Derby Trail Forums - What if Calvin Borel was a trainer?

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What if Calvin Borel was a trainer?

The guy has performed the kind of miracles in Churchill Downs two-turn dirt route stake races that not even the shadiest trainer could ever dream of.

Here is his record in two-turn dirt Graded Stakes at CD since 2004:

2009: 3-for-3 (100%) $41.73 ROI

(The three wins:

* Mine That Bird: a stunning runaway Kentucky Derby win.

* Rachel Alexandra: a 20+ length Oaks win.

* Miss Isella: A stunning upset of loose on the lead 1/2 favorite One Caroline)

2008 record: 7-3-1-1 (42%) $7.83 ROI

2007 record: 7-3-1-1 (42%) $7.86 ROI

2006 record: 3-2-0-1 (67%) $72.60 ROI

2005 record: no mounts

2004: record: 2-1-0-1 (50%) $11.00 ROI

Since '04: 22-12-2-4 (55 % wins - 82 % ITM) $21.58 ROI

That ROI is friggin bananas! It's like impossible to be even half that high for almost two dozen mounts.

I know you're thinking I'm just still very bitter about Street Sense two years later ... but what if the same trainer had this record and was responcible for unexplainable miracles like Mine That Bird today and Seek Gold's absurd 91/1 Grade 1 win in the Foster after he looked like a confirmed mid level claiming horse?

I'm not saying he's riding with a device either ... unless the Churchill rail is like one big long buzzer. And I'm only not saying that because his mounts don't seem to have quite as much magic elsewhere.

If he was a trainer, they would surely accuse him of being on crystal meth with that nervous giggle after every sentence.

Here is what I expect from Mine That Bird ....

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Here is what I expect from Mine That Bird ....

Pretty ironic that Calvin rode that one, too.

Great statistics. We were at CD one day and Calvin won 6 of 11 races, of which 5 paid $12 or more, every single one of them the same way he won his two Derbies. It's pretty hard to have a positive ROI as a jock, eventually the takeout catches up. He probably is pretty close to break even on all mounts at CD.

LMAO ... crafty old local boy Cal makes monkeys out of all the hot-shot jocks ... again.

And how 'bout that Pletch? He sure gets 'em to fire on Derby day. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by philcski

Pretty ironic that Calvin rode that one, too.

Yeah.

I realize he beat the pants off of 18 suspects today ... and I know the track surface was funny ... but I still don't get Mine That Bird.

Kelly Leak has run just TWO lifetime races on dirt ...

He was a clear 3rd beaten only 7.5 lengths to This One's For Phil and Wolfson in the 115 Beyer race .. and last time out he won the Sunland Derby cozily with the runaway Ky Derby winner off the board in behind him.

I guess they go Preakness with him?

How in the world did Rocamundo be 10-1 on Ky Derby day and flopped horribly only to be 9-1 on preakness day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Here is what I expect from Mine That Bird ....

The interesting thing about rock and Borel is that the horse had showed no early speed at all. While MTB had previously shown early foot and was taken back....way way back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I think you're on to about the most plausible reasoning that Mine That Bird could have been picked, I wish you hit upon it 24 hrs ago

Maybe some jockey's respond much better than others in the Big Time races

Next year, baby, me and Bo-Rail!!!

Oh yeah, the climate change from autumn in Canada to the B.C. at Santa Anita, then on to the Arizona desert. We all should have known to toss those last three races of Mine That Bird

i think if it was not for borel the horse would have been 300-1, the only reason besides numbers or silk colors or I just bet all the longshots is that borel drew a little $

I was there the day Rockamundo won. Was shocking. He physically looked fantastic though we didn't bet him. Ever since that day, my dad always picks Calvin's horses (he only bets jockeys), especially when they have long odds. He did pick Mine That Bird yesterday for that reason alone, but no money on it. I can't pick a Derby winner that's not favored to save my life however. I picked MTB to finish dead last earlier this week. I'm still laughing at myself...it seems a whole lot of people on horse racing message boards should learn how to do that too...the bitterness is almost overwhelming.:zz:

Horses in his stable...

I Love My Mama
Fine H Two O
Re Re Bias
Bo's Rail
Meddulah Omlimgatuh
Wake Up Durkin