Watered down Graded Stakes

[The Indomitable DrugS]

The Breeders would riot if they put me in charge of Grading the stakes races right now. I would be slashing races of status left and right. Some Gr 1's would become Gr 3's. Some Gr 2's would become ungraded. Basically eliminating options for good horses in each division and almost forcing their hand into the same one or two likely spots for each start.

[tiggerv]

It's long past time to dump the Breeders Cup and take away some of the incentive to avoid tough races all year in order to prep for 1 racing day.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by tiggerv

It's long past time to dump the Breeders Cup and take away some of the incentive to avoid tough races all year in order to prep for 1 racing day.

No, you don't understand, it's the Super Bowl of racing, it's the biggest day, it's the biggest races, it's the most important, it's the 1 race that makes a campaign, it's the 1 set of races that if you win you're a champion.

Love,

Zenyattafan

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

No, you don't understand, it's the Super Bowl of racing, it's the biggest day, it's the biggest races, it's the most important, it's the 1 race that makes a campaign, it's the 1 set of races that if you win you're a champion.

Love,

Zenyattafan

This is so wrong and gay its really not even funny. How many G 1 and G 2 races has Z won the last 3 years, besides the 2 BC wins?

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

This is so wrong and gay its really not even funny. How many G 1 and G 2 races has Z won the last 3 years, besides the 2 BC wins?

You're right, it was so much more interesting for her 2009 campaign to go Milady-Vanity-Hirsch-Lady's Secret-BCC than something like Louisville-Hollywood Gold Cup-Hirsch-Pacific Classic-Goodwood-BCC.

In fact, this year it has been way more interesting to see her in the Santa Margarita-Apple Blossom-Vanity than the Big Cap-Apple Blossom-Louisville-Hollywood Gold Cup.

I forgot how important the little numbers are next to those races. If you are a fan of thoroughbred racing then the mind-numbingly boring campaign of the "stars" this year (Zenyatta, Rachel, QR) is something you have to be very disgusted about.

NT

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

You're right, it was so much more interesting for her 2009 campaign to go Milady-Vanity-Hirsch-Lady's Secret-BCC than something like Louisville-Hollywood Gold Cup-Hirsch-Pacific Classic-Goodwood-BCC.

In fact, this year it has been way more interesting to see her in the Santa Margarita-Apple Blossom-Vanity than the Big Cap-Apple Blossom-Louisville-Hollywood Gold Cup.

I forgot how important the little numbers are next to those races. If you are a fan of thoroughbred racing then the mind-numbingly boring campaign of the "stars" this year (Zenyatta, Rachel, QR) is something you have to be very disgusted about.

NT

Im sorry for calling something you said gay, I got a little carried away.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

Im sorry for calling something you said gay, I got a little carried away.

I accept your apology for thinking I took what you posted seriously.

NT

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

This is so wrong and gay its really not even funny. How many G 1 and G 2 races has Z won the last 3 years, besides the 2 BC wins?

If not for Zenyatta getting er done ...

* Taptam would win the Grade 1 Apple Blossom and be soundly beaten next out in an ungraded stake at Delaware Park.

* Dance to my Tune would win the Grade 1 Santa Margarita instead of being a loser of 20 straight races like she is now.

* Gio Ponti would be a Breeders Cup Classic winner ... if that's not the greatest atrocity I've ever heard in my life .. I don't know what is.

* Lethal Heat would be the winner of the Grade 1 Ladies Secret instead of a horse who is currently on a nine race losing streak. Also - the Ladies Secret Stakes wouldn't be renamed after a horse that is still running like it is now.

* Anabaa's Creations would be the winner of the Grade 1 Clement L Hirsch - instead of being a 6-year-old who is still eligible for an N3X alw race - and has lost 13 of her last 14 starts.

* Briecat would be the winner of the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap. She was last seen running 6th at Turf Paradise in a 50K stake. A typical last place finish for her.

* Cocoa Beach would be a Breeders Cup Distaff winner. She was off the board in the 65K Floral Park Stakes at Belmont Park as the 1/9 favorite in her next start on dirt. That was her next and last start on dirt.

* Model would have won the '08 Clement L Hirsch by 5+ lengths before running a well beaten 3rd to Wake Up Maggie in an ungraded stakes race at the same meet a few weeks later.

* Santa Tarista would have won the Milady one start before losing by 26 lengths at Delaware Park next out.

* Brownie Points would be the '08 Apple Blossom winner. Her next dirt start would see her running a well beaten 5th behind Miss Issella.


Sure, Zenyatta has never faced Rags To Riches, Nashoba's Key, or Rachel Alexandra even once ..... but she has prevented so many incredible racing injustices from occurring that it absolutely boggles the mind.

[Gate Dancer]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

The Breeders would riot if they put me in charge of Grading the stakes races right now. I would be slashing races of status left and right. Some Gr 1's would become Gr 3's. Some Gr 2's would become ungraded. Basically eliminating options for good horses in each division and almost forcing their hand into the same one or two likely spots for each start.

While I basically agree with this...............actually given the 'state of the state' of racing, some of this may happen naturally due to economic conditions and/or some track closures.