Major UPSET at Saratoga!!!

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is undefeated no longer. Keen Ice ran a tremendous race and beat AP in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes.

In my opinion, AP has one more career race to run - the Breeders Cup Classic in Kentucky. No Triple Crown winner has won the Travers since Whirlaway in 1941.

I never thought there was a 3-yo alive that could beat the Pharoah. That's why they run the races. Saratoga is not called the Graveyard of Champions for nothing. Even the greatest horse of all time ever - Secretariat - got dusted in the Travers. Incredible stuff.

My good friend Victor E. Bell made the trip up to NY, can't wait to hear his breakdown of the proceedings.

 

[fairgambit]

Oh, I thought this was a history thread...about the Battles of Saratoga. The British were heavy favorites going in with Gentleman John Burgoyne leading the British team. Horatio Gates was leading the Americans who were at least 21 gun underdogs. To make a long story short, on September 19 and October 7, 1777 (sort of like overtime without a clock), the Colonials routed the Redcoats and Gentleman Johnny got fired, although the Brits did agree to pay the balance of his contract. Gates didn't fare much better. He got fired 3 years later (what did you do for me lately Horatio?) when he got routed at the Battle of Camden. Little known historical fact: Gates had a reputation for prescience (predicting the future), and as he lay dying in 1806, his final words were "Lions eat (sic) Owls by 21 in 15". No one then knew what the hell he meant, but his meaning is crystal clear today.

 

[Blueblood4eva]

Saratoga is the graveyard for Stakes winning horses. I tuned in for that reason alone. Something about the rail position at that track just wears horses out. I have no clue why, but it happens there more than expected.

 

[PSU87]

[QUOTE=" Gates had a reputation for prescience (predicting the future), and as he lay dying in 1806, his final words were "Lions eat (sic) Owls by 21 in 15". No one then knew what the hell he meant, but his meaning is crystal clear today.[/QUOTE]

Now that is analysis.....

 

[fairgambit]

[QUOTE=" Gates had a reputation for prescience (predicting the future), and as he lay dying in 1806, his final words were "Lions eat (sic) Owls by 21 in 15". No one then knew what the hell he meant, but his meaning is crystal clear today.

Now that is analysis.....[/QUOTE]

 

[LafayetteBear]

Little known historical fact: Gates had a reputation for prescience (predicting the future), and as he lay dying in 1806, his final words were "Lions eat (sic) Owls by 21 in 15". No one then knew what the hell he meant, but his meaning is crystal clear today.

Gates will no doubt be making a cameo on Sleepy Hollow this fall.

 

[cment]

My wife and i used to go up every year for 3-4 nights. What a great place and great memories. Learned a lot about racing. Then we had had kids.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Pharoah has a lot of heart. Baffert and Espinosa both said they thought he was rinsed by the 1/2 mile pole. Went to the race, played the card Friday and Saturday. Hit a fair number of winners and doubles both days and made a little profit, not much. Enough to pay for some incidentals and come home with what I went up with. Many people disappointed Pharoah didn't get it but that's the way it goes. His getting beat helped me a little at the windows but I was rooting for him. Big, enthusiastic crowd.

Stayed in Albany. Had a hotel right downtown, found it to be a good friendly town. Plenty of bars and eateries along the main drag there by the capitol building, which is itself impressive. People were nice, I'm sure it's got its rough patches like any city but I was impressed. Saratoga is the best venue I've seen in horse racing. It's like Grange Fair with gambling. Laid back place with old time feel and good people. Races tough to 'cap. Been up before but this trip was better. More time and more relaxed. Drank mineral water from one of the springs (State Seal Spring?). Smelled like bad eggs. Didn't taste all that great but one of the locals said you have to get used to it and it's good for you. Got the feeling I was being had, like on a snipe hunt. The ladies who show up to be seen at these big races know what we want to see. Thank you, one and all for that. Great trip, so anybody who is thinking about it, go.

Minor point of order, Fox he ran 5th in his 1st start at DMR so he already had been beaten before this.