richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tavasco Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > If Justify's name were Secretariat many voices
> > would rationalize playing against him.
>
> One of the many ways that horses and horse racing
> in the 1970s can not be
> compared to horses and horse racing in this
> century.
>
> For Secretariat's Belmont, I am fairly certain
> that the only mutuels available
> were win and place ($2.60 and $2.20); the record
> shows that the $3 exacta
> combining Secretariat and Twice a Prince (18/1)
> returned $35.20. (clear cut
> second fave Sham was off the board). No tri, no
> super, no P3, P4, no NYRA Bets
> (not open to the public) P5, no P6, no WOR-TV
> special double wager featuring
> the Belmont and a harness race run (much) later
> that night at Yonkers Raceway.
>
> Just a long winded way of saying (though not as
> much so as in a 20 horse
> Kentucky Derby) there are ways a horseplayer can
> monetize a Justify Triple
> Crown clinching Belmont win. One only needs what
> Walt "Clyde" Frazier might
> call some "serendipity" in the races surrounding
> the Belmont and a decent score
> in a multiple race wager is not impossible.
>
> To me the largest obstacle Justify faces is what I
> call the reverse curse of
> Apollo. The issue is not now that he was an
> unraced 2YO, but rather that he
> will be making his 6th start in 111 days, perhaps
> qualifying him as an iron
> horse in this day of less is more lightly raced
> superstars.
>
> Baffert obviously has a good feel for this whole
> Triple Crown thing with
> American Pharaoh and his near misses in the late
> 1990s. I believe that Baffert
> will eventually be the proprietor of a "boutique"
> barn where he almost
> exclusively trains Triple Crown prospects, though
> we sometimes forget that he
> has trained the winners of five Breeder's Cup
> Sprints.
>
> Looking forward to seeing Saturday entries 12 or
> so hours from now.

Interesting a guy this good (Baffert) barely takes a sniff of the Big Time Turf Stakes. Regarding the one Triple Crown win there have been 2 near misses. Silve Charm and Real Quiet.

If this was say the Suburban Handicap and people were trying take a stand against the 4-5 favorite they would be considered sharp horse players. Playing against Justify these days is almost viewed by some as Unpatriotic or rooti g against a potential Super Horse. The question is will there be a Jerry Bailey and Eddington loaded into the gate? That 46 Work got followed by another Work. And Im not sure that was the original plan. If the competition rides scared on Saturday they should be ashamed....