A reason to go to the Belmont now

[Fager Fan]

Songbird's seasonal debut will be on the undercard.

I look forward to that more than the Belmont. Hope she returns even better than last year.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Fager Fan

Songbird's seasonal debut will be on the undercard.

I look forward to that more than the Belmont. Hope she returns even better than last year.

Should be a walkover. They are ducking the California distaff set in the Beholder Mile.

[anotherCAfan]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Should be a walkover. They are ducking the California distaff set in the Beholder Mile.

It'll be her first race off a layoff, though, as well as her first time at Big Sandy.

I hope she wins -- and I hope everyone comes back safe -- but it will be tough.

I also think she ought to stick to SoCal for the rest of the year, insofar as the Breeders Cup is in Del Mar (where I don't think she has run?).

[letswastemoney]

California-only campaigns are boring, whether or not the Breeders' Cup is in the same place. I'm glad she's going east for her 2017 debut.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

California-only campaigns are boring, whether or not the Breeders' Cup is in the same place. I'm glad she's going east for her 2017 debut.

I am fine with her running in NY (she spent a fair amount of last year there too), but I don't like at all that she is doing it to explicitly duck competition. Compare the way they manage her to the way Mandella managed Beholder.

[delsully]

Explicitly? That may be a stretch. Double the purse money and coming off a 7 month layoff might also have something to do with it.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by delsully

Explicitly? That may be a stretch. Double the purse money and coming off a 7 month layoff might also have something to do with it.

You can judge for yourself. It sure sounds like they were going to run in the Beholder and the owner decided he didn't want to run against Vale Dori and Stellar Wind.

https://www.americasbestracing.net/t...ont-stakes-day

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

You can judge for yourself. It sure sounds like they were going to run in the Beholder and the owner decided he didn't want to run against Vale Dori and Stellar Wind.

https://www.americasbestracing.net/t...ont-stakes-day

What would you do if you owned/trained her? The first race back after an 8 month layoff is a nervous time. She'd be at her most vulnerable, and you also hope she returns the same filly she left as. VD and SW have races under their belts. I bet neither of them would want to race against Songbird if the situation was reversed.

But the alternative isn't totally ideal. She has to fly across the country and race over a track she's never raced on.

So maybe it did come down to the big purse difference being what tilted the decision to NY. I also read where someone said that Porter may be able to go to the race in NY but not CA due to his cancer treatments.

I don't know which one I'd pick. I'd like the home track for the first start back, but those two aren't chopped liver so I'd want to know if JH can have her 100% off the bench.

[señorclipclop]

If Saratoga is the grave of champions, what is Belmont? Tread lightly here, imo.

[dilanesp]

Fager, it's OK to lose.

Seriously, this idea that if the horse runs and loses the connections did something wrong is pernicious. Back in the day, top horses would run 15 times in a season. Round Table and Affirmed both lost some races. Seattle Slew lost to Dr. Patches when he may not have been 100 percent after a long break. Does anyone think less of him because of that?

Songbird should run against top competition. If she loses, she loses. Better than looking around for weak races to keep that almost perfect record.

[cj]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Fager, it's OK to lose.

Seriously, this idea that if the horse runs and loses the connections did something wrong is pernicious. Back in the day, top horses would run 15 times in a season. Round Table and Affirmed both lost some races. Seattle Slew lost to Dr. Patches when he may not have been 100 percent after a long break. Does anyone think less of him because of that?

Songbird should run against top competition. If she loses, she loses. Better than looking around for weak races to keep that almost perfect record.

It is one of the worst things that has happened in our sport. People are afraid to lose. Some of that is because horses run less so every spot is more important.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Fager, it's OK to lose.

Seriously, this idea that if the horse runs and loses the connections did something wrong is pernicious. Back in the day, top horses would run 15 times in a season. Round Table and Affirmed both lost some races. Seattle Slew lost to Dr. Patches when he may not have been 100 percent after a long break. Does anyone think less of him because of that?

Songbird should run against top competition. If she loses, she loses. Better than looking around for weak races to keep that almost perfect record.

Looking for a weak spot would've been going in some G3 in CA.

She's flying across the country to run in a race that is arguably more prestigious and with almost twice the purse, running over big sandy for the first time, after an 8 month layoff. That presents enough of a challenge to not warrant criticism as I see it. If she goes in a CA G3 instead, I'll join you in the criticism.

I don't think the entries have been drawn yet. Why not send Stellar Wind or VD on the same plane? This is the most vulnerable they'd find her, so hop on and try to take her down. Try to put that win in the column to take them to older female Eclipse. Or do they think it'd be a softer spot to stay in CA? Are you sure they wouldn't be on a plane if they heard Songbird was staying in CA?

We'll see who shows up for the Del Cap. All 3 should fly in for that one given it's pot and prestige.

[delsully]

Originally Posted by cj

It is one of the worst things that has happened in our sport. People are afraid to lose. Some of that is because horses run less so every spot is more important.

On the flip side, don't you want to face your toughest competition while at your best?

[cj]

Originally Posted by delsully

On the flip side, don't you want to face your toughest competition while at your best?

Only if you are worried about losing. If I play tennis, for example, against a bunch of scrubs then jump in against somebody my level or a little higher, I'll get blasted. I'd rather lose against better to prepare.

[burnsy]

I can't figure out why I wouldn't go this year. Even if Songbird was not running. The lack of 90.000 people has my name all over it. Something like 6 grade 1 races.............marvelous! Able to breathe and enjoy.......priceless!