May 18, 2008 - May 24, 2008
Crist Blog | May 23, 2008
Holiday Weekend Lineup
There are 14 graded stakes over the Memorial Day weekend, 10 of them Monday including the three Grade 1's: The Met Mile at Belmont and the Gamely and Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood:
The Hollywood Grade 1's were drawn today. The Gamely will be run at the third race Monday with a field of five led by G1 winners Precious Kitten and Rutherienne. The Shoemaker Mile drew eight, including G1 winners Daytona, Ever a Friend and 9-year-old Perfect Drift, making his first start since last July and his first for trainer Richard Mandella.
The Met Mile will be drawn Saturday. Commentator at 122 and Divine Park at 117 are the expected starting highweights.
I plan to be in action all weekend while trying to get caught up on the Belmont meeting to date, which I've neglected amid all this Triple Crown tomfoolery. I'll post a summary of notable performances here by Monday.
Posted by Steven Crist on May 23, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (35)
Crist Blog | May 21, 2008
Triple Crown Figs
Here are the Beyer Speed Figures for all the Triple Crown races since 1992, the year they were first published in DRF (after first appearing in print in The Racing Times in 1991):
Source: American Racing Manual
Big Brown is the seventh horse in this stretch to be bidding for a Triple Crown. The previous six all ran higher combined BSF's, by 6 to 24 points, in the first two legs:
Silver Charm 115/118 = 233
Smarty Jones 107/118 = 225
Funny Cide 109/114 = 223
War Emblem 114/109 = 223
Real Quiet 107/111 =218
Charismatic 108/107 = 215
Big Brown 109/100 = 209
Now of course, BSF's don't incorporate the fact that Big Brown was restrained down the backstretch and geared down during the final furlong of the Preakness, that he raced wide on both turns of the Derby, that he has made only five career starts, that he has dominated unusually weak competition without being fully extended, and looked magnificent doing it.
Still, interesting.
Posted by Steven Crist on May 21, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (66)
Crist Blog | May 19, 2008
Triple Crown Bids
Time to get The Chart down from the attic for the first time in four years:
The 31 horses who have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness are 11-for-29 in the Belmont Stakes (Burgoo King in 1932 and Bold Venture in 1936 did not run.) There's a day-and-night difference before and after 1950:
Before 1950: 8 for 9 (89 percent)
Since 1950: 3 for 20 (15 percent)
The total tally is: 29: 11-7-6-3, with only War Emblem (8th) and Carry Back (7th) finishing worse than fourth.
All 29 except Gallant Fox (second choice to Whichone in a four-horse field) were favored, 23 of them at less than even-money.
Posted by Steven Crist on May 19, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (65)
About
Steven Crist has been the Publisher and a columnist for Daily Racing Form since 1998. Previously, he covered racing for The New York Times from 1981-1990; was founding editor-in-chief of The Racing Times in 1991-92; and a vice-president of the New York Racing Association from 1994-97. He is the
author of several books including "Betting on Myself" and "Exotic Betting."
