DERBY NEWS (4/28): Interactif, Endorsement OUT; Draw at noon..

[slotdirt]

Good points on Birdstone and Action this Day. That being said, I'm still with Watchmaker on this one: turf, synthetic, and filly restricted earnings shouldn't count towards entry into the biggest DIRT race on the planet.

[Alan07]

www.NBCSports.com will also cover the draw live.

[slotdirt]

The only thing I'd add on the earnings system is that Rock Hard Ten had exactly one on-the-board finish in a graded race to this point of his career - a 3rd (DQ'd from second) in the SA Derby. Setsuko's already finished second in two of the bigger SoCal preps for the Derby. Similarly, Sunday Break had a third in the Wood coming into the Derby - again, Setsuko had superior credentials.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

The only thing I'd add on the earnings system is that Rock Hard Ten had exactly one on-the-board finish in a graded race to this point of his career - a 3rd (DQ'd from second) in the SA Derby. Setsuko's already finished second in two of the bigger SoCal preps for the Derby. Similarly, Sunday Break had a third in the Wood coming into the Derby - again, Setsuko had superior credentials.

Raise the purses in SoCal.

[slotdirt]

Isn't Santa Anita considering a switch back to real dirt anyway? Eliminating synthetics would get rid of worthless graded earnings from awful races like the El Camino Real, the Lane's End, and the Blue Grass. Aside from Hard Spun, what worthwhile Derby entrant in the synthetics era earned their entry card in any of those three races and then went on to actually run well at Churchill?

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Isn't Santa Anita considering a switch back to real dirt anyway? Eliminating synthetics would get rid of worthless graded earnings from awful races like the El Camino Real, the Lane's End, and the Blue Grass. Aside from Hard Spun, what worthwhile Derby entrant in the synthetics era earned their entry card in any of those three races and then went on to actually run well at Churchill?

Couldn't you say the same thing about races like the Wood Memorial, Louisiana Derby and Illinois Derby?

[cakes44]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Good points on Birdstone and Action this Day. That being said, I'm still with Watchmaker on this one: turf, synthetic, and filly restricted earnings shouldn't count towards entry into the biggest DIRT race on the planet.

Well that would only take out every race of importance for a 3-year-old in the West. What's next, leaving out Delta because their track is too small?

[lemoncrush]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Good points on Birdstone and Action this Day. That being said, I'm still with Watchmaker on this one: turf, synthetic, and filly restricted earnings shouldn't count towards entry into the biggest DIRT race on the planet.

For fillies, I think they should have a minimum requirement of non-restricted graded earnings ($60K maybe), so they at least have some previous experience to prove they belong in the race.

As far as Endorsement being out, I'm kind of glad. It's a horse I've liked the past month, and have been on the fence about in recent days.