Suff
06-07-2005, 04:58 PM
Seth Morrow at equidaily, rarely writes an opinion piece . I think I've seen him write 5 or 6 in three years time. But he steps up big time to make a statement on Ghost Zapper.
http://www.equidaily.com/bestbet/opinion/50607.html
Ghostzapper: Great-lite to Great-great
Equidaily offers the formula to make it happen
Race record/competition, a closer look
And finally -- and perhaps most importantly -- let's take a look at the competition Ghostzapper has faced in his string of six stakes wins.
9/27/03 G1 Vosburgh 6.5F... A smart field of nine challengers. Running second was Aggadan, a useful sort, but not a solid G1 competitor. Prior to the Vosburgh Aggadan had mainly been knocking around high-priced claimers and allowance company.
7/4/04 G2 Tom Fool 7F... A field of three challengers. Running second, again, Aggadan.
8/21/04 G3 Iselin 9F... A field of three challengers. Running second, by ten lengths, Presidentialaffair. While that one is a very nice runner, he's not a barometer of championship talent. In fact, in his follow-up to the G3 Iselin, Presidentialaffair wound up last of seven -- by thirty-six lengths -- in the G1 Woodward.
9/11/04 G1 Woodward 9F... Six challengers. Running second, by a neck at even weights, Saint Liam. This was Saint Liam's thirteenth career start and first G1. Finishing third was Bowman's Band, this talented stakes-competitor from Allen Jerkens spent 2004 running well in graded stakes company but couldn't find the winner's circle. Seek Gold ran fourth, followed by Newfoundland, Midway Road and Presidentialaffair.
10/30/04 G1 BC Classic 10F... A dozen solid challengers in clearly the most competitive race of Ghostzapper's career. Second was the very talented Roses in May.
5/30/05 G1 Met Mile 8F... Five challengers. Running second, Silver Wagon, a G1 winner as a 2YO in 2003, one win since -- in a NW2. Of the others Forest Danger could be considered a legit G1 competitor off of his April win in the Carter. Sir Shackleton is a G3 winner and was dusted in two previous tries at the G1 level. Love of Money won the G1 Pa Derby but was trounced in a lone G1 attempt against older. And Pomeroy was a G1 winner sprinting against 3YOs.
So when we really take a look at the cream of the handicap division, how many challengers has Ghostzapper faced in his stakes streak? If we use the Daily Racing Form's "Watchmaker Watch", and look at the "Older Males", in the most recent edition's Top Ten we find that Ghostzapper has faced Saint Liam (#2) once, Roses in May (#3) once, Eddington (#4) never, Rock Hard Ten (#5) never, Badge of Silver (#6) never, Southern Image (#7) never, Pollard's Vision (#8) never, Funny Cide (#9) once, Second of June (#10) never.
Of course, since Ghostzapper only has one 2005 start perhaps it's not fair to look at the current Top Ten. So let's go back to the "Watchmaker Watch" from Breeders' Cup day 2004. Ghostzapper was #2 on that list. Of the others, Ghostzapper faced Pleasantly Perfect (#1) once, Medaglia d'Oro never, Pico Central (#6) never, Peace Rules (#7) never, Evening Attire (#10) never (the missing numbers from the 2004 Top Ten are repeats from the 2005 group listed in the paragraph above).
In other words, beyond the 2004 BC Classic Ghostzapper hasn't faced the best of the best. Even if you don't think the "Watchmaker Watch" is a solid accounting of the tops in the division, pick your own names and see how many them Ghostzapper has faced beyond the BC Classic last year.
http://www.equidaily.com/bestbet/opinion/50607.htmlof
http://www.equidaily.com/bestbet/opinion/50607.html
Ghostzapper: Great-lite to Great-great
Equidaily offers the formula to make it happen
Race record/competition, a closer look
And finally -- and perhaps most importantly -- let's take a look at the competition Ghostzapper has faced in his string of six stakes wins.
9/27/03 G1 Vosburgh 6.5F... A smart field of nine challengers. Running second was Aggadan, a useful sort, but not a solid G1 competitor. Prior to the Vosburgh Aggadan had mainly been knocking around high-priced claimers and allowance company.
7/4/04 G2 Tom Fool 7F... A field of three challengers. Running second, again, Aggadan.
8/21/04 G3 Iselin 9F... A field of three challengers. Running second, by ten lengths, Presidentialaffair. While that one is a very nice runner, he's not a barometer of championship talent. In fact, in his follow-up to the G3 Iselin, Presidentialaffair wound up last of seven -- by thirty-six lengths -- in the G1 Woodward.
9/11/04 G1 Woodward 9F... Six challengers. Running second, by a neck at even weights, Saint Liam. This was Saint Liam's thirteenth career start and first G1. Finishing third was Bowman's Band, this talented stakes-competitor from Allen Jerkens spent 2004 running well in graded stakes company but couldn't find the winner's circle. Seek Gold ran fourth, followed by Newfoundland, Midway Road and Presidentialaffair.
10/30/04 G1 BC Classic 10F... A dozen solid challengers in clearly the most competitive race of Ghostzapper's career. Second was the very talented Roses in May.
5/30/05 G1 Met Mile 8F... Five challengers. Running second, Silver Wagon, a G1 winner as a 2YO in 2003, one win since -- in a NW2. Of the others Forest Danger could be considered a legit G1 competitor off of his April win in the Carter. Sir Shackleton is a G3 winner and was dusted in two previous tries at the G1 level. Love of Money won the G1 Pa Derby but was trounced in a lone G1 attempt against older. And Pomeroy was a G1 winner sprinting against 3YOs.
So when we really take a look at the cream of the handicap division, how many challengers has Ghostzapper faced in his stakes streak? If we use the Daily Racing Form's "Watchmaker Watch", and look at the "Older Males", in the most recent edition's Top Ten we find that Ghostzapper has faced Saint Liam (#2) once, Roses in May (#3) once, Eddington (#4) never, Rock Hard Ten (#5) never, Badge of Silver (#6) never, Southern Image (#7) never, Pollard's Vision (#8) never, Funny Cide (#9) once, Second of June (#10) never.
Of course, since Ghostzapper only has one 2005 start perhaps it's not fair to look at the current Top Ten. So let's go back to the "Watchmaker Watch" from Breeders' Cup day 2004. Ghostzapper was #2 on that list. Of the others, Ghostzapper faced Pleasantly Perfect (#1) once, Medaglia d'Oro never, Pico Central (#6) never, Peace Rules (#7) never, Evening Attire (#10) never (the missing numbers from the 2004 Top Ten are repeats from the 2005 group listed in the paragraph above).
In other words, beyond the 2004 BC Classic Ghostzapper hasn't faced the best of the best. Even if you don't think the "Watchmaker Watch" is a solid accounting of the tops in the division, pick your own names and see how many them Ghostzapper has faced beyond the BC Classic last year.
http://www.equidaily.com/bestbet/opinion/50607.htmlof