Will Take Charge bids for HOY

TJ · Postby TJ » Sat Nov 30, 2013 2:31 pm

Will Take Charge beat Game on Dude Friday in the Clark Handicap at CD. Real good race, watch it below. TJ
http://www1.drf.com/displayVideo.do?tra ... ountry=USA

Cree · Postby **Cree** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 4:08 pm

I agree he should win the Champion 3-year-old hands down. HOY, I still think should go to Wise Dan. He was dominant all year, on the big day (Breeders Cup), and although he ran in his "comfort zone", he had a stellar campaign.
I do hope WTC stays in training, he is a beast.

TJ · Postby TJ » Sat Nov 30, 2013 4:55 pm

Hi Cree,
Yes, I tend to agree....but Will Take Charge will give the voters something to think about, after his good work in the later part of the year. TJ

Cree · Postby **Cree** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 9:43 am

Out of curiosity, who do you think gets the vote for top older male? and 3-year-old filly?
Thanks.

I still think Game On Dude should be top older male. Or perhaps Flat Out. Both did terrible in the Classic. But measured against Mucho Macho Man, their 2013 campaign was far better.

I can't decide on the 3-year-old filly. I really think Beholder showed she was the best by winning the Distaff, but I know Princess has the better East Coast record.

TJ · Postby TJ » Sun Dec 01, 2013 2:33 pm

Cree wrote:Out of curiosity, who do you think gets the vote for top older male? and 3-year-old filly?
Thanks.

I still think Game On Dude should be top older male. Or perhaps Flat Out. Both did terrible in the Classic. But measured against Mucho Macho Man, their 2013 campaign was far better.

I can't decide on the 3-year-old filly. I really think Beholder showed she was the best by winning the Distaff, but I know Princess has the better East Coast record.

Hi Cree,
I really think the top older male is up for grabs and at the mercy of the eclipse award voters. Personally, I believe eclipse award winners should be decided on the race track. That being said, my preference for older male would be Mucho Macho Man after his two GR I wins in California while taking the measure of both Game on Dude and Will Take Charge among a stellar cast in the Classic. That Classic was one of the best races held all year and MMM was up to the task even though he had issues that kept him from competing in other events. I'd like to see Kathy Ritvo get a special award for her handling of MMM.
I believe Beholder proved to be best, although it was obvious the other contenders didn't bring their A game cross country...Beholder's record is stellar and she maintained her good form all year. TJ

da hossman · Postby **da hossman** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 8:46 am

WISE DAN - if he is HOY wouldn't he also be Champion Older Horse? Game On Dude is a good horse but could not close the deal on his two biggest days.

I do think Will Take Charge locked up Champion 3 YO Colt.

I hope Princess of Sylmar's body of work will make her Champion 3 YO Filly over Beholder's BC win. Princess of Sylmar clearly did not handle the SA surface, but she was the best 3 YO filly every other day and defeated Royal Delta when Royal Delta had the race all her way.

ct2346 · Postby **ct2346** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 1:12 pm

da hossman wrote:
I hope Princess of Sylmar's body of work will make her Champion 3 YO Filly over Beholder's BC win. Princess of Sylmar clearly did not handle the SA surface, but she was the best 3 YO filly every other day and defeated Royal Delta when Royal Delta had the race all her way.

Let's remember that Beholder thrashed Royal Delta as well. Beholder had a stellar year...and, I believe that the only reason POS beat her in KY was because Beholder left her race on the track (literally) when she acted up in the warm up. Still she lost only by a whit. She wasn't thrashed like both RD and POS were in the BC.

She absolutely deserves her 2nd award.

TJ · Postby TJ » Mon Dec 02, 2013 2:12 pm

da hossman wrote:WISE DAN - if he is HOY wouldn't he also be Champion Older Horse? Game On Dude is a good horse but could not close the deal on his two biggest days.

I do think Will Take Charge locked up Champion 3 YO Colt.

I hope Princess of Sylmar's body of work will make her Champion 3 YO Filly over Beholder's BC win. Princess of Sylmar clearly did not handle the SA surface, but she was the best 3 YO filly every other day and defeated Royal Delta when Royal Delta had the race all her way.

Hi Hoss,
You're probably right about Wise Dan if they give him HOY. I just wonder, now that there are some decent dirt runners to weigh this season...that maybe they will be looking to give Wise Dan the turf award.....and look to a dirt horse for HOY? I think it's up to the prevailing winds of the voters and media if they still hold that grudge against Wise Dan because he did nothing daring to shut up his critics this season? If that wind blows away, I guess it will be Wise Dan, getting both HOY and best older horse. TJ

da hossman · Postby **da hossman** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 6:27 pm

Howdy to all -

I would also like to see Kathy Ritvo & Mucho Macho Man get some glory, so maybe it would be right to make MMM Older Horse. Wise Dan could be Champion Turf and HOY.

Regarding the 3 yo fillies, both Beholder and Princess of Sylmar had 4 G1 wins, they split their two meetings and both beat the reigning queen Royal Delta! The statistics cannot be any closer.

While I feel the Zenyatta was a weak G1 field, one could also say Princess of Sylmar was beating up on Fiftyshadesofhay regularly. My vote goes for POS probably because of track bias, but in the end I think neither is clearly superior to the other. An "opinion" vote. Normally East Coast based horses have the advantage in a tight vote, but Beholder's BC win will likely carry her to the Championship.

Both PRINCESS OF SYLMAR and BEHOLDER are deserving of the Eclipse in my opinion.