Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Dr.SwineSmeller — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:26:23 GMT

Hey there Bomberbill. Yeah, you can trace most Belmont contenders back to one of them, mostly Northern Dancer. And you can trace a few Belmont contenders back to two of them.

But to trace a Belmont contender back to all of them, as with Casino Drive, is a rarity.

A pain in the pork chop....Dr. SwineSmeller

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

bomberbill — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:46:54 GMT

come on u can trace all the horses back to one of them. the question is can casino drive handle this race mentally he has won his 2 races by open lengths what happens when he actually has to put someone away in the stretch. if he can't gain on him does he stay on for 2nd or does he pack it in. that's my question. dennis of cork will be rolling and robby will have closer to pace. watch out. his only bad race was at hawthore. HE should have never ran in that race u have to be out of your mind to send your horse to that place. this horse is sitting on a big one. i got a felling big brown's foot is gonna be a problem. they will risk the 50 million and run him even if they know he is hurt. these people have tons of money. They want the attention more than the money. And racing has a funny way of dealing with people like this. go ahead dutrow wait at the winners circle you'll have a perfect view of dennis of cork winning.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Gman59063 — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:18:01 GMT

I am sure Casino Drive will win alot of races, I just don't think he will win Saturday, but he should have a good view of the best horse!

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Dr.SwineSmeller — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:28:59 GMT

About two hours of research reveals these Belmont winners facts:

Proof positive that Casino Drive was born to win the Belmont Stakes...

This is a brief list of past Belmont winners with a brief history of their most notable blood relevance..

Rags To Riches - Great grandson to Secretariat. Grandson of Seattle Slew

Jazil - Great great grandson to War Admiral

Afleet Alex - Great grandson to Northern Dancer

Point Given - Great grandson to Northern Dancer

Commendable - Great grandson to Secretariat

Lemon Drop - Great grandson to Northern Dancer

Thunder Gulch - Great great grandson to Northern Dancer

Colonial Affair - Great great grandson to Northern dancer

AP Indy - Grandson to Secretariat. Son of Seattle Slew.

Hansel - Great grandson to Northern Dancer

Risen Star - Son of Secretariat

Bet Twice - Great grandson to Northern Dancer

Danzig Connection - Grandson of Northern Dancer

Affirmed - Great grandson to War Admiral

Seattle Slew - Great great great grandson to War Admiral

Now for Big Brown and Casino Drive:

Big Brown - Great Grandson to Northern Dancer

Casino Drive - Great grandson to Seattle Slew - Great grandson to Mr. Prospector - Great great grandson to Secretariat - Great great grandson to Northern Dancer.. He is also the 8th generation paternal blood of Man O War (War Admiral's daddy).

WOW!

(And that is the combination of four "non-related' bloodlines).

Casino Drive is the pinnacle of the thoroughbred bloodline. And with one look at him, this is painfully obvious, even to the untrained eye.

There has never been a horse that was bred & born to win Belmont, like Casino Drive.

Dr. SwineSmeller

_________________

A Pain in the Pork Chop... Dr. SwineSmeller

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Dr.SwineSmeller — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:13:05 GMT

Hi GMan. I am aware that Big Brown can't read, but Casino Drive can. His immaculate breeding has lead to his extremely higher educational level.

Dr. SwineSmeller

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Gman59063 — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:38:51 GMT

Dr. Swinesmeller your analysis on all the breeding and what Casino Drive's relatives have done in the Belmont is great, the only thing your forgetting is Big Brown can't read! He sure doesn't think Casino Drive is a better horse. Big Brown would be in counseling if he could read 1/2 of these blogs!

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Dr.SwineSmeller — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:48:41 GMT

Just as it appears that Big Brown is a near lock to become the first Triple Crowner in thirty years, onto the scene flies Casino Drive, ready, willing, and very much able to win the Belmont Stakes. Casino Drive is sent to post by the Japanese racing manager-tycoon, Nobutaka Tada. Casino Drive is out of the dam Better than Honor. Name not familiar? It should be...This dam has sent the last two Belmont winners to post, one of whom did not race in the the Preakness Stakes or Kentucky Derby. And Casino Drive is the half sibling to both of them, with an even stronger pedigree.

