Talk About Tennis 2.0

dryrunguy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:00 am Received word today that Rock Along is being pointed to The Colleen Stakes at Monmouth the first week of August. This will be on dirt. 5.5 furlongs.

Stakes. I've never had a horse run in a stakes races.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:07 pm

dryrunguy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:00 am Received word today that Rock Along is being pointed to The Colleen Stakes at Monmouth the first week of August. This will be on dirt. 5.5 furlongs.

Stakes. I've never had a horse run in a stakes races.

You know I really do not understand this world. How is that different from a "regular" race?

Ribbons wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 12:23 am "Regular" race = ITF 15s/25s
Non-graded stakes = Challengers/ ITF 60-100
Graded stakes = main tours
Breeders' Cup = Indian Wells
Triple Crown races = majors

ti-amie wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 12:56 am Essential Quality ran a very smart race. I'm surprised the place finisher hung on. He was spent.

dryrunguy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 6:53 pm Meanwhile, Danceswithbourbon will return to the races on Tuesday (June 8). It will be a 6-furlong optional claiming race on the dirt at Indiana Grand, so we'll have to wait to see what the track condition will be on race day. She will be the #5 horse in a field of 7. Total purse money available is $32,500.

We're taking a chance with this race. DWB WILL be in for the claiming tag at $50K. Taking this risk will give her more opportunities to run in more desirable races at Ellis Park, Churchill, and Kentucky Downs (grass) this summer and fall simply because she was once eligible for a claim in a prior race. Race conditions are super complicated, and I have a helluva time figuring it out, but the bottom line is that we're having a very difficult time finding races where she is eligible to run without being completely over her head in terms of class at this stage of her development or being in for a cheaper tag.

Our fearless leader, Matt, did some digging and learned that, so far this year, no horse at Indiana Grand has been claimed for more than $10K. So that is the main reason why we're willing to risk the claim. That said, Indiana Grand has trainers like Brad Cox, Steve Asmussen, and Tom Amoss who also have very deep pockets and are very successful at the claiming game, so that makes me nervous.

The field looks pretty tough in spite of the fact that a few of the fillies haven't raced in a few months while a few others are coming off a really bad, head-scratching performance (including a daughter of California Chrome). But as we've seen already, with inexperienced horses, anything can happen.

dryrunguy wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:03 pm The track at Indiana Grand is listed as sloppy today. That MIGHT be a good thing. Some of the Outwork babies have really liked an off track. But I'm looking at the track right now. It doesn't look that bad. I'd actually rate it as good (a step below fast) or muddy (a step above sloppy). Post time is 5:32 EST. Fingers crossed.

dryrunguy wrote:I can report that a slew of owners over the past few weeks have pulled their horses out of Bob Baffert's training barn. Adding to the list just today, Charlatan has been retired to stud, and Life is Good has been moved to Todd Pletcher's barn, which has been the general trend for owners. Lots of owners are bailing on Baffert and moving to Pletcher instead.

I guess it's no longer a guaranteed Californian elite social status symbol to casually mention at dinner parties and other gatherings that you own a horse being trained by Bob Baffert.