The Matchmaker

2009 Breeders’ Cup Revisted

The GSV is dependent of the GRASP scores within 5 generations of the horse.  GRASP scores are biased towards stamina as it is easier to get a higher amount of Racing Ability points if a horse wins Classic races in fast time.   As a result, the GSV is often more accurate in stamina events and especially in Classic stamina events. 

Races 8 furlong and Up:

Day 1, Race 3, 14f, Marathon winner: 74.41-78.24-76.32

Day 1, Race 4, 8f, Juvenile Filly Turf: 74.92-53.71-64.33

Day 1, Race 5, 8.5f, Juvenile Fillies: 76.93-80.62-78.77

Day 1, Race 6, 10f, Filly and Mare Turf: 71.18-78.42-74.80

Day 1, Race 8, 9f, Ladies Classic: 74.74-76.46-75.60

Day 2, Race 2, 8f, Juvenile Colt Turf: 79.18-71.67-75.43

Day 2, Race 5, 8.5f, Juvenile Colts: 71.65-64.94-68.30

Day 2, Race 6, 8f, Turf Mile: 74.47-85.06-77.97

Day 2, Race 7, 8f, Dirt Mile: 78.21-75.90-77.05

Day 2, Race 8, 12f, Turf Classic: 75.79-79.93-77.86  [stud fee, 50,000 Euros]

Day 2, Race 9, 10f, Classic: 79.08-78.58-78.83  [stud fee, $150,000]

Races less than 8 furlongs

Day 1, Race 7, 7f, Filly and Mare Sprint: 69.39-81.08-75.24   [stud fee $6,000]

Day 2, Race 3, 6.5f, Turf Sprint: 66.49-70.24-68.37  [stud fee, $5,000]

Day 2, Race 4, 6f, Sprint: 66.02-66.57-66.30 [stud fee, 10,000]

The moral of the story is breed the best to the best and at least the horse will have the numbers to win Classic races at Classic stamina distances.  But if you want a sprinter to have the numbers to win a Breeders’ Cup Sprint, shoot for middle of the road numbers and probably stallions that won’t cost you an arm or a leg.

Zenyatta tiptoes like a bull through the pack to remain undefeated!!  Rachel again proves her weakness is the stretch and this time at a mile and a sixteenth, not a classic distance.  Matchmaker predicts the April 9th race is off "Matchmaker believes that her connections will say a meeting with Zenyatta and Rachel will have to wait until Rachel is fit and ready and April 9th is too soon".

Shame, shame, shame!!!  Zenyatta risks ALL against 8 opponents in a Grade 1 race [once she is beaten she is no longer undefeated, become mere Champion of her Age while Rachel while goes in an ordinary stake race with 4 opponents and risks nothing.  Yet her proponents still whine and moan she might not be ready yet because it actually rained in Lousiana.  And because she had sense enough to come in out of the rain it means she's smart and shouldn't be penalized.  Oh, and Zenyatta carries 127 pounds [giving at least 12 pounds to the field] and Mike Smith and Rachel carries 123 [giving 2 pounds to the field] and the super sportsman, not!, Calvin Borel.

Zenyatta wins Horse of the Year

It is an easy season based on three things.  Zenyatta showed up to contest the Championship race did and race stayed in the barn, not even working until the vote has to be in [proposed Feb start before working]

Second, when Rachel beat older horses in the Woodward, she was getting 8 pounds from the second place finisher she beat by a head, Macho Again.

Third, both Zenyatta and Rachel ran at Oaklawn Park, Rachel ran twice; Zenyatta once.  Beyers thought Zenyatta was the most impressive, despite the fact that he is now total in Rachel's camp.  Rachel achieved a Beyers of 100 and 101 and Zenyatta got a 104.

Game, Set, Match

Zenyatta ran a monster today.  A slow pace was thought to be the achilles heel of Zenyatta, but on Oct 10, the pace was slow and she just exploded to take the lead and immediately shut it down to coast to victory.  One heck of a nice filly.  Mike Smith said that she decided to shut it down, because she had done enough.  Jockeys say a lot of things, but he was clearly emotional.  She loves Santa Anita so the Breeders' Cup is in for something special.

A rule proposed by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board to make owners, trainers and veterinarians more accountable for their horses’ medical treatment and health has been opposed by nearly every constituency in horse racing.

The rule, which would require owners, trainers and veterinarians to produce on demand complete medical records for the 45 days before a horse raced in New York, was criticized by national and New York horse groups in responses to the Racing and Wagering Board. They said it required too much paperwork and placed too onerous a responsibility on owners, whom they characterize as largely absentee.

...from the NY Times

Obvious, any opposition is based upon keeping their training secrets or cheating out of the public eye.  Racing sucks

October 9, 2009