2017 Pegasus Stakes

[Man o Taz]

My question is how you would handle Debry elgibility or would you allow 40 horses to enter the Derby?

My goal is to make the race as competitive as posisble. For me the most competitve race is the one that allows the best horses the best chance to compete.

In such a large field where the horse in the 1-2 posts do not have the same chances as the rest, I see the race as very flawed.

In such a large field where there are at least 5 horses that stand little to no chance of winning, but often can cause problems for some of the best horses that do have a chance of winning, I see that as flawed.

[Man o Taz]

So realistically it looks like 9 possibles still:
Arrogate
Breaking Lucky
California Chrome
Eragon
Gun Runner
Keen Ice
Midnight Storm
Neolithic
Semper Fortis
Shaman Ghost
Stanford
War Story

[curtis]

My question is how you would handle Debry elgibility or would you allow 40 horses to enter the Derby?

My goal is to make the race as competitive as posisble. For me the most competitve race is the one that allows the best horses the best chance to compete.

In such a large field where the horse in the 1-2 posts do not have the same chances as the rest, I see the race as very flawed.

In such a large field where there are at least 5 horses that stand little to no chance of winning, but often can cause problems for some of the best horses that do have a chance of winning, I see that as flawed.

I already said, run a 9f stake on the undercard with a sizable enough purse to siphon the horses without a shot. You'd probably even get some seeming contenders. As far as the Derby goes, if you've paid your fees, you get to enter. If twenty is the magic number and twenty-five enter, split it into divisions. As long as the Mint Juleps are flowing I think it'll be okay.  I'm a liberal Democrat that believes in big government but not blindly, but if you want to further the micromanagement, I don't think you're going far enough. There are far more than five horses each year that from a handicapping standpoint don't belong, it's just that many of the other fifteen are well hidden because they haven't been running against one another.  If you really want to limit things, designate six races and take the first two finishers. You'd still have some pretenders but at least some of the whining over post positions, etc. may stop.

[stark]

Still tweakin?

Mike Welsch ‏@DRFWelsch  Jan 10
Hearing purse of Pegasus to be increased by $350K with additional $ to be distributed to 4th & 5th place finishers, which is a great idea.

[Dusty]

I think we need a separate thread for the Derby discussion

[curtis]

I think we need a separate thread for the Derby discussion

There was one, pages ago, if you want to look for it.  I brought it up mainly as a contrast.  The Pegasus is an admittedly micromanaged race for what are supposed to be the absolute best of the best and, as constituted, it is failing to not only fill but keep horses, e.g. Nyquist, Exaggerator and Frosted, in training.  The Derby is to me a terribly micromanaged race which always threatens to oversubscribe.

[stark]

Reddam has a million dollar stall in the Pegasus, curious who that was bought for?

There's always Ralis. I think that's a French word used in the Quebec area that loosely translates to Rick's Natural Star.😉

Bingo!
In other Pegasus news, trainer Doug O'Neill confirmed stakeholder Reddam Racing will run grade 1 winner Ralis in the Pegasus

[curtis]

Bingo!
In other Pegasus news, trainer Doug O'Neill confirmed stakeholder Reddam Racing will run grade 1 winner Ralis in the Pegasus

If only there were future book betting for which no-hopers were going to be entered.  Guess I'll have to make 💰 in this race the old fashioned way.😉

[stark]

Mike Welsch ‏@DRFWelsch  27m27 minutes ago
At the moment, 11 of the 12 Pegasus spots have been filled with Noble Bird perhaps the final piece of the puzzle if a deal can be reached

[Man o Taz]

Wow, I had him on my list early on, but when I dud not see any works post-Fayette I thought. His entry unlikely.

[CA_Chrome]

Racingwithbruno ‏@Racingwithbruno 27m27 minutes ago

Chrome 58.4 with a final 1:4 in 23.3 out in 1:12 flat to quote @amy_christinek "effortless, floating  ears cocked" could have gone faster

To the best of my knowledge, that's Chrome's fastest work ever. They are taking off the restraints on him, finally.

[Man o Taz]

Racingwithbruno ‏@Racingwithbruno 27m27 minutes ago

Chrome 58.4 with a final 1:4 in 23.3 out in 1:12 flat to quote @amy_christinek "effortless, floating  ears cocked" could have gone faster

To the best of my knowledge, that's Chrome's fastest work ever. They are taking off the restraints on him, finally.

58 4/5s... 58.80. Nice work 1:12.41 official time.

Arrogate's too. :24.82, :48.87, and 1:01.02 to finish with 1:12.13 slightly faster than last weeks 1:12.20 for the same distance, and 8 furlongs in 1:38.36...

[Raven]

Arrogate in the #1 post
California Chrome #12
Ouch

I'm really concerned about the outside post that CC has but i think he is the better horse
so here goes
California Chrome on top with
Arrogate,Noble Bird,Keen Ice   second and third
and Shaman Ghost,Breaking Lucky   third and fourth

Good luck to all !!

[Dusty]

Heart breaker - hope Chrome is okay = that was just too bad to be real - BUT I STILL LOVE Chrome and his team

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[afleetphil]

It was like the passing of the torch from Chrome to Arrogate. Tough way for Chrome to go out. Saw his slight reluctance to go into the gate and was thinking I had never seen him like that before. As far as Arrogate. How good is he and what lies ahead for him.

Chrome