Azeri

[chickenhead]

http://www.drf.com/news/article/55841.html

I really hate to watch this great horse get put in a bad spot, she tries so hard every time. She proved that yet again in her last loss, she is an absolute pleasure to watch.

I just hope she comes out of it ok. I won't be betting this race.

[SAL]

She's toast.

[CryingForTheHorses]

:cool:

Seems to me that Paulson is a very greedy man,Whats with these people!!!! They are going to break her heart,tarnish her worth in the breeding shed,guess they are hoping she beats the Champ (Funnycide).People with money do strange thing!!

[PaceAdvantage]

I think all the comments in this thread are way off base.

I think this is the perfect spot for her to try males. She is meeting a very suspect group here. It's probably the easiest grade 1 race against males they could have ever hoped of catching, especially this year.

Break her heart? Like Serena Song's heart was broken in the Kentucky Derby? Not.

I applaud Mr. Paulson for doing things to perk up this sport. This is something different, something exciting. If Azeri wasn't in this race, it would be the worst renewel of the Met Mile in years. Funny Cide is yesterday's news, and is lucky to win Grade 2 races these days. Strong Hope and Pico Central aren't exactly household names.

With a patient ride by Pat Day, Azeri could easily hit the board, and probably has a decent chance to win against these. This is a suspect group, except for Pico and Strong Hope, who is there to fear?

The only criticism I have is taking Mike Smith off. I think he has been absolutely brilliant at times riding Azeri. He knows just how to handle her, and he is the perfect jockey for her running style.

Other than that, this is a great spot for her to go against males.

[SAL]

I don't think Azeri will hit the board. She runs her best when able to control the pace. The pace in the Met Mile will be hot, even if it is a weaker than usual G1.

Don't get me wrong, I was a big Azeri fan during her streak. I lost my enthusiasm when Lukas took over, though. I agree, Mike Smith belongs on her, the switch to Day is a negative as far as I'm concerned.

If she does win, Lukas and Paulson will look brilliant. But I seriously doubt that will happen.

[Dancer's Image]

I'm with PA on this issue. I don't know what you mean, Chickenhead, by "bad spot"? A "bad spot" to me would be Azeri running down the freeway. Azeri is a racehorse; I can't think of a "better (or bettor) spot" for a racehorse than a horse race. Fillies and mares have been beating their male counterparts since this great sport of kings began, and they will continue to do so as long as chicken**** trainers aren't allowed to avoid males, as happened last year. This is the reason why LDS is not training this great racehorse anymore. I can't think of a racing mare more deserving of a chance to run against and possibly beat her male counterparts, than Azeri. In my mind, even if she loses, her accomplishments and value will not be diminished, a view which I believe will be validated whenever Azeri does have a foal for sale. But to not give her the chance to race against male horses would be unfair to this great racehorse....it should have been done last year when she was at her racing prime, instead of pursuing that worthless win streak.

And McSchell, if Paulson was just greedy, he would continue racing Azeri only against fillies and mares, which Azeri has proven she can beat. But owner Paulson is doing the right thing by giving her the chance to prove herself on the track this year instead of all the lame talk last year about how Azeri COULD have beat the males. I don't believe she can beat these males, but I defy anyone to try to argue that she doesn't deserve the shot....and I will be rooting for her, and maybe, just maybe, since I'm not betting on her, she COULD actually win this race.

And oh, by the way, I think PDay is an improvement over MSmith; I'd like it better if the race was in KY, I'd prefer having Johnny V or Edgar in NY right now. I can't wait for this race!

[chickenhead]

I don't think you understand where I'm coming from...


Let me draw an analogy to boxing, Roy Jones Jr. has been considered the best pound for pound boxer for ten years, he's fought everyone in his weight class and beat them all. He decided he wanted a bigger challenge, and went up to heavyweight. I thought this was a great idea, a true sign of greatness.

But he fought John Ruiz, a paper champ and a 3rd string HW. He risked his career for what? That fight will be remembered, since he won, but his two fights afterward, he lost them both though the judges gave him the first, are what will really be remembered if he ends his career now.

If he had stepped up to the plate and fought Lennox Lewis, a guy he would have been given absolutely no chance against, win or lose, if he fought valiantly it would go down in history as one of the great boxing feats of the modern era.

I have no problem with Azeri going against the boys, I want to see it, but put her in against the men, in the last race of her career. Throw her in the Classic, let her take a shot at the title, it would be epic if she ran well, and we would talk about it for years. And if it breaks her spirit, so be it, she won't be running anymore anyway.

Just my humble opinion.