{"id":5909,"date":"2008-05-02T18:55:08","date_gmt":"2008-05-02T18:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=5909"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","slug":"oldbtb_1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=5909","title":{"rendered":"Ollie’s Quest leads turfers by the numbers in rich Deeproute Reserve(G1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kentucky<\/STRONG>–\u00a0 Numbers, numbers, numbers!\u00a0\u00a0 How in the world can you handicap a 20-horse Bluegrass Derby or Kentucky Derby field?!!?\u00a0 Post positions, odds, speed figures, winning margins, losing margins, final times, blah!\u00a0\u00a0 What’s a poor ‘capper to do?<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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So many numbers and no calculator in sight.\u00a0\u00a0 And numbers rule the day too for the Grade 1 $500,000 DeepRoute.com Reserve<\/EM>.\u00a0\u00a0 Fourteen colts, horses, and one filly go nine furlongs over the firm Kentucky turf course.\u00a0\u00a0 Since today I can’t stand counting beyond the number 10 (LOL!), let’s group the horses as if they all had single-digit morning lines.\u00a0\u00a0 Somewhere, there’s gotta be a numbers factor that will lead to a winner, or, at least, a tasty longshot…………….<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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One for Fun:\u00a0 Seeking Sal (11\/1)<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/DIV>
The 2006 Breeders Mile hero needs little introduction.\u00a0\u00a0Seeking Sal has put together one of the best turf miler campaigns in Sim history, winning over $6-million and near 20 lifetime victories.\u00a0 And he’s not limited to a flat mile either — the Seeking The Gold son can and will demolish nine furlongs like evening dinner.\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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But 2008 has not been kind to the 6yo horse.\u00a0\u00a0 He’s 0-for-2 and in a bad way at that, finishing as a well-beaten also ran in a listed stakes as well as the Boogity Bear(G3)<\/EM> last month.\u00a0\u00a0 Seeking Sal just hasn’t been the same horse since struggling home in defense of his BB Mile title last November.\u00a0\u00a0 At 44 career starts, one must wonder if he’s nearing the end of his long rope.\u00a0\u00a0 Trainer Topicount though knows her horses, but I wonder if even she thinks Seeking Sal is ain a good spot Saturday.\u00a0\u00a0 Look for Seeking Sal as usual behind the pace or about midpack.\u00a0\u00a0 Odds and recent form indicate that he’ll not only need a super-duper pep talk before the starting gate, but also a\u00a0few prayers too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Blues\u00a0Are Twos:\u00a0 Fearsome(KY) & GR Smack (12\/1)<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/DIV>
A couple of closers roll the magic number two in their odds.\u00a0 Both Fearsome and GR Smack are recent Grade 3 winners.\u00a0 Fearsome won the Boogity Bear(G3)<\/EM> photo with a big 111 SP#.<\/STRONG>\u00a0\u00a0 GR Smack took the Misfired Bogie(G3)<\/EM> handily with a 106 SP#<\/STRONG>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Ah Ha!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Squirrel vs. Epic, both\u00a0from the GR Simsters residency\u00a0train these two foes.\u00a0\u00a0 Tracy’s Fearsome, by Fusaichi Pegasus, gets the edge on recent superior form.\u00a0\u00a0 The 4yo colt has only won\u00a04 of 24 lifetime starts, but he’s hit the board in a great percentage of those races.\u00a0\u00a0 So he’s been a trooper for Tracy and really picked up the beat towards the end of last year.\u00a0\u00a0 Solid numbers in\u00a0stakes turf short routes\u00a0culiminated in the Grade score.\u00a0\u00a0 Dan’s GR Smack, on the other hand, has spent most of his career confined to the ALW ranks.\u00a0\u00a0 That is, until the 5yo son of Sadler’s Wells threw some big numbers over 9f and thus entered\u00a0his Grade 3 race stepping way up in class.\u00a0\u00a0 Can’t fault the victory, but maybe it was a “lesser” field than Fearsome’s field.\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Still, it’s very difficult to seperate the two.\u00a0 I give the slight edge though to Fearsome on his consistent recent speed figs.\u00a0\u00a0 He also breaks out of Post #12 to match his odds, so great karma there!\u00a0\u00a0 Two excellent horses with great shots here!<\/FONT>\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Five Alive:\u00a0 Yeah(KY) (15\/1)<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/DIV>
