Racing Press & Ghostzapper

[DrugSalvastore]

I hope I'm not annoying you guys that much--I've been a member for a day and this is like my 5th thread--anyway, I think the DRF and other members of the racing press have done a miserable job covering Ghostzapper over the years.

I'm an East Coast guy--but I've always felt that this horse has never got his just due from the racing press. His debut win in November of 2002 was LEGENDARY stuff. He was sharp early, made a sweeping move to the lead under a Jose Valdivia hand ride around the turn, and blitzed home to win by 9 lengths in the supersonic final time of 1:15 2/5ths.

Whenever a 2yo runs a 99 beyer at an extended sprint distance--it's very impressive stuff! That figure just didn't justify Ghostzapper's debut. It was something you needed to see. He failed in a deep allowance race at 1-to-9 odds on Opening day at SA in his next start--he injured his feet that day--and from that point on he was in the shadow of Empire Maker and Peace Rules, Frankel's two other stars from the same crop.

His only loss over the next two years came in the King's Bishop, and that was in the middle of a Frankel 0-for-24 drought at Saratoga that included losses with 13 favorites--most notably Wild Spirit losing at 1-to-9 and Empire Maker failing to catch Johnny V's Strong Hope. Ghostzapper ran as good as any Frankel horse over that drought.

The season that Ghostzapper had last year is legendary stuff as well. He returned to the races off a long layoff to win the Grade 2 Tom Fool in the insanely fast final time of 1:20.41 seconds. Probably the 2nd fastest final time for the distance in the nearly 100 year history of Belmont. He than goes to MTH and runs the fastest final time for the distance over that track in the last six years (Skip Away was the last horse to run faster) and that was over a track that was comically slow. I assumed his beyer could come back 131 give or take a few points.

No need to tell the rest of the story--this horse is something else...he was a monster from day one, he has an intersting story, and I think the press really missed the boat in not hyping this horse up. In defense of the press, the horse is a 5yo and he's only made six lifetime stake attempts, so his inactivity works against him. The racing press is also flooded with terrible handicappers, so maybe they just missed the painfully obvious with this horse.

[PaceAdvantage]

Maybe if he actually races a couple more times, he'll get more credit. I think Frankel has done a horrible job of managing this horse.

I think he let Empire Maker cloud his judgement on Ghostzapper, and he kept Ghostzapper SPRINTING when he should have stretched him out, BECAUSE of Empire Maker (who was infinitely LESS talented).

Why did Frankel wait so long to stretch GZ out? Because he had Empire Maker and Peace Rules? That was a big mistake IMO.

[DrugSalvastore]

Why did Frankel wait so long to stretch GZ out? Because he had Empire Maker and Peace Rules? That was a big mistake IMO.

I'm going to respond to a guy with the same exact name as the website, here goes,

Ghostzapper is a half brother to a confirmed sprinter named City Zip. CZ swept all three stake races for 2yo's at Saratoga--he never could reproduce his sprinting form when stretched out. I think Bobby Frankel (a man who is the master!..juice or no juice!) figured that since he was a half to City Zip he might not want to go a classic distance.

On the AOL board I was as vocal as a person can be (while still being civil) that I felt that Ghostzapper would actually be even more effecitive around two turns than he was sprinting. What's improtant to note, is that City Zip was by a sire named Carson City...and Carson City is an utterly dismal stamina sire but a brilliant speed sire. Awesome Again (Ghost's sire) has been a very effective sire of distance runners.

I think Bobby just got caught up thinking his pedigree wasn't great for going long--and since the horse had feet issues and Bobby had multiple top class distance horses--there wasn't a rush to try the horse going long.

Ghostzapper has only had two starts around two turns. One of them was the 128 beyer performance at MTH park--and the other was the Breeders Cup Classic win in the supersonic final time of 1:59.02 while running the final quarter in 23 and change.

Here's a stat for you guys: Since 1997 the sire Carson City has sired 33 winners at Saratoga...exactly ZERO of them have won beyond seven furlongs.

[PaceAdvantage]

I'm going to respond to a guy with the same exact name as the website...

There's a very good reason for that!

And as for Frankel, he doesn't earn a gold star for his early handling of Ghostzapper, plain and simple. Great trainers are paid to discover and harness the full potential of any charge placed within their care. He kind of blew it with this one by keeping him sprinting all that time....

Ghostzapper may never get the full attention he may (or may not) deserve because of this very fact.

