Bluegrass or Florida Derby

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by philcski

Song of Navarone is reported to be out of the SA Derby with a quarter crack as per the DRF...

Thanks for the list!

Damn, that sucks. I liked him!

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

Damn, that sucks. I liked him!

I usually don't care much for the Sunland Derby runners but this one seemed to have some talent.

Still possible for the Preakness I'm sure.

[Linny]

The G1 is very important for the connections of AGS as he is owned by WinStar Farm which is like Coolmore Light. They are a stud operation meaning that racing for them is a means to an end, breeding. As a KY based outfit, the win at KEE is significant as well.
Arky clearly looks easier, he'd be 1-2 there, but I figure he'll be 2-1 in the Blue Grass anyhow. It's not like he's got only an outside shot there.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by Linny

The G1 is very important for the connections of AGS as he is owned by WinStar Farm which is like Coolmore Light. They are a stud operation meaning that racing for them is a means to an end, breeding. As a KY based outfit, the win at KEE is significant as well.
Arky clearly looks easier, he'd be 1-2 there, but I figure he'll be 2-1 in the Blue Grass anyhow. It's not like he's got only an outside shot there.

Good point, but I still don't get it. It is not like the Arkansas Derby is way below the BG, although I don't know enough about breeding to know the differnce in stud value. However, if the goal is to get into the Derby with a horse that looked impressive last out and you need a 1-2 finish, why run against horses like SS, Great Hunter and Hard Spun where a 1-2 finish is much tougher than the AD which clearly does not have talent as tough? Just a little surprised, but I am sure they have their reasons, which you may have identified.

[SOREHOOF]

I'm getting the feeling AGS may be 30-1 or so in the Derby by a lot of these comments. A lot like Bluegrass Cat. What has AGS done wrong? I'm already licking my chops. This horse will hit the board in the derby. I hope he flops next start! I will still look at Bluegrass Stakes results the same way I always have... if a horse wins, doesn't mean a thing...if a horse runs flat, doesn't mean a thing. Speed favoring becomes late runner favoring. At least the Wood is still run on old fashioned DIRT.

[pointman]

I'm not knocking AGS, Sorehoof, the question presented here is whether he can gain enough graded stakes earnings to even get into the Derby. If he does not finish 1-2 (or possibly 3) in his next start, AGS likely won't even get a chance to get into the starting gate.

[SOREHOOF]

Originally Posted by pointman

I'm not knocking AGS, Sorehoof, the question presented here is whether he can gain enough graded stakes earnings to even get into the Derby. If he does not finish 1-2 (or possibly 3) in his next start, AGS likely won't even get a chance to get into the starting gate.

That would truly be sad.

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by SOREHOOF

I'm getting the feeling AGS may be 30-1 or so in the Derby by a lot of these comments. A lot like Bluegrass Cat. What has AGS done wrong? I'm already licking my chops. This horse will hit the board in the derby. I hope he flops next start! I will still look at Bluegrass Stakes results the same way I always have... if a horse wins, doesn't mean a thing...if a horse runs flat, doesn't mean a thing. Speed favoring becomes late runner favoring. At least the Wood is still run on old fashioned DIRT.

I feel the same way, but I think he runs well here. I think AGS likes the Poly...

[SOREHOOF]

I'd like to retract that FLOP remark. I agree about the AD, so long as the top dogs get the money in the other preps he might not fall too far down the ladder.

[lemoncrush]

Updated Earings list (horses highlighted are injured, retired or unlikely to enter in Derby). There are others on the list that are probably long shots to make it as well (BirdBird, Kingoftheroxy, Sedgefield, etc..)
I believe Any Given Saturday is around 33 or so on the list.

1) Street Sense
2) Dreaming of Anna
3) Circular Quay
4) Holy Roman Emperor
5) Great Hunter
6) Scat Daddy
7) BirdBirdistheword
8) Stormello
9) Hard Spun
10 Rags to Riches
11) Nobizlikeshobiz
12) Notional
13 King of the Roxy
14 Romance is Diane
15 Xchanger
16 Tiz Wonderful
17 Pirate’s Deputy
18 Kirklees
19 Mount Nelson
20 Curlin
21 Officer Rocket
22 Cobalt Blue
23 Horse Greeley
24 Admiral of the Fleet
25 Cowtown Cat
26 Skip Code
27 Zanjero
28 Ketichikan
29 Sedgefield
30 Liquidity

[SniperSB23]

Pirates Deputy just worked the other day. I hope they don't decide to throw him in a prep like the Lexington where he runs 4th or 5th and then they press on to the Derby with him and cost a more deserving horse a shot.