Kobras over at the Northwest Racing Circuit steps up his Awesome Again colt Yeah(KY).\u00a0\u00a0 The 4yo colt has spent most of his 22-start career around one-turn.\u00a0\u00a0 He recently got back into short route running and he’s had some success stretching out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0He won an ALW as well as a Washington mile stakes, climbing to 108 SP#.\u00a0 The speedster runs well when pressing the pace.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Yeah(KY) comes into Saturday after an honest 5-week breather.\u00a0\u00a0 The colt had previously tried to wheel back on two weeks rest and unfortunately faded a bit down the lane.\u00a0\u00a0 There’s some fancy speed in ths goup though, so he’ll have to pass the class test.\u00a0\u00a0 His speed figures indicate that he’s ready for the step up.\u00a0\u00a0 A live sleeper, especially if\u00a0a couple of the favorites\u00a0throw clinkers.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Tricks at Six:\u00a0\u00a0 Ollie’s Quest (6\/1) and Order In The Court(KY) (16\/1)<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/DIV>
We got the “old man” fave and a young pup longshot rolling icy number six.\u00a0\u00a0 First up, Nagnagnag’s Order In The Court climbed to the graded stakes in his last start.\u00a0\u00a0 The modestly bred 4yo son of Doneraile Court rallied quite nice for a 3rd place finish in the Ft Lauderdale(G3)<\/EM>.\u00a0 The youngster rode a three ALW race win streak into the contest.\u00a0\u00a0 He doesn’t have a flashy lifetime record (6-for-23 with only $100k in earnings).\u00a0\u00a0 However, ‘Court is prime example of a horse getting better with experience and age.\u00a0 We’ll see if he can keep the midpack momentum going foraward.\u00a0\u00a0 A lot of times though, horses like him just got lucky in a soft spot and subsequently struggle when asked to immediately climb even further in class.\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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No class questions at all for our racetime favorite Ollie’s Quest.\u00a0\u00a0 Rbokie of the Great Plains Residency trains the 7yo son of\u00a0<\/FONT>popular Sim racemare Fantastic Ollie<\/STRONG><\/A> (earner of over $1.6 million).\u00a0\u00a0 Ollie’s Quest has yet to catch his momma’s earnings record, but his own record is not too shabby indeed.\u00a0\u00a0 The Rainbow Quest son has over $700k in the bank and boasts a nifty 7-for-30 numbers dance.\u00a0\u00a0 The big boy showed off his sweeping come-from-the-clouds running style late last year, winning back-to-back listed level contests.\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Riding a huge upswing in form, Ollie’s Quest then took on the graded ranks beginning January of this season.\u00a0\u00a0 And he’s been quite a hot dog over nine furlongs, hitting the board in three straight with a couple of 110 SP#s to his credit.\u00a0\u00a0 He’s never won a graded stakes — gotta love his form and his love for the distance.\u00a0 Is he due for a clinker or will he deliver an early\u00a0Mother’s Day present for Fantistic Ollie?\u00a0 Go, Hot Dog, GO!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Sevens’ Heaven:\u00a0 Bannaby(KY), Black Coin,\u00a0& Rockin’ Pneumonia(IRE) (7\/1)<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/DIV>
Big graded stakes experience goes to our lucky # sevens.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We stretch out with\u00a0Rafa’s miler Bannaby, by Unbridled’s\u00a0Song.\u00a0\u00a0 Bannaby won the Laffit Handicap(G3)<\/EM> with a monstrous 114 SP# back in Janaury.\u00a0\u00a0 The 4yo colt rode a bridesmaid stakes treak into that race and positively sizzled from behind the pace.\u00a0\u00a0 Rafa gave him a well-deserved two month layoff after the victory.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bannaby, however, returned rather pedestrian-like, finishing up the track in a pair of Grade 2 events.\u00a0\u00a0 When compared to Saturday’s other starters, this colt’s still a bit green with a 6-for-18 record.\u00a0\u00a0He hasn’t tested anything beyond a mile since\u00a0dirt surface days.\u00a0\u00a0 He’s a bit of a wildcard, but\u00a0I don’t see anything in his PPs that suggests he won’t get the extra furlong.\u00a0\u00a0 Quite a dangerous colt if he can bounce back into form in this spot.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Black Coin is also a bit on the green side with only 19 starts.\u00a0\u00a0 However, the 5yo son of Sadler’s Wells\u00a0cuts back in distance.\u00a0\u00a0 Master trainer Kevoman of EAAA Residency had this guy on a roll last year, winning a World Cup race.