We're the Distaff team, "powered by a friend", and all we need to do is pick 4 horses get the right tri box for the Distaff; all for the Exceller fund. It's as easy as watching Jim Tressel pick the right starting quarterback.....
How best to get a consensus on the 4? Other teams are using this formula; pick 4 horses, rank them, give a point value of 4 to the top pick, 3 to the second, etc., and the 4 with the highest point total will be it. Sound reasonable? Let me know & let's use this thread to get our picks out there. My early 4:
1. Stellar Jane (I've always liked her & she'll be a price)
2. Azeri (no drop-off in her form; an all D. Wayne exacta?)
3. Ashado (always tough,; can she get the 1 1/4?)
4. Society Selection (Jerkins!)
1)Island Fashion. Any filly that can hook Southern Image when he's at the top of his game and make him earn it like she did in The Big 'Cap makes a fan out of me. Add to that her last was a beautiful prep. Ready to go.
2)Stellar Jayne. I remember in my rookie BC that Surfside was the horse to beat. She was beaten, but by who? The other Lukas... Spain at 55-1.
3)Azeri. Tough older gal who is in here with several others who have the same style of running as her. She's really a great mare. However I can see her chances being compromised by using her race in the first mile of the contest. Holds on for second or third, or does she miss the board?
4)Ashado. For some reason I think the 3yo is distance limited even though she's 2 for 3 at the trip. Of the forwardly placed gals it's her and Azeri imo. One of them will still be around and the other will be off the board?
This message has been edited by Unusual_Pete on Oct 24, 2004 6:31 PM This message has been edited by Unusual_Pete on Oct 24, 2004 6:24 PM
elk (no login)
Re: Calling Unusual Pete, Ski, Elk: Distaff
October 24 2004, 9:07 PM
Early top 4
1~ Stellar Jane, She's been getting better every start, and gets four pounds from her stalemate. Could be the difference at the line
2~ Azeri, Lukas sweeps the exacta. 7-6-1-0 @ 9 furlongs!
3~ Indy Groove, 4yo by AP Indy is blossoming right now.
4~ Ashado, Her last was the fastest T-graph # in the race. It was a big jump up for her so the question is, can she do it again? Given Pletcher's BC record I doubt it. Still her running style and the 4 pound advantage will keep her close.
In no particular order at this time, here's the four I like:
Society Selection: It's been back and forth for this one, and if there is any sense of an off track, she would be my top choice. Would have been on a three race winning streak if she didn't face Sightseek--she belongs on my ticket.
Azeri: no doubt in my mind this is where she'll go and has the determination to stay tough early and wear down the rest. She is the best mare I've ever seen in person and you've gotta love the prep, a 107 BRIS speed figure with the comment "mild hand urging".
Stellar Jayne: the one with the most heart in my opinion...should not be left off the ticket for many reasons: She has run her race every time out this year, is as hard knocking and consistent as they come and doesn't back down from any challenge. With a torrid pace, she could actually mow these down late with ease.
Island Fashion: The Big Cap is as good as they came for her and I'll just flat out cross a line in the race from Japan. I'm borderline with her for a concern of recent racing experience and I don't like the fact that she can run some real clunkers out of the blue...I can be convinced to leave her off, and would also consider a few others (namely Storm Flag Flying and Ashado--in that order).
Dr IMK (no login)
Re: Calling Unusual Pete, Ski, Elk: Distaff
October 25 2004, 4:20 AM
Island Fashion owt of style. Know won where's hula shurtz ennymoore! Nevur ahhn my tiks.
Whent two appul groav dis weekend, sew Indy Groav iz must yuze in igzahtix!
Thunderbolt (no login)
Narrowing down....
October 25 2004, 10:05 PM
Well guys, more consensus than I thought we'd get! The way we see it Stellar Jane will go off at 9/5. It looks like we have two in for sure:
Stellar Jane
Azeri
After that we have:
Ashado (3 votes): but no one will lay down on a railroad track for her
Society Selection (2 votes): Enthusiastic support from Ski, moderate support from me.
Island Fashion (2 votes): Enthusiasm from U. of Pete, support from Ski, cold water from First Alternate Kooooooooooooookie.
Indy Groove (1 vote): Support from Elk, enthusiasm from Kookadooka.
My opinion - we give the boot to Ashado unless someone comes up with a compelling case to keep her. That leaves SS, IG & IF; we each pick our top two & rank them, & get our last two that way.
That being said, I will gladly defer to anyone who knows what the hell they're doing..........
I should tell teammates, I have no strong opinion in The Distaff and I'm passing the race at the windows. If nobody likes anything I've selected, please feel free to replace my choices with more informed and emphatic selections.
Ex-Azeri, we remain with two horses picked by all:
Stellar Jane (12), Ashado (1)
Fillies named by two: Society Selection (4), Tamwheel (3)
Honorable mention: Neb Tor (5), Island Fashion (11), Indy Groove (8)
To me, one of two choices make sense:
1. We key the top four vote getters in a straight tri box: 1,3,4,12 (and hope Tamwheel makes it in to juice the payout)
or
2. Key wheel the top 2 (1, 12) with three others, with two of the three already set (3, 4). That leaves us with choosing one of the 3 honorable mentions.
For simplicity's sake I would go for choice one; if we go for choice two I vote to add Island Fashion to the mix. What say y'all?
I think we should stick with the box. If Tamweeel wins we'll be kicking ourselves, I can live with missing a horse furher down our list clunking up for third.
