Do you think I'll Have Another wins Triple Crown?

[Grits]

A few observations from jockey, Ron Turcotte.

http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/Tu...457/story.html

[tucker6]

Originally Posted by Grits

A few observations from jockey, Ron Turcotte.

http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/Tu...457/story.html

from the article on celebrating victory ...

"He did something in the Preakness I did not approve of," said Turcotte. "It is not only him who does it. All the young jockeys do it now. It is when they raise their sticks in the air, and one day a horse will duck from something and it could cause a serious accident.
"I remember when I was riding Secretariat or Riva Ridge, you never saw me or any of the other jocks doing that. We would keep our hands strictly on the reins, and get the horse back safely.

"There was one time when Jean Cruguet, who won the 1977 Triple Crown with Seattle Slew, started celebrating.

"I pulled up next to him and yelled, 'Cruguet why are you taking chances like that? One day you and the horse could get hurt.' Soon after the race he was called before the stewards about his celebration. He stopped."

I can't say I disagree. Act like you've been to the winner's circle before.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

Are you saying that perhaps the stewards fear this nasal strip is somehow being used as a drug delivery system?

No, but when they used to report it being used, there were some nice form reversals - both ways with the strips.

Personally, I don't see how the stewards can allow IHA to use it - it would be unfair to the hundreds of trainers who are not allowed to use it at NYRA.

Do rules mean anything anymore? If there is zero reason for IHA not to use it, then there is zero reason not to allow ALL to use it. How many OTHER things are allowed for some and not others the we never hear about? I still remember the turn down fiasco that NYRA did a piss poor job of enforcing. That was when I stopped playing NYRA as my main train.

[canleakid]

"Theoretically, the strip won't make a horse run faster.
However, talk to any long distance athlete and they will tell you that a relaxed runner will run faster"


I wear them for my 5k & 10 k races and they help me damn wish I would of used them when I ran marathons

[5k-claim]

Originally Posted by tucker6

from the article on celebrating victory ...

"He did something in the Preakness I did not approve of," said Turcotte. "It is not only him who does it. All the young jockeys do it now. It is when they raise their sticks in the air, and one day a horse will duck from something and it could cause a serious accident.
"I remember when I was riding Secretariat or Riva Ridge, you never saw me or any of the other jocks doing that. We would keep our hands strictly on the reins, and get the horse back safely.

"There was one time when Jean Cruguet, who won the 1977 Triple Crown with Seattle Slew, started celebrating.

"I pulled up next to him and yelled, 'Cruguet why are you taking chances like that? One day you and the horse could get hurt.' Soon after the race he was called before the stewards about his celebration. He stopped."

I can't say I disagree. Act like you've been to the winner's circle before.

I can't say I disagree, either.

I bet, then, that Turcotte wanted to reach through his television and strangle Mickael Barzalona after the Dubai World Cup last month. I probably won't react too strongly when that kid gets himself hurt someday, but he also stands a chance of getting someone else hurt as well. That will mark the end of his stupid stunts, and any public or media defense of them.

.

[Figaro]

I'm crossing my fingers for IHA and hoping he comes out a winner at Belmont. Totally ready for the curse to be broken this year. I want Hollywood to come knocking to make a movie about IHA when he's victorious.

On a sidenote, I watched race replays for previous Triple Crown winners such a Secretariat (1973) and Affirmed (1978). No wonder why it is such a difficult task these days, the fields are just too large compared to the old days when Triple Crown races had fields of only 6 horses to go against.

[jdhanover]

Originally Posted by 5k-claim

I can't say I disagree, either.

I bet, then, that Turcotte wanted to reach through his television and strangle Mickael Barzalona after the Dubai World Cup last month. I probably won't react too strongly when that kid gets himself hurt someday, but he also stands a chance of getting someone else hurt as well. That will mark the end of his stupid stunts, and any public or media defense of them.

.

It won't....in baseball last year kendry Morales' season ended in a walk-off HR celebration. They still do them today. Hard to stop the emotion at key moments.


Separately - I dont think the larger fields is the main reason for the lack of a triple crown winner in recent years. I think we got spoiled with Secretariat as then we see another a few years later in the epic Affirmed-Alydar TC races.

[nijinski]

Originally Posted by Tom

No, but when they used to report it being used, there were some nice form reversals - both ways with the strips.

Personally, I don't see how the stewards can allow IHA to use it - it would be unfair to the hundreds of trainers who are not allowed to use it at NYRA.

Do rules mean anything anymore? If there is zero reason for IHA not to use it, then there is zero reason not to allow ALL to use it. How many OTHER things are allowed for some and not others the we never hear about? I still remember the turn down fiasco that NYRA did a piss poor job of enforcing. That was when I stopped playing NYRA as my main train.

Tom , I totally see the point of not making exceptions for one horse. That would be unfair as you pointed out . I think many just don't understand NY's
ban on them and would like to see it lifted oneday. Doubt it will be Belmont Stakes Day though. Dr Hill's concern about them falling off is laughable . What damage would that do?
I remember many who used turn downs , toe grabs and the like , upset about that ban. There were Veterinarians concerned about the action on the horses legs and surface damage .I think they had to go , that's just my opinion.
Your point is taken , Any ban imposed should be enforced with a heavy hand .

[pandy]

The short fields were because no one wanted to run against those horses. Think about it, would you want to go against Secretariat, Seattle Slew, or Alydar and Affirmed? Of course the fields were small.

