Posted on 06/10/2018 5:41:53 PM PDT by ml/nj
What I say here I don't say lightly.
Yesterday I attended my 53rd consecutive Belmont Stakes. I have the highest regard for trainer Bob Baffert. Though based in California, he regularly ships in horses to run in big races in NY (and elsewhere). Last year on Belmont Day he entered horses in four races and they all won. This year he entered horses in three races and won them all. This is no mean feat. But this year one of his horses did not win. (Huh?)
Baffert entered two horses in the Belmont Stakes. The other horse they probably didn't talk much about on TV was Restoring Hope who broke from post position #5. He was ridden by Florent Geroux, one of the best riders in the country, IMHO.
Geroux broke second to last on Restoring Hope. He then rushed the horse up to split the pack of horses in front of him. Noble Indy, the #9, was expected to contend for the early lead that might have put some pressure on Justify early. And Noble Indy did break alertly and looked like he might run early as expected, but Restoring Hope broke through the horses in front of him carrying Noble Indy extremely wide. Restoring Hope continued unnaturally wide until he cut over toward the rail and appeared to shut off Bravaso who was racing just behind Justify who looked as if he might be ranging up to challenge Justify. Thereafter, Geroux kept Restoring Hope just behind and outside Justify so that any other horse that might challenge would have to go three wide.
I saw none of this myself until alerted today about it by a friend at my club who showed me a race replay. I asked him whether anything was said about it on the TV coverage and he said nothing was said. But of course nothing was said. Justify was the hero of the media, in a way similar to the way Obama was a hero of the media.
Replays are available and nyra.com. Once there you want to select the races of June 9th, and then the 11th race. Two views are available, the usual "pan" view and the "head-on" view (which seems to most omit the most egregious interference with Bravaso). There is also a replay available at NBC where the interference with Bravaso is more obvious.
The Racing Form has an article about this: Horsemen question Geroux's ride on Restoring Hope.
It is my opinion that Baffert and Geroux should be suspended indefinitely. Justify should be disqualified from the purse money and consideration as the Belmont and Triple Crown winner.
Even if one of the jockeys in yesterday's race would have claimed foul, I believe it could only have been against Geroux and Restoring Hope (who finished next to last). It used to be that if a trainer or owner had more than one starter in a race, they had to run as a coupled entry. Then, if one fouled another horse in a race, all of the coupled horse would be placed behind the fouled horse. Yesterdays's race shows that horses with a common interest must run as a coupled entry if they are even allowed to start in the same race.
ML/NJ
One of the NBC commentators asked BAffert Saturday about Restoring Hope’s odd run and he said that Restoring Hope’s only chance was to try to get out front quickly. (However, Justify was leading from beginning to end.)
The owners of the other horses think that’s the reason they lost. Maybe Justify is just a superior horse.
Justify IS a superior horse; but some things are not allowed. Dr. Fager was one of the greatest thoroughbreds of all time. He was disqualified in the Jersey Derby for cutting in front of other horses, though he won the race easily.
ML/NJ
For the first time in my marriage, my wife did not watch due to Soros involved.
Bumpy ride bump.
That’s funny, since People usually cry about Fager being the victim of the most common strategy in racing...the rabbit, with Damascus.
Again, I see nothing wrong with what happened Sat.
According to a recently discovered item, Baffert hired Russian brood mares to dance and pee on the other horse’s straw.
Thus it is called the Stable Stall Dossier.
Hey, he wasn’t bad, but he did not win every single race.
The Wood, contrary to schoolgirl Bill Nack’s stories about an abscess that did not appear until Tuesday, had no real reason for the loss. Even the exercise rider beforehand thought he was a bit off, and Ray Wolfe’s fact-filled Sec book covers it with nary a mention of a sore mouth.
The Whitney...a fever? Maybe, but it didn’t show till some time later. How many are affected by an infection much until the actual onset of symptoms?
The Woodward is another. “Wasn’t ready”. Oh please. You know your prime horse Riva doesn’t like rain and it’s probably going to rain, so Sec must be on deck. And he didn’t prepare him? Not buying that. Another 119 lbs of equal or less weight but couldn’t pull it off.
IOW, except for the possible fever after the fact, there is no solid evidence Sec had good excuses for these races.
The good news is he still was great, did very well even so, and did set now 6 records that season, half the races.
But greatest of all, no question? Some have better evidence. For me, I think I believe he may be the 2nd greatest, at least American.
Actually be careful when throwing stones that you don’t have a glass house.
His name is RESTORING Hope. ;-)
Nah, he was part of the conspiracy. They paid them hush money, right?
I want to know just what this really helps. Sure, Baffert could have another TC in his belt, but what other motivation is there? It’s only 3 years since the break-thru TC, which really had more impact than this. AP was the one that everyone really would’ve wanted. Now is not as big a deal.
He is not.
His assoc. fund company is part of the breeding (stud) rights for him, AFTER his racing.
I know many who would agree. Man O War didn’t win every single race either. Since the 2 horses did not complete against each other, we won’t ever know who would win. I just don’t have to run down Man O War in threads to elevate Secretariat. Both horses were something to behold in their time.
I’ve been embittered by many battles on racing fora, sorry. The acrimony is amazing.
Man O’War lost one race...a 6f sprint as a 2yo he lost by a neck in record time after he and the other 2 most outside horses were left standing at the post while the winner and 3 others got away at the break. He had a concrete excuse...actually left behind by maybe 4lengths.
The other thing about MOW is all his races except the debut were stakes. All 20 of 21. That doesn’t happen. Neither does his setting some record as a 3yo 3 out of every 4 starts, including 3 world (absolute, not by dirt only like Sec’s) records. 8 total records. And probably deserved 1 more because the Whisk Broom II record is very questionable for 1-1/4.
Ok, off my soapbox for now. I’m very jealous for my horse, esp. after the internet battles!
Dude, you forgot to tell me about this.
We should go to Paducah and meet dj
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