Haskell or Jim Dandy?
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/artic...n-Rags-Haskell
Haskell or Jim Dandy?
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/artic...n-Rags-Haskell
Union Rags's connections have to decide what the best approach for him for the remainder of the year is.
Is less more?
Does he have the resilience to race twice during the summer in two tough races, and then be just as ready for a fall campaign?
Is he truly challenging I'll Have Another's for the three year old championship?
So far, it is June 11 and he has only raced 4 times which is not bad having run in two legs of the Triple Crown.
Bodemeister has raced six times.
Dullahan has raced four times.
Paynter has raced five times.
Alpha has raced 4 times.
Hansen has raced 4 times.
Creative Cause has raced 5 times.
Went The Day Well has raced 5 times.
Daddy Nose Best has raced 4 times.
Take Charge Indy has raced 4 times.
Horses like Went The Day Well, Creative Cause, Bodemeister and Paynter who plan on competing for top three year old AND heading to the Breeders cup likely have at least four races ahead of them. Heck, Hansen is being pointed for two or possibly three races this summer alone...This means that the BC start will be the 9th or 10th start for some of these horses and that is a lot more running than most of these horses do.
For that reason, Union Rags needs to take the bull by the horns and run in the top three year old races if he is to really challenge I'll Have Another. To win top three year old I think he probably needs three more Grade 1 wins and under a best case scenario this should happen before the Breeders Cup. Heading to the Jim Dandy would give him a Grade II win which would make it essential that he winner against older horses twice to get the award which is possible with the weight allowance he would receive, but not necessarily likely.
Another reason Union Rags needs to run in the Haskell is to contest Bodemeister getting another Grade I win. If Bodemeister were to run in the Haskell and then win the Woodward Stakes he would already have an edge having won three grade 1s and one against elders.
This makes me think the Haskell has to be the race for him. Which probably means he'll be heading for the Jim Dandy.
"...and God took a handful of Southerly wind, blew his breath over it, and created the horse." - Bedouin Legend
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HORSE RESCUE OR OLD FRIENDS KY OR NY - AND GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE.
If he is going for 3 year old honors, he has to go in the Haskell. A grade II win over Paynter will do little to enhance his resume, while a GI win over Bodemeister will mean something.
No way he has bodemeister speed. If he is 5 or 7 lengths off at the top of the stretch can UR make it up?
At Monmouth...it could be tough. It was tough for Curlin and Hard Spun closing on Any Given Saturday once he got the lead at the top of the stretch.Originally Posted by horseracing
It was tough for Summer Bird closing against Rachel Alexandra.
But who knows...perhaps he will surprise us.
I agree the Haskell has to be the race for him to get top three year old...which is why I think he will be in the Jim Dandy against Paynter...and take the more conservative route.
But, I think people think Bodemeister is going to the Travers stakes when he could easily head to the Woodward Stakes.
"...and God took a handful of Southerly wind, blew his breath over it, and created the horse." - Bedouin Legend
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HORSE RESCUE OR OLD FRIENDS KY OR NY - AND GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE.
Johnny V is expected to be out 2 months with his injuries, so the question now is - who rides UR for the Jim Dandy/Haskell?
Does JV come back 2 weeks early to ride him?
Animal Kingdom, Eblouissante, Amazombie, Somali Lemonade, Royal Delta,
Archwarrior, Flashy Gray, Antonia Autumn, Verrazano, Mr Commons, Midnight Lucky
2012 Thoroughbred In Memoriam
Once upon a time there was a horse named Kelso. But only once. ~ Joe Hirsch
That is a tough call for UR's connections if JV tries to come back early.
Obviously JV has top call on UR in normal conditions, but would Matz still go for JV who would be riding against medical advice, and who had not been on a horse in 6 weeks and is not racing fit?
If Matz does not go with JV, he will have his pick of most of the rest of the jockeys, so getting a top rider would not be a problem.
I know it would be out of the norm for an East Coast trainer to use a West Coast jock, but give Mario Gutierrez the mount. He fit I'lll Have Another well. I bet he could do well with Union Rags as well. Of course, then you have travel problems which could factor in. Bring Jerry Bailey back.
"...and God took a handful of Southerly wind, blew his breath over it, and created the horse." - Bedouin Legend
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HORSE RESCUE OR OLD FRIENDS KY OR NY - AND GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE.
