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-   -   Is Grasshopper a walk over? (http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16833)

Benny Leger 09-20-2007 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cardus
The restaurant scene (Sheen holding the menu upside down): "Got any chili dogs over there?"

Funny movie.


"f_ck you JoBoo....if you no help me...I do it myself"

I love that movie!!!

miraja2 09-20-2007 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind
There are at least two races being run in this Super Derby and Grasshopper is the lone horse in his. The rest may or may not be competitive with each other but Grasshopper towers over them.

I know it's obvious but why are others even talking about hopelessly overmatched horses?

You are probably right about this. I might just be crazy to try to beat him here, but something about his resume just doesn't seem to justify the proabably insane odds he will be on Saturday. And just for the record, my decision to play against him, doesn't have anything to do with the bounce theory. I have never put much stock in that theory.
Other than the basic points I have already articulated in this thread, I think the fact that a horse who has never won a stakes race, and has actually never even run a good race outside of Saratoga will be an overwhelming odds-on favorite is a bit much. He certainly gave Street Sense a good battle in the Travers, but I just think that battling a hanger (even a really good hanger like Street Sense) tends to lead to an overrated performance.
Is his competition daunting? Not at all. It isn't really even average, but I think the race might unfold in such a way that he is asked to do something he simply hasn't done before. Is he good enough to do that? Probably, but I just think the odds will be a little out of whack.
By the way btw, it is good to have you back on the board.

SniperSB23 09-20-2007 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miraja2
You are probably right about this. I might just be crazy to try to beat him here, but something about his resume just doesn't seem to justify the proabably insane odds he will be on Saturday. And just for the record, my decision to play against him, doesn't have anything to do with the bounce theory. I have never put much stock in that theory.
Other than the basic points I have already articulated in this thread, I think the fact that a horse who has never won a stakes race, and has actually never even run a good race outside of Saratoga will be an overwhelming odds-on favorite is a bit much. He certainly gave Street Sense a good battle in the Travers, but I just think that battling a hanger (even a really good hanger like Street Sense) tends to lead to an overrated performance.
Is his competition daunting? Not at all. It isn't really even average, but I think the race might unfold in such a way that he is asked to do something he simply hasn't done before. Is he good enough to do that? Probably, but I just think the odds will be a little out of whack.
By the way btw, it is good to have you back on the board.

What would he need to do that he hasn't done before?

miraja2 09-20-2007 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArlJim78
there are a few of us here that are very high on him. i bet him to win the travers cause i thought that highly of him.

As I said at the time, I believe Street Sense was actually a good play in the Travers, even at those low odds. I probably underestimated Grasshopper that day, and I may be doing it again in this one, but trying to beat him here makes a lot more sense to me than trying to beat Street Sense in the Travers. I felt I was almost sure that I knew how Street Sense would perform going into that race based on his previous performances at that track and at that distance. I have a lot more questions about how Grasshopper will perform on Saturday. How will he fare in a two-turn race with semi-fast early fractions? Will he be able to repeat his Saratoga performances on another track? The answers are probably yes, but at odds-on I think I'll take a shot.

letswastemoney 09-20-2007 09:42 PM

All it would take is Grasshopper to go down 7 beyer points and Past the Point to go up 7 beyer points. It's not out of the question. Grasshopper did go from 89 to 105 in 2 races, so it's too early to say what Past the Point can do.

Saying that though, Grasshopper will probably win.

blackthroatedwind 09-20-2007 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letswastemoney
All it would take is Grasshopper to go down 7 beyer points and Past the Point to go up 7 beyer points. It's not out of the question. Grasshopper did go from 89 to 105 in 2 races, so it's too early to say what Past the Point can do.

Saying that though, Grasshopper will probably win.

Betting the second choice while praying for an eight or nine length reversal of form, for no legitimate reason, may not be a great road to horseplaying success.

letswastemoney 09-20-2007 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind
Betting the second choice while praying for an eight or nine length reversal of form, for no legitimate reason, may not be a great road to horseplaying success.

He's lightly raced. I wouldn't say the same about a horse that has started 10 times, but I'd give the possibility to a horse that has started 3 or 4 times.