Tada's bossman paid $950,000.oo for Casino Drive at the September 2006 Keenland yearling sale. At that same sale, Big Brown brought $190,000.oo, one fifth the price that it took to fetch Casino Drive. And there is a reason for the price difference...Casino Drive is faster, with a pedigree that outshines British Royalty.

Casino Drive has only 2 races under his belt, but a close look at his Peter Pan Stakes triumph at Belmont Park a couple of weeks ago, proves that the young phenom is super legit.

Casino Drive broke very slowly and last in the Peter Pan Stakes, spotting the early leaders nearly 10 lengths. But by the first 1/16th of a mile, Casino Drive had swiftly rushed into contention, and tucked himself comfortably in behind the pacesetters, (and I mean swiftly, watch the replay). Coming into the final turn, Casino Drive had closed to only a length behind the two leaders. As the field turned for home, Kent smacked Casino Drive with the whip, while asking him to split horses coming out of the turn. Casino Drive never balked or blinked as he willingly split the leaders at the top of the stretch. Kent hit him once more and Casino Drive shot three lengths ahead in the next 40 yards. The race was as good as done. Kent tapped him once more and then rode Casino Drive through the stretch in a hand breeze all the while widenening the margin of victory out to 6 lengths.

As Casino Drive neared the finish line, he cockily swished his tail back and forth, looking and acting like he was just getting warmed up.

A look at Casino Drive's bloodline is astounding. Secretariat was one of his great great grandsires. Seattle Slew was one of his great grandsires. Add Deputy Minister , Mr. Prospector, and Northern Dancer (top sire ever) to the other side of his bloodline and there is no wonder why he was a million dollar yearling. Casino Drive is even the 7th generation paternal blood of Man O War, (War Admiral's daddy). And he has lived up to his immaculate conception thus far.

To win the mile and a half Belmont, Casino Drive can nare afford a slow break like in the Peter Pan. To have to rush into contention after the break will be fatal at a mile and a half. Casino Drive has quicker feet and is indeed faster than Big Brown, but Big Brown has put the best, into the rest column thus far. And impressively, Big Brown can run five wide in the turns all the while gaining ground. Big Brown shifts gears when asked. He's very good, perhaps great, we will know this Saturday.

Should both horses have clean trips, the edge goes to Casino Drive, but the ever pressing Big Brown will be there to claim his crown should Casino Drive not do everything exactly right..

For the bettors, an exacta box coupling these two will be the favoite pick on the board, but these two phenoms are far, far above the rest. Barring really bad luck this is as solid a bet as you'll ever see.

Beware Big Brown, the son of the kings has arrived, his name is Casino Drive, and he's coming to claim your crown.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Bryce Be Quick — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:13:35 GMT

Karen- Not sure if you are still checking posts here, but basically the reason I was asking about the Jockey Club names of your two ex-racers is am I very interested to go back and see how t-bred enjoying second careers did in their first. I think it is very unfortunate many label t-breds as "too hot" to be successfully reschooled for other disciplines, when my experience and observation concludes exactly the opposite the case-- a t-bred who has made to the track at any level has been exposed to so much by dent of the very process used to make a competitive track-worthy horse they are in fact highly desirable candidates for any and all manner of other disciplines, from show jumping, to eventing, to dressage; from the hunt field to the polo field, and for trail riding and as the all-purpose pleasure horse.

Frankly, I snicker to myself when I hear owners of very expensive European sport horses go on and on about the best qualities of their mounts, when they are describing elements such as "smooth stride", "competitiveness", "speed","athleticism", etc which, of course are all t-bred features, and which are available at a fraction of the price. Further, and this is going to surprise many of you comment how fragile the t-bred is, it is in fact noteworthy how durable the t-bred proves to be in their off-the-track careers. As three-day Olympic eventer Bruce Davidson once observed, "I prefer a former racehorse to a youngster that has been left to grow too fat and soft...if they hold up to the rigors of racing chances are they will hold up for whatever I want them to do."