[kenwoodallpromos]

I think the racing press misses a lot of boats.
Beginning with not promoting trainers enough to the general media.
Yes, Ghostzapper runs fast and not too often. So let me know about upcoming races so you can help me put money in my pocket!
Why does your bio say "I'm pretty"?

[DrugSalvastore]

And as for Frankel, he doesn't earn a gold star for his early handling of Ghostzapper, plain and simple.

You can think that--but I'm not so sure that's the right way to look at it.

This horse has notoriously bad feet and isn't the soundest of horses--so to knock the conservative way he has been managed isn't a good idea. I praise Bobby for taking his time and getting the horse right. To be fair, I do think it's okay to knock Bobby for waiting so long to route the horse. Ghostzapper is an interesting horse--I'd compare his situation a lot to that of Inside Informations. Heavenly Prize was considered Shug's star filly--and she was an 8-time Grade 1 winner who finished her carrer with a 3rd to Cigar in the Donn. But, in her shadow was always Inside Info, a filly from the same 1991 foal crop who was MUCH better than HP. Like Ghostzapper--Inside Info was a pretty unsound horse who may have got injured or went sour had she not been handled so conservativley. I always felt Inside Info was the most under-appreciated horse of my lifetime.

Inside Information had an impressive lifetime record of 17-14-1-2. But, she was far more brilliant than her record will indicate. She was a multiple Grade 1 winner with a perfect 6-for-6 lifetime record in two turn races. She's most famously remembered for winning the 95 Breeders Cup Distaff by 13 1/2 lengths in 1:46 flat (3/5ths off of Secretariat's ancient track record) over one of the deepest fields ever. On that day, she beat 11-time Grade 1 winner Serena's Song, 8-time Grade 1 winner Heavenly Prize, 4-time Grade 1 winner Lakeway as well a filly named Mariah's Storm who had previously run a 120 beyer figure--and since went on to be the dam of Giant's Causeway.

The two things I remember most about Inside Info: are her win in the Shuvee over Sky Beauty. Sky Beauty was 12-for-12 lifetime at Belmont Park and had been called "the invincible queen of Belmont Park." Under minimal Santos urging Inside Info dusted SB by 5 1/2 lengths to end the streak. It was another 16 lengths back to the third place finisher.

The other thing I remember most about her was the way she would blow open a race when she was feeling right. Only three horses have ever won multiple Grade 1 races by 10+ lengths. Spectacular Bid won two (walkover included) Ruffian won two, and Inside Information won three. She won the Acorn by 11 lengths, the Ruffian by 11 lengths, and the BC Distaff by 13 1/2 lengths. In the 20 year history of the Breeders Cup--she still holds the record for the largest margin of victory--and it's a record that could stand the test of time.

There is NO WAY the incompetent racing press will ever let Inside Info into the Hall of Fame. She will be a forgotten horse--she pretty much is a forgotten horse right now. But, when she was right--it was a show!

[PaceAdvantage]

You can think that--but I'm not so sure that's the right way to look at it.

This horse has notoriously bad feet and isn't the soundest of horses--so to knock the conservative way he has been managed isn't a good idea.

I'm not sure I would call a jump from an Alw NW2 to the Grade ONE King's Bishop conservative....especially when you consider he only won that allowance race by a half length at odds of 3-5.

[DrugSalvastore]

I'm not sure I would call a jump from an Alw NW2 to the Grade ONE King's Bishop conservative....especially when you consider he only won that allowance race by a half length at odds of 3-5.

That is Frankel's staple move. He took Medeglia D' Oro out of an Oaklawn park maiden win and put him into the Grade 2 San Felipe. The result was an easy win and $19 win mutual. Another example was with Midas Eyes. he put him in the Swale Stakes off a six month layoff and a Calder maiden last out. The result was a 10 length victory, a 110 beyer, and a $10.60 mutual. When Bobby thinks they are right--they run in a race that is actually worth winning.

What I meant by conservative was the fact that Ghostzapper has never had more than four starts in a year.

And for the record---the ALW race that Ghostzapper won was a much tougher race than the King's Bishop that he lost. You mention that he only won by a half length but you neglect to metion the runner-up. Clock Stopper was 2nd to Ghostzapper that day. In Clockstopper's next start he won by 6.5 lengths and ran a 106 beyer. Than he ran 2nd beaten less than one length to Cajun Beat (The next out BC Sprint winner) his beyer was 111. Clockstopper's third start after the Ghostzapper loss was a closing victory in a stake race at speed friendly Keeneland. Clock Stopper ran twice at Saratoga last year, his first run was a 2nd place finish to Speightstown which earned him a 113 beyer and his 2nd run was a second place finish to Midas Eyes in a Grade 1 race which earned him a 109 beyer. The final time for the GZ and CS alw race was faster than the final time for the King's Bishop.

