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View Full Version : Alan Shuback ... AGAIN


toetoe
11-11-2008, 09:13 PM
This guy makes me ... :bang: .

Listen to this part of his "analysis" ( :faint: ) of race (7), 12 November at Hollywood Park (8.5f, turf):

RUSH RUSH

Well beaten by (tomorrow's rival) Runway Dancer(*1) going longer last year, his last three wins came in optional claimers(*2). As this race shapes up as a low-end G3(*3), he is likely to be outclassed as he was in a restricted stake (sic) last time at Del Mar(*4).

How wrongheaded and simplistic is this basher of Curlin, Hard Spun AND Rags To Riches ? Let me count the ways:

*1) How can anything be less relevant than that result ?

*2) Uh, no sir. Two were in optional claimers, which I presume to be often tougher than allowances, as otherwise ineligible, but still beastly animals might be in the field. The most recent win was against straight claimers. It remains to be analyzed (I don't expect that from you, Mr. Shuback, don't worry) whether that claimer was tougher than your garden variety NW3 or NW4.

*3) Another way of saying nothing at all. A low-end Grade 3 may have some real rocketships in it; it may be as weak as a statebred "Champions Day" race.

*4) Rush Rush was nowhere in a restricted 8 1/2 furlong stakes that went 48:1 early and 51:4 late. I can forgive a big closer for doing nothing in a race of such shape, but will TODAY'S race shape up similarly ? Not important to A. S., I guess. He doesn't even judge RR for finishing 6th by 7 1/4 lengths, but just for being entered at all. No matter that the winner, Hyperbaric, won a Grade 2 in his next start. Another contender tomorrow, Dilemma, was a close 5th in Hyperbaric's Grade 2, but Mr. Shuback prefers to rate him based on two efforts on Astrodirt ( :bang: ). That bears on tomorrow's race ... HOW, sir ?

:ThmbDown: :ThmbDown:

Tom Barrister
11-12-2008, 10:51 AM
The man's entitled to his opinion. Nobody is forced to listen to him or give anything he says credibility.

TommyCh
11-12-2008, 02:45 PM
Last time I saw Shuback, he was on TVG's Blinkers Off program before the 2007 Dubai festival. He made a blanket statement that the American horses basically had no chance that day. the American horses later went on to represent themselves pretty well. Watchmaker, with a look of total astonishment on his face, said "I have to disagree" and then ran down a few of the horses he thought had real good chances. It was pretty funny. Put it this way, I haven't seen Shuback on television since then. Did he do any Breeders Cup analysis that anyone saw this year? Would have been a good year for it. Or would it?

toetoe
11-13-2008, 01:30 PM
Wow, Tom. Sorry you had to wade through my dreary post, just to remind me of the Golden Rule. Maybe if I don't have anything nice to say ...

Anyway, Post of the Month, mate. :ThmbUp:



From 5/2 m.l., RR drifted up to amost 5/1, and ran second. :jump:

Tom Barrister
11-13-2008, 03:25 PM
Thanks. I try to get right to the point.