Give the People What They Want
About half of my readership is hardcore horse racing fans and the other half know little about the game, but come here for the personal interest story of me and my filly. For the latter, I know I do a poor job of explaining racing nomenclature (as some of you have pointed out), but you also know that I always answer your emails. For a primer, check out Tim Wooley's FAQ. Also, if you're interested in the thought process of expert handicappers as they try to pick winners, check out FormBlog by Dan Illman [free subscription required] of the Daily Racing Form. Dan, one of the classiest guys in racing (not saying much) was even kind enough to note Movement's strong effort last week.
Vodka Asserts Superiority
Although I'm a Gin man, myself, with a hat tipped to Sue of Post Parade I have to honor Make Mine Vodka in winning a N1X at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday in impressive fashion. Chad Schvaneveldt is seen here drawing off. His mount went on to win by four lengths.
9 comments:
I say we run her on the turf and then breed it to the Team Forster horse: Is the bar closed and call the first offspring: Last Call
What is her breeding again? Does she shows any kind of high leg action, and has any kind of speed, it might worth it. You can always work her on the turf and see if she handles it. Up here at the downs, we never to get to see turf, and we always bitch about the lack of.
yea, the bottom with Kris S. might be worth it
I don't know how to look up Beyer figs, but fellow TBAer 8th Pole [http://eighthpole.blogspot.com/] calculates his own speed figs and estimates that she beyered ~61-63 in her last. She got a 48 in her debut.
Movement received a 48 Beyer Speed Figure, the exact same number that she earned in her debut. The median figure at Golden Gate for 20K maiden claimers for juvenile fillies since 1/1/00 is a 59, but that's only from a sample of 12 races.
For an inexperienced juvenile filly, Movement has shown a good deal of professionalism. Her sharp gate speed was put on display in her career debut when she went right to the front. She changed leads on cue, and was simply outrun to the finish by a runaway winner. She galloped out past the winner after the race, and that makes me think that added distance wouldn't be a problem. In her last race, she broke well from the inside post, but was outsprinted to the lead through quick fractions of 21.68 and 44.50. After the sharp pacesetting winner cleared off down the backstretch, Movement reacted nicely to the unfamiliar scenario of rating off the lead. She tried hard to the wire, and certainly wasn't disgraced. She has the attributes of a winning thoroughbred. She's quick from the gate, and seems to be a handy horse to ride. But, what about grass?
I've always liked the two sprints to a route angle in the third start of the form cycle, and Movement might have a pace advantage in a long-distance race after chasing those quick sprint fractions. It is especially important to have good early speed in maiden races, and if she has the lead turning for home, she would have already won half the battle.
Her sire, Exploit, connects with 12% of his turf runners (51-416), and he is a half-brother to Prized, the winner of the 1989 Breeders' Cup Turf. Her dam, Delamere, won going 10 furlongs on turf at Ayr for trainer John Gosden and an ownership consortium led by Robert Sangster. Several of Delamere's siblings performed well on grass. Agnes Sonic (by Unbridled's Song) was multiple stakes-placed on turf in Japan. Crosscut (by Woodman) is a multiple winner on turf in Southern California for Jenine Sahadi, and has a 94 Beyer on the lawn. Slew o' Stars (by Slew o' Gold) won five times on the turf (including her turf debut). Movement's second dam (by strong turf influence Nureyev) was stakes-placed in Germany, and won a nine furlong turf race in France. She is a half to a pair of Graded/Group turf winners.
In short, she's certainly bred for the turf, and has shown professionally handled anything thrown at her thus far. Although you never know until they run, she deserves a shot on grass.
Dan Illman
p.s. I know that some of the posters on FormBlog like to follow Movement's career. Would you mind if I put the thoughts I posted above on my blog?
Thanks,
Dan Illman
if ur posts speak true u r paying far too much attention to race strategies instead of where u should be focusing, which is on the training. it matters zero where u race the horse, what surface, what speed, how fast she gets out of the gate if she's insufficiently trained for the event, or, more probable, from what im reading, gets hurt. if u would post what is being done with the filly in training somebody could give u an intelligent response as to what to do with her in races.
the question here is whether the owner is paying any attention to the training, since the posts have yet to say one word on this subject. it matters zero where u race the horse, what surface, how fast she is out of the gate, whether she overtook some horse after the wire etc. unless she is prepared for the event. were u to post what is being done with this horse an experienced somebody could chime in as to what might be done without injuring ur horse, which is the number one q u ought to be considering.
whoops, it posted twice. sorry
ShaZAAM, I've been graced with some great detail offered up by Dan Illman. Since, as Alan pointed out, Exploit has been shipped off to Korea, it's hard for non-equine database subscribers to get much info, and Dan's expertise is invaluable. Now, if we run her on turf and it doesn't work out we can blame Illman!
For Mr./Ms Voice of Experience:
As for Movement's training regimen, I'm reasonably clued in compared to most neophyte owners, I'd say. I go out for morning training at least once/week and keep up with what she's doing. I don't track exactly which days she jogs v. gallups, but I certainly note every work.
In fact, I thought all the detail of "she jogged again today" was boring, since it's the same every time. Is there really much of a difference between jogging 10 furlongs and 11? Sometimes it's hard to tell, b/c she walks the wrong way on the track, jogs the wrong way for a little bit, then turns around and jogs some more before getting into a gallup. Then the rider pulls her up to a jog again, then turns her around and moves at a slow jog, then a walk, then back to the barn to cool out the rest of the way.
She took 3 days off after her start, only walking the shedrow, and then getting a little time on the hotwalker. Then she jogged a mile on Sunday. I haven't checked, but I imagine she's jogged everyday since, and I think Jamey has her jog a mile & half most of the time. She'll probably gallup one day later in the week, then back to jogging, then a breeze that will be published. I'll get more data on the exact distances and days she jogs or gallups.
I am thinking we need to get some Movement Hats going! www.horsehats.com
Post a Comment