The Latest Craze

[stark]

Let's assume for just a second that you had $30,000 plus expenses to invest without any cash flow problems.

Would you consider this a good or bad investment?

Claiming a 3YO Maiden entered for the 4th time today.

Ran against straight maidens first time out in February of his 3yo year routing and finished 4th.
Then dropped in to a $75,000 maiden claimers mile and finished 3rd at 7/5 odds in March.
Tried the same level again in June at 3/5 odds and finished 4th beaten 13 lengths.

Connections----Gary West and Bob Baffert
Breeding Super Saver $65K/Charity Girl
Cost---$260,000 at the Sept Keeneland sale.

We shall see, curious what you think.
Doug O'Neil won the two-way shake today while he finished 2nd beaten 4 lengths at 6/5

Where do you think he'll be spotted next?
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/instant.cgi?date=2016-07-03&track=SA&country=USA&race=5&type=inc&print=on

[Catalina]

Last I checked, racehorses aren't a way of making money but a way of blowing money.  And so, if I had $30,000+expenses to invest, a racehorse is not what I would invest it in.  Now, if I had 30k+ expenses to have a good time with and when it's gone it's gone?  The answer would still be no, at least as far as this one goes.  They paid 260k for him and now they had to drop him all the way to 30k to move him?  I wonder who decided on claiming this particular horse, the new owner or DON?

[curtis]

Last I checked, racehorses aren't a way of making money but a way of blowing money.  And so, if I had $30,000+expenses to invest, a racehorse is not what I would invest it in.  Now, if I had 30k+ expenses to have a good time with and when it's gone it's gone?  The answer would still be no, at least as far as this one goes.  They paid 260k for him and now they had to drop him all the way to 30k to move him?  I wonder who decided on claiming this particular horse, the new owner or DON?

It's a fair question. I was at Del Mar the day Doug claimed Lava Man and he didn't want to do it and admitted so later. But that wasn't off Baffert. I think you can do okay claiming cheap off Baffert this time of year because he trying to cull. To answer Stark's question, I imagine he'll be in a MSW against Ziconic at DMR. If he has to drop down to 50 or even 25, it should be alright. If they can get him to graduate, he can go in either a starter allowance or an optional claimer.

[stark]

thanks for the convo, I think he's an interesting sort that didn't fit the Baffert profile, evidenced by him debuting at 1 1/16th as a 3YO.

curious because he followed that up with some quickish typical BB works including a 47 bullet and a 1:11-4 from the gate before losing his SA stall and being relegated to LosAl.  And the bettors seemed to have faith, or at least there weren't backstretch rumors to stop them from taking off the rubber band and betting with both fists to be odds-on.

Appears to be sound and intact, maybe just a late developer?

Will be a fun one to follow and see if we can make some money over the summer!

It'll be noted as my "forum-claim" in stable mail, we're out about $36,000 right now after paying tax and first months training bills, good luck to all who dare!

[Diver52]

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but this horse looks like his name should be Major Disappointment.  But spot him right and good luck.but

[stark]

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but this horse looks like his name should be Major Disappointment.  But spot him right and good luck.but

Curious if you've actually seen him?  Wonder if he's big and just doesn't look like he can sprint?

p.s.  I've been disappointed before with real dollars, this time all I can lose is my "mind" bets

[curtis]

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but this horse looks like his name should be Major Disappointment.  But spot him right and good luck.but

It's all in context, though.  If your Baffert and the Wests, yeah it didn't work. If your O'Neil though, you have what can be a useful horse and you only paid 30k for him and he's ready to run now with the biggest meeting of the year, in so. CA coming up.

I remember when Bill Spawr claimed what had been a very good sprinter from Henry Moreno named Sam Who for 100k. The gelding had lost a step, or two or three, and didn't win for Spawr until he parachuted him down to 12.5k and lost him to Sandy Shulman. Sam Who then ran for low claiming prices started winning and earning his keep. Now for Spawr, that's was a major disappointment.  For Moreno and Shulman, I'm sure sleep came pretty easy.

