8/18 (AP): Million, Bev D., Secretariat (G1's), St. Leger, Hatoof (2)

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Kasept

11th (5:44) Arlington Million S. (G1)

1 1/4 Miles (Turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $1,000,000

1 Rahystrada Leparoux J R 126 L
2 Boisterous Lezcano J 126 L
3 Afsare (GB) Fallon K 126 FTL
4 Little Mike Dominguez R A 126 L
5 Colombian (IRE) Buick W 126 FTL
6 Treasure Beach (GB) Spencer J P 126 L
7 Willcox Inn Graham J 126 L
8 Wigmore Hall (IRE) Turner H 126 L
9 Crackerjack King (IRE) O'Donoghue C 126 FTL
10 Cherokee Lord Torres F C 126 L
11 Vertiformer Sanchez J 126 L

I'm stuck between Wigmore Hall and Little MIke on top.

Rahystrada is my favorite horse here, of course, and I will do a win bet on him just because I'm a sentimental moron but basically those two on top with Wilcox Inn and Boisterous underneath and i guess the old man can be at the bottom of my tri and super.

I am not seeing any monsters here and the Euros look pretty weak to me anyway.

[Arletta]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I'm stuck between Wigmore Hall and Little MIke on top.

Rahystrada is my favorite horse here, of course, and I will do a win bet on him just because I'm a sentimental moron but basically those two on top with Wilcox Inn and Boisterous underneath and i guess the old man can be at the bottom of my tri and super.

I am not seeing any monsters here and the Euros look pretty weak to me anyway.

I feel the same, and it's Boisterious for me.

[JJP]

If Boisterous is the best the US has, we are even worse than I thought. Euros will dominate exacta and probably the tri as well.

[jms62]

Anyone willing to give an EDUCATED speculation on Turf conditions for today?

[jwkniska]

I look for the turf to be GOOD. It'll be dry, but cooler, as it's only in the 50's here now and high in the mid 70's.

[South Beach Luv]

Some input from Alastair Donald.

Q. You obviously know the invading horses coming in for Million Day. Any horses people should watch for?

A. I think the Million this year is quite a wide-open race. I don't think there's a European superstar. I think they can all run well, but they're all beatable. In the Secretariat, I think Daddy Long Logs — forget his run in the Kentucky Derby; I think he's a turf horse — I think back here on turf he could run a very formidable race. And I think the French horse (Bayrir) is very solid. I think they could run 1-2 in the Secretariat.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...rts/708159948/

(you will have to answer 2 quick questions to read it )

[robfla]

In the Secretariat, I think Daddy Long Logs — forget his run in the Kentucky Derby; I think he's a turf horse — I think back here on turf he could run a very formidable race. And I think the French horse (Bayrir) is very solid. I think they could run 1-2 in the Secretariat.

I laughed! Bran diet?

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I'm stuck between Wigmore Hall and Little MIke on top.

Rahystrada is my favorite horse here, of course, and I will do a win bet on him just because I'm a sentimental moron but basically those two on top with Wilcox Inn and Boisterous underneath and i guess the old man can be at the bottom of my tri and super.

I am not seeing any monsters here and the Euros look pretty weak to me anyway.

Even with Little Mike on top and my boy in the 3rd spot I found a way to screw it all up (shoot me) BUT I'm very happy for Rahystrada's connections.

He's such a nice horse. Glad to see him do well.

[Dahoss]

I haven't seen him ride a lot, because I just don't follow European racing all that close....but that was a flawless ride Christophe Lemaire gave Bayrir in the Secretariat.

Even though he missed the break, he was able to get him to the rail, relaxed before they hit the turn. He gradually moved up while covered up and while Colm O'donoghue was doing his Jaime Spencer impression, Lemaire sat and watched it all go down. Then he had a decision to make. Summer Front was beginning to move and instead of follow Handsome Mike with him and go 5 or 6 wide, he took him back just a tiny bit so he could instead move inside. This enabled him to avoid going out in the parking lot and effectively kept Finnegan's Wake pinned in as he was hitting his best stride.

Quite refreshing to see someone actually make adjustments in a race and not panic.

[PatCummings]

I completely botched the Million and thought two things pre-race - A - Rahystrada would have to pace-press given how he won the local prep, and B - ONE of the hopeless longshots was going to go forward in Hero of Order-esque fashion to inspire a Dale-Romans-turns-Dr-Hansen moment. Not really, but you get it...

B never happened, and nine jocks watched Dominguez toy with them.

A...well, does Julien Leparoux EVER EVER go to the lead in a turf race. I should've figured Rosario off and JuLep on was the kiss of death for anyone making Little Mike work.

Ruined the day.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by PatCummings

I completely botched the Million and thought two things pre-race - A - Rahystrada would have to pace-press given how he won the local prep, and B - ONE of the hopeless longshots was going to go forward in Hero of Order-esque fashion to inspire a Dale-Romans-turns-Dr-Hansen moment. Not really, but you get it...

B never happened, and nine jocks watched Dominguez toy with them.

A...well, does Julien Leparoux EVER EVER go to the lead in a turf race. I should've figured Rosario off and JuLep on was the kiss of death for anyone making Little Mike work.

Ruined the day.

I would argue it wasn't anything Dominguez did but a bunch of jocks reading a racing form and getting a little too cute. They all let that horse walk because they had no fear of him going 10f.

You give me any horse allowed to set uncontested fractions and they easily can go 10f, or distances normally beyond their scope. I hear stuff like "well that does not matter on turf", which I disagree with as well.

That being said playing that angle at 3/1 (which he was most of the post) is beyond a bad bet.

People made a bad bet on this horse at those odds but got rewarded with a little bit of luck.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

...a bunch of jocks reading a racing form and getting a little too cute. .

You are giving them too much credit.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

You are giving them too much credit.

I think most read the form or have someone who looks at the races for them. Its not like they are doing what we do but they look at the races they are in.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

I haven't seen him ride a lot, because I just don't follow European racing all that close....but that was a flawless ride Christophe Lemaire gave Bayrir in the Secretariat.

Even though he missed the break, he was able to get him to the rail, relaxed before they hit the turn. He gradually moved up while covered up and while Colm O'donoghue was doing his Jaime Spencer impression, Lemaire sat and watched it all go down. Then he had a decision to make. Summer Front was beginning to move and instead of follow Handsome Mike with him and go 5 or 6 wide, he took him back just a tiny bit so he could instead move inside. This enabled him to avoid going out in the parking lot and effectively kept Finnegan's Wake pinned in as he was hitting his best stride.

Quite refreshing to see someone actually make adjustments in a race and not panic.

I always think of this race when I see his name...

It's not a deafening hush that befalls the crowd (a la Bullish Luck / Silent Witness) but still... it is noticeable.

Heart's Cry beating Deep Impact (or Deep Impacto, depending )...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P6iT-vEtHM