2017 Pegasus Stakes

[Man o Taz]

Hopefully Midnight Storm is pointed to the Pegasus as of now. Beautiful horse.

So realistically it looks like 11 possibles still:
Arrogate
California Chrome
Eragon
Gun Runner
Keen Ice
Midnight Storm
Neolithic
Semper Fortis
Shaman Ghost
Stanford
War Story

Hope they all line up.

[stark]

Hopefully Midnight Storm is pointed to the Pegasus as of now. Beautiful horse.

Midnight Storm to bypass Pegasus, point for Big Cap or Dubai World Cup, per owners
Midnight Storm, winner of the San Pasqual Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita, will bypass the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park and instead point for either the Santa Anita Handicap on March 11 or the Dubai World Cup on March 25, Gary Fenton, the managing partner of the Little Red Feather partnership that co-owns Midnight Storm, said Monday afternoon.

"While we acknowledge the importance of the Pegasus World Cup and appreciate the offers from the remaining stakeholders, Midnight Storm will not run and, instead, will be pointed towards the Santa Anita Handicap or Dubai World Cup," Fenton said.

Midnight Storm has had an ambitious recent campaign while transferring from a turf star to a major player on dirt. He finished a close third in the Breeders' Cup Mile on turf on Nov. 5 before moving to the dirt for his last two starts, victories in Native Diver at Del Mar followed by the San Pasqual. His biggest win came in the Shoemaker Mile on turf last summer. He is trained by Phil D'Amato.

"Midnight Storm has now run three times in the past 60 days," Fenton said. "Although he came out of the San Pasqual in good shape, our goal is to have Midnight Storm ready to fire his best shot in not only his next race, but for the remainder of 2017.

"Naturally the Pegasus stakeholders want a commitment as soon as possible. It would not be fair to the stakeholders, our friends at the Stronach Group, and, most importantly, to Midnight Storm to make that commitment right now. We hope the Pegasus Cup is a huge success for our industry and we wish all the connections of all the horses our very best."

[Man o Taz]

Not good news. Too bad.

[stark]

[Man o Taz]

I thought Sol Kumin and Exaggerator's people sold their spot.

And I thought Navarro was training War Story?

[Man o Taz]

So no Stanford or Gun Runner.

Hmm.

[curtis]

 

So no Stanford or Gun Runner.

Hmm.

There was a BH article earlier this week that mentioned Gun Runner being stuck in a quarantine situation. Sanford's possible spot was sold to Arrogate.

[Man o Taz]

I actually think that Stanford's spot was not sold to Arrogate, but rather Coolmore made a shrewd move to unload their spot for the highest value knowing if they wanted to buy another spot from someone else by selling theirs to Arrogate they would likely be able to make a deal for the spot for much less than they received for Arrogate's spot. When it comes right down to it Coolmore might be able to get two spots for the price they received for Arrogate if they had the horses.

[curtis]

I actually think that Stanford's spot was not sold to Arrogate, but rather Coolmore made a shrewd move to unload their spot for the highest value knowing if they wanted to buy another spot from someone else by selling theirs to Arrogate they would likely be able to make a deal for the spot for much less than they received for Arrogate's spot. When it comes right down to it Coolmore might be able to get two spots for the price they received for Arrogate if they had the horses.

You and others seem to care a lot more than I do about how these spots are being obtained. To me, when the buzz is more about how horses are getting in the race than the race itself, we've got a problem. That's why I don't like the Derby point system. Just let them enter and watch the race. It should be about the horses, not the shenanigans of the richy rich. 

[Man o Taz]

You are right about the emphasis being more on how to get in than who being a problem. But I thought Coolmore was smart in what they did.

And you have to have some criteria for the Derby, don't you?

Or are you old school and want the race to be run in two heats with as many entrants as are interested in running?

I like the point system because it forces lesser horses to run more to get into the race and places more emphasis on 3 year old racing.

Was graded stakes earnings a better indicator? I do not necessarily think so.

