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Kentucky Derby...and Beyond?

re: Creator

``Multiple graded stakes winners Creator and Gun Runner worked together Monday morning at Saratoga, going five furlongs in a “solid” 1:00.60 as they continue preparations for the G1 Travers Stakes.

David Grening of the Daily Racing Form reported that the duo ticked off fractions of 12.90, 24.92 and 36.43 for three furlongs. They completed the last quarter in 24.17 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.21.

“They were awfully nice and smooth,” trainer Steve Asmussen said afterward. “I loved Creator's energy away from the pole. Gun Runner's always been a great work horse, but I definitely think Creator is sharper since the Jim Dandy. They both went beautifully.”``

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/t...ator-gun-runner-please-asmussen-monday-works/


These are what we want to see or read about if we`re looking to back Creator. I didn`t see it, but it sounds like Creator was able to run step-for-step with Gun Runner in the workout, which is impressive by itself since Gun Runner is the naturally quicker horse of the two when it comes to short distance running. I don`t recall Creator having ever worked a 1:00.60 over 5F either. That`s really quick compared to the norm for him. I had some suspicions after the Jim Dandy that they were just using that as a prep race for the Travers, meaning that he wasn`t fully cranked for that race with the Travers being the end goal for them. If this workout from this morning is any indication then that may in fact have been the case and you could draw a line through that race for him. We all know he`s way better than what he showed in that race anyways.
 
Bruno is the best in the business, so if he talks positively about a workout then you know it's the truth.

 
Great stuff Sharkey. Good to hear some positive signs for Creator.
 
t6p said:
Great stuff Sharkey. Good to hear some positive signs for Creator.
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May I ask you something, T? Just counting the bare necessities like admission and parking, what was the cost to you this past Saturday for a day at the track? Just the basics. Maybe $20, $25 or so at the most?
 
Sharkey said:
May I ask you something, T? Just counting the bare necessities like admission and parking, what was the cost to you this past Saturday for a day at the track? Just the basics. Maybe $20, $25 or so at the most?
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We actually parked at my buddy's house and his fiance dropped us off at the track. I've never parked in any of the paid lots so I'm not sure about pricing but I can't imagine it being more than $15-$20. As far as admission, we typically just do the $5 general admission, but with the rain in the forecast we went for clubhouse which was only $8. Can't beat that.
 
t6p said:
We actually parked at my buddy's house and his fiance dropped us off at the track. I've never parked in any of the paid lots so I'm not sure about pricing but I can't imagine it being more than $15-$20. As far as admission, we typically just do the $5 general admission, but with the rain in the forecast we went for clubhouse which was only $8. Can't beat that.
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Thanks T.

I was only asking because a few of the people I follow on twitter were having a conversation and complaining about the Saratoga takeout this morning and I was like "you cheap ass motherfuckers". First off, whether it be Saratoga or any track governed by NYRA, they're getting one of the lowest takeout rates in the country at 16%. But those guys also get to attend an all day sporting event for next to nothing as well. Less than $10 to get into the front gates. They also don't have to pay for food and drinks either as Saratoga (like all tracks) allow those who are attending to bring in their own food and drink if they want to. Including alcohol as long as you don't bring it in glass bottles. How many other sporting events make it so cheap to attend, plus give you the opportunity to walk out of the gates with a lot more money than you did when you arrived? Silly complaints and especially when it comes to these NYRA tracks who take that relatively low takeout of theirs and use it to always write in very strong race cards filled with G1 races on the big days.
 
Plus most tracks also offer up player rewards programs to the people who attend the track with some frequency and, besides what you spend on wagering, you get everything free at the track whether that be admission, parking, programs, food, drink, or whatever it is. Most tracks also offer early morning deals as well for the early birds out there which includes you getting a nice breakfast for almost nothing.
 
1st - Governor Malibu
2nd - Creator
3rd - Economic Model

You guys think that trifecta would pay a buck or two if it hits in the Travers?