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Matthew W — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:42:26 GMT

Spectacular Bids Derby was run on an extremely tirirg track--and "Brownie" ran into a strong headwind for most of his Derby--the fact is times can be very misleading--it's too bad Big Brown won't continue running but I really hope he faces off v Curlin and even Heatseeker--HE NEEDS TO PROVE IT THAT HE CAN BEAT GOOD ELDERS--that's "Class 101"--but you cannot blame the horse--he's fired cannon shots up to now--Casino Drive is likely to regress the longer he stays in USA---this is taxing on a horse's system, the change in time and all--maybe an exacta with Nick Zito's horse, we're all gonna see something special this Sat, Big Brown is heads above this year's crop, I'd love to see him turf (like the GREAT Secretariat, who dominated two gr 1's at marathon turf distances vs elders), no Big Red of Meadow Stable was something, those lazy losses nonwithstanding, his Derby/Belmont/Marlboro Cup were races for the ages, and Sham was the real deal--he won one of the all-time toughest Santa Anita Derbies by five in 1:47 flat (over Linda's Chief, Groshawk and Ancient Title)--he was eight clear in Derby/Preakness--the Derby that year included Forego and Our Native--the 1970 crop was big time strong and Secretariat dominated--and Spectacular Bid beat General Assembly in his Derby--the son of Secretariat was 10 clear in 2nd and he later won Travers by 13...the point is, some horses establish their greatness because they beat other real good ones--Big Brown NEEDS to beat Curlin/Heatseeker cuz he hasn't the necessary competition v his own age group--otherwise it'll be left to speculation--but like I said, you can't blame Brownie--he's a HELLUVA horse!!

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Billy D. — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 20:28:12 GMT

To Gman: you're right! Monarchos's time was 1:59.4 I believe the second fastest Derby WIN ever (I know Sham ran 1:59.4 too). I think people dismiss Monarchos's fast Derby time due to the fast surface at the time and that Monarchos didn't do much after his Derby victory.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Gman59063 — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:35:59 GMT

Just a question because I am curious. Earlier people were talking of the fastest derby times. I believe Monarchos had one of the fastest!

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Diane — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:42:13 GMT

Karen,

I saw that in the article as well-what do I need to do to get that job? It would be nice to have a triple crown winner, but I'd like to see a good horse race and see how BB responds with someone looking him in the eye down the stretch. Assuming, of course, they can keep up with him!

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Karen — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:51:56 GMT

O.K., I don't want to be to hard on the journalists but I just read the article by Beth Harris about the elusive triple crown and couldn't help but laugh out loud when she talked about Smarty Jones and called him a small black colt. Smarty is small but he is far from black.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Karen — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:48:14 GMT

Bryce Be Quick: I would be happy to provide the jockey club names of my two boys. Just out of curiosity, why do you ask? I am at work today and the papers are at home but I do know the registered name of one of them is Gally's last Prince. He is out of Gallapiat, who is out of Buckpasser.He is 10 I believe this year. I adopted him as a 6 year old. I paid to have him shipped all the way to North Dakota from New York. I had big dreams of training him for dressage. Unfortunately he has soundness issues and is A lOT of horse, so, he gets to eat grass and look beautiful. I adopted him by photos only from the TRF. It took him two years to finally adapt to just being a horse. He has only 6 starts, carried 117 pounds and won twice and two third place finishes. He then ended up with the TRF. I love the industry but know there is a dark side and have first hand knowledge and experience with a horse that has been pin fired excessively. He is pain free and runs happily now. I could probably start to train him now but although he is a sweetheart on the ground, he is quite the handful in the saddle. I am far to old to get hurt.

The other one is 17 this year. I ride him dressage and on trails. I did some research on his pedigree and he goes back to Slew and in fact has the same light golden brown eyes that the Slew had. He is smaller in size. Only about 15.1 hands but he is a talented jumper and trained to 2nd level dressage. He runs circles around our much younger quarter horses. They both run just to run.