My only issue with the point system was tossing out the Illinois Derby as a points race, though I would also like a point threshold of 50 points for a horse to enter the Derby gate, rather than the top 20 every year. Then you really do only have entries with merit. Less horses. Less fees. But better horses.

[Catalina]

... I would also like a point threshold of 50 points for a horse to enter the Derby gate, rather than the top 20 every year. Then you really do only have entries with merit. Less horses. Less fees. But better horses.

That sounds appealing. 

[Man o Taz]

Which is exactly why Churchill Downs would never agree to it. But one can dream. :-)

But in 2016, I do not think it would have made much of a difference outcome wise. Granted, Mo Tom finished 6th...but out of the money. His connections would be upset, but if the standards are that you need 50 points so be it.

Rank   Horse   Trainer   Points   Non-Restricted
1   Gun Runner   Steve Asmussen   151   $849,200
2   Nyquist   Doug O'Neill   130   $3,289,000
3   Exaggerator   Keith Desormeaux   126   $1,628,000
4   Outwork   Todd Pletcher   120   $660,000
5   Brody's Cause   Dale Romans   114   $1,100,000
6   Creator   Steve Asmussen   110   $690,000
7   Lani   Mikio Matsunaga   100   $1,300,119
8   Mor Spirit   Bob Baffert   84   $616,800
9   Mohaymen   Kiaran McLaughlin   80   $807,750
10   Danzig Candy   Cliff Sise Jr.   60   $290,000
11   Destin   Todd Pletcher   51   $338,000
12   Suddenbreakingnews   Donnie Von Hemel   50   $637,000
13   Cupid   Bob Baffert   50   $542,857
14   *Oscar Nominated   Mike Maker   50   $321,360
15   Shagaf   Chad Brown   50   $270,000
16   Whitmore   Ron Moquett   44   $400,000
17   Tom's Ready   Dallas Stewart   44   $270,670
18   My Man Sam   Chad Brown    40   $200,000
19   Majesto   Gustavo Delgado   40   $190,000
20   Trojan Nation   Paddy Gallagher   40   $190,000
21   Mo Tom   Tom Amoss   32   $268,326

Rank   Horse   Points   Trainer       Stakes Earnings
1   International Star   171   Mike Maker   $940,979
2   Dortmund   170   Bob Baffert   $1,230,000
3   Carpe Diem   164   Todd Pletcher   $1,470,000
4   American Pharoah   160   Bob Baffert   $1,410,000
5   Frosted   113   Kiaran McLaughlin   $776,200
6   Mubtaahij-IRE   100   Mike de Kock   $1,400,000
7   Materiality   100   Todd Pletcher   $632,028
8   El Kabeir   95   John Terranova II   $720,792
9   Upstart   76   Rick Violette, Jr.    $807,680
10   Far Right   62   Ron Moquette   $585,906
11   Itsaknockout   60   Todd Pletcher   $288,560
12   Firing Line   58   Simon Callaghan   $530,000
13   Danzig Moon   45   Mark Casse   $217,500
14   War Story   44   Tom Amoss   $195,000
15   Tencendur   41   George Weaver   $224,500
16   Stanford   40   Todd Pletcher   $151,400
17   Mr. Z   34   D. Wayne Lukas   $625,826
18   Ocho Ocho Ocho   30   Jim Cassidy   $760,250
19   Bolo   30   Carla Gaines   $214,980
20   Madefromlucky   30   Todd Pletcher   $200,000
21   Keen Ice   22   Dale Romans   $136,520
22   Frammento   20   Nick Zito   $92,800

Now, 5th place finisher Danzig Moon would have been out, and there could actually be a provision that if less than 15 horses or whatever the field size is before the aux gate - then Churchill Downs has an option of having a committee put together additonal entries to make certain at least 14-15 horses are in the gate. 