Play it cold baby!

Hmm, maybe I will.
 
Sharkey said:
Thanks T.

I was only asking because a few of the people I follow on twitter were having a conversation and complaining about the Saratoga takeout this morning and I was like "you cheap ass motherfuckers". First off, whether it be Saratoga or any track governed by NYRA, they're getting one of the lowest takeout rates in the country at 16%. But those guys also get to attend an all day sporting event for next to nothing as well. Less than $10 to get into the front gates. They also don't have to pay for food and drinks either as Saratoga (like all tracks) allow those who are attending to bring in their own food and drink if they want to. Including alcohol as long as you don't bring it in glass bottles. How many other sporting events make it so cheap to attend, plus give you the opportunity to walk out of the gates with a lot more money than you did when you arrived? Silly complaints and especially when it comes to these NYRA tracks who take that relatively low takeout of theirs and use it to always write in very strong race cards filled with G1 races on the big days.
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Couldn't agree more. Easily one of the best values out there as far as sporting events go. Like you said, being able to bring your own food/drinks is a huge $$$ saver for those who choose to do so. Not to mention that they actually have a bunch of really good food options and the prices really aren't out of line. It's a great place, zero complaints from me.

I'm liking the looks of that trifecta too. Almost have to throw a little something on it now, just in case ya know.
 
t6p said:
Couldn't agree more. Easily one of the best values out there as far as sporting events go. Like you said, being able to bring your own food/drinks is a huge $$$ saver for those who choose to do so. Not to mention that they actually have a bunch of really good food options and the prices really aren't out of line. It's a great place, zero complaints from me.

I'm liking the looks of that trifecta too. Almost have to throw a little something on it now, just in case ya know.
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I may have to play that trifecta as well on a ticket just because I'd be kicking myself if that hits and I don't have it. Play it for $5 and it'll probably pay well into the thousands. Almost have to do it if that's my initial gut reaction. If he does enter Economic Model has that AP Indy-Mr Prospector cross in his pedigree, has a win over the Saratoga track earlier in his racing career, and is trained by Chad Brown who has been crushing everything over the course of the meet. Last I saw he was way ahead for the meet's training title. Almost double the wins as the next highest (17 to 9 last I saw). Not sure this horse has 10F capabilities (pedigree says it's there) or if he's in this class or not, but should be more than a high enough price to find out. I've liked him over the last couple of months too. Crushed Cupid and the rest in winning the Easy Goer. Came back in the Dwyer, and overcame some trouble while running the whole race on a dead rail to finish a game 2nd to a horse that may go into the King's Bishop as the favourite. Laoban was also in the Dwyer and he was a non-factor finishing 5th.
 
Unless I missed his name on my first trip through the names, it doesn't look like Economic Model is one of the 22 nominated for the Travers afterall. I did find an interesting name pop up in the nominations, though;

"Along with WinStar Farm's Creator, newly minted Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has nominated multiple graded stakes winner Gun Runner, most recently fifth in the Haskell for Winchell Thoroughbreds, and Gettysburg, who set the pace in the Belmont and faded to finish eighth for WinStar Farm."

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/t...r-leads-22-nominations-aug-27-travers-stakes/

Creator being 2 for 2 with both wins coming in G1 races when both he and Gettysburg are in the same race.
 
The bottom paragraph of that link I gave there;

"The Grade 1 Travers is the centerpiece of a blockbuster card that include five other Grade 1's: the $1 million Longines Sword Dancer, the $750,000 Personal Ensign the $500,000 Ballerina, the $500,000 Ketel One King's Bishop, and the $700,000 Priority One Forego, along with the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa, in which undefeated Grade 1 winner Lady Eli is expected to make her return to racing."
 
