BC Thoughts

A few scattered thoughts after I watched the BC Saturday telecast off and on:

1. Dutrow breezing a 2 year old :24 on race day. Brilliant. And, it's allowed.

2. BC Classic a lesser race without Quality Road?

3. Do gate trouble makers generally get loaded first?

4. The nice bounce the 2008 BC horses got off the pro-ride surface was missing. That front runners were without any chance on the surface disturbs.

5. I'd agree with those that want to make Santa Anita the permanent venue, and I still like the two days of races.

5. Chip Wooley showed some class Friday when interviewed on Jim Rhome's Radio Show.

6. Is there any substitute for true speed--see Goldikova.

7. Zenyatta never got caught in traffic as yours truly predicted. There was less traffic, of course, without the huge Quality Road.

8. Was anybody, besides me, disturbed when Twice Over came down the stretch on the wrong lead?

9. Maybe I underestimated Christopher Clement. Should avoid judging a trainer by comments on a single clip.

8. As usual Steve Haskin in his column catches the day. Zenyatta and her connections deserved every printed word. Shirreffs is in the vanguard of those trainers moving to appropriate breezing in terms of distance. Z was the only horse (to my knowledge) that breezed a mile (1:39 for the gallop out) before the race. My prior criticisms of Shirreffs involved his failure to gallop Giacomo after the final breeze. I assumed(wrongly) he did that with all his horses, and I'm pretty sure Hollendorfer does the same. But, the videos show Z on the track several times after the final breeze. Haskin's column shows a nice culmination of effort by a classy group of folks.

9. I really did figure out by race time that Z probably would win it. The epiphany came when I realized that the only reason I was betting against her was because I believed that either she would get caught in traffic or M. Smith would blow it. Over the years I've listened to quite a few athletes before their events. M. Smith was saying all the right things and showing the type of confidence that you expect before a performance. There truly was "No Fear" from Mike Smith on Saturday! Z simply had the ability to out stride these colts, and this had shown in her final breeze.

10. RR prejudice against women trainers takes a hit when Carla Gaines wins the sprint. Congrats to a classy lady. And there's Mary Hartman having her great horse Presious Passion almost win the turf. Z, Goldikova. Girls day.

11. RR position on horse of the year: Z.

12. And, in the spirit of this blog, congrats to Shirreffs for winning both classics. How often has that been done, and how often will it be done? Takes a bow!

Training:
Thurs. 11/5: Off.
Fri. 11/6: Art trot-gallop 1.25 miles. Rod goes 10 min riderless slow to test the injured leg.
Sat. 11/7: Art gallops .8 +.8. Rod trot-gallops 1 mile.
Sun. 11/8: Art: gallops .8 +.8 +.3 with a little slow spurting here and there. Rod trot-gallops 1.6 miles and almost throws Nob again. Nice work by Nob this time to stay on.
Mon. Nov. 9: Nob strains a muscle in his back. Both horses did 15 min of riderless play in a scotched up (by dried mud) paddock.