Rank    Horse    Points   Stakes Earnings
1    California Chrome   150   $782,250
2    Vicar's in Trouble   120   $760,000
3    Dance With Fate   108   $600,000
4    Wicked Strong   102   $640,000
5    Samraat   100   $650,000
6    Danza   100   $620,000
7    Constitution   100   $600,000
8    Hoppertunity   95   $576,000
9    Intense Holiday   93   $527,500
10    Wildcat Red   90   $665,500
11    We Miss Artie   60   $544,000
12    Ride on Curlin   55   $354,387
13    Chitu   54   $440,000
14    Tapiture   52   $470,378
15    Midnight Hawk   52   $320,500
16    Ring Weekend   50   $260,000
17    General a Rod   40   $240,000
18    Medal Count   40   $226,500
19    Candy Boy   30   $380,000
20    Cairo Prince   24   $520,000
21    Uncle Sigh   24   $180,000
22    Vinceremos   20   $191,666
23    Harry's Holiday   20   $152,622
24    Commanding Curve   20   $140,000

Here is where the controversy starts in that Commanding Curve would not have been in the race. But if that is the system that is the system since Mine That Bird and woudl not have been in the race in 2009 with the points system and neither would 2002 Illiinois Derby winner War Emblem.

Rank   Horse   Trainer   Points   Non-restricted Stakes Earnings
1   Orb   Shug McGaughey III   150   $840,000
2   Verrazano   Todd Pletcher   150   $810,000
3   Goldencents   Doug O'Neill   129   $1,208,000
4   Java's War   Ken McPeek   122   $651,772
5   Overanalyze   Todd Pletcher   110   $908,831
6   Revolutionary   Todd Pletcher   110   $720,000
7   Lines of Battle   Aidan O'Brien   100   $1,261,089
8   Vyjack   Rudy Rodriguez   70   $505,000
9   Will Take Charge   D. Wayne Lukas   60   $512,971
10   Itsmyluckyday   Eddie Plesa, Jr.   50   $593,600
11   Black Onyx   Kelly Breen   50   $317,130
12   Palace Malice   Todd Pletcher   50   $200,000
13   Normandy Invasion   Chad Brown   44   $258,000
14   Frac Daddy   Ken McPeek   44   $240,596
15   Mylute   Tom Amoss   42   $363,365
16   Oxbow   D. Wayne Lukas   36   $346,000
17   Falling Sky   John Terranova II   30   $207,500
18   Charming Kitten   Todd Pletcher   20   $206,000
19   Golden Soul   Dallas Stewart   14   $84,000
20   Giant Finish   Tony Dutrow   10   $67,650

Another 2nd place finisher, Golden Soul excluded...

I also think another benefit of requiring more points may be to slightly expand those races that count for points a bit more like the Illinois Derby.

[curtis]

Genuine Risk wouldn't have been in with your system either and don't think that she would have prepped in more open races. Leroy Jolley had to practically be threatened to run her in the Wood.

I wouldn't cap the Derby. I would ressurect the Twin Spires purse, run it at 9f with a sizable purse of 400-600k. That would give enough incentive to most of the no-hopers to go in a more sensible spot. At the same time jack up the entry fee for the Derby to make some think twice.

[Man o Taz]

Genuine Risk is not the only one...

You just have to look forward and not back.

As I note, we would not have had Mine That Bird under the current system or War Emblem.

[curtis]

Genuine Risk is not the only one...

You just have to look forward and not back.

As I note, we would not have had Mine That Bird under the current system or War Emblem.

Or Canonero, Ferdinand and maybe Alysheba....  These, as well as Mine That Bird, were all great stories, which the sport needs, especially when a horse has just been DQ'd from the BC no matter what the circumstances.  If the horses I've mentioned would not have been eligible due to the point or graded earning system, it's a fair bet to imagine that similar types would be aced out in the future.  Believe it or not, I'm trying to look forward, forward to a system in which the host track doesn't dictate where you can prep your horse. CD has spent over 40 years now trying to fix something that wasn't broken or at least broken to the extent that they needed to micromanage it.