Five New Grade I Races in 2007; Two Others Drop to Grade II

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Well why leave out that type of race if you are going to include all the others. Personally, I think there are way too many Grade I races. 107 Grade Races it just way too many. I like your idea of Preps not being a Grade I. However, how would you know that every runner in the so called prep is acutally prepping for another race--does that make sense?

Currently there are 28 Grade I races for straight three year olds. I think this is way too many. I feel that there should be 3 Grade I races for males routing on dirt, 3 Grade I races for females routing on dirt, 2 each for males and females sprinting on dirt, 3 each for female and male turf routers. So a total of 16 Grade I races for three year olds.

I can think of no races as meaningless or that I would rather watch than a turf sprint. In no way should they get graded status, much less grade one status.
As far as preps not being grade ones, I couldn't disagree more.
Not every three year old is bred to go a mile and a quarter, and in many cases the "prep" is the race.
You'd have no grade ones before the DERby for three year olds in that event, and I just don't think thats proper.

[slotdirt]

I can wait to see the GI race featuring Atticus Kristy, Mighty Beau, and Sgt. Bert contesting the same race year after year after year. Throw Parker Run in there and you have a perfect super!

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I can wait to see the GI race featuring Atticus Kristy, Mighty Beau, and Sgt. Bert contesting the same race year after year after year. Throw Parker Run in there and you have a perfect super!

Basically these are failed horses who can't go farther than 5f, and only then on the grass, just ****ing great!!
We cannot allow the breed to be contaminated by sires who have won a "grade one" going 5f on the grass.

I love turf sprints. Just my cup of tea I suppose.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

I love turf sprints. Just my cup of tea I suppose.

I enjoy some of them as well, though I think we have seen WAY too many in NY the past year or so, but that doesn't mean there are Grade 1 turf sprinters around here.

The very best we get are pretty much barely even Grade 3 material to be honest.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I enjoy some of them as well, though I think we have seen WAY too many in NY the past year or so, but that doesn't mean there are Grade 1 turf sprinters around here.

The very best we get are pretty much barely even Grade 3 material to be honest.

What exactly is a Grade I turf sprinter?

Originally Posted by oracle80

Basically these are failed horses who can't go farther than 5f, and only then on the grass, just ****ing great!!
We cannot allow the breed to be contaminated by sires who have won a "grade one" going 5f on the grass.

I think the breed is already contanminated.

[Linny]

Almost every other major racing center on Earth has a division for sprinters. Since most nations race on grass, turf sprints of the highest caliber are run worldwide.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Linny

Almost every other major racing center on Earth has a division for sprinters. Since most nations race on grass, turf sprints of the highest caliber are run worldwide.

I'm not sure what opinion you're expressing, if in fact you are, but do you think the US has, on average, horses capable of competing on a worldwide scale in these races.

Of course, I guess Var, would validate those that say we do.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I can wait to see the GI race featuring Atticus Kristy, Mighty Beau, and Sgt. Bert contesting the same race year after year after year. Throw Parker Run in there and you have a perfect super!

I was thinking exactly the same thing! I just wasn't able to remember all their names.

Originally Posted by oracle80

I can think of no races as meaningless or that I would rather watch than a turf sprint. In no way should they get graded status, much less grade one status.
As far as preps not being grade ones, I couldn't disagree more.
Not every three year old is bred to go a mile and a quarter, and in many cases the "prep" is the race.
You'd have no grade ones before the DERby for three year olds in that event, and I just don't think thats proper.

I completely agree with you on the preps if they are indeed not preps for all runner. If we could make 100% sure that every horse running in the so-called prep is actually prepping then fine--but like you pefectly said, some horses are running to get that Grade I win because they can't go 1 1/4 or whatever.