I was at Belmont for Secretariat and Seattle Slew and there was not much drama because everyone knew we were going to have a Triple Crown winner, it was just a matter of how much they would win by. We didn't go to the Belmont to see if Big Red or Slew would win the Triple Crown, we went to see them win the Belmont, they were locks. Those horses were freaks.

When Affirmed won it was different because of Alydar, who everyone knew had a big shot.

[KingChas]

Originally Posted by Figaro

On a sidenote, I watched race replays for previous Triple Crown winners such a Secretariat (1973) and Affirmed (1978). No wonder why it is such a difficult task these days, the fields are just too large compared to the old days when Triple Crown races had fields of only 6 horses to go against.

Why larger fields now...this helps a little.

Belmont Stakes
Purse of $1,000,000

Winner
$620,000 (62%)

Second
$200,000 (20%)

Third
$100,000 (10%)

Fourth
$50,000 (5%)

Fifth
$30,000 (3%)

[Grits]

But, how prevalent back then was the habit of skipping one, or maybe two, of the races to wait for the Belmont?

This is extremely common now, as you know.

[Cardus]

Originally Posted by Burls

Since Mario Gutierrez came on board, that has been IHA's M.O., though.
Look at the results for IHA's 4 races with MG as jockey.
RB Lewis - 1st by 2 lengths at the stretch call, 1st by 2 3/4 at the finish line - Beyer 96.
SA Derby - 3rd by 1/2 a length at the stretch call, 1st by a nose at the finish line - Beyer 95.
Ky Derby - 2nd by 3 lengths at the stretch call, 1st by 1 1/2 at the finish line - Beyer 101.
RB Lewis G2 - 2nd by 3 1/2 lengths at the stretch call, 1st by a neck at the finish line - Beyer 109.
The last 3 have all been exactly the same.
He comes up fairly quickly on the opening straightaway, patiently stays a few lengths back for the middle of the race, makes up a few lengths in the second half of the final turn if necessary, fires up the retro rockets after he straightens out from the final turn, then takes over the pace in the dying seconds.
BOD runs every race as fast he possibly can and has to be first at every call of the race.
IHA runs as fast as he needs to to win the race in the straightaway.
We know what BOD is capable of doing; we don't yet know what IHA is capable of doing.
My prediction is that IHA is going to run exactly the kind of Belmont that, in your words "wins in the final 1/16th" and "still won't have you convinced."

Burls, you have a freaky avatar.

[Cardus]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

It really doesn't make much sense given all the other equipment that can be used or not used that goes unreported (tongue ties, shadow rolls, different bits, etc.)

I think the stewards should make an exception and allow IHA to run with the nasal strip. After all, as has been reported, this is a stewards ruling only, and not a NYSRWB ruling...perhaps they will change their minds as race day approaches...

Why should an exception be made for this horse?

[Grits]

From the front page of http://www.flairstrips.com/

During exercise when horses begin to breathe hard the soft tissues overlying the nasal passages are sucked in, reducing the airway diameter. This reduction in diameter causes greater resistance to airflow into the lungs. FLAIR Strips gently support the soft tissues over the nasal passages providing reduced airway resistance during exercise. By reducing airway resistance during exercise, FLAIR Strips help prevent fatigue related injuries, help protect the lungs from injury and bleeding and promote optimal athletic performance.

A relaxed horse will breathe better, yes, as the creators and CEO of Flair strips explains. Jockeys and exercise riders are in agreement. Still, they've not been embraced by trainers a great deal because, often, trainers are looking for that 8 length improvement. It doesn't always work that way as we know.

I want I'll Have Another to win the Belmont badly. The strip is used to raise, or keep in place the soft tissue atop the horse's airway, to keep it fully open allowing no restriction, whatsoever, in getting air to the animal's lungs. This, helping him not to tire, to remain at his optimal condition throughout the race.

Any means by which one opens an airway to its maximum, one can be sure that individual is going to work better and rest better, therefore, run better. Even the least amount of change could be beneficial. The creator stating, "full lungs are full lungs, its a closed system" isn't a suitable response. If the test results indicate the pressure in the animals lungs is not elevated then, yes, there's suitable air flow. If he didn't bleed, yes, there must be suitable air flow. But this may not be the end of reasoning.

Every year, humans are diagnosed as not getting enough air, enough oxygen into their lungs which in turn creates high lung pressures. They don't sleep well due to cessation of their breathing because their airway is impeded, again, by soft tissue obstruction. They don't rest well, they don't work well.

You can't put a CPAP mask on a horse, but you can, by means of a nasal strip, further open his airway. And yes, he'll relax because he's NOT working as hard as he would if he were not getting the optimal amount of air, which is certainly possibly in any runner.

As far as the bleeding thing? Keeping it at a minimum? What's the worry, every runner's been on lasix since the day they were born.

IMHO, no, its not a drug, but it should be looked upon as equipment. If all the horses are wearing one, let's roll. If not, keep the nasal strip in the barn.

I sure hope he wins, strip or no strip.

“Many people think the horse will get more air. Not so. We’re looking at a closed system, full lungs are full lungs. But if we can help them get the same amount of air with less work, the results are reduced pressure, less stress, not more air or more oxygen.

It will not make the horse run faster, but if the nasal strips put less strain on the horse, makes him more relaxed, it has to be beneficial.

[Sysonby]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Why should an exception be made for this horse?

I don't think anyone's calling for an exception for one horse, but some of us are having a hard time understanding the ban in one jurisdiction on something that in theory and in practice appears to have a positive effect on a common racing problem, bleeding.