Thoroughbred Racing 2024

[skipaway]

January got away from me too quickly, here’s our new year thread!

 

[sk8pics]

Well, not current racing but related.

I’ll Have Another has been retired to Old Friends!

 

[Vagabond]

I was pleased to see that the California Horse Racing Board voted unanimously today to approve dates for racing at Pleasanton in the second half of 2024. This decision came after Santa Anita tried to intimidate the CHRB into consolidating all California racing in the Southern California.

While it it's a bit of a pity that there won't be racing anymore at Golden Gate Fields, it is an opportunity for something good to come in to replace it. Replacing Bay Meadows with housing, offices, and stores revitalized San Mateo.

I do hope that Pleasanton installs a turf course.

 

[sk8pics]

McCracken retired to Old Friends.

 

[pollyanna]

Bob Baffert trained Muth is out of the Kentucky Derby

Judge denies request for Bob Baffert-trained Muth to run in Kentucky Derby 2024

Horse owner Amr Zedan says he's looking ahead to the Preakness after a judge denied his request to allow Bob Baffert-trained Muth into Kentucky Derby.

www.courier-journal.com

 

[skipaway]

I still own a few microshares with MyRacehorse and one of mine, Seize the Gray earned 27 points. He is so not a Derby horse, yet there was this constant push to trying to get him in the gate. If he had managed to make it in, I wouldn’t have been an excited owner…just because you have some points…doesn’t mean you should run.

He’s been entered in The Pat Day Mile.

 

[sk8pics]

I forgot to post that I met I’ll Have Another and McCraken when I was in Kentucky recently. I’ll Have Another, I call him ‘Nother, is quite regal and pretty friendly, but he also has this air of “you may go, peasant, I’ve had enough carrots for now.”

Awesome Gem, who some of you might remember, actually snuggled with me while I was taking some selfies with him.

 

[ilovepaydays]

The post-time for the Kentucky Derby is in about 10 minutes! Who else in getting excited?!

The starting gate for the 150th Kentucky Derby!

 

[ilovepaydays]

OMG. So…..which horse won?!

 

[ilovepaydays]

OMG. So…..which horse won?!

It’s Mystik Dan!

 

[Sarah]

Like the horse, not the trainer, thrilled for the jockey. Very mixed bag.

 

[Sarah]

That photo was unreal.

 

[Rob]

Well that was exciting!

 

[ilovepaydays]

2024 Kentucky Derby Results and Payout

So, the payouts weren’t that huge - $8K for the superfecta.

BTW, the purse difference by a nose between Mystik Dan and Forever Young was $2.6 million.

 

[Karen-W]

That was a great photo finish! Fantastic race!

 

[sk8pics]

I dunno, if I'd bet $1 and won more than $8,000 I'd think that was pretty big! But yeah, it could have been even bigger.

I was rooting for either Fierceness or the #13, West Saratoga. West Saratoga was randomly assigned to Old Friends for a charity event; the winning horse won $25K for the charity he was assigned to. So, rats.

But wow, how exciting! Great move by the jockey to scoot through on the rail, reminded me of the way Mine That Bird came out of nowhere, although Bird of course ran them off their feet.

And wow, Sierra Leone and Forever Young were really going at it! I know Sierra Leone is known for lugging in but Forever Young really pushed back! If the jockeys could have kept them straight, Sierra Leone may very well have won it!

Like the horse, not the trainer, thrilled for the jockey. Very mixed bag.

I don't have much opinion on the trainer. What's your take on him?

 

[skipaway]

Excellent day of racing that included a win for one of my MyRacehorse micro shares in Seize the Gray in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile! He’s a son of Arrogate. Happy the ownership placed him here instead of the alternate list for the Derby.
He may be entered in the Preakness which I really don’t think he belongs…

Interesting that trainer McPeek of the Oaks/Derby winners has mentioned both could go to the Preakness.

 

[sk8pics]

Interesting that trainer McPeek of the Oaks/Derby winners has mentioned both could go to the Preakness.

