Native Diver Handicap

[bdw0617]

$100,000 Native Diver Handicap (gr. III, Race 9, 4:35 p.m. PST), 3 & Up, 1 1/8 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Ravel (KY), 116, Garrett K. Gomez
2. Hello Sunday (FR), 116, Julien R. Leparoux
3. Arson Squad (PA), 120, Alex O. Solis
4. Buzzards Bay (FL), 120, Jose Valdivia, Jr.
5. Isipingo (KY), 116, Aaron T. Gryder
6. Wanna Runner (ON), 116, Tyler Baze
7. Masterpiece (ARG), 115, Alonso Quinonez
8. Racketeer (KY), 114, Rafael Bejarano
9. Heatseeker (IRE), 115, Michael C. Baze
10. Bold Chieftain (CA), 118, Russell A. Baze


this is a very interesting race, very very intersting.




anyway, I love heatseeker name because for some odd reason it reminds me of that old movie rocketeer, and I liked that movie.


not to be confused with Racketeer, and the two horses who Ig et mixed up more than any two horses in the country happened to be in te same race. Racketeer beat Sinnister Minister on Big Cap day and lost to fairbanks int he tokyo city. Heetseaker is just an allowence horse. but hasn't raced since may (racketeer). I didnt' like him int his race if he was amped.. I definatly don't like him off a layoff.

masterpeice is still running. he's 7! and I think he's better now then ever! he won a allowence last race in 1:42 and 3 at a miel and a 16th.. that's not BLAZING fast but it's fast enough to give him a look. I have a theory that halo's love cushion/synthetic tracks, and is is batting 50% on them so far. is worth a look at least


Wanna Runner .... don't we all.. dont' we all


Isipingo is interesting if you look at his turf perforamnces.. he's by a stallion I happen to fancy in horse chesnut, and he's definatly a runner.. but is he a cushion runner? also, he is a distance horse. he's at his best over a mile and 3 8ths at least. lol, is a mile and an 8th long enough for him to win?


Buzzards Bay has been beating up on a very, very weak crop of older cali stakes horses.


Arson Squad .... i'm not a fan of headley on synthetic surfaces. he hasnt' done anyting this year that tells me he can win this race. however if you take ou the grade 1, which he had no shot in hell of winning he's 2 for 2 at this distnace.. things that make you go humm...

If I don't like Buzzard's bay for beating up on weak horses, I definatly don't like hello sunday because he is one of the horses he beat up on.


ravel is an extremely taltned horse and IMHO is hands down teh best american horse fu peg has ever sired. as a 2YO he broke his maiden at a mile and a 16t in 1:41 and change. there are 4 year olds (in this race) that can't run that fast.

In the sham he had or at least should have had one of the highest beyers for a 3YO... he won at a mile and an 8th at 1:48 and 4. that would have put him at the fastest prep by any prep horse going into the derby... Scat Daddy did the florida derby in 1:49


comes back this winter at keeneland and demolishes a field by about 7 lengthes, running a full 2 seconds slower than he has already shown he can run at.


Ravel is the best Fu Peg horse ever sired, he's pletcher's best colt he has ever had and if he stays in training next year, will give curlin all he can handle for the BCC

but fo this race put your money on ravel and dont' get too fancy

[Rokeby Forever]

Ravel is NOT Fu Peg's most talented offspring. I never saw Haradasun run, and I was never crazy about Roman Ruler, but I think Bandini on his best day was a better horse than Ravel. Ravel hasn't won anything better than a Grade III yet, and I don't think that he's run a race close to Bandini's Bluegrass win.

Ravel proves that the artificials aren't foolproof. He didn't stay sound on them, did he?

[bdw0617]

Ravel is NOT Fu Peg's most talented offspring. I never saw Haradasun run, and I was never crazy about Roman Ruler, but I think Bandini on his best day was a better horse than Ravel.

Ravel proves that the artificials aren't foolproof. He didn't stay sound on them, did he?

I didn't say ravel was his best colt, I said he was his best american based colt and I stand bedhind that. Haradasun is his best son (although he rode the coattails of that dam but that's a different post)


getting on Bandini however... his bluegrass... going 1:50 and 1 over what was literarly an IndyCar track dressed as a horse track. next year came back and won a non graded stakes beating noble causeway. I'll pass. never was a big bandini fan.

you don't like Ravel becuase he hasn't raced that many times. Id on't blame you. But there is a reason people like Jeff Siegel, one of the few handicappers I actually listen to was drooling over this horse in the winter. this horse is the goods. and if they can keep him healthy for a full year.. my gosh. and I am not a pletcher or fu peg fan but I reconize a good horse when I see one.

