Derby replaces graded earnings with point system

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Really? So you think that trainers/owners will just continue to do the same thing? You don't believe that a impressive maiden winner at Saratoga won't be treated differently knowing that the next 5 months are pretty irrelevant in terms of earning points towards the Derby?

2YO racing in America right now sucks. The last two years the BC Juvenile was won by a horse who had 2 career starts. However, do you really think that those horses were campaigned as 2YOs with the Derby being their main focus? These changes did not take away the incentives that come with having a 2YO champion, having graded stakes wins as a 2YO, or winning a BC race.

If anything, the guys who tried to snag a graded stake with a 2YO then mostly put them on ice (Sabercat/Gemologist) would only be able to do so at risk of missing the Derby altogether.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

2YO racing in America right now sucks. The last two years the BC Juvenile was won by a horse who had 2 career starts. However, do you really think that those horses were campaigned as 2YOs with the Derby being their main focus? These changes did not take away the incentives that come with having a 2YO champion, having graded stakes wins as a 2YO, or winning a BC race.

If anything, the guys who tried to snag a graded stake with a 2YO then mostly put them on ice (Sabercat/Gemologist) would only be able to do so at risk of missing the Derby altogether.

Yes but this system will not change that pattern and likely will make it worse. Remember a few years ago when good horses were skipping the BC because of the "jinx"? The herd mentality is quite prevelant in this business and things like Zenyatta playing keep away and winning the HoY despite losing classic, Hansen basically winning 1 race and being champion 2 yo...well they arent exactly great role models