\u00a0 Interestingly, that effort was\u00a0over nine furlongs.\u00a0\u00a0Black Coin qualified for the BB Mile, but ran forgettably.\u00a0\u00a0 The horse quickly recovered though when asked to stretch out to an extra furlong, finishing 2nd in the celebrated Pennsylvania Handicap(G1)<\/EM> on DPCD day.\u00a0\u00a0This year however, Kevoman has\u00a0had Black Coin chasing the Long Division.\u00a0\u00a0 He was unplaced in a couple of Grade 1s over 12f.\u00a0\u00a0 This horse is just awesome-looking.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The stalker’s\u00a0proven at this distance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Hopefully he isn’t too tired after those two rough March 12f efforts.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Very dangerous and probably the one to beat if on target.\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Pastures Of Green’s\u00a0Equinics stables sends out our other lucky # 7.\u00a0\u00a0 Rockin’ Pneumonia sure has been around a block two, making his 47th lifetime appearance.\u00a0\u00a0 The 6yo Rock Of Gibraltar horse was once upon a time locked in the turf sprint ranks, where he was a Grade 3 winner.\u00a0 Then he switched to short routes at age 5 and promptly added another Grade 3 victory’s earning to his $629k bankroll.\u00a0 Gotta say that this speedster is often close and sure give his all each time out.\u00a0\u00a0 I love how he stepped back into the ALW ranks LTO and won big time.\u00a0 Rockin Pneumonia hadn’t won in over a year prior to that.\u00a0\u00a0 We should be aware of this horse tomorrow.\u00a0\u00a0 He could really be a confident monster out of the gate, trying to\u00a0steal this one wire to wire.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Deserves respect as an upset contender.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Eights’ Great:\u00a0 Dark Prophet\u00a0& Crimson Secret (8\/1) and Perfect Son(KY) (18\/1)<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/DIV>
Pretty figures all around for our number eights.\u00a0 Selnurnivek of Minnesota Downs drops Crimson Secret back to short routes.\u00a0\u00a0 The Kingmambo\u00a0horse was quite a hot commodity late last season, stringing together stakes score from 8.5f to 10f.\u00a0\u00a0 The stalker got passed late though when stepped up to the grades in the nine furlong Sanders(G2)<\/EM> in January.\u00a0 Wow, this horse is gonna be one to watch with only 16 starts.\u00a0\u00a0 After the January race, Crimson Secret stretched out incrementally to 12f and was just fabulous-looking.\u00a0 Selnurnivek is still trying to poinpoint this guy’s superior distance.\u00a0\u00a0 Match Crimson Secret with Black\u00a0Coin as your ones to watch beyond this race!\u00a0 Tough schedule recently though — we’ll see if the cutback in distance turns him around fresh.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Lenny always brings his share of flashy-looking youngsters, but Dark Prophet\u00a0is a rather experienced horse this time around.\u00a0\u00a0 The 5yo son of Point Given spent the entirety of his 27 start career in the turf ALW ranks for Lenny, that is, till this season.\u00a0\u00a0 Lenny stepped up Dark Prophet to the stakes ranks after the horse got on a winning roll.\u00a0\u00a0 Dark Prophet promtply snared a 7.5f stakes and hit the board since.\u00a0\u00a0 The stickler though is that those races were around one-turn.\u00a0 Dark Prophet ALW career came mostly over\u00a0short routes.\u00a0\u00a0 I’m not sure what Lenny anticipates here stretching out Dark Prophet again.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Didn’t the horse finally prove himself to be a one-turner?\u00a0 Puzzler.\u00a0\u00a0IMO, this is a bad entry by Lenny.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Shagfarms joins the action with our eightish longshot, Perfect Son.\u00a0\u00a0 The Pleasantly Perfect 4yo\u00a0developed slowly for Shag.\u00a0 Last July though, the colt really hit his stride when stretched out to middle turfy distances.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u00a0won the Saint Ledge(G3)<\/EM> over 10f and hit the board in other premier 3yo colt turf grades like the Big Red(G1)<\/EM> and Upper California Derby(G3)<\/EM>.\u00a0\u00a0Unfortunately, autumn hit\u00a0and the colt just didn’t like the cooler temperatures, falling way off form.\u00a0\u00a0He hasn’t recovered since.\u00a0\u00a0 This colt has talent\u00a0somewhere deep down inside.\u00a0\u00a0 He’ll need a fast pace up front to fire big from the back of the pack.\u00a0\u00a0 Will the real Perfect Son show up?\u00a0\u00a0 Sleeper on the merits of his back class.\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Fine Nines:\u00a0\u00a0 Synchronization (9\/1)\u00a0 and A Case in Point(KY) (99\/1)<\/STRONG>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
