NYRA 2005 Stakes Schedule

[IRISHLADSTABLE]

http://www1.nyra.com/aqueduct/feature.asp?track=A&id=1242

[IRISHLADSTABLE]

Of all the changes I guess the Wood being moved to April 9
4 weeks before the Ky Derby is the biggest of all of them all

Jimmy

[cj]

Sticking it to Frank?

In another thread, I noted the shortened distances of some 2yo BC preps as well, including the Belmont's Futurity and Champagne.

[taintso]

CJ's other thread asked, with tongue firmly in cheek, when t-bred & q-horse races were gonna merge, and after checking the DRF article it would seem he took the right approach. How about this from Mike Lakow:

"A lot of 2-year-olds come out of Saratoga and most of them have gone six, 6 1/2, or seven furlongs," Lakow said. "We gave those horses another chance to run a major race going seven furlongs. We felt going seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles was a little too much."

What?

If you couldn't laugh about it, you'd have to cry.

[the little guy]

Originally posted by taintso
CJ's other thread asked, with tongue firmly in cheek, when t-bred & q-horse races were gonna merge, and after checking the DRF article it would seem he took the right approach. How about this from Mike Lakow:

"A lot of 2-year-olds come out of Saratoga and most of them have gone six, 6 1/2, or seven furlongs," Lakow said. "We gave those horses another chance to run a major race going seven furlongs. We felt going seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles was a little too much."

What?

If you couldn't laugh about it, you'd have to cry. Why is this funny? I actually think the changes are very much for the best, as it did seem like they were rushing these horses along at distances they were probably not quite ready for. And, as a result of this, the fields were getting weaker for the Futurity and Matron, as well as the Champagne and Frizette. I, for one, applaud the move as it leads to a much more logical and purposful increase in distances.

Why should tracks be criticized for seeing a mistake and correcting it?

[taintso]

What mistake? The Champagne is run the 2nd week of October and is the final NY prep for the BC (for whatever that's worth.) When should we expect to see 2yo's get out beyond a mile?

[Bubbles]

...Last year, two mid-meet races for two-year-olds -- the Adirondack and Saratoga Special - were eliminated in order to help bolster fields for the Spinaway and Hopeful and for the juvenile races at Belmont Park in the fall by allowing more time between races.

In 2005, the Grade 2, $150,000 Adirondack for two-year-old fillies at six furlongs will replace the Schuylerville as Saratoga’s Opening Day feature on Wednesday, July 27th. On Thursday, July 28th, the Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special for two-year-olds at six furlongs will replace the Sanford...


Why would they do this?

[cj]

The explanation is that if a race isn't run for two years, it loses its Graded status. So, I guess they are going to alternate until they decide if they want to dump two for good.

[the little guy]

Originally posted by taintso
What mistake? The Champagne is run the 2nd week of October and is the final NY prep for the BC (for whatever that's worth.) When should we expect to see 2yo's get out beyond a mile? IMO the BC has ruined high class racing. But that's really another discussion. In this case, because there isn't much time between when horses break their maidens at Saratoga, which because the BC has pushed 2YO racing back so much, is the earliest we see people's good 2YOs, for the most part, many top horses just aren't seasoned enough to be rushed to the mile of the Futurity and Matron, thus we see far too many horrendous crews like this year's Futurity. As many top 2YOs debut too late for the Hopeful, now there is another logical stake, at the reasonable distance of 7F, for trainers to try. After this they can logically stretch to a mile for the Champagne and Frizette before adding another furlong for the BC. Remember something else, it was the BC that forced racetracks hands, so to speak, in that the Juvenile races started out at a mile before going to a mile and a sixteenth and then a mile and an eighth at Arlington, simply because they couldn't run 1 1/16th races. Now, I think, it is back to 1 1/16th, so why not prep for it going a mile?

Ya know, for many years the Hopeful was 6 1/2, the Futurity 7F, the Champagne a mile, with the Laurel Fururity 1 1/16th and the Remsen 1 1/8. This worked extremely well for many years until the BC came along and dictated what racetracks did. Sometimes the best thing to do is stick to your plan that worked.

[taintso]

Yeah, I agree with you on this post--particularly about the BC and how detrimental it has become to horses schedules (2yo's in particular.) And I'm glad you added that last part, about what the progression used to be like, right up to the 9f Remsen. My point in replying to CJ's other thread was not that it's funny...it was that it's sad.

[Figman]

How about this change for Saratoga?

The traditional closing weekend feature - THE HOPEFUL - will now take a backseat to The TRAVERS and be contested on the same day.

[the little guy]

" the traditional closing weekend feature " shared the bill with the Alabama in 2004. I would say, all in all, it stepped up a notch.

[Tom]

Wonder what a bunch of PA postters will be doing on August 27th this year?:confused:

[Figman]

Listenin to The Little Guy with Harvey Pack at Siros?