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08-29-2021, 01:16 PM
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#16
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clean money
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 23,559
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Sure had the measure of that bear Midnight Bourbon, yesterday.
Essential Quality one of the best in his division.
__________________
Preparation. Discipline. Patience. Decisiveness.
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08-29-2021, 08:09 PM
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Spaghetti Junction and Frustration Blvd.
Posts: 1,901
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Never does his thing with an exceptional amount of flair, but, man oh man that horse has a big heart. He certainly loves to reach the finish line before his competitors.
__________________
Warm Regards,
Vinnie
"All Human error is impatience; a premature renunciation of method"- F. Kafka
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08-30-2021, 11:16 AM
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 20,613
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spalding No!
And there's little quality in the 3yo division and whatever there was is still dwindling.
A "first ballot Hall of Famer" according to Brad Cox (cuz he's been around so many?), apparently because he's consistent enough to beat runners-up that collectively are just 2 for 25 in 2021 (adding in their 2020 records won't make it look any better)...
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I'm not going to be critical of a horse that's 8 for 9 with one terrible trip that's also still moving forward all year.
To me this is a horse with just enough speed to get himself into position to win most races and enough stamina/speed late to wear down most horses once he's in position. He's not out there trying to maximize his Beyer or winning margin. Horses like this usually have a little left in the tank. Some people get crazy and project all kinds of greatness off the win record. I'm not one of them. But if need be I think he can run a 110-112 or maybe even a tad higher in the Classic. That's not so bad in the post steroid/Lasix era of racing. The standards are changing.
IMO, someone is going to have to be a lot faster than him and get away from him turning for home to beat him. Knicks Go is fast enough, but that last furlong could be an issue, especially if anyone else with speed shows up.
I liked his race Saturday. It wasn't the strongest Travers we've even seen, but the place horse was loose in a comfortable pace on a track that at a minimum was kind to speed (if not outright biased towards it). It took quite a late kick to get the job done.
Imo, he's not a great horse (at least yet), but he's sure no bum either.
__________________
"Unlearning is the highest form of learning"
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08-31-2021, 09:46 AM
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#19
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bismarck, ND
Posts: 1,626
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Quote:
Originally Posted by classhandicapper
I liked his race Saturday. It wasn't the strongest Travers we've even seen, but the place horse was loose in a comfortable pace on a track that at a minimum was kind to speed (if not outright biased towards it). It took quite a late kick to get the job done.
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Agree on all points, especially this one. It made for easier than average wagering for that track. Nailed that trifecta using the speed but wish I wasn't so complacent with just $2 wager.
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09-02-2021, 01:08 PM
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#20
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 20,613
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f2tornado
Agree on all points, especially this one. It made for easier than average wagering for that track. Nailed that trifecta using the speed but wish I wasn't so complacent with just $2 wager.
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I just boxed the exacta and took a nap.
__________________
"Unlearning is the highest form of learning"
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09-08-2021, 05:10 PM
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#21
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self medicated
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: toga
Posts: 3,088
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The biggest baddest horses I saw at Saratoga were in the Whitney . Knicks Go and Maxfield are big boys. I looked at Swiss Skydiver next to them and knew she had to run the race of her life to keep up. I posted a nice pic of her but there was no way I was going to bet on her. They were impressive looking specimens. EQ is gonna get tested hard in the next level if looks and size mean anything. Those suckers looked all business in the Paddock.
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09-10-2021, 07:56 AM
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#22
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 4,520
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Quote:
Originally Posted by burnsy
The biggest baddest horses I saw at Saratoga were in the Whitney . Knicks Go and Maxfield are big boys. I looked at Swiss Skydiver next to them and knew she had to run the race of her life to keep up. I posted a nice pic of her but there was no way I was going to bet on her. They were impressive looking specimens. EQ is gonna get tested hard in the next level if looks and size mean anything. Those suckers looked all business in the Paddock.
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Too bad Mishriff is passing on the classic.
He smashed knicks go into little knicks go pieces.
He’s a true monster.
Allan
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09-11-2021, 10:17 PM
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#23
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Chicago in summer, New Orleans in Winter.
Posts: 56
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Quote:
Originally Posted by biggestal99
Too bad Mishriff is passing on the classic.