I would agree the industry needs to do make some huge strides in protecting these horses after they retire. So many are bred each year and only a few become prominent race horses. I watch Gally float across the pasture now and am in awe of his grace and beauty. I wonder how many others never get the chance he got. If I could afford to have more hay burners around. I would adopt 10 more.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Janesville Liz — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:46:05 GMT

That is a tactic, though, that participants in all sports are guilty of--expressing almost overconfidence to make it appear a problem is not as bad as feared. They may very well have thought about scratching him. Quarter cracks are funny things. It may be ok now, but give problems next week. The only thing I hope is that BB will be SOUND when he runs in the Belmont. I would rather see him scratched or even retired than have the possibility of over-inflated egos insisting on taking a shot at history with a horse with troublesome feet. Not that I am saying his people would do such a thing--I like to think they have some redeeming qualities, and are not just all blow-hard businessmen. And yes, before somebody brings it up--I do not like BB's human connections. I have made no secret of that in other blogs on this site. Let BB win the Triple Crown and hopefully they will recede back into the corporate woodwork of Wall Street. As for Dutrow, don't even get me started. There are certain trainers, who, if I were lucky enough to ever have a top class horse, I would NEVER send my horse to, and he is one of them. Give me Shug McGaughey anyday--a brilliant trainer, a sportsman, and gentleman, as well, and I know this as I have spoken to him several times over the years.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Jason Shandler — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:44:57 GMT

Liz: With all due respect, you have no idea how problematic the quarter crack was. You are just speculating. To say the camp spent 3 hours talking about scratching BB is irresponsible. The camp has no reason to hide anything. If it were more severe, what would they have to gain by hiding it?

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Bryce Be Quick — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:30:19 GMT

Karen-- if I am not being too personal, could you supply the Jockey Club names of your two former racers now in your pasture? Like you, I live in the present, while honoring the past.

Our now 19 YO guy made 30 starts in his career and was clearly a barn favorite, hence the reason why they kept him around even through two extended lay-ups and despite his very modest earnings which didn't even cover his feed bill, much less the vet charges-- even his groom bought him after his final start, but couldn't keep up with the boarding fees, hence how he came to fall in our laps. He remains in training as an accomplished eventer.

Wish it was easier to track down retired horses-- I am still looking for a guy named Wheaty, 2001 gelding o/o Wheatly Special by Wheatly Hall (Wheatly Hall being Gary Stevens mount in the 1986 KY Derby). Sadly, by the time I tracked down Wheatly Hall (also our Guy's sire) to Jack Van Berg's ranch out on the West Coast, Jack had already had to put him down the year before. Remain very sorry I missed meeting our guy's sire. As the cowboy said-- "if there ain't horses in heaven then I hope I don't go there".

Was thrilled to see Bonnie's Poker while visiting "Old Friends" Dream Chase Farm-- the dam of 1997 KY Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm. If only ALL our old friends were accorded this treatment. This industry has got to do MUCH better on this score.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

draynay — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:45:49 GMT

When Big Brown loses ? Lol.. you have to be kidding... Have you seen his races ? I could see he was the second coming long before the Kentucky Derby...and I posted it right on this blog. You have seen 3 consecutive G1 performances that you may never see again. Never mind the clock or Beyers watch the races... Big Brown may be the most talented ever. Only 5 races? So what greatness is greatness...would you feel better if he whips this crop 5 or 6 more times? Older horses ? Did you see the Met Mile? Lol...1:36 ? Big Brown can jog that ... Curlin ? Your hopes are on Curlin ? You mean the horse that could not win but one of the Triple Crown races and did it on a head bob.... yeah...he's a threat... give me a break. He couldn't catch Rags to Riches now you expect him to catch a Triple Crown winner....good luck with that.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Janesville Liz — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:35:26 GMT

Karen--BB is a nice horse. But a great one? Not in my mind. I've been following racing for over 40 years and have seen many of the great ones of that period, so I hardly consider myself uneducated on the subject. In my opinion, based on five races against moderate competition, BB does not stack up to being called great, which the horses I mentioned were. If he wins the Belmont, and does so impressively, I will change my mind. But having the media practically anoint him as the second coming of Secretariat is pemature. He is a beautiful horse, I love his pedigree, and as a specimen, he is gorgeous. And yes, I admit, I would appreciate him more if he did not have such arrogant and smug human connections. I wish someone would put a sock in Dutrow's mouth. But in my opinion, he needs to do more to earn the accolade great. If he wins the Belmont, I will happily eat my humble pie. But let us wait and see.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Liz — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:20:31 GMT

Bryce, don't feel too badly about Adriano falling short. Did you see how hard he was slammed? Add to that, did you also notice that he had a front shoe ripped off before he even hit the first turn, probably happened during the game of bumper cars, in which he was involved. He is a nice horse, we will likely never have another chance to see him on the dirt, but the Derby was certainly not a true representation of his best work.

