Breeders’ Cup in the Books

by Ed Meyer

posted on November 9, 2022 in Blogroll, General Discussion, Handicapping, Horse Racing, WinningPonies.com | Comments Off on Breeders’ Cup in the Books

The smoke has cleared, the champions crowned and congrats to the winners and excuses from the losers. – Like in every sport, there is always plenty to say after the fact. But my reflection is more about the beauty of the day and cashing tickets.

If you played the Keeneland meet, you would’ve been aware from Race #1 there was a red-hot speed-bias. It harkened back to the golden rail days that played like a conveyor belt. Pat Day would notch a lead by a half and hold on to that same lead all the way around not using the crop more than 5 times. – He would use a side arm swing brushing gently against the front quarter of the horse. – Upon asking him at a PDJF function he told me his secret weapon. He communicated with the horse with his hands. – He knew at the 1/4 pole if he had a shot. Day was ultra-impressive on speed and Keeneland this meet would have had him atop the rider standings by dozens. To this day I have never seen any rider win by 1/2 length more than the great Pat Day.

Thinking back to working at Keeneland I used to get there early with glazed donuts and orange juice. – I watched a speed biased oval all meet long and the final two day before the end of the meet I saw them adding material and for some reason they were harrowing the opposite direction. – Not sure if any of this made a hill of beans, but the closing couple days for the meet prior to the BC showed me an oval that slowly began to play more favorably. – Those were the best donuts watching the works.

I watched the speed dominate all meet, and now I was betting off-track enjoying the action. – For the Breeders’ Cup, the track was fair and was open to the best runner in my book. – I loved how horses could be wide, dominate with speed, and make a mid-pack run. I’m not much a bragger, but Keeneland was very good to me this year.

 

In the $6 million dollar Classic we were treated to something special. – Flightline romped home by 8 1/2 lengths and did it with the greatest of ease. – Anytime a horse makes an explosive effort as such, the 1973 Belmont and Secretariat are following shortly after in discussion. – I hate to make hasty calls regarding a horse to “Big Red”, but this was as close as I can remember in my lifetime. – We are always looking to find that next great one, but they are finer than frog hair.

I have watched more races than the average player. There have been many that made me wide-eyed just watching greatness hoping for the next champ. – At the end of the day, I don’t think it is fair to judge any one horse against another from history. Let’s just enjoy and hope to see a little more if we are lucky. Just to whet your whistle; wait until the babies hit the sales ring someday.

I have played the Breeders’ Cup in person at Churchill, Keeneland, and Santa Anita; here I met the best guys in racing from Winning Ponies. All have been incredible in their own right, but if I had to give a nudge it would be to Keeneland. – I usually put in a great deal of time handicapping the races and slow down my betting for 45 days or more. – Like the old butchers saying, “steel sharpens steel.” – I’ll take my 45-day standing eight count and focus more directly on fewer plays. This keeps me ready to roll when January approaches and the stakes schedule starts over again at Gulfstream, Fair Grounds, Oaklawn, and Santa Anita.

 

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