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Norm
02-08-2008, 05:40 PM
Today's 7th at AQU was a classic example of the old adage "for want of a shoe, the horse was lost, for want of a horse, the kingdom was lost." My home-made figures showed the favorite to be 7 lengths better than his nearest competitor and he was a front-runner (very helpful at AQU). He was 4-5, not very attractive but looked hard to beat. I opened my wallet. Then the track announcer called out the shoes. "Mud caulks on . . . ", my horse was not included. Hmmm ... "Quarter-inch bends on . . . ", my horse is not included. I closed my wallet, there would be no bet on this one. The track was fast but, no matter, I know what those shoe do for a horse on the inner track at AQU.

There off ! . . . the favorite slips and is a step slow coming out of the gate but exerts himself and gets 2nd but now he's on the outside. Bravely, he stays within 1 ½ of the leader all along the backstretch and even around the turn. But now the critical moment comes, kicking off the turn into the straightaway. The leader, with caulks and bends, accelerates. The favorite, without caulks or bends, cannot accelerate. The favorite digs in, but without traction devices, he makes no gain and is soundly trounced by 5 ½.

While caulks and bends do not guarantee victory, nor does the lack of them ensure defeat, the information is very helpful at decision making time. Luckily, I had the NYRA audio tuned in at home, so I heard the announcement. But, I wonder how many times I've missed out on knowing what traction devices were on a horses feet, and got caught on a "good" horse that really didn't have much of a chance ?

skate
02-08-2008, 05:54 PM
nice call.


and one very good reason to play the 17/1

Norm
02-08-2008, 08:24 PM
and one very good reason to play the 17/1
I should be so lucky ! I use a procedure that has kept me in the game and modestly profitable for many years, but I have developed a chronic cough from all the chalk dust :D .

Robert Fischer
02-08-2008, 09:27 PM
Today's 7th at AQU was a classic example of the old adage "for want of a shoe, the horse was lost, for want of a horse, the kingdom was lost." My home-made figures showed the favorite to be 7 lengths better than his nearest competitor and he was a front-runner (very helpful at AQU). He was 4-5, not very attractive but looked hard to beat. I opened my wallet. Then the track announcer called out the shoes. "Mud caulks on . . . ", my horse was not included. Hmmm ... "Quarter-inch bends on . . . ", my horse is not included. I closed my wallet, there would be no bet on this one. The track was fast but, no matter, I know what those shoe do for a horse on the inner track at AQU.

There off ! . . . the favorite slips and is a step slow coming out of the gate but exerts himself and gets 2nd but now he's on the outside. Bravely, he stays within 1 ½ of the leader all along the backstretch and even around the turn. But now the critical moment comes, kicking off the turn into the straightaway. The leader, with caulks and bends, accelerates. The favorite, without caulks or bends, cannot accelerate. The favorite digs in, but without traction devices, he makes no gain and is soundly trounced by 5 ½.

While caulks and bends do not guarantee victory, nor does the lack of them ensure defeat, the information is very helpful at decision making time. Luckily, I had the NYRA audio tuned in at home, so I heard the announcement. But, I wonder how many times I've missed out on knowing what traction devices were on a horses feet, and got caught on a "good" horse that really didn't have much of a chance ?

great stuff.

I also like the quote a poster here named Cees likes to say "you can't put mud calks on an unsound horse"

Ernie Dahlman
02-08-2008, 10:51 PM
The main problem I have with this thread is that the winner of the race (Duke Of De Buge) was not wearing calks.

Robert Fischer
02-08-2008, 11:53 PM
The main problem I have with this thread is that the winner of the race (Duke Of De Buge) was not wearing calks.

oops

Norm
02-09-2008, 12:06 AM
The main problem I have with this thread is that the winner of the race (Duke Of De Buge) was not wearing calks.
It would be quite a disapointment if the track announcer's info was incorrect. I rely on that for decision making.