classhandicapper
09-01-2013, 09:55 AM
That was about as impressive a debut as I've seen in several years. I suspected something might be up when I saw the very fast breeze (not like Shug) and Velasquez on the horse, but wow!
Most closers run that way because they aren't "fast" horses. They tend to be more one paced and have to hope the front runners exhaust themselves in order get into position to win. Honor Code closed, but according to the chart he came home in 21.72 and 11.83. That's an incredible turn of foot after running 4 furlongs no matter how slow early. It's the kind of turn of foot that allows the rare closer to overcome slow paces and win under tough conditions. Not only that, he was full of run after the wire. There was more in the tank. Velasquez was beaming after the race. I happen to see Shug walking through the crowd after the race and said "quite impressive". He was smiling from ear to ear. Plus, this is not some Pletcher horse that we know was fully cranked. This is a Shug horse. He generally does not have them wound too tight for their first start.
It's only one start against maidens and it was in the slop, but it's hard not to at least "hope" we saw something pretty special yesterday. The last deep closer I saw with a turn of foot like that went on to accumulate quite a record on the racetrack.
Most closers run that way because they aren't "fast" horses. They tend to be more one paced and have to hope the front runners exhaust themselves in order get into position to win. Honor Code closed, but according to the chart he came home in 21.72 and 11.83. That's an incredible turn of foot after running 4 furlongs no matter how slow early. It's the kind of turn of foot that allows the rare closer to overcome slow paces and win under tough conditions. Not only that, he was full of run after the wire. There was more in the tank. Velasquez was beaming after the race. I happen to see Shug walking through the crowd after the race and said "quite impressive". He was smiling from ear to ear. Plus, this is not some Pletcher horse that we know was fully cranked. This is a Shug horse. He generally does not have them wound too tight for their first start.
It's only one start against maidens and it was in the slop, but it's hard not to at least "hope" we saw something pretty special yesterday. The last deep closer I saw with a turn of foot like that went on to accumulate quite a record on the racetrack.