Pretty sure what's next is finding yet another jockey.
First rule: Try always to do what's right for the horse. The people part will work out. -- Josh Pons, Merryland, 2007
I remember in an article it was said after they chose JV that Javier and Ramon were also under consideration to ride him.
Other than not being the swiftest out of the gate , Union Rags seems to be a pretty straightforward, honest, hard-trying horse. I would think any of the top jocks who could make themselves available would be fine.
Johnny V gave him a sublime ride in the Belmont - a real shame about his injury.
99% of the time, he is swift out of the gate. The Derby was the anomaly.
Animal Kingdom, Eblouissante, Amazombie, Somali Lemonade, Royal Delta,
Archwarrior, Flashy Gray, Antonia Autumn, Verrazano, Mr Commons, Midnight Lucky
2012 Thoroughbred In Memoriam
Once upon a time there was a horse named Kelso. But only once. ~ Joe Hirsch
A couple of nice articles:
http://www.antonnews.com/glencoverec...e-20-2012.html
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/70550/union-rags-dealt-stamina-in-genetic-shuffle --- this one is especially for Matt. ;-)
Last edited by janpal; 06-22-2012 at 02:37 PM.
Good for Mr. Matz.
He is leaning toward the toughest route for his horse, and the only route which could result in his receiving champion three year old honors.
I wonder what that means for Teeth Of The Dog. Will he contest the Jim Dandy, or also run in the Haskell?
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...ith-union-rags
Matz leaning toward Haskell with Union Rags
Updated: Thursday, June 28, 2012 1:58 PM
Posted: Monday, June 25, 2012 7:47 PM
Michael Matz, the trainer of Belmont Stakes hero Union Rags, confirmed that the road to the three-year-old championship will likely run through the Grade 1 $1 million Haskell Invitational, to be renewed this year for the 45th time, at Monmouth Park.
Matz, who was at Monmouth on Saturday to saddle Somali Lemonade to a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Boiling Springs Stakes, said that at this stage he has two options for his multiple Grade 1-winning Union Rags -- the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 28 or the Haskell on July 29. Both races will be contested at 1 1/8 miles.
"I will have to make a decision," Matz said. "I would imagine, though, that if you are trying to be the three-year-old champion, you have to run in the Grade 1 races and that would be the Haskell."
"...and God took a handful of Southerly wind, blew his breath over it, and created the horse." - Bedouin Legend
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HORSE RESCUE OR OLD FRIENDS KY OR NY - AND GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE.
Looks like the Haskell. Good for Matz.
Hey! Take a look at Union Rags' new jockey. He's adorable and so confident and composed looking! ;-)
https://twitter.com/PBrette/status/2...517313/photo/1
I can admire Matz for trying the tougher of the two races that weekend. I am not so sure he's got much of a shot at having a 3-yo champion, no matter how UR runs in the Haskell.
IHA won the Lewis, SA Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness in succession before retiring. Winning the two TC races he attempted, along with the other stakes wins, will be difficult for UR to overcome.
I like UR and his connections. But my own view is he may well be out of the running for the Eclipse. His Belmont win was nice, but that was not a strong group: the 10 horses he beat were a combined 18 for 85 coming into that race. Three of those had not yet won a race at 3.
I guess he can't win it if he doesn't try, but thinking UR has a chance to be the top 3-yo is pretty far out there, in my opinion.
Win or lose, and regardless of his chances at end-of-the-year honors, I'm just glad to see Matz is not afraid to have UR take on the best out of fear of failure -- much like what is going on with a horse on the other side of the pond who is being touted as one of the best ever. If you've got a horse you believe in, let him face the best, win or lose. The track at Monmouth as well as the distance would sure appear to be in Bode's favor.
Last edited by janpal; 06-30-2012 at 09:13 AM.
Everytime you post, your credibility plummets.
It's truly remarkable.
The fact that you just denigrated the handling of a horse racing in open-company Group 1 races to prop out the handling of a horse for them taking on Bodemeister is hilarious.
Please tell me which horse in the world can't take on Frankel in his races.
Last edited by dustino140; 06-30-2012 at 09:33 AM.
Well there's lots of smart ideas in books I've never read, when the girls come talk to me I wish to hell I had
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