2/2: AQU-Whirlaway; TP-WEBN Frog

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

He needs to settle in the back and make one run. I may have been wrong about him, and he may be mediocre, but I would like to take one more chance.

I still don't see what it is that you (and others) see in Barrier Reef. I didn't understand it before the Count Fleet, and I certainly don't understand it after that race. To me he seems very likely to be headed to those $50,000 claiming races you mentioned earlier, and I don't give him much of a chance here at all.

[blackthroatedwind]

I've been wrong before....often in fact.

We'll see. I haven't even finished looking at the race.

[NTamm1215]

Personally I like Cave's Valley. Hate to be Captain Obvious as I'm certain he'll be the favorite but the Delta Jackpot was a very strong race and the amount of ground he gave up during the first seven furlongs of the race went a long way towards contributing to his disastrous finish. While the Delaware figures certainly have to be heavily scrutinized it does seem like he's run fast enough to win a race like this. The pace scenario just may set up OK because if Pino lets Spanky go and tries to stalk we could see a repeat of the Count Fleet with Cave's Valley taking on the Giant Moon role.

The problem that I have with Barrier Reef was that while his maiden win was undeniably impressive it seems like he ran the same caliber race again in the Count Fleet and was soundly beaten. He probably should be in an n1x since that condition is still available to him but again he is in a stakes race. He has talent, that's undeniable, but he has to move forward.

Just my $.02.

NT

[Bobby Fischer]

i don't know that barrier reef wants to stretch out. 8.5 isn't exactly a marathon, but some of those types are closing sprinters.

Spanky Spanky Spanky lol

There are several others in here in here who have an ounce of potential, hopefully one or more do SOMETHING

[Kasept]

From Litfin's piece on the 'Curse of the Whirlaway'...

http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do?NID=91988

Some might say the Whirlaway is cursed. Going back to the turn of the millennium, Whirlaway winners have either succumbed to injury or free-fallen into obscurity. The roll call:

Country Only (2000): Three years later, he was good enough to win a $50,000 claimer on Aqueduct's inner dirt at the age of 6. He was winless in six starts the following year, and ended his career finishing last of 10 for a $5,000 tag at Charles Town.

Regal Shivers (2001): He managed to win 2 of 15 starts during the next two years - a $10,000 claimer at Mountaineer Park at 4, and a $5,000 claimer at Turfway at 5.

Saratoga Blues (2002): As a 5-year-old, he was off the board in all five of his starts, beaten a combined 111 lengths in $3,500 starter allowance races on the West Virginia circuit.

Boston Park (2003): He managed to win one of seven post-Whirlaway starts, taking a third-level allowance on a sloppy inner track the following winter at 29-1. Five of his six losses were by 12 lengths or more. His last race was as a March 4-year-old.

Little Matth Man (2004): He apparently angered the spelling gods, because he was winless in 14 starts during 2006-07, including a 15-length beating against basement $7,500 claimers at Aqueduct, and a 17-length thrashing for $3,500 at Penn National.

Sort It Out (2005): In a well-timed move, his connections sold a major interest immediately after his Whirlaway win. The New York-bred never won again. Given over to Bob Baffert, he was trounced in the Louisiana Derby in his next start, and lost 11 more times before being retired.

Achilles of Troy (2006): Looked like the second coming of Unbridled's Song after winning the Count Fleet by 14 lengths to earn a Beyer of 105, and the Whirlaway by nearly five lengths with a 104. A month later, however, he was vanned off the track after running fifth as the 3-2 favorite in the Gotham, and never ran again.

Summer Doldrums (2007): His stakes-record time of 1:42.23 for the 1 1/16-mile Whirlaway initially received a figure of 106, which soon afterward was adjusted down to a 94. Though he ran third in the Gotham at even money next time out, his win in the Grade 3 Colonial Turf Cup in June makes him the most accomplished Whirlaway winner of recent times.

[Mike]

The only wager for me on the card is Texas Wildcatter in the feature

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by miraja2

I still don't see what it is that you (and others) see in Barrier Reef. I didn't understand it before the Count Fleet, and I certainly don't understand it after that race. To me he seems very likely to be headed to those $50,000 claiming races you mentioned earlier, and I don't give him much of a chance here at all.

Wait, what I meant was.......

[Dunbar]

5-1, very nice call on Barrier Reef, btWind.

--Dunbar

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Wait, what I meant was.......

lol

you've been hanging around with my son, eh? one of his favorite sayings...