Nice to meet you too Anna. I find your very rerfreshing and enthusiastic and you certaqinly know a lot about the sport. I take it you live close to the Beaches. I remember years ago when we used to go the the harness races at Greenwood and then slip down Queen Street to the original Lick's burger-hotdog place. Yummy yummy. They not only fed us they used to sing to us also.
Hey Anna I read your bio and see that you live in Toronto. I used to live there years ago and still spend time in Cobourg. I saw my first races at Woodbine and remember seeing Northern Dancer. Talk about Northlands, I have two sons that currently live in Cold Lake, one is ex military and the other is a crane operator for one of the oil companys.
Mary I think it was Travel Vic who said that most Belmonts aren’t won by stone type closers. When looking back at least in recent history, I think he’s correct. Sumer Bird was 9th at the mile, but probably only about 5 or 6 lengths back, and Drosselmeyer when he won came from 6th at the mile was only about 4 or 5 lengths back. From what I can see the last deep closer was Jazil who came from 12th and last about a dozen lengths out of it at one point to get the win. IMO if IHA is up too close early on he’s going to be very vulnerable and position for him will be very important. Union Rags should be well placed probably no further back than 5th or 6th and Alpha, going back to his Wood, might be up close too. My pick at this point is Dullahan, but I am still under estimating IHA’s ability. I think that Dullahan is going to benefit from a new rider and I don’t think he’s going to be all that far back. JMO.
Mary that’s a tough one Mary and requires a lot of research, and most of the required info I don’t have. I do remember that Sherluck finished 5th and was well beaten by 6 to 8 lengths in both the Derby and Preakness in 1961 to Carry Back. He then won the Belmont when they altered his running style and kept him close to the pace at 65-1 while Carry Back, who might have been a TC winner that year, suffered an ankle injury during the race and finished 7th. Carry Back’s Derby was amazing as at the top of the stretch and well into it he was nowhere then he made a big closing finish and got up in time. In 2004 Birdstone finished 8th by 15 plus lengths in the Derby then beat Smarty Jones in the Belmont at 36-1. In 2000 Commendable finished 17th in the Derby beaten by 26 lengths then won the Belmont by 1 ½ lengths defeating Aptitude at 18-1. I think it would be hard to find a Belmont winner with worse Derby credentials, beaten lengths and position, than Commendable.
It's what they call making it easy.
Travel Vic. I was referring to the horses on Cocoa’s list. You might say that Eclipse always fired as he was 18 for 18 and Saint Simon was 10 for 10. Man O’ War always fired and though he did lose one he probably would be undefeated if he had a fair start. I guess it’s all in how you look at it.
Way to go Icy.
Like I say I'm a stats guy and find that it's a very rewarding hobby. If you need to know something and I have the information just let me know.
It would be nice for Sway Away to win but IMO it might be even more important that he run more frequently, like once a month or so. I know he was injured, but he’s still only had two races this year. He might need to be more battle hardened. I think he has the potential to be up with the top horses of his division and probably will be once he gets into top form.
I could say that I was there but you would probably believe me. I've collected memorabilia for many years. I still think that you can buy lifetime PP's of the old time horses from the DRF (that's where I got a lot of stuff years ago). I think you can buy them from Equibase now too for $8 each. I even have a mint condition $2 winning ticket from Secretariat’s last race. It’s a blue win ticket and Woodbine printed Big Red across the top. I figure that by now it would be worth more than the $2.10 it was worth back in ‘73. I started collecting when I saw Northern Dancer race when I was a kid. I was always a stats guy and decided then that statistical info for racing rivaled statistical information for all sports, even baseball.