Two Year Olds Worth Watching...

AfleetTreet · **Posted:** November 16th, 2008, 8:10 pm

I have to say I was impressed with EVita Argentina's Moccasin win. I liked her early one but it looked like she was regressing. SHe needed the shortneing of distance and I think it suits her much better. I hope she does better from here on out. Palacio de Amor is another worth watching as well. She looks to have liked the shorter distance as well. She finished 3rd behind Evita Argentina. These two fillies may be interesting to watch although it seems all 2yo fillies diminish a bit when standing in Stardom Bound's shadow. That filly is a monster!!!
:-)

TonyHorsepower · **Joined:** November 20th, 2008, 1:44 am **Posts:** 5

It sounds like they're still unsure about whether or not Evita Argentina has distance limitations, it will be interesting to see if she tries two turns again.

Her undefeated sire, Candy Ride has a couple of other two-year-olds making big names for themselves, Real Quiet Stakes winner Chocolate Candy (a colt who seems to have appreciated a stretch out in distance); and Captain Candyman Can (gelding), who won the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill.

AfleetTreet · **Posted:** November 20th, 2008, 8:25 pm

Hi Tony!!!

I am glad you popped in! THANKS!

I like Chocolate Candy...Capt. Candyman Can did have a nice win though. Personally, I am going to be watching Evita Argentine and Palacio de Amor in the months ahead. I think perhaps they might be late bloomers. I guess we'll see.

My bigger dream would be to see my boy, Gallant Son blossom into a force to be reckoned with. I WOULD LOVE IT!!! Of course I was the same way last year with Smarty Deb...I just LOVED her too. Every year I find a sentimental favorite and most of the time they don't win but they sure give thrills in getting there! LOL! Afleet Alex ...be still my heart! I just loved him! His Preakness was amazing and still gives me chills when I watch it. Barbaro's Derby does that too me too.

How do you think Midshipman and Vineyard Haven will do, especially with the change to Dubai?? I know Midshipman is the likely favorite right now but I have always like Coronet of a Baron, I hope he shapes up into something tough.

Great to see you! Stick around...We are good friends in here and there are a few guys who love to talk horse "shop". LOL! Welcome!

Ruffian79 · **Posted:** November 21st, 2008, 10:43 am

hey! like you guys Ive been watching Evita Argentina since I think mid last year...her color is stunning (I took some pics of her at the BC of course) i thought she was a superstar then kinda regressed...like you said distance might be the key there. She sure is beautiful.

As is Gallant Son! I hope for him too!

Gallant Son

Ta Wee · **Posted:** November 21st, 2008, 11:02 am

I agree the Evita Argentina's Moccasin win was impressive, but I also think she's going to struggle at distances beyond a mile. On the bright side, that gives us something to look forward to at sprint distances next year. As of yet, I'm not sure where I stand with the 2 year old colts yet. I try not to get to high on them since so much can happen between now and May, but Gallant Son, Chocolate Candy, and Captain Candyman Can do look nice. CCC gets extra points for having won at Churchill. At this point though, I'd really like to see a nice dirt race out of everyone as three year olds before I consider them favorites for 2009.

TonyHorsepower · **Joined:** November 20th, 2008, 1:44 am **Posts:** 5

AfleetTreet wrote:

Hi Tony!!!
How do you think Midshipman and Vineyard Haven will do, especially with the change to Dubai??

Midshipman looked like a Derby horse after the BC, but I'm thinking more and more that they can forget the Derby trail after being shipped to Dubai. The move to Dubai is something I've really not been sure of as far as their intentions and what they're showing they really think the horse is capable of. But, at this point I have to favor a North American-based horse on the Derby trail. Godolphin has been absent from the Triple Crown since 2002, when Essence of Dubai finished unplaced in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) after winning the United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-G2).

I like the Maktoums, but I've never been big on Godolphin or Darley--I'm a big Shadwell fan though.

Something kind of interesting for me to think back on now is Discreet Cat. They brought him over to the states--at Churchill, I think--but decided not to campaign him for the Triple Crown races. They took a lot of crap for that, although I actually think they made the right choice for him. Even though he won the UAE Derby, which is not quite 9 furlongs (and they weren't sue if he could do that), I was ultimately left with the impression that he was not destined to better beyond a mile.

AfleetTreet · **Posted:** November 24th, 2008, 8:04 pm

Hey Tony!!
Good to see you...Thanks so much for your take on those horses...I have been worried about that similarly myself. I am actually glad you showed up though because I wanted to get your take on a 2yo that ran in Japan the other night. For the LIFE of me I cannot remember his naem although I want to say he is a Street ry colt...My friend brought him up to me and I actually had fell asleep so I missed it but it drew my curiosity. Just wondering if you watched it the other night and if you happened to noticed a standout 2yo worth mentioning?? THANKS!!

AfleetTreet · **Posted:** November 29th, 2008, 6:08 pm

Mr. Rod's speed takes Generous
By Jay Privman
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Chantal Sutherland, wintering in Southern California for the second straight year, earned her first graded stakes win on this circuit when she guided Mr. Rod to a front-running victory in the Grade 3, $109,300 Generous Stakes for 2-year-olds on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Mr. Rod ($15.60) took advantage of an otherwise paceless field in the one-mile turf race and grabbed the lead from the start. Racing over a course rated firm, but still with some give from rain earlier in the week, Mr. Rod was nursed through fractions of 23.37 seconds, 46.71, and 1:10.88 en route to final time of 1:35.04.

Mr. Rod had a 3 1/2-length lead with a furlong remaining, then held off even-money favorite Bittel Road to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Bourbon Bay and Hype finished in a dead heat for third, 2 1/4 lengths behind Bittel Road.

