8/24 (SAR): Travers, King's Bishop, Test (G1's), Ballston Spa (G2)

[King Glorious]

I don't think much of Orb but I can't help but feel like he would have won this race if he hadn't been compromised by his trainer. Coming into the lane, he had every look of a winner but he got tired and I feel like with a prep under his belt, he would have gotten the job done. There are two ways to look at it. He'll be better next time (Jockey Club Gold Cup?) and then the BC Classic will be his third race so could be his best. The other way to see it is that even if he is better in the next two, it probably won't be good enough to beat what he's likely to face and he missed a golden opportunity to take a huge race and possibly lock up a divisional title by looking ahead and forgetting the present.

[alysheba4]

saratoga is without question the hardest ( dirt track ) to cap.....i raised the white flag after today.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

saratoga is without question the hardest ( dirt track ) to cap.....i raised the white flag after today.

Their turf races kill me. I almost pray for a bias so I can narrow down the usual 6 that have a shot to at least the speed horses.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I don't think much of Orb but I can't help but feel like he would have won this race if he hadn't been compromised by his trainer. Coming into the lane, he had every look of a winner but he got tired and I feel like with a prep under his belt, he would have gotten the job done. There are two ways to look at it. He'll be better next time (Jockey Club Gold Cup?) and then the BC Classic will be his third race so could be his best. The other way to see it is that even if he is better in the next two, it probably won't be good enough to beat what he's likely to face and he missed a golden opportunity to take a huge race and possibly lock up a divisional title by looking ahead and forgetting the present.

We can guess that a prep would have made a difference, but so would have more pace. I though Orb ran pretty all things considered. That said, Palace Malice was still the best horse in the race.

[cakes44]

I guess I'm not so sure that Palace Malice was clearly better than WTC in this race?

[Perrault Robbed]

i just do not see how anyone can justify that let em shine might have won yesterday with a better ride. if so, i guess every horse that ran yesterday could have won with a better ride. on as biased a track as you are going to see, let em shine absolutely had things his own way at belmont and was collared by the eighth pole. yesterday, a much superior animal in mentor crane ran him into the ground. as others have mentioned, was smith supposed to go into los alamitos 4.5 furlong mode and start whipping down the backside? logic leads anyone with a somewhat logical mnd that if you bet on let em shine it was a bad play, especially at his final odds.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by Perrault Robbed

i just do not see how anyone can justify that let em shine might have won yesterday with a better ride. if so, i guess every horse that ran yesterday could have won with a better ride. on as biased a track as you are going to see, let em shine absolutely had things his own way at belmont and was collared by the eighth pole. yesterday, a much superior animal in mentor crane ran him into the ground. as others have mentioned, was smith supposed to go into los alamitos 4.5 furlong mode and start whipping down the backside? logic leads anyone with a somewhat logical mnd that if you bet on let em shine it was a bad play, especially at his final odds.

How can you say that considering until this race Saratoga was a virtual no passing zone? Logic would dictate that Let Em Shine would not be passed like so many before him on the day.

[pweizer]

Originally Posted by Perrault Robbed

i just do not see how anyone can justify that let em shine might have won yesterday with a better ride. if so, i guess every horse that ran yesterday could have won with a better ride. on as biased a track as you are going to see, let em shine absolutely had things his own way at belmont and was collared by the eighth pole. yesterday, a much superior animal in mentor crane ran him into the ground. as others have mentioned, was smith supposed to go into los alamitos 4.5 furlong mode and start whipping down the backside? logic leads anyone with a somewhat logical mnd that if you bet on let em shine it was a bad play, especially at his final odds.

I agree that Smith had a bad day, but I wonder if something went wrong with Let Em Shine. He is simply too fast early to have been outrun and packed in so quickly.

Paul

[Scav]

Originally Posted by pweizer

I agree that Smith had a bad day, but I wonder if something went wrong with Let Em Shine. He is simply too fast early to have been outrun and packed in so quickly.

Paul

When do you ever see Mike Smith take it to anyone? He got out broke and decided to try and sit and pounce, only for him to learn that the horse is dead red and possibly over top