The fact that there's no speed in the race? Wouldn't you have said the same thing about Da' Tara last year? Fool me once..

I haven't looked over the whole card yet. just the Belmont.

It appears that Miners Escape is the lone speed. Will he wire it or be absorbed? It's curious to me that both he & Brave Victory, both Zito horses have been working together last 2 w/o's. Brave Victory hasn't won against stakes company. Miners Escape has yet to try. The unproven 3yo stepping up in a field of plodders is dangerous.

Just my luck. I thought noone else liked this horse. He's been pointing to this race since May 7th.:mad:

Being coupled with Everyday Heroes doesn't help his odds. They're the 2/1 ML favorite.

Now I KNOW those odds can't be because of his entry-mate.
Saturday may be a good day to play CD.

Chocolate Candy is too slow to win

You probably said the same thing about Mine That Bird in the Derby also. oops.

I dont think the ML odds for this race are going to end up being accurate. I think This Ones for Phil and Munnings will end up the 2 favorites somewhere aroound 2/1-5/2, and Regal Ransom and Hull will be in the 4/1-6/1 range.

I see this race a bit differntly than most on here. I see Charitable Man being the clear speed and I am not talking about him just having "lope along" speed in a race without any. Hes got real speed and I expect him to be the clear early leader. Just hoping at least 1-2 others keep this pace honest.

As far as Miners Escape, I dont see him as a board factor. I think he'll get used up in trying to chase Charitable Man.

Da Tara was a shocker last year and I would have said before the race, no way he can win. But looking back, there was really 1 horse to beat (Big Brown) and he had quite the "off day!" For Miners Escape to win, wouldnt 3 horses have to have "off days?"

And going into last year's Belmont, didnt Big Brown appear as "lone speed?"
I played Da Tara on Preakness Day, damn I wish I played him back!

timmy - it's raining now down here , guess who likes the slop!!

Yes, I absolutely said the same thing or worse in those two cases! I had Da' Tara at 60-1 in my line for last year's Belmont. I had Mine That Bird at 100-1 in my Ky Derby line. Given the same info up to the point of those races, I wouldn't rework those odds.

The fact that longshots sometimes win doesn't suggest to me that betting longshots is now automatically a good idea. I don't get the "no speed in the race" rationale, either, ateam. Miner's Escape's "speed" is clearly not a lone-speed type of speed, what with Charitable Man and Dunkirk running. And even in a 9 furlong race, he could only muster a 12.9 sec final furlong.

How is a horse that in its best race finishes 9 furlongs with a 12.9 after a 48.8 half going to win this 12-furlong race? It would take more than a 50-1 set of circumstances IMO.

--Dunbar

Hull won the Derby Trial at Churchill on dirt. He did win an allowance on Poly but his maiden win was at FG.

I'll take Dunbar's arguments and lay the points.

I'd like to know why Miners Escape is considered a pace factor in this race.He was sitting behind Tone It Down in the Tesio in a slow 48 4/5 and Tone It Down could do no better than 9th place in the early going in the Preakness.

Brave Victory is just as capable of being on the lead in a slow pace as Miners Escape is and has shown in his sprints that he is the second fastest sprinter in the field behind Charitable Man.

That being said Miners Escape is certainly bred for the distance more so than his stablemate so I can't dismiss his chances based on his breeding. I just don't see him as a horse who will provide a meaningful pace.

Dunbar - i read somewhere in the NY post where a columnist picked MTB for the belmont saying he thought he should be odds on and since he projects him to go off at 8/5 or 9/5 , MTB offers good value to win , do you agree?

I dont think its going to be sloppy tomorrow.

i don't think it will matter , you know when our man picks pletcher he becomes an auto toss

Not a speed horse.

Right, but you have to believe he's going to be closer than he's ever been if they go :49 or so.

NT

No, I don't agree he should be odds on. I do think he is a solid favorite and that his fair odds are in the 8/5 to 9/5 range. I'd need 2-1 to consider a bet; I'd be happy to bet him at 5-2.

--Dunbar