Well that's ok - I have nothing but respect for your opinion , needless to say one who played this horse and cashed a ticket and obviously are right about the race however perhaps not for the reasons you think . I sat next to some people Monmouth Park (the first time that i ever went to a race track)who where playing numbers like little johnies baptism date & suzies birthday etc like they couldn't lose and they took out 5 figures for the day - they hit everything (while I cashed to little to late on a 9-5 shot in the last race after getting killed all day) . None of there horse's figured but I don't think those folks cared too much about that . I'll give it to you that Birdstone moves up w/ distance if you say that was your deciding critera fine - it turned out to be a good decision on your part on that given day . It was my sense that Birdstone had a very unhealthy pattern overall and had been set back by that big 2 yo number . Just becouse a horse might favor a distance is to mean only that - if the horse runs well , the distance won't work against him . I try to stay away those type of horse's ( who in my opinion have trouble or deteriorating lines as in the case w/ War Emblem as a general rule of thumb)and still feel that horse ought to have been longer odds - I mean if you like the horse the bigger odds the better . I don't know if you use speed figures fast eddie but they are a handicapping tool which can help to bring prosperity and/or have fun with if used correctly , racing luck helps too ... We all new Smarty Jones was going to basically crack from mental fatique or physical exhustion the only question was when . Incidently , as a side note - Cigar was another horse which I could never quess right on . Big congrats on your score - I nailed Sarava a couple years back( not great looking on speed figures - but healthy) and hit w/ Go and Go in the first horse race I ever bet and know how gratifying it is when things go right .



Post Edited (06-10-04 22:41)

marcus