I think it is a riot to hear Dutrow's bluff about the Belmont being a foregone conclusion... his camp spent about three hours yesterday talking of nothing but scratching the horse. Believe me, they are not as confident as they wish to appear. Having witnessed the lives of more than one of the previous triple crown contenders from inside the ropes, I do understand how difficult the life of the connections can be during these weeks building up to the Belmont.

The problems with his quarters are a big set back no matter how they try to spin the news. That horse was already dangerously short on his preparation for such a huge race, and now he has lost 4 days of training right before the longest race of his life. Regardless of the quality of this year's three yr old field, if Big Brown wins the Belmont, he gets my respect, big time.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

predict — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:00:51 GMT

I have a hard time buying into Anak Nakal, but stranger things have happened. What I am also not so sure of is Casino Drive, maybe he is just another good mile and an eighth horse, we really don't know what will happen at a longer distance with him , regardless of his breeding. I'm not ready to say he is a lock for second. I think he is a really nice horse , but can he really threaten Big Brown? at least we know Big Brown has faced the best of this year's crop, and hasn't been challenged yet, while Casino Drive will be facing the best group of 3 year olds he has seen yet, having only faced a so so group in the Peter Pan. I also liked Icabad Crane in the Preakness and called him third in my post here for that race, too bad I was way wrong on Gayego's distance capabilities, for I had picked him second. I think Macho Again could surprise some in the Belmont, he showed he can run a distance around two turns now , and shows he runs hard every time.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Karen — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:53:58 GMT

Monica: Boy, do you have me wrong. I don't get angry in my posts when someone disagrees with me. I just prefer people to back their opinions with facts. What I find is people making comments that stacked up against the facts, don't hold water. Win or lose on June 7th, you can bet I will be enjoying it. Because I know how to enjoy life in the present, not the past. I am not some johnny come lately race fan. I have been following this sport since I was knee high to a grass hopper. Not to mention I have two retired racehorses sitting in my pasture. My contribution to the sport I hold so dearly in my heart. Wish I could afford to have more.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Slew.em.All — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:45:24 GMT

draynay:blah,blah,blah..again I say,you MUST be Dutrows' PR guy.Who said Casino Drive is sore?Dutrow?the neighborhood jerk!..you know what they say: "Birds of a feather flock together"..and for your info.,I've been watching horse racing since the mid-70's,though I'm only 37,and let me tell you,BB is NOT in the same class as Seattle Slew,period.Slew was a Champ at 2,3 & 4.Definately NOT after only 5/6 starts,can you proclaim a horse Great.Hold-on to your diaper,dandy.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Karen — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:44:56 GMT

One more comment Janesville Liz: To hear the accolades over other possible Triple crown winners is normal and expected. There are upsets in racing, just as in any other sport. Take the New England Patriots. But because the Belmont was lost does not make these horses not great in their own right. They all took us on thrilling rides and had certain qualities within each of them. I prefer to live in the here and now and enjoy what we have at hand. To sit and wait for another Secretariat or Seattle Slew will only leave one disapointed in the sport. In today's industry it would seem we won't see many of the greats or potential greats race well into their 4 and 5 year old years. We live in a different world. We have to love them and live it while they are on the track. One could speculate for days about one horse or another being able to race with Affirmed, Alydar, Slew, Bid etc... it would only be speculation. Occasionaly though, I must admit, I do entertain the thought of the greats running against eachother. A horse race for the heavens.

re: Anak Nakal: Triple Crown Spoiler?

Bryce Be Quick — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:41:19 GMT

Chase-- you are correct on all counts with HG Motion's Icabad Crane-- he will be full of run at the end. Had a hard time selling Jason to him before the Preakness, his win in the Tesio over the same surface notwithstanding. Maybe it was because I missed so badly with Adriano, another HG Motion charge, in the Derby (finishing 19th after a rough trip, courtesy of Gayego).

Think you will be very disappointed with Casino Drive-- yes, a nice win in the Peter Pan, and I am now looking for a classic second-start out of quarantine bounce from him. Would suggest maybe Jason's guy trained by Nick Zito, Anak Nakal, instead-- I know, has shown little to nothing to date as a 3 YO, but he is growing up, training sharply, and now ready to start blooming?