Dan Hendricks trains Mr. Rod for owner Cecil Peacock, the same team that campaigned Brother Derek, the 2006 Santa Anita Derby winner. Mr. Rod took four starts to defeat maidens, including two starts against maiden claimers on Polytrack at Del Mar. A switch to turf for that maiden win, going six furlongs, earned Mr. Rod a spot in the Generous.

"I think grass helped him a lot," Hendricks said.

Sutherland said Mr. Rod was strong throughout.

"When I needed him, I felt like I had a lot of horse," she said. "He was happy."

AfleetTreet · **Posted:** November 29th, 2008, 6:09 pm

Hey Tony!!
Did you see the above win by Mr. Rod?? I LOVED it!! Looking forward to your thoughts and whether you think he should be put on a "watch" list??
:-)

afleetalexforever · **Posted:** November 30th, 2008, 12:16 am

I just watched Mr. Rod's win today in the Generous, he was quite impressive, I guess the only question really is what is going to be the plan for him now that he has been switched to the turf. It seems as if
he didnt handle the dirt very well and they moved him to turf, according to his trainer who said: "It was a good solid effort," Hendricks said. "We're very happy with him. We wanted to make sure grass was what he really wanted and see what he would do with two turns."
We'll see what direction he is pointed and then be able to see how he moves forward off of this race.

As for Tony's assessment of the Sheiks, I tend to agree with him. They are going to continue to buy our nice 2 year olds and ship them over there to prep and they are not going to cut any corners in the way in which they want to win the Derby, it may never happen but they are going to take the horse over to Dubai and ask him to be in those different settings for all that time, deal with the quarentines of coming back and then getting the horse to give his best effort. What they have to remember and I guess they dont because the horse might have shown he was good enough to travel to California and win a race, but they tend to forget that these are still babies. V.H and Mid are both nice colts who I'd say were expected to be iron horses, deal with all of these issues but deal with the issues and races like an older horse like Curlin or Well Armed were able to coming back from Dubai. I feel that since they've got the money they should keep pumping it into our economy and keep doing it their way. Its not going to allow them to garner a Triple Crown win, less know a Derby.

AfleetTreet · **Posted:** November 30th, 2008, 11:29 am

Good points AAF! It is always soooooooooooo interesting watching legitimate Kentucky Derby contenders emerge each year. WHat is even more interesting and sometimes sad is seeing early convincing favorites like Vineyard Haven get shipped off. I personally like watching strong colts (and fillies) emerge out of American races and although I love horses like Midshipman and Vineyard Haven, I think part of the "fan edge" gets taken away when the star horses are taken away from our "watch". Nothing is perhaps more exciting than watching a colt or filliy win some amazing Derby preps and go into the Derby off impressive wins we have watched them win since they burst intto the scene. To have horses we really like get swept away from view takes some of the wind out of the sails don't you think??

Not to mention how taxing and tedious the shipping and acclimation can be for some horses. Horses like CUrlin handled it will but other star horses don't ship or handle the desert climate well and if they do, shipping back into America will often bother them and take the edge out of them because of the new acclimation to America temps and weather and traack conditions. It is definitely different for sure and so it will be very interesting to watch and see just how well Midshipman and Vineyard Haven do after their oversees journey and training and preps.

AfleetTreet · **Posted:** December 1st, 2008, 10:36 pm

Sounds like they might just be thinking about bringing him back to dirt later on...Interesting!!
:wink:

Mr. Rod will remain on turf for Eddie Logan

Mr. Rod, who won his stakes debut in last Saturday's Generous Stakes on turf, will stay on that surface - for the time being.

Trainer Dan Hendricks said on Sunday that Mr. Rod will be pointed for the $70,000 Eddie Logan Stakes at a mile on turf for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita on Dec. 27.

"We'll keep him on the turf for as long as we can," Hendricks said.

In the Generous, Mr. Rod led throughout under jockey Chantal Sutherland and won by 1 1/2 lengths over even-money favorite Bittel Road. Hendricks said Mr. Rod's speed is his best asset.

"He's a quick horse," he said. "He's got the natural speed. It's nothing I did to put it into him. He just had it."

Owned by Cecil Peacock, Mr. Rod won 2 of 6 starts and $125,755.

California Flag, who led throughout Saturday's Grade 3 Hollywood Turf Express to win his second stakes of the fall, is unlikely to start again until early 2009.

Trainer Brian Koriner would like to keep California Flag in turf sprints, but wants to run for more prize money than the $70,000 Impressive Luck Handicap on Dec. 29. The next opportunity in early 2009 is the $100,000 Daytona Handicap on the hillside turf course on Feb. 15.

TonyHorsepower · **Joined:** November 20th, 2008, 1:44 am **Posts:** 5

Yeah, Mr. Rod was awesome in the Generous. They had some great performances at Hollywood Park this weekend.

The Japanese two-year-old, it sounds familiar, but I don't know if Street Cry has any in Japan. Here are his progeny: http://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/sr_sire_page.asp?refno=4531602&origin=BHonline

AfleetTreet · **Posted:** December 3rd, 2008, 10:25 pm

Tony,
I could have been mistaken by Street Cry...maybe Smart Strike? I am not sure. I'll have to ask my friend next time I talk to him. I'll let you know though because I am sure it will bug me until I know!!

I look forward to seeing Old Fashioned and Mr. Rod again very soon. West Side Bernie (who I also liked) and Terrain are headed to the Delta Jackpot I hear.

Two Year Olds Worth Watching...

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