro ran quicker final times at the same distance? Did you know that the War Pass' breeders cup win was almost 2 seconds faster at every pole? Did you know that the final time in the BC was more than 2 seconds faster then this so called "spectaculor" win in the La Derby? To me it was not that impressive. War Pass will romp in the Tampa Bay Derby (With a real final time unlike Pyro), then come to Aqueduct and win the Wood Memorial before winning Kentucky Derby 134. Any thoughts or comments?