Not Phone, First Samurai, etc
 

Hello to all.

Happy to be an official member of the Derby Trail Forum. Good-bye ESPN!

Very disappointed w/ Not Phone's race Sunday. Didn't particularly care for the ride that Prado gave him (three checks), but I don't think he would have beat the winner that day regardless. Congrats to Bill Mott for having his horse ready to go.

First Samurai resumed training last week after 5+ weeks of stall walking to recoup from broken ribs (two left rear) sustained during the Bluegrass Stakes. Should everything go perfectly, we hope to have him racing at Saratoga. If not, who knows! Day by day!

Considering running That's A Given in the Belmont. Certainly a long-shot, but with a weak field, perhaps worth a shot. Broke his maiden at Belmont 2+ weeks ago by 9+ lengths in a 1 1/8 race. Sire is Point Given, dam (Dame Avie) has produced four stakes winners. He's on the improve and might be worth taking a chance on. We'll determine his status after he works this Friday.

Cheers to all. LR

Put him in there
 

Take a shot with That's A Given. It surely can't hurt and you will know what you got afterwards for sure.

Hope he is o.k.(n.p.)He looked like something may have gone wrong(physically) in the last 16th.

For what my opinion is worth (nothing at all...haha) I say send Thats a Given to the Belmont. Its setting up to be the type that can be won with a 100 Beyer and your horse is bred for the distance. Hell, look at Nolan's Cat last year grabbing 3rd! Also great to hear that First Sam is getting back and I cannot wait until he proves all the doubters wrong! Best of luck in your endeavors

~ dustin

Mood & Scuds - Noticed we're all "Junior Members" ... perhaps we should name a horse "Junior Member"!!

Jockey Club will definitely reject my request for such a name ... lHall Lass was the doom for me re: any potentially controversial names! Let me know if either of want to apply for the name!

NP came out of the race fine (according to Rick). Not sure what to point him to next ... any/all thoughts welcome / respected. LR

You need a rabbit like All Hail Stormy.Consider buying that piggy,and running these 2 as a pair.For all we know,he gets a real charge from seeing a horse come back to him,and Stormy will certainly do that.

lbig i think you are right..the checks killed his chances and the lack of position
he seemed to be un comfortable in the 5 path...good luck with him...

Why do you think its such a weak field in the Belmont? You have the second, third and fourth place horse from the Kentucky Derby. The first place horse from the Peter Pan. And several other nice horses. Seems kind of arrogant for a maiden winner, 2 weeks ago, to call this a weak field. Wide open yes, weak no.

Ironhorse - Weak as could be, thank you please.

Ky Derby winner - not there. Preakness winner - not there.

4th place finisher in the Ky Derby and entry in the Belmont - a maiden - did you know this or do you have a different angle?

3rd place finisher in the Preakness and entry in the Belmont - a MAIDEN - did you know this or do you have a different angle?

That's A Given won a 1 1/8 race at Belmont under a hand ride in almost the identical time as Sunriver's Peter Pan win (under a strong whipping).

Who are your strong, quality contenders? Please enlighten me. Lansdon

Team Valor horse
 

Lansdon,

I saw that Team Valor colt's last race and he looks like he likes to run a little.

I'm not sure how he will adjust to the surface and/or the pace scenario but he looks to be good. If yours is sitting on one, I would fire that little guy out there and see what happens.

Lbig, I agree it's a relatively weak field. That's why the floodgates are apparently open for entries, and they are streaming in. If they keep streaming, the race may not be so easy.

I would not run a young horse in a 1.5 mile race carrying 126 lbs unless 2 things were true: 1. It was the Belmont Stakes. 2. I thought my horse had a VERY good chance to win.

"A shot" would not be enough for me. A "good chance" would also not be enough.

If your horse goes, I'll be rooting for him. But I personally think it would be better to pick and choose from the summer stakes.

--Dunbar

anyone remember Savrava?

Then what would you call it Da Vinci?
 

Ironhorse,
By all means and ratings this is a very weak Belmont. WEAK!!!!!!!!! BC has never won a grade one, neither has Steppenwolfer, nor Jazil.
The basis you used for declaring this race to not be weak was that the "2nd,3rd, and 4th derby finishers" are in there. I respectfully say to you, big deal and who cares? Heck, Jazil and Wlf have NEVER won a stake!!! And BC has yet to win a grade one. No Derby or Preak winner, no exciting new shooters. This field is as wweak or weaker than the Belmont in 2000.

WEAK YES WIDE OPEN YES!!!!!!

LDog!! Good to see you on the DerbyTrail board.. great, ain't it??:)

Glad to hear FS is doing well, all the best on a safe return to the track..
I like the thought of running That's a Given in the Belmont. Why not?.. It IS a weaker than normal triple crown race. He could certainly grab a piece (if not the whole thing!!)
-I didn't see the NP race, I assumed he just didn't fire.. I didn't know he checked several times.. better racing luck next time!!
take care,

dan

I don't think anybody is calling the Belmont "easy," just that the "big guns" are not going.. making it a weaker field than expected. It'll still take a geat effort for any horse to cross the wire first!

just watched thats a given may 13 race..hell yes id put him in..he wasnt even asked..1.10 .6f..he has every chance to get a placing..if he came out of the race ok ..fire him..

i see a noble causeway colt won the shoemaker mile, any plans on keeping first sam a little shorter than 9f.

You are missing my point. Despite the fact that Barbaro and Bernardini are not running there still are some good horses running in here. They also have a good solid foundation for this race. I disagree with you that they are all weak. I do agree that some in here seem to be reaching.

Bluegrass Cat, Deputy Glitters, Jazil, Steppenwolfer, Sunriver and Bob & John seem to be the stronger horses.

I have a hard time using your horses race in comparison to Sunriver for two reasons. Different day and maiden field vs. a stakes field.

Lol!!
 

Funny thats what they said about sarava and Commendable as well as Noalns Cat last year before he hit the board.
Its a mile and a half race and at this time of year what some would call foundation, others would call over the top. The horses you just named have all been going at it very hard since last fall/winter. I've seen many melt down in the belmont who fit their profile. No doubt if he runs he will be a big price, thats justified. But Belmont Park is a particularly quirky surface, note Silver Trains dominance on it while being just average everyplace else. If you have a horse who handles big Sandy, you are always more inclined to take a shot. I also know that if Thats A Given had to ship for this race that he would not be considered. But when they are running a race atyour home track and you dont have teh taxation of shipping, its reasonable to tak a shot where you might not. One other thing, the detention barn has been an issue with amny horses who come to NY to race. It affected the BC last fall as a few horses flipped out in it. Obviously, Thats A given has handled it and it only meansa short walk from his stall.
The non winners of one condition will be written once a week at a track he can run at for the rest of this summer. hes already tri crwon nominated so its not like they are gambling a late fee, or shipping expenses. just taking a colt who appears to be getting sharper and taking a shot on his home track which he loves, in a race that his sire won by a city block. I guess its a good thing Lukas and Mcpeek didn't listen to people when Commendable and Sarava ran and won as "hopelessly overmatched horses" in 2000 and 2002.

I agree. I had Nolan's Cat last year in my tri (didn't have Andromeda's Hero though DUH), and I was glad that I didn't listen to everyone else who said he had no shot of hitting the board. I would give "That's a Given" a chance in the Belmont based upon his pedigree alone. This field is a weak field (compared to those in the past) and I think that the colt deserves a chance.