tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post7532815017405587044..comments2023-10-12T11:54:04.700-04:00Comments on Power Cap: Local B.C. Preps Are A Huge DudG. C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07604839670701867384noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-61898563663733336362009-10-05T17:33:18.989-04:002009-10-05T17:33:18.989-04:00Power Cap wrote: These five Grade I races will br...<b> Power Cap wrote: </b> These five Grade I races will bring out an estimated 7-8K in attendance. The second biggest race card in New York City and attendance is a more pathetic number than the field sizes.<br />________________<br /><br />Well total attendance was announced at 6,999. I think half of those were the horsemen on the Belmont backstretch. ;-)<br /><br />While it's true that there are races like The Cliff Hanger and The Cotillion competing against the NYRA card, let us not forget that there is an overabundance of Grade 1 stakes races on the NYRA calendar for horses allowing them to tip toe through the schedule.<br /><br />While it helps to trim "pointless" stakes preps, the NYRA cut the wrong one in The Gazelle for 3 year old fillies. That race served a purpose for filly routers in September.<br /><br />Instead they kept two for the same division:<br /><br /><b>9/12/2009 The Ruffian H. I 300,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/16</b><br /><br />And followed it up with another race 21 days later. Absurd!<br /><br /><b>10/3/2009 The Beldame I 600,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/8 </b>The_Knight_Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13497100877439699363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-69501770448480527402009-10-03T11:29:39.243-04:002009-10-03T11:29:39.243-04:00First things first: Sweet job on the backwards &qu...First things first: Sweet job on the backwards "R" in the toy store reference.<br /><br />I concur that it's sad to see Grade 1 races with five entries in the Beldame and the Vosburgh. At least the few who are in could be competitive. Fabulous Strike will go balls to the wall from the gate ... wait, as a gelding, no he won't, but he'll go fast. Munnings should be coming after him late. I like the price on Munnings, considering it's just a five-horse field.<br /><br />The Flower Bowl has more horses, but not better horses.<br /><br />How is the entry of Gio Ponti and Winchester only 6/5 on the morning line in the Hirsch? Don't they mean 3/5?<br /><br />And, finally, what an interesting field for the Gold Cup. Summer Bird, who couldn't beat Rachel Alexandra, favored over Macho Again, who almost did. Asiatic Boy at a nice price of 8/1 coming off a race (Rachel's Woodward) in which he seemed to have momentum and got an awful trip (or ride?). Quality Road is talented, but has brittle feet. And probably none of them can win the Breeders' Cup Classic.<br /><br />Certainly the talent pool at present is spread thin. It would be better if the biggest races weren't carded on the same day (as you note about the Beldame and Cotillion). ... On the other hand, trainers used to run their horses a heck of a lot more often. Now a Grade 1 horse runs once a month if we're lucky; more like once every six to eight weeks.Glenn Cravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09760553404742644042noreply@blogger.com