Hard to follow an incendiary CtC post, but after all it is Derby time...

I've been following Notional a bit since his Risen Star win at the FG. In that
race he sat professionally in and amongst horses, making a nifty move while
Circular Quay raced behind a bad traffic jam, eventually having to alter course
to avoid a fallen rival.

I will have to watch his Florida Derby a few times more. Jockey Albarado said
Notional finished with good energy, but one of the DRF boys (Watchmaker or
Privman) said they felt that Notional was hanging in the late stages.

Positives and Negatives:

Human Connections: Doug O. doing well shipping all over the globe for big
races, like Pletcher will win a Derby or two eventually. Jockey Albarado has not
been a factor in money races, but the plus side here is that this will increase the odds.

Breeding: Notional's sire In Excess had a very memorable 4YO campaign, winning
4 major NY stakes: Suburban (10f), Woodward (9f), Whitney (9f) and the Met Mile
(8f), in addition to the San Fernando (9f). In Excess' son, Indian Charlie, ran
third in the Derby after winning the Santa Anita Derby. The average winning
distance of In Excess' winning runners, however, is less than 6.5 furlongs.
Interestingly, IE's second highest earner this year behind Notional is Turf
Paradise SW Staten Island, who I will assume is named for the place of my birth
and current residence (and not for the island located near Antarctica).

Odds: In excess of 20/1?

The last time I took a strong liking to a California horse was in 1980, when
Rumbo's late run was not enough to catch Genuine Risk. That was a memorable
year-- I attended the Derby live as the guest of a college pal whose dad was
a bloodstock agent. I was introduced to one of Nelson Bunker Hunt's daughters
that day, and had the boozy nerve to ask her how hard it was to shop for
presents for her dad, at the time one of the world's wealthiest men.

Her reply, delivered with an absolutely straight face-- "Daddy loves McDonald's
gift certificates".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2007 05:23AM by richiebee.