BloodHorse.com: Dialed In to Tampa Bay Derby if allowance doesn't fill
When was the last time that two of the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby pointed towards allowance races instead of traditional stake preps? First, the connections of Uncle Mo opted for the listed Timely Writer over the Tampa Bay Derby. And now it looks like Dialed In, who skipped last weekend's Fountain of Youth, will run in an allowance at Gulfstream this Sunday, provided the race fills.
I guess nobody wants to race at Tampa.
UPDATE: DRF.com reports that the allowance race at Gulfstream did fill, meaning Dialed In will not go in the Tampa Bay Derby, but instead will run in a OC $61.5 allowance race against four other colts. Thrilling stuff.
about 1 year ago
Matt Gardner
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Whats with all this dodging?
I know there are more factors that the connections consider, but to an outsider and casual fan this screams of dodging.
Who are they dodging though?
As of right now, no one big is running in the Tampa Bay Derby.
I don't think its dodging...
I think it’s more related to travel; both camps appear to not want to ship over to TAM, or anywhere else, at all. It’s just disappointing for fans since these are unlikely to be very competitive races.
Anyone want to take a stab on what the odds will be on these two? 1/5? 1/10?
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
And Down The Stretch They Come | @PressThePace
by Matt Gardner on Mar 4, 2011 10:11 AM EST via mobile reply actions
So the
Timely Writer was reduced from 9 furlongs to 8 to get Uncle Mo to come? Do they have doubts about his ability to go more than a mile or is it just because it’s his first race out this year?
It think it's just because it's his first race...
in a couple of articles Pletcher stated he wanted a one-turn race first time out.
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
And Down The Stretch They Come | @PressThePace
by Matt Gardner on Mar 4, 2011 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
Does This Indicate A Low-Quality Derby Field?
I can think of absolutely no reason why owners and trainers would forego the larger purses of the traditional prep races just to avoid travel. News flash: you gotta travel to major races, so why not acclimate the horse now?
Now is the time boys to make a big noise.
No matter what the people say,
For there is naught to fear, the gang's all here,
So hail West Virginia, hail.
Yeah, the travel excuse seems a bit light...
…it’s not like they are going to Dubai…or California.
I remember that Big Brown started off his 3yo campaign against allowance company but I’m trying to remember the last time two top contenders chose to race in non-graded events when there were plenty of graded events available.
I also wonder: if both Uncle Mo and Dialed In coast in these races (which they should) and then they get a difficult race in their final Derby preps (a distinct possibility), will they have the foundation necessary to run a big race in the Derby? I’d rather have a difficult race now to build off of over the next two months than the difficult race in the final prep and have to get back into form in the Derby. We’ll see how it works out.
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
And Down The Stretch They Come | @PressThePace
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