The never-ending horse thread

Since there isn't a forum for horse racing, would like to consolidate our racing posts here, that don't belong somewhere else like a Kentucky Derby thread.

Hard Study is a horse I found by accident 11/11, just by looking up at the screen, recognized a good horse, hit it to win and exacta. He is racing August 3rd at Saratoga, race 8 at 5:02, in the Birdstone Stakes, 1.75 miles. I'm shocked seeing this race so long and him in it. I didn't even know we had races at such a distance. His sire Big Brown didn't even finish in the Belmont in 2008, but his offspring must show some promise if being in this race. Is the distance I see at Equibase correct or error?

i think that race is a 1 1/8....the longest you see thoroughbreds race is usually 2 miles and 1/16th

Quote: ontariodealer

i think that race is a 1 1/8....the longest you see thoroughbreds race is usually 2 miles and 1/16th

It really is 1.75. I checked the 2 horse Turco Bravo's results in this race and it listed 1.75 miles. Turco Bravo won this race last year and placed the year before. The five horse Scuba is out of Tapit, should have some promise I'd flat guess. That's obvious. Which reminds me, Hard Spun either won or placed in the Belmont iirc. Oops Hard Study is out of Big Brown, not Hard Spun.

Last years race. It is 1.75 miles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLZqHXa3lpY

Quote: onenickelmiracle

Hard Study is a horse I found by accident 11/11, just by looking up at the screen, recognized a good horse, hit it to win and exacta. He is racing August 3rd at Saratoga, race 8 at 5:02, in the Birdstone Stakes, 1.75 miles. I'm shocked seeing this race so long and him in it. I didn't even know we had races at such a distance. His sire Big Brown didn't even finish in the Belmont in 2008, but his offspring must show some promise if being in this race. Is the distance I see at Equibase correct or error?

Back when they had the Breeders Cup Marathon, the distance was 1 3/4 miles. Apparently, that's the "preferred" distance for "long distance" non-jumping races, as the Breeders Cup Marathon was moved to that distance from 1 1/2 miles after its initial running. If you don't remember there being a race of that length last year, that's because there wasn't one; the Breeders Cup types decided that there just weren't enough "quality" horses that ran that distance to have a race "worthy of the Breeders Cup name." Even when they had it, IIRC the purse was "only" $500,000.

I'm in a fairly large contest Saturday. If anyone has Saratoga picks for Saturday, let me know.

In a twist, I'm planning on going to see the WV derby Saturday at Mountaineer. I've never gone, mainly because I didn't care, but now I follow the derby trail. I'm surprised I don't recognize ever seeing these horses race for the most part.

Watch out for bridge jumpers. Mandatory $2.20 to show there. That and Charles Town are the best places to bet against bridge jumpers in the country.

Quote: FinsRule

Watch out for bridge jumpers. Mandatory $2.20 to show there. That and Charles Town are the best places to bet against bridge jumpers in the country.

Which track is mandatory $2.2 please?