Donn Handicap Nominees
 

Another walkover for Quality Road?

Beresford
Dry Martini
Dubai Gold
Harlem Rocker
Helsinki
Le Grand Cru
Past the Point
Take the Points
Mambo Meister,
Delightful Kiss,
Kiss the Kid,
Duke of Mischief,
Grasshopper,
Timber Reserve,
You and I Forever.
Friesan Fire
Misremembered
and Quality Road

Am I a horrible person for not being thrilled with this list?

Who is missing out of the available runners?

I still like Freisan Fire. Don't know if he can beat Quality Road, but he will be there.

friesan fire won't be able to crawl around the track like he has at fairgrounds with quality road there. that is if friesan fire even runs.

I'd be surprised if he ran. I don't think they want any part of Quality Road at this point in time.

The participation of Past The Point and Timber Reserve and a clean break by Le Grand Cru should go a long way in determining how robust Quality Road is beyond a mile.

I have my doubts about his stamina, and while he's better than those he'll face, I think the possible pace scenario will make this a far cry from a walkover.

Assuming a strong early pace, I would look towards Delightful Kiss or possibly Helsinki to pick up the pieces if there's a meltdown.

Misremembered

I assume he'll run in the Strub at Santa Anita next weekend.

Good point. Got the noms for that?

Not yet. Nominations closed today.

Maybe they'll be up tomorrow along with the PPs.

Do you bet on racing I thought you just participated in spiritual way?

This list looks like 1 main and 1 backup....

He might run there, but Baffert has said he likes dirt a lot better, and did run him in the Clark.

True, but staying home for $300,000 against Smart Bid is probably more appealing than having Quality Road standing in front of the $500,000 pot at Gulfstream.

Not to mention beyond is the Big Cap over the same track for a much bigger purse than either of these.

Goggle the phrase "Big Cap" and you get listings for hat companies.. Isn't time for The Big Cap to accept its place as a meaningless grade 2+ event for slugs and wanna bes? The Big Cap is a joke race save the popcorn for some BS movie.. The last serious horse to win was Tiznow before that Siphon who was OK before that maybe who Lord at War.. They should rename it the Big Fraud

Alysheba was between Siphon and LaW.

Wouldn't the Big Crap be a better name than the Big Fraud in terms of mocking the race?

The invention of the Dubai World Cup has hurt the race ... but it's still one of America's great races.

I stongly agree.

On second thought... Freddy's probably right.

Interestingly, in each of the past 7 runnings at least one horse from the race has gone on to win a Grade 1 later the same year.

A large chunk of the most notable racehorses from the last 25 years have run in the race. Ferdinand, Broad Brush, Snow Chief, Alysheba, Criminal Type, Bayakoa, Quiet American, Pleasant Tap, In Excess, Best Pal, Bertrando, The Wicked North, Bien Bien, Dare And Go, Serena's Song, Afternoon Deelites, Siphon, Gentlemen, Formal Gold, Free House, Silver Charm, General Challenge, Tiznow, Congaree, Pleasantly Perfect, Southern Image, Rock Hard Ten, Saint Liam, Lava Man.

Freddy really has no understanding (or respect) of the game or its history or its tradition, so his posts are pretty much the internet equivalent of rice cakes.