[Catalina]

Curious if you've actually seen him?  Wonder if he's big and just doesn't look like he can sprint?

p.s.  I've been disappointed before with real dollars, this time all I can lose is my "mind" bets

Equibase has race videos, though you might need to have an Equibase account to access them.  Also, Santa Anita Park has videos from old races on line (didn't try since McAfee was having a cow about it being a suspicious website - maybe it is, maybe it isn't).

[curtis]

Equibase has race videos, though you might need to have an Equibase account to access them.  Also, Santa Anita Park has videos from old races on line (didn't try since McAfee was having a cow about it being a suspicious website - maybe it is, maybe it isn't).

I'm thinking Stark meant viewing him in person. The easiest thing would be to view his races on calracing.com. I'm sure that Baffert and the Wests hoped that someday people would talk about this horse. Their hopes have been realized.😉

[Catalina]

I'm thinking Stark meant viewing him in person. The easiest thing would be to view his races on calracing.com. I'm sure that Baffert and the Wests hoped that someday people would talk about this horse. Their hopes have been realized.😉

LOL.  I sure couldn't help with that.  My home turf is Retama Park, a long ways from sunny California.  Most I could do from here is watch him racing on one of the monitors.

[stark]

LOL.  I sure couldn't help with that.  My home turf is Retama Park, a long ways from sunny California.  Most I could do from here is watch him racing on one of the monitors.

I can watch the replays, what I need is somebody who knows what they're looking at, either in person or on tape, is this just a big dufus of a horse that can't sprint?  Curious because is 4f 5f 6f workout times seem to be pretty decent, why did Bob opt for the 1 1/16th first out, this ain't NY!

[Diver52]

He just hasn't shown much at all--I follow most of the Baffert horses so I've watched his races.  But to be fair, I think it was O'Neill that claimed Informed when Baffert dumped that one, and I think he wound up a GSW and is now at stud.

[curtis]

I can watch the replays, what I need is somebody who knows what they're looking at, either in person or on tape, is this just a big dufus of a horse that can't sprint?  Curious because is 4f 5f 6f workout times seem to be pretty decent, why did Bob opt for the 1 1/16th first out, this ain't NY!

Well there's fifteen minutes of my life I'll never get back.....   Here's my two-cent assessment and--fair warning--you may be overpaying at that price.  He most certainly doesn't look like a horse that fits Baffert's program and Baffert just wanted him gone when he couldn't break his maiden for 75k.  I actually remember playing one of his early races.  It was one of a multiple race bet and I had the Dorf horse who won.  I remember leaving Latest Craze off the ticket, although I don't remember specifically why. 

Latest Craze has a few problems on which Doug needs to work.  One thing is he doesn't seem enthralled with the prospect of passing horses.  Garcia had the right idea in his debut when he had him forwardly placed.  However, like more than a few Baffert first timers these days, he probably was a bit short and couldn't hang late.  Since then he either hasn't been able to keep up early or that wasn't what they were trying for and when it's time to move he just kind of runs in place.  Another problem is the lugging in he seems to want to do in the stretch.  I don't know whether he just is getting tired or has a love affair with the rail.  In the first race he probably was just green and was getting late but now I don't know, maybe Victor would answer that?  From video, I can't tell what type of blinkers he's wearing.  What might work is to put the fullest cup blinkers you can get and look for a 7f race and hope for some pace.  Have him make one run and by the time he figures out he's actually passing horses it'll be too late to get into his Carousel horse routine.  If they want to keep him long, put Tyler--there might be a chance to get P Val --on him (since Reddam isn't one of the many who now own him maybe Doug won't use Mario), kick him out of the gate and see if he'll get brave.  I'd still look for a MSW first, as even at Del Mar, it won't come up as strong as a MSW early in the year.  I think the horse lacks want to more than ability but he isn't the first to fit that description.  I used to own one like that.  His lack of desire is how I came to own him.

[stark]

Thanks much, I owe you 15 minutes!

[stark]

Well, at least he made it out to the track rather than being turned out!

Latest Craze (3-Year-Old Gelding)

Your comments for this horse were: forum claim 30K

Date: July 18, 2016
Track: LOS ALAMITOS
Distance: Three Furlongs
Time: 36:80 Handily
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: Dirt
Rank: 2/5