SniperSB23 09-20-2007 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miraja2
As I said at the time, I believe Street Sense was actually a good play in the Travers, even at those low odds. I probably underestimated Grasshopper that day, and I may be doing it again in this one, but trying to beat him here makes a lot more sense to me than trying to beat Street Sense in the Travers. I felt I was almost sure that I knew how Street Sense would perform going into that race based on his previous performances at that track and at that distance. I have a lot more questions about how Grasshopper will perform on Saturday. How will he fare in a two-turn race with semi-fast early fractions? Will he be able to repeat his Saratoga performances on another track? The answers are probably yes, but at odds-on I think I'll take a shot.

He rated with no problem in sprints, don't see why he'd have a problem in a route. Actually he even rated in a route already as a 2yo. I've loved Grasshopper since early on but even I didn't think he could beat Street Sense. The difference between Grasshopper and this field though is a hell of a lot bigger than between SS and the Travers field.

ArlJim78 09-20-2007 10:01 PM

all he has to do is stay in the clear and he wins. it wasn't a fluke that he pushed Street Sense all out and left the rest of the field at Saratoga in the dust. the also rans in the Travers are better than what he faces now.

Indian Charlie 09-21-2007 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letswastemoney
Past the Point has a shot

i'm quite probably the biggest fan of indian charlie (the horse) in the entire world, and i say unless grasshopper falls down, past the point has no shot.

King Glorious 09-21-2007 01:08 AM

While I am not sold on Grasshopper being very good, I do think this is a one horse race and if he loses, it would probably qualify for biggest upset of the year.

miraja2 09-21-2007 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious
While I am not sold on Grasshopper being very good, I do think this is a one horse race and if he loses, it would probably qualify for biggest upset of the year.

The biggest upset of the year? Really? I guess I just see this race a lot differently than almost everyone else. I mean I even brought King Glorious and blackthroatedwind together against me on this one! I just don't think a victory by the 2,5,6 or 10 horse would even come close to being the upset of the year.
Grasshopper is clearly the most likely winner, but I fail to see how he has accomplished enough to make his potential defeat such a gigantic upset.

The Indomitable DrugS 09-21-2007 09:25 AM

The race looks like a Grasshopper - Going Ballistic - Past the Point straight trifecta.

King Glorious 09-21-2007 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miraja2
The biggest upset of the year? Really? I guess I just see this race a lot differently than almost everyone else. I mean I even brought King Glorious and blackthroatedwind together against me on this one! I just don't think a victory by the 2,5,6 or 10 horse would even come close to being the upset of the year.
Grasshopper is clearly the most likely winner, but I fail to see how he has accomplished enough to make his potential defeat such a gigantic upset.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not against u at all. If I were to bet this race, I'd look to beat him too and because I'm not sold on him, I don't think by any means is he a lock. I just think that on paper, he towers over the field by a huge margin. It's not that he's accomplished so much; it's that his competition has accomplished so little. But he's definitely not unbeatable here.

miraja2 09-21-2007 09:15 PM

Here is my $30 wager (if the odds are what I expect them to be):
$1 trifecta: 2,10/2,9,10/2,6,9,10
$1 exacta box: 2-9-10
$4 WP: 2
$4 WP: 10

The Indomitable DrugS 09-22-2007 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS
The race looks like a Grasshopper - Going Ballistic - Past the Point straight trifecta.

Ah well.

miraja2 09-22-2007 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miraja2
Here is my $30 wager (if the odds are what I expect them to be):
$1 trifecta: 2,10/2,9,10/2,6,9,10
$1 exacta box: 2-9-10
$4 WP: 2
$4 WP: 10

Looks like I hit the $1, 10-9-6 trifecta,
the $1, 10-9 exacta,
a $4 win bet,
and a $4 place bet.
Even a blind squirrel......

King Glorious 09-22-2007 09:17 PM

Using the logic u used to tell me how Crossing the Line wasn't as good as Shakespeare, do u now place Going Ballistic on an even level with Street Sense? Sorry, couldn't resist.

Sorry but Grasshopper is NOT very good. Just another example of why these 3yo's aren't that good. They are evenly matched but nothing special.

blackthroatedwind 09-22-2007 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious
Using the logic u used to tell me how Crossing the Line wasn't as good as Shakespeare, do u now place Going Ballistic on an even level with Street Sense? Sorry, couldn't resist.

Sorry but Grasshopper is NOT very good. Just another example of why these 3yo's aren't that good. They are evenly matched but nothing special.


Did you happen to notice how your current selection for the BC Mile, Silver Tree, did at 2:5 at the Meadowlands last night?

King Glorious 09-22-2007 09:41 PM

Looks like it was a bad weekend of handicapping for the experts and the novices alike.


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