Lane's End Spiral

[ceejay]

Did anyone else notice Zito making excuses about the track BEFORE the race!

[kingfin66]

I caught just a little bit of it when I flipped over to ESPN2 from TVG. What was the big deal? They sealed the track before the race? I wasn't clear on what the big controversy was. Would you mind explaining it? Thanks.

[dav4463]

Best Last Race Beyer paid $34.80.......

[JimG]

Let the whining begin. I will be so glad when Jerry Bailey decides to retire.

http://www.courier-journal.com/cjsports/news2004/03/21/C15-side0321-4784.html

Jim

[ceejay]

Originally posted by kingfin66
I caught just a little bit of it when I flipped over to ESPN2 from TVG. What was the big deal? They sealed the track before the race? I wasn't clear on what the big controversy was. Would you mind explaining it? Thanks.

I did not see it as such a big deal myself, but I wasn't there. Moreover, I think that all of the horses had to run over the same track.

I was just surprised to see excuses before the race. It made me think that something wasn't right with the horse.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Good! Isn't that called parity? Most on this forum do not belive track mainenance matters!!LOL!!

[sq764]

Well, I heard him complain about the track being sealed. Then my wife says "Well, didn't all the horses have to race on the same track?"

When my wife notices this, it should be obvious to Nick Zito.

Also, i heard the announcers say he was compromised by racing on the rail cause it was dead. But call me crazy, didn't the winner wire the field while on the rail??

[Tom]

Blaming the track is better than blaming hinslef for not having the horse ready, or not knowing that the horse was not a fit as he should have been.
Dead rail? Dead surface?
Sure didn't look to dead that way the real runners werre flying over it down the stretch, long after Birdsong flew the coup.
Hey Nick, want some cheese with that whine?

[plainolebill]

Originally posted by Tom
Blaming the track is better than blaming hinslef for not having the horse ready, or not knowing that the horse was not a fit as he should have been.

Or.......'He just wasn't good enough'.

[Show Me the Wire]

Maybe, just maybe Zito did not want to take any chances (read risk an injury) with his horse over what Zito perceived as a bad surface and told JB just to sit on the horse. JB rode pretty high, in the saddle; the whole race meaning it did not look like JB asked the horse to do any running.

Someone told me JB is good at getting the best out of a horse and just as adept at getting the worst out of a horse.

Regards,
Show Me the Wire

Perception is reality

[Tuffmug]

SMTW,

If your surmise is true, Mr. Bailey will stay on the horse for the Derby. If Bailey leaves then Birdstone is a cooked goose.

[cj]

Birdstone had never run a race prior to Saturday that should have labelled him as a prime Derby contender. I am talking figure wise, he was just too slow. Occasionally a horse will fool you by not running particularly fast until they need to, but it is rare. Red Bullet comes to mind. He never ran a fast figure race until the Wood despite winning his others. This type are few and far between though, and they are usually short odds. Given that, I'll play against each time.

[Memogram]

Zito doesn't seem to be interested in how his horses run right now, keeps saying it only matters May 1st.

[Valuist]

Zito's 3YOs have burned a lot of money recently. Eurosilver got beat at around 2-5 recently, Birdstone went into the toilet, and earlier on the TP card, El Prado's Rob got beat in the Rushaway at 3-5 by a Maiden....one who lost a M15000 race back in late January.

[OTM Al]

Have to think Birdstone has a whole lot more than he showed Saturday. Sinister G is a local fav of mine as he's given me a couple good payoffs. Just wish I would have backed him for the win instead of the 2. When they were coming down the stretch together I was dreaming of a very nice exacta payoff, but alas, That's an Outrage faded in the stretch. I personally don't buy Zito's excuses, though I can certainly buy not giving a full effort in that race.

[Macdiarmadillo]

Also have to chime in with my 2 cents and opine that Birdstone does not fit the Derby with his current numbers. He just hasn't advanced/improved. We'll have to keep an eye on him in the summer/fall. I just don't see him as a winner in 6 weeks time. We'll see if Bailey stays or goes.

"Methinks they dost protest too much." And if the track on Derby day was sealed, what would they say?