150TH KENTUCKY DERBY

[Tessablue]

Anyone old enough to remember Toccet (foaled 2000 with a very vociferous owner)--talented colt but so misplaced that his name on this forum might as well have been "Poor Toccet."

Oh man, who could ever forget Poor Toccet! His entry in the Turf might have been one of the most absurd moves of the century so far. At least he was able to watch one of the best BC races in history... from a long ways back.

Thankfully, Lukas doesn't get final say on Seize the Grey... right?

[TapitsGal]

Anyone old enough to remember Toccet (foaled 2000 with a very vociferous owner)--talented colt but so misplaced that his name on this forum might as well have been "Poor Toccet."

Oh man, who could ever forget Poor Toccet! His entry in the Turf might have been one of the most absurd moves of the century so far. At least he was able to watch one of the best BC races in history... from a long ways back.

Thankfully, Lukas doesn't get final say on Seize the Grey... right?

My impression is that mrh generally does what the trainer is game for. So if lukas says let's do it(and with lukas track record he would) then that poor horse will be in the starting gate for the derby. I've had people in seize the Grey's owners group arguing against my viewpoint saying lukas didn't run ethereal road last year

[CoronadosQuest]

One of the bubble horses, Common Defense, is out. Unknown who will take the opportunity if Encino (or Endlessly) drops out... I guess Epic Ride would be next? They wouldn't go on with Hades, would they?

How does it work, if Kentucky Derby.com has already removed them from the leaderboard, can they go back on if they change their mind?

I honestly have no idea! My instinct says that it's all for show, and surely horses have moved back onto the list in the past, but I can't think of any specific examples.

Hades is already in the running for "Worst-Managed Horse 2024," but he'd be a cinch if they changed course again :/

Wonder if MRH has said anything about Seize the Grey? Surely they wouldn't go for it... would they?

They said that they will enter if he manages to get in, at least that is what the last news was. Otherwise he was being pointed to the Pat Day Mile but Lukas was heard being said that the Pat Day Mile was out since it looks like STG would make the AE list for the Derby.

[Tessablue]

Well that's pretty grim... would be a real mask-off moment if MRH helplessly claims that their trainer made them run a no-hoper in the Derby. Guess I'll cross my fingers that we don't have any more dropouts.

Dettori on Society Man because sure, why not.

[Northport]

Well that's pretty grim... would be a real mask-off moment if MRH helplessly claims that their trainer made them run a no-hoper in the Derby. Guess I'll cross my fingers that we don't have any more dropouts.

MRH is a Spendthrift entity, so (to me at least), pitching one of their horses into the Derby doesn’t really surprise me. If it gets more eyes on the MRH silks and more people googling during the broadcast what MRH is, then it’s a win. Any publicity is good publicity.

[CoronadosQuest]

Well that's pretty grim... would be a real mask-off moment if MRH helplessly claims that their trainer made them run a no-hoper in the Derby. Guess I'll cross my fingers that we don't have any more dropouts.

MRH is a Spendthrift entity, so (to me at least), pitching one of their horses into the Derby doesn’t really surprise me. If it gets more eyes on the MRH silks and more people googling during the broadcast what MRH is, then it’s a win. Any publicity is good publicity.

Yea, even though I own a share of STG, I knew as soon as he was close that they would do whatever it took to get him in the gate because its free publicity for MRH. They want to show to future potential buyers that hey for as little as $200 or less you TOO could own a Derby horse!

[Starine]

Interesting article on West Saratoga’s trainer Larry Demeritte from the Bahamas. Only second Black trainer to run a horse in the Derby. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/s ... 333515007/

Enjoyed the read -- thanks for sharing.

I also really enjoyed these photos by Barbara D. Livingston of Forever Young being frisky during his gallop:

https://twitter.com/DRFLivingston/statu ... 2351837276

[stark]

Post position draw will be on Saturday, one full week before the big race.

Plenty of time to handicap, change your mind, handicap some more, change your mind, repeat if necessary.

[Mylute]

Watch me get the title of Greatest Handicapper of Hall Time for the third time after not digging too deep into this year

[Squeaky]

Are we having the contest again this year?

[brunanas]

*summons Tessablue*

[Miesque1973]

Am I missing something here? The Kentucky Derby was first run in 1875. This is 2024. How is it the 150th Kentucky Derby?

(ducks "you're so dumb" bricks)

So apparently it's race one (1875) + 149 races later, so now it's 2024 = 150 years old now.

Oy vey...

~Miesque

[Mylute]

wait a minute now my brain is hurting

[Tessablue]

*summons Tessablue*

....you called?

Yes, we'll be having the Derby Pool Contest this year, and I'll also post the Picks and Analysis Thread complete with wildly overwritten thoughts on every horse. I know the draw is early this year, so I'll try to have things up early as well, but it's grading + med school letter season so everything is a bit chaotic on my end. But it's nice to know that people look forward to the contest, and rest assured that it will happen!

[CoronadosQuest]

How do we feel about Forever Young's work today?

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... _Derby_123

Per DRF's Mike Welsch:

6F 14.84 28.88 42.66 55.91 119.68 barely out of an open gallop for a half then set down...final 1/4 23.77

[brunanas]

How do we feel about Forever Young's work today?

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... _Derby_123

Per DRF's Mike Welsch:

6F 14.84 28.88 42.66 55.91 119.68 barely out of an open gallop for a half then set down...final 1/4 23.77

people are panicking because they don't understand this is just... a japanese work routine. it's completely fine. this wasn't supposed to be a blowout, they wanted him behind the other horse so he could experience kickback. horse was slow so he can't go fast either. once he was allowed to go past he took off. Forever Young hates kickback and he'll get plenty in the Derby so they need to make him tolerate it which is what they did today.

PS; Dornoch and Fierceness too would benefit from being taught to tolerate kickback

[brunanas]

https://youtu.be/6DyiI523jqE?si=Yd-iQm45O5T1JzmN i always love watching this video when it's close to Kentucky Derby day

[Tessablue]

The speed of his workout bothers me a lot less than his hatred of kickback. It's great that they are working on it before the race, but there really is nothing that can simulate the experience of the Derby. I would love it if he won, but I don't think I'll be able to trust him with my money, because that's a gigantic question mark. Hopefully he draws outside and isn't buried along the rail.

Unrelated, but the morning works show needs to get its act together... all the videos have terrible broadcasting artifacts, and the camerawork in some of the workouts has been nausea-inducing. Shouldn't they have this stuff figured out by now?

[Mylute]

Is there a woukout schedule you can view for next week?

[katmandu]

https://youtu.be/6DyiI523jqE?si=Yd-iQm45O5T1JzmN i always love watching this video when it's close to Kentucky Derby day

I do believe that's Art Sherman with Swaps in the shipping shot.