I missed this the first time around because I was only looking 3 generations back when going over the potential field, but My Man Sam also has that AP Indy-Mr Prospector nick in his pedigree albeit 4 generations back;

http://www.pedigreequery.com/my+man+sam2

My Man Sam also has two good races over the Aqueduct track from earlier in the year where he finished 1st and 2nd. He also raced on the Saratoga track as well when he finished 2nd in an allowance race a week before the Jim Dandy. He's also trained by Chad Brown who, as stated above, has been on fire over the course of this meet. Hmm, I don't know if I could convince myself to bet him in this spot, although I did like him earlier in the year and bet him when he finished 2nd in the Blue Grass. Not sure if he'll pass the class and endurance test. He will be a big price in the Travers if they do decide to enter him, though.

The Travers is this weekend, right? Right? Ah fuck.
 
Post positions and morning line odds for the Pacific Classic this Saturday;

1 - California Chrome 8/5
2 - Hopportunity 8/1
3 - War Story 30/1
4 - Hard Aces 15/1
5 - Win the Space 15/1
6 - Imperative 20/1
7 - Beholder 3/1
8 - Dortmund 5/2
9 - Dalmore 20/1

As a horse that much prefers to stalk from outside and has struggled big time when he's been forced to run the rail behind other horses, Chrome drawing the #1 post could make things very, very interesting. His jockey is either going to have to gun out of the gate to gain position out front (which could burn him with other speed in there), or he could be in danger of getting pinned down again by the likes of Beholder and Dortmund, which is a position that Chrome has hated in the past. This is very interesting.
 
I probably shouldn't form any opinions without having looked at the PP's yet, but before the draw I was thinking that a Chrome over Hoppertunity straight exacta felt right to me with the way the field was shaping up. May still play that in a few days, but also back it up with a Beholder over Hoppertunity exacta for half the amount. I'll very likely be against Dortmund regardless since I thought he gave everything he had last time out against Chrome yet coming up short over a shorter distance and with a weight advantage he won't have this time.
 
I think I'm going to stick to my original thoughts regarding the Pacific Classic and just play that Chrome over Hoppertunity exacta and hope I can get somewhere in the ballpark of 15/1 on it.

I'm also thinking about making a play for that Alabama which Songbird is in. Not going to try to beat her. But the #3 horse in that race, Going for Broke, intrigued me a lot when looking at the PP's for the race. Her PP's shows an angle that I like to play when it comes to off the pace types, and that's horses with that type of running style showing a significant increase in their E2 (i.e. strong middle move) yet still showing an ability to finish well at the end of the race (watched that race and she had a battle to the wire). She had a 12 point jump in her E2 rating in her last race compared to her previous one and was still able to hang on to win by a nose. That's an angle that handicapper and author, Tom Ainslie, has encouraged with his writings. He called it a lung opener for these off the pace types. Better yet, Going for Broke showed that in his first race after a short layoff, which is an added plus. That race of hers came at Saratoga too, and it was against older horses. She's trained by Chad Brown, who I've talked about up above with the streak he's been on. She'll be ridden by Irad Ortiz, who, according to the PP's, that Brown-Ortiz have been winning at a 50% clip when the two hook up together as of late. She's also been on the improve, which is no surprise considering she's only had 4 career starts to this point. Saying all these nice things about her I'm still going to need a price on her, though, since this will be a significant move up in class for her. Plus I won't be betting her to win if I do bet her. Looking at place/show bets for this one and hoping to get say 5/1 or thereabouts on her to place. She's not beating Songbird. But we'll see. I think I may just let the board tell me if I should play her or not once I hit up the OTB tomorrow.
 
Great info as always Shark. I'm tailing small with a 0.5u California Chrome/Hoppertunity exacta box and a slightly smaller win/place/show bet on Going for Broke. I wish I was at the track this weekend instead of last, beautiful weather today. Good luck with whatever you decide to go with man.
 
Great b/d on Going for Broke @Sharkey , nice second place finish for her. Great close down the stretch, kicking myself for only betting show and not place but Money's money so I'm happy. thanks as always for the heads up Shark, you are the man!
 
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