Why bother with the marathon?

[46zilzal]

I understand that the vaunted "stayers" race is planned to run AFTER the B.C. Classic. Now who in the world is going to see this "after thought?"

You couldn't have placed it in a less envious position yet the powers that be are touting a return to distance racing. Give me a break!

[Tom]

I hope it is not part of the big pick wager!

[OTM Al]

That's just odd. I was all for adding a race for stayers, but real stayers, something like 2 miles on the grass. This race will get no attention this way. After the Classic (powered by Dodge....) the party is over. Great way to kill off a product if that is your aim....

[46zilzal]

Originally Posted by OTM Al

That's just odd. I was all for adding a race for stayers, but real stayers, something like 2 miles on the grass. This race will get no attention this way. After the Classic (powered by Dodge....) the party is over. Great way to kill off a product if that is your aim....

There already are many a long distance race ON THE LAWN. The dirt is where it is needed.

In Europe, a stayers race is like at Ascot: 20 furlongs.

[JPinMaryland]

what exactly are the conditions for this race? I confess I did not read the press release on this and it has drawn little comment, other than here. what distance? it's on turf??

[DrunkenHorseplayer]

Originally Posted by 46zilzal

I understand that the vaunted "stayers" race is planned to run AFTER the B.C. Classic. Now who in the world is going to see this "after thought?"

You couldn't have placed it in a less envious position yet the powers that be are touting a return to distance racing. Give me a break!

This is sacrelige; what are these morons thinking?

[Tom]

Originally Posted by DrunkenHorseplayer

This is sacrelige; what are these morons thinking?

$$$$$

[ceejay]

Originally Posted by JPinMaryland

what exactly are the conditions for this race? I confess I did not read the press release on this and it has drawn little comment, other than here. what distance? it's on turf??

12 F on whatever will pass for dirt this fall @ SA.

[Leftcoast]

Originally Posted by ceejay

12 F on whatever will pass for dirt this fall @ SA.

*Only* 12f - that's why I always refer to it as the Dirt "Marathon"

I'd much rather see it set at 2 miles -- same distance as the old Jockey Club Gold Cup.

The exact order of the races hasn't been set yet, but according to the response to an e-mail I sent to the Breeders' Cup, they might very well run it after the TV broadcast is over. Buncha freakin' bozos....

I have more to say about this at Left Coast Racing.

Cheers,
Leftcoast

[Bobzilla]

Nothing against reintroducing races which are run over a true distance of ground, and that might eventually redirect the breeding of thoroughbreds more in the classic direction end of the spectrum versus the brilliant. But immediately throwing such an event into the Breeders' Cup and calling a 12f event a Marathon is silly.

Marathons for humans are run over a "ridiculously extreme" distance of 26 Miles 385 yards, the same distance between Marathon and Athens in Greece. The poor messenger who did this first, running to Athens to report of an imminent Persian attack on Athens, dropped dead from heat stroke after completing his assignment. The term Marathon seems appropriate for humans who want to run not just a distance of ground, but what most would consider an "extreme distance" of ground. 12f on dirt, AWS, or grass is not an "extreme" distance of ground for a thoroughbred. Calling this race a Marathon seems silly and gimmicky, as do all the rest of the proposed changes this new crew of empty suits directing the BC have brought forward. Placing this race, of what will probably amount to mostly Allowance type horses, after the BC Classic will be considered by many to be anti-climactic, and unless one is still alive in a horizontal exotic wager, I wouldn't be suprised if most don't stick around to spectate the event.

[cj's dad]

On Belmont Stakes day, isn't there a 2 miler on the main run as the 4th or 5th race of the day?

[Bobzilla]

I can't rercall a 2 mile event being run on Belmont Day. There is usually a ! !/2 event run earlier in the card to help fig makers get a read on the track that day for 12 furlongs. It's been my personal observation the Belmont track variant alters dramaticaly over the course of a day, so I'm not sure what good it does. I've been to every Belmont since 91, It might be posiblr there were 16f races run that day in years prior to when I started going.

[OTM Al]

There used to be 1 1/2 mile race run that day from what I'm told, but not sure its been done in a while. This year they are running the Brooklyn the day before which, despite what the NYRA site says, was to have been increased to 1 1/2 miles

[DanG]

On the subject of distance running…

We will never in our lifetimes see another top American 3yo come close to distances Easy Goer ran in 1989. (Facing older 4 times)

In succession…All graded:

• 1. 07f
• 2. 08f
• 3. 09f
• 4. 10f
• 5. 9.5f
• 6. 12f
• 7. 09f
• 8. 10f
• 9. 10f
• 10. 12f
• 11. 10f

106.5 graded furlongs is just remarkable by todays standards. ½ that is considered squeezing the lemon dry now.

[Tom]

I don't think a lot of today's horses could get 2 miles without a van and trailer.