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Home / News / Ask The Moon Might Be Headed West

Ask The Moon Might Be Headed West

  • horseracingnation.com
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  • September 04, 2011 10:53 AM
Ask The Moon, jockey Luis Saez up, wins the Ruffian Invitational Handicap on Ruffian Handicap Day at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Spring, New York on July 31, 2011

Ask the Moon, winner of Saturday’s $300,000 Personal Ensign, may be pointed toward a confrontation with top filly Blind Luck in the Grade 1 Lady’s Secret on October 1 at Santa Anita.

 

The $75,000 claim by Farnsworth Stables came to Saratoga this summer and won two Grade 1 races, the Personal Ensign and the Ruffian, for trainer Martin Wolfson.

 

“I’m pleased but not surprised,” Wolfson said. “I’ve been very high on this [mare].”

 

The only reason Wolfson wouldn’t put Ask the Moon to the Grade 1, $350,000 Beldame on October 1 at Belmont Park is he believes the 6-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon prefers two-turn races.

 

Wolfson said that ultimately Ask the Moon would point toward the Breeders’ Cup and then be sold in the November Breeding Stock Sale at Keeneland.

 

“That’s been the plan all along,” Wolfson said.

 


 

Ask the Moon  |  Martin D. Wolfson  |  Lady's Secret  |  Lady's Secret (2011)

What the Nation is saying about Ask The Moon Might Be Headed West...

being a former sprinter, i know that running on the turn slowed you down and put more pressure on the inside leg. if you watch carefully, horses, like humans, naturally slow on the turns.
I am glad that I am not setting you on edge. I used the mile as an example because it is more pronounced there and can be easily seen, as it can at 10 furlongs at Belmont and 10 furlongs at Churchill for example. Just last year, we had an example with Haynesfield in the JGC defeating Blame. Many said that Blame needed two turns. If id doesn't make a difference why would thjey say that. There are many reasons why two turn races can bother a horse. It could be stamina, it could be that running in turns hurts their knees or ankles more, etc. I'm not saying that Wolfson wants to run against HDG, I'm sure he doesn't. But he may have legitimate reasons for wanting to keep her at 2 turns that you are discounting. He may feel she performs better.
Footlick, believe me you are far from setting me on edge, I just like to debate. You said one turn mile, and the Beldame is not. I am not arguing that at that distance sprinters can normally stretch their speed out, but i doubt a horse that is a sprinter can go a 1 turn 9f. If you told me a horse that likes distances from 8-8.5f, I would agree, because that is not too far off the mark.
I know exactly how long the Beldame is. I was giving you an example of sprinters being able to stretch to a mile around 1 turn but not 2 turns. It has been something that I have always heard trainers discuss since I can remember, and I started following racing in the early 60's. But if you know better, by all means dismiss it and say it is just an excuse. I'm not here to argue. And everything I post seems toset your teeth on edge. So maybe I just won't respond or comment on your posts anymore.
Footlick, the Beldame is not a mile it is 9f. I am not arguing that the one turn does not aid some horses, especially those who have speed. However, unless somebody can prove that the one turn makes that drastic of a difference then one would think that it was just an excuse.
DeadHeat- I am just saying what Wolfson said, that he wants to keep her at two turns. If you want to read anything else into it, that is fine. But many distance challenged horses have been successful at a one turn mile, but not a two turn mile, so there must be something to it. But, that is fine if you just view it as an excuse. It doesn't matter to me.
Footlick, so your are telling me that even though one is 9f he would rather go to an 8.5f race? If you ask me the fact that the Beldame is around one turn is not that huge. If you were to tell me that one turn made the 9f seem like 7 or 8 i would say you are exaggerating. The one turn is a small factor and excuse.
also Wofson said he wants to keep her around 2 turns.
The way i see it ATM is ducking HDG. Next step after the PE is normally the Beldame, but with such a solid line up, yes a line up that will make the one in the LS look like allowance horses, she ducked for easier. I mean why not. If the track is still as speed favoring then BL will never get past. If you think i'm wrong look back at her first two races this year.
Maybe if Hollendorfer would give indication that she's actually going to run in this race then there would be something to talk about. But with no posted works in a long time and Ask the Moon going out to take on Blind Luck, Hollendorfer might duck this race also. On the flip side I dont see shipping Grace 3000 miles to run for $250k, when the Beldame is $300k. Just doesn't make sense, no sense at all.
oughtta be a barn burner of a race. now, if larry and company can reciprocate in the running rivalry, and bring hdg west, we'd have quite a race....wouldn't we???
Good for them.
This horse may have won 2 G1 races, but she hasn't beaten anything over G3 caliber
ASK THE MOON is a good filly butshe doesnt have a chance against BLIND LUCK!
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