Thought I read the Oaks winner is not likely to go to the Preakness given the conventional timing this year for the races…

 

[Vagabond]

Thought I read the Oaks winner is not likely to go to the Preakness given the conventional timing this year for the races…

He said that he was considering sending Thorpedo Anna to the Preakness but that he probably would not do so.

Her owners would have to pay $150,000 to supplement her for the remaining two races of the Triple Crown but only $50,000 to supplement her for the Belmont, which will be run over 1¼ miles at Saratoga this year, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the connections gave her a five-week break between races.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Mystik Dan at Preakness practice

Looks good! But who knows what will happen tomorrow. It’s supposed to rainy all day in the DC/Baltimore area.

 

[ilovepaydays]

SIGH. Mystic Dan didn’t have quite enough gas!

Congrats to Seize the Grey! Went for it from the start and never lost the lead!

 

[Vagabond]

Congratulations, @skipaway!

 

[Sarah]

Congrats @skipaway !!!

 

[skipaway]

Thanks! I totally did not see that coming…I really thought he didn’t belong in the race. Cracks me up b/c the whole way around the track I kept thinking…here the rest come. Very happy he proved me wrong. Sad his sire Arrogate died so young.

 

[sk8pics]

Thanks! I totally did not see that coming…I really thought he didn’t belong in the race. Cracks me up b/c the whole way around the track I kept thinking…here the rest come. Very happy he proved me wrong. Sad his sire Arrogate died so young.

I got to meet Arrogate and pat him on the shoulder once at Juddmonte. He did not care about us at all. Very regal and gorgeous. It is so sad that he died so young.

I love going to Juddmonte because they have a plaque on the wall of one of my boy Tinner’s wins. I always go over and look at it and touch it when I’m there.

 

[Vagabond]

Dornoch, a full brother to last year's Kentucky Derby winner, Mage, won the Belmont Stakes today.

This may be the first time that two full siblings have won U.S. Triple Crown races. It certainly hasn't happened since the Triple Crown as such came into being.
Well done, the breeders!

 

[sk8pics]

It was a pretty exciting race yesterday, the not-really-a-true-Belmont Belmont. But omg, Sierra Leone still can’t run a straight line down the stretch.

 

[Sarah]

It was a pretty exciting race yesterday, the not-really-a-true-Belmont Belmont. But omg, Sierra Leone still can’t run a straight line down the stretch.

Or break from the gate…

 

[skipaway]

STG did good yesterday..straight out of the gate, stayed out of trouble but just didn’t have the distance in him. I want MyRacehorse to place him where he can be successful. I really don’t want a run at the Classic…more like the Dirt Mile.

I was also annoyed with the commentators assessment of SL’s run. Once again as said by sk8pics, can’t run straight…however all the pundits kept on about was how Protective came over on him and interrupted his run.
No mention of the fact that 10 yards later SL came in and totally squeezed off Protective’s run…more egregious than the original incident. Again with the best horse didn’t win BS that because Dornoch got a clear trip…that’s the name of the game. Jockeys ride the race and those who have a good horse and a good trip do the best.

 

[sk8pics]

I was also annoyed with the commentators assessment of SL’s run. Once again as said by sk8pics, can’t run straight…however all the pundits kept on about was how Protective came over on him and interrupted his run.

Yep. Fortunately, I just watched the replay on the NYRA YouTube channel.

No mention of the fact that 10 yards later SL came in and totally squeezed off Protective’s run…more egregious than the original incident. Again with the best horse didn’t win BS that because Dornoch got a clear trip…that’s the name of the game. Jockeys ride the race and those who have a good horse and a good trip do the best.

Yeah, when I watched it I saw Protective come out but then holy cow, it looked like bumper cars for a minute with the way Sierra Leone came in. I know horses can be required to go for gate schooling even after they’ve been racing for awhile, if they start having issues. Zenyatta famously had to go through many schooling sessions before they finally said, well, guess that’s as good as it gets! Anyway, there should be some action taken when horses do not run AT ALL straight and nearly take other horses out, something other than disqualification for interference.