[Rokeby Forever]

I don't know, BDW - you seem to like Californian horses that run a couple of times, beat nothing, and then disappear.

Ravel lost to Teuflesberg, and in his stake win, he beat Liquidity (never won a stake) by a length and Song of Navarone (won an ungraded stake). In Bandini's Bluegrass win, he was wide all the way around the track and easily defeated High Limit (Grade 2 winner), Closing Argument (2nd in the KY Derby), and Sun King (Grade 2 winner, multiple Grade 1 placed).

[bdw0617]

I don't know, BDW - you seem to like Californian horses that run a couple of times, beat nothing, and then disappear.

humm...you might be on to something there. I don't even want to tell you other horses that I fell in love with in the past (cough bro lo cough)....and I probably should have prefaced my pick of air commander in the 6th tomorrow in the other thread by saying that air commander is my fav horse in the country.... I was a big lion heart fan as well but he actually could run.

However getting serious.. there is a difference with ravel.... he is winning and beating good horses. he beat Liquidity.. I mean... he did run in the derby, and some solid older horses last out. he can't help he was injuired.

they thought so highly of ravel that he is the reason, and the SOLE reason per pletcher on HRTV interview that rags did not run int eh santa anita derby.

[Rokeby Forever]

they thought so highly of ravel that he is the reason, and the SOLE reason per pletcher on HRTV interview that rags did not run int eh santa anita derby.

If that's what Pletcher said on HRTV, he was full of baloney! The Santa Anita Derby was too close to her Oaks win (they wanted to give her more time) and they thought the KY Oaks was an easier spot for her than the KY Derby, anyway - so they decided to train her up to the KY Oaks. Here's the Blood-Horse story written at the time:

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=38153

In hindsight, giving her that much time between races was an omen - she ran only twice more after the KY Oaks.

[bdw0617]

If you happent o be a garrett gomez fan, please don't read what I'm about to say

[vent]

I HATE GARRET GOMEZ!!! My freakin gosh, the most overrated jockey in america..

"he' so strong on the top of a horse".. yeah he is strong.. strong enough where he can make a horse come to a screatching halt in the backstrech taking away all his momentim, then still have enough entergy to get him boxed in on the strech.

that smug bastard, I hate him. He is worse than freddy fong jr when it comes to burning money, because unlike fong, gomez is actually on good horses that figure.

Pletcher would be wise to get JV out in SoCal to show him how it's done and I'm not a huge JV fan, but I'd take him over Gomez any day of the week.

[/vent]

[Rokeby Forever]

Gomez rode Sunriver well. Ravel just ain't all that.

He is worse than freddy fong jr

Everyone is - Freddy Fong is the king of California. Why won't anyone use him?

[bdw0617]

am I the only one who realizes that a bug boy can send a horse to the front with no real early pace and hold off a field of 4 with a little left in the tank? That doesn't require a rocket scientist. which is hwat he did with sunriver.

when a race requires gomez to think, he looses 8 out of 10 times.

[Rokeby Forever]

Ravel has no excuse.

[bdw0617]

yes he does, his name is GoGo.

he rides chalk all week long and bring home winners anyone could bring home. I stand by what i said, put him in a full field, give him a horse that is good and can win but isn't 5 lenghts better than anyone else and make him think and you will beat him everytime.


and I didn't even place a bet on Ravel.. I didn'[t like the odds. It just pisses me off that 1) this damn jockey gets so much credit. Bill Shoemaker he is not and 2) he costs the horse a win. I dont' like jockeies who cost graded stakes horses wins.

[Rokeby Forever]

Gomez must have at least half a brain - he uses Ron Anderson for his agent.

[bdw0617]

Gomez must have at least half a brain - he uses Ron Anderson for his agent.

that and he is extremely strong for a jockey, I'll give him that.. but strengh does not equal greatness.

[Rokeby Forever]

Ravel wasn't going to win today, even if Superman rode him. Beside, the best horse Ravel ever beat is Liquidity. Ravel faced older Grade 1 and Grade 2 winners today - that's a big class jump, and off an injury to boot.

I agree that speed/stalking is Gomez's forte, but I wouldn't classify him as a bubblehead. Shaun Bridgmohan owns that title. LOL!

[geowarrior]

And how about that Heatseeker! Not to mention Racketeer. I think name handicapping was the way to go with this one.