ringato3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 11 pm after exaggerator hangs the first L on
> Nyquist and not a lot on the board regarding the
> race. Perhaps all of us are "decompressing"
> after a few days of heavy gambling.
>
> One persons thoughts on the race:
>
> 1. Considering track condition and the amount of
> speed that seemed to be in the race, far from a
> surprising result.
>
> 2. As a guy who bet exaggerator in both the
> derby and preakness and has been anti-Nyquist for
> a long time, I have to say Nyquist ran pretty
> well, considering the pace of the race.
>
> 3. Speaking of pace, a pretty dumb ride by Mario
> Gutierrez. Jockey critiquing happens every
> single race, every single day, but it see,s
> deserved here. Nyquist left hard, so as not to
> get trapped down inside, a good move, but once the
> 4 backed off out of the first turn, did Mario
> really have to go after uncle Lino at the 22
> quarter? He was more afraid of uncle Lino getting
> away than he was of confirmed quality closer, top
> challenger and possible mud lover, exaggerator.
> Yikes. Awful ride IMO. Hard to say what
> happens if he rates a bit, but Nyquist wasn't
> packing it in until late.certainly would have been
> closer.
>
> 4. Kent D. Gave the winner a helluva ride. He
> won by 3 and was never in doubt late, but if it
> had been closer, the ground he saved and the
> inside out move would have been crucial
>
> 5. I still don't have a handle on exaggerator.
> Hard to say that about a horse I bet in both legs
> of the triple crown so far, but in the derby I had
> to use him what appeared to me to be the "perfect"
> derby sheet, and in the preakness he figured to
> benefit from the pace and surface, while running
> very well in defeat in the derby. I say tough to
> have a handle because the detractors will point to
> another wet track and fast pace, like the santa
> Anita derby. But this horse fires hard every
> time.
>
> 6. Stradivari ran ok with a wide trip.

The pace in the Derby was fast and Mario had Nyquist right there in it. They were too confident with what they had. The move Exaggerator made on the backstretch was fully expected by me. This horse knows how to run on the rail. Go back and look at his Saratoga Special race and 2 Juvenile races at Kee. Kent D gave him too much work to do in the Derby stretch or he might have won.

The questions now are how much did Nyquist back up? 2 Points? And how much was from pace fatigue? It didn't bother him in the Derby until the last 100 yards. The best horse won yesterday. The Derby will probably be the last time Nyquist ever beats Exagerrator at a Mile and 1/4. And there are others out there poised to begin catching up with Nyquist. Perhaps he should run back on Belmont Day. But in the Met Mile....

Regarding Strativari where was Mohaymen yesterday? He could have done some damage. People are afraid to take a chance these days. Exaggerator moves on and now he becomes the target. Brodys Cause and others will be waiting. It will be another excellent wagering day!!