He smashed knicks go into little knicks go pieces.
He’s a true monster.
Allan
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The larger question is are you and Dave going to the breeders cup this year. Curious minds want to know. I am not sure I will make it but would give more consideration if you two would be there.
-Mick
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10-28-2021, 09:28 AM
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#24
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 930
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If anyone is going give me a heads up and I'll meet you on Friday at some point. I don't post that much around here but have been doing it for years, mainly around Triple Crown events and certainly the BC. I'm not that old which is funny because a lot of people are almost confused if you tell them you are a horse player (here and there) and you aren't at least 65 or older.
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10-28-2021, 09:31 AM
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#25
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 930
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Quote:
Originally Posted by classhandicapper
Imo, he's not a great horse (at least yet), but he's sure no bum either.
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Exactly. He's lost one race in his life, and it was a stupid 20 horse field. Now, I do understand that the competition isn't the greatest, but I just perused the Classic pre-entries and it's not like we have some monster field this year, either.
I felt that way about most of the races, btw, which is curious. Especially at a random track/surface like Del Mar (historically). Bombs away on BC day!
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10-31-2021, 12:13 AM
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#26
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Dark Side of the Moon
Posts: 5,870
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LemonSoupKid
Exactly. He's lost one race in his life, and it was a stupid 20 horse field. Now, I do understand that the competition isn't the greatest, but I just perused the Classic pre-entries and it's not like we have some monster field this year, either.
I felt that way about most of the races, btw, which is curious. Especially at a random track/surface like Del Mar (historically). Bombs away on BC day!
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agree, this field is so so, though since getting to Brad Cox Knicks Go has moved to another level of good, if he runs to his best races he will win.
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10-31-2021, 07:22 PM
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#27
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 20,613
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Knicks Go is the key to the race for me.
IMO his best race is better than anyone's else's so far, but he's never been at his best when challenged. There are some horses in there that may make him work early. Even if he shakes loose again, he's going to have to carry his speed an extra furlong after outrunning some other quality speed.
I like this 3yo colt crop a lot. They are lightly raced and still moving forward. Even if Knicks Go shakes loose and carries his speed, it's still not a lock that one of the 3yo can't move past him. He's very good on his best day when loose, but he's not great. There's room above him. I think I'll be keying the 3yos unless something about the way the track is playing changes my view or the odds aren't adequate.
__________________
"Unlearning is the highest form of learning"
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11-02-2021, 07:21 PM
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#28
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clean money
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 23,559
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Quote:
Originally Posted by classhandicapper
Knicks Go is the key to the race for me.
IMO his best race is better than anyone's else's so far, but he's never been at his best when challenged. There are some horses in there that may make him work early. Even if he shakes loose again, he's going to have to carry his speed an extra furlong after outrunning some other quality speed.
I like this 3yo colt crop a lot. They are lightly raced and still moving forward. Even if Knicks Go shakes loose and carries his speed, it's still not a lock that one of the 3yo can't move past him. He's very good on his best day when loose, but he's not great. There's room above him. I think I'll be keying the 3yos unless something about the way the track is playing changes my view or the odds aren't adequate.
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He's a monster.
If Baffert wants to put a stamp on the race and send Medina Spirit on a mission, it makes things interesting.
I thought Knicks Go ran really big in Saudi Cup. Just had Charlatan also running huge to set it up for Mishriff.
The one race on Belmont Day for Knicks Go, I thought was a 'clunker'. He didn't bring his 'A' game/'eat his Wheaties' that day... Re-established as himself since then...
Good hand for Cox, obviously. As far at the thread title - EQ size seems fine, and then when a horse is running huge races you get to a point where none of the eye test stuff matters any more.
__________________
Preparation. Discipline. Patience. Decisiveness.
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11-04-2021, 04:14 PM
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#29
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,427
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Johnny V already said Medina Spirit is going for the lead. They'll have to catch him. The horse does have lots of stay in his breeding. He didn't show it in the Preakness, but 3 year olds develop over the summer into the fall. we'll see... At Delmar the second flight figures in this race... Essential Quality or Tripoli, but if Medina Spirit runs to breeding he could run away with it like Authentic last year. I wish I could say that about Knicks Go, but he's raced 3 years avoiding this distance. It says something.
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