Our final two contestants will be dressed to the nines (Ha, har!).\u00a0\u00a0 Corza’s Synchronization will be all decked out in his golden bridle.\u00a0\u00a0 The Sim gods sure know that Synchronization can afford it — the 4yo son of Tactial Cat has earned over $1.4 million in just 18 outings.\u00a0\u00a0Only three lifetime victories too for the colt\u00a0, but he made them count, winning the\u00a0rich Pennsylvania\u00a0Handicap(G1)<\/EM> on DPCD Day last year.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Synchronization had an impressive campaign in the major sophomore and late-season older horse turf grades.\u00a0\u00a0 He hit the board in races like the Sydney Derby, World Cup\u00a0Turf Classic<\/EM>, and Movieland Derby<\/EM>, all Grade 1 events.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0The speedster seems to be best over the mighty 10f.\u00a0\u00a0 The colt threw a clinker in his last effort shortening up on Sand Castle Day.\u00a0\u00a0 Bottom line, this speedster desrves mucho respect.\u00a0\u00a0 He positively oozes in class and black type.\u00a0\u00a0 I like how this is his 3rd race back after a layoff.\u00a0 \u00a0The key with him though is that he has to fight off some honest speed and sometimes he’s not the best at doing that.\u00a0\u00a0 On a mission up front.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Will the filly A Case In Point\u00a0be dressed up with Kentucky’s May flowers braided through her pretty\u00a0mane?\u00a0\u00a0 Or will her trainer Tsunami dress up with a flowery hair-do, all frilly\u00a0and jocular-like?\u00a0\u00a0 Ha!\u00a0\u00a0 Your guess is as good as mine for A Case In Point’s paddock appearance.\u00a0 A recent $2.5k claimer, the 4yo daughter of Point Given will be no factor, except maybe for laughs and plenty of mint juleps.\u00a0\u00a0 What are you doing Tsu?\u00a0\u00a0 Ha!\u00a0\u00a0 Strike up that rowdy Great Plains band and several poor straight bourbons (hold the rocks, please)!<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Snowchief’s Picks<\/U>:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Wow!\u00a0\u00a0 This is a very nice field.\u00a0 Black Coin and Crimson Secret are the ones to watch — they both have bright futures.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Synchronization is a proven commodity.\u00a0 Bannaby must pass the extra furlong test and I don’t think that’ll be much of a problem, but who knows?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Rockin Pneumonia threw a huge # in the ALW ranks LTO and sometimes\u00a0that makes all the difference in a tasty upset.\u00a0\u00a0Order In The Court might’ve caught a soft field LTO, but maybe not.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Fearsome\u00a0has the numbers karma.\u00a0\u00a0 He and GR Smack are improving sorts but anything can and will go in a Grade 1.\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Seeking Sal\u00a0is probably near the end of his\u00a0rope, but you always gotta watch out for the legend.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I don’t like Dark Prophet or A Case In Point.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Perfect Son needs to recover form, but he has back class, so watch him.\u00a0\u00a0 Yeah could be ready, but still an outsider.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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But it’s Derby weekend and I’m going with the horse who’s a 9f specialist, a midpacker, and a dramatic story!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ollie’s Quest in a whistler over Crimson Secret, Black Coin, and Synchronization!\u00a0\u00a0 Rbokie, I heard that nasty shout (“Why did you jinx my horse, Snowchief?!!!?”) all the way here in Cleveland!\u00a0Ha!<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Win:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ollie’s Quest<\/FONT><\/DIV>
Place:\u00a0\u00a0 Crimson Secret<\/FONT><\/DIV>
Show:\u00a0\u00a0 Black Coin or Synchronization<\/FONT><\/DIV>
Numbers Longshot<\/STRONG>:\u00a0\u00a0 Fearsome (12\/1 , from post # 12!)<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Happy Derby Day, Sim gamers!<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Black Coin, Bannaby, Crimson Secret, Rockin Pneumonia, more go nine furlongs to turf stardom<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5909\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}