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Linny · #1 04-23-2008, 02:46 PM

Other than babies, who in "the big league" goes 4.5f? They do the short stuff at Flakes because most of those horses were standing on a snowbank in Genneseo 'til April 1st. Of course that's not exactly big league.

the_fat_man · #2 04-23-2008, 02:47 PM

That's the point: RUN the BABIES when they're READY to RUN!!!

I no more want to see Tbreds going 2F, than I want to watch developmentally challenged PORN

Linny · #3 04-23-2008, 02:54 PM

I'd prefer non betting training races like Fair Grounds used to hold. It makes sense rather than betting on these crapshoots.

hockey2315 · #4 04-23-2008, 02:56 PM

If you don't like them then don't bet them . . . I don't see what the big deal is. . .

parsixfarms · #5 04-23-2008, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cardus

Is a 2F Thoroughbred race helpful to the sport? (I'm sure that someone is going to dig up old PPs that show Carry Back running in a 3F race first out.)

If Calder wants to have its novelty Rocket Man Stakes once a year, fine, but why bring two-year-olds to the races at, similar to what was said above, a minor league distance? And as a wagering event?

But is it harmful? Most of the major outfits in NY don't crank up their 2YOs until June at the earliest. That's their choice. And I know that the 2YOs that we have had were just coming north about now, if everything went right down south.

The calendar in KY is far different, and the 4.5F races at Keeneland seem to be popular. With racing at Ellis/Turfway from July-September, if you want to run your 2YO early in KY at "major league" tracks, you need to get them going earlier.

As for the CA races, there have been some nice horses in recent years running in the 2F races that Santa Anita has carded. Golden Ballet and Sea of Pleasure are two that come to mind immediately.

With all the trouble racing secretaries have filling races, I'm sure they want to get their 2YO programs going as soon as possible. It's been a source of frustration in NY for the past few years. Some horsemen (Pletcher, Asmussen, Ward, to name a few) push their babies; other do not.

In the end, I guess that I agree with the sentiment that, if you don't like them, don't bet them.

MISTERGEE · #6 04-23-2008, 11:21 PM

odds are is is not good for the horse because most 2 f winners disappear, and never seem to have an extended career in racing

philcski · #7 04-23-2008, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linny

Other than babies, who in "the big league" goes 4.5f? They do the short stuff at Flakes because most of those horses were standing on a snowbank in Geneseo 'til April 1st. Of course that's not exactly big league.

There's about a 0.1% chance he's talking about Finger Lakes, and if that 0.1% chance is true he doesn't know where Geneseo is anyways (although you're absolutely correct on that)