Ghostzapper only lost the KB because the race happened to be run during the great Frankel slump of '03. It was rumored that a virus was going around in Frankel's barn--but I have heard more devious explanations to the slump. The track was also mildly inside-speed favoring that day--though calling it a bias would be going to far. If you really think that Great Notion and Valid Video are better sprinters than Clock Stopper---than I can't help ya my man!

[cj]

Back to the first post, if a 4 race season is legendary, I'll stick with the old legends. We'll be lucky to see him 4 times this year as well. Horses like Citation raced 8 times in 2 months, not 2 years, so please don't tell me a 4 race season was legendary.

[Lasix1]

Back to the first post, if a 4 race season is legendary, I'll stick with the old legends. We'll be lucky to see him 4 times this year as well. Horses like Citation raced 8 times in 2 months, not 2 years, so please don't tell me a 4 race season was legendary.
It's a big disappointment around here that due to illness the Ghost isn't showing up for the Oaklawn Handicap Saturday. CJ's right. The money in the game now has made it well-nigh impossible that we'll see anymore Citations and Foregos who ran and ran and ran and ran. The property is too valuable and might get hurt. I'm still smarting about Smarty being retired for essentially no reason at all.

[PaceAdvantage]

--but I have heard more devious explanations to the slump.

Oh, I bet you have!

If you really think that Great Notion and Valid Video are better sprinters than Clock Stopper---than I can't help ya my man!

Ummmmmm....ok.......not sure I was asking for help, nor did I ever offer up an opinion on Great Notion, Valid Video or Clock Stopper. But ok....whatever....

When do nominations close for the King's Bishop? I don't think Frankel knew how weak or strong the race was going to be before he nominated GZ.

[DrugSalvastore]

Back to the first post, if a 4 race season is legendary, I'll stick with the old legends. We'll be lucky to see him 4 times this year as well. Horses like Citation raced 8 times in 2 months, not 2 years, so please don't tell me a 4 race season was legendary.

Yea, The great European horse Lamttarra had a four race career that was--sorry to say--legendary. He won a maiden at two, and swept the English Derby, King George and QE Diamond, and Arc and was retired. Won the Derby off an 8 month layoff--I digress.

I think the people from the turn of the century could say the same thing about horses from the 40's and 50's.

Let's not forget a horse like Roseben--he ran 7 times in a span of six weeks between September 1st through October 15th of 1905. He won six of the races and finished 2nd in the other. He started the streak with a win in the Fall Highweight and ended the streak with a 20 length ALW score at Belmont Park, running seven furlongs in 1:22 flat. A track record that stood for over 40 years until Bold Ruler broke it.

Roseben made 26 starts between March 27th of 1905 through October 13th of 1905. (That's 26 starts in 6 1/2 months!) He won 18 of those 26 starts!

The "Big Train" Roseben is somewhat forgotten--but he deserves to be forgotten. The durability of the breed has worsened with nearly every generation since. I have NO PROBLEM at all with a horse making only four starts in a year--if such a light racing schedule is in the best interest of the horse. Who's to say that Ghostzapper is even sound and durable enough to stand up to a schedule of eight starts a year?

[DrugSalvastore]

Let's not forget a horse like Roseben--he ran 7 times in a span of six weeks between September 1st through October 15th of 1905.

This is why I should re-read or fact check my posts before I send them! This streak was actually between Sep 1st through Oct 16th of 1906. Not 1905.

That's from the PP's in an old DRF book Champions that I had laying around. My memory isn't as sharp as it once was--maybe the bong hits are starting to catch up.

I don't know if Steve Crist is still the man running the show at the form, but I think that book was clearly the best DRF book they put out. Very little writing and lots of raw past performances of great horses. Very neat book.

I can't say I think much of Crist the handicapper, but to his credit, he is a great friend of the betting public and I agree with him a lot as far as his opinion's in his weekly articles go. I also like the fact that he looks like a certifiable burn-out with that long hair. Seems like he'd be a fun guy to gamble with.

[cj]

That's from the PP's in an old DRF book Champions that I had laying around. My memory isn't as sharp as it once was--maybe the bong hits are starting to catch up.


By far my favorite racing book as well!