ACROSS THE BOARD by Steve Davidowitz
for TrackMaster - March, 2008

Some ‘not-so-random-thoughts’ on what’s going on in our favorite game.

ITEM #1: WAR PASS finishes last in Tampa Bay Derby March 15 after:
(A) Spiking a ‘mild fever’ a few days before the race.
(B) Acting alternately roughish and sluggish going into the gate.
(C) Getting bumped a bit early in the contest.

As a footnote to the above, owner Robert La Penta admitted after the race that the colt did have a low grade fever but claimed the horse “looked great”, so it was OK:
(A) To run him.
(B) Not tell anybody, including reporters, about the fever before the race.
(C) To publicly admit after the defeat that he should not have said anything at all.

Some random thoughts:
* Would anyone be surprised to learn that War Pass never spiked a fever of any kind prior to his five easy front running victories that made him a national champion and a co favorite for the Kentucky Derby?

* I truly respect Nick Zito’s integrity and also appreciate LaPenta’s delicate position, but don’t you wonder if he has felt misled when and if he invested serious money in a yearling while consignors may have hidden something pertaining to the horse’s recent health?

* I also wonder when racing insiders will realize their obligation for full disclosure to the people who bet serious money on their celebrity horses.

ITEM #2: Governor Elliot Spitzer is forced to resign in new track record time after a Federal investigation exposed his expensive patronage with high priced prostitutes, a crime he waged a mighty battle against while building his reputation as a crime fighter the people could trust.

As a footnote to this story, the ‘Spitzer Sex Scandal’ involved an expensive date with a young prostitute he made in Washington DC, the same day he signed off on a deal to grant the New York Racing Association 25 more years running racing in his state.

Some random thoughts:
* Isn’t it amazing how often the holier-than-thou amongst us turn out to be guilty as sin, of crimes they profess so loudly to be against?

* While the long drawn out, highly contentious deal with the NYRA was agreed upon before the Spitzer Sex Scandal, NY racing insiders know that it still isn’t completely signed yet. So, would anyone really be surprised if the politically motivated NY State Senator Joseph Bruno decided at the last minute to throw a monkey wrench in the deal?

ITEM #3: It is obvious by the performances we have seen so far in 2008, that the quality of 3 year olds pointing for the Kentucky Derby is substantially weaker than 2007 or 2006.

Some random thoughts:
* War Pass may or may not recover his top form in the Wood Memorial and he may or may not be a need the lead type.

* PYRO, the logical Derby favorite to this point, is a one run closer with modest speed figures.

* DENIS OF COOK is being handled as if he will fall apart if his connections risk him in more than two prep races and a sprinkling of easy workouts.

* COLONEL JOHN is being handled as if he is STREET SENSE (with two only two derby preps) and while he might be a promising contender, he certainly is not Street Sense.

* MAJESTIC WARRIOR and TALE OF EKATI failed to run back to their juvenile form in their 2008 debuts and must reach new career heights in their next outings to be taken seriously.

* El GATO MALO is suspect at 10 furlongs; ditto for BOB BLACK JACK and GAYEGO, while GEORGIE BOY proved he is not a pure sprinter when he beat those two in the San Felipe. He still is a question mark at 10 furlongs.

* ETCHED is in Dubai which in a dozen years has proven to be a barren desert for Derby contenders.

* Meanwhile, COOL COAL MAN and FIERCE WIND may give Zito a pair of useful second stringers, but neither could warm up any of the top three (STREET SENSE, HARD SPUN and CURLIN) who dominated last year’s Derby, much less BARBARO, or Belmont stakes winner RAGS TO RICHES, or any of recent winner of two Triple crown races in this decade, including POINT GIVEN, AFLEET ALEX and SMARTY JONES.

* BIG TRUCK? A Derby winner? I seriously doubt he is as good as GIACOMO. In fact, ATONED, who finished second to Big Truck, probably has more upside after making his 2008 debut in the Tampa Bay Derby.

* While some of the above modestly talented 3 year olds could improve over the next six weeks, it is just as likely that a horse who has not made a major impression this year could yet emerge as the 2008 Derby winner. That is why experienced horseplayers are keeping an eye out for allowance winners BIG BROWN and HEY BURN among other relatively unaccomplished horses such as MOMBA, KING’S SILVER, MEDJOOL, HALO NAJIB and VISIONAIRE, who won the Gotham in the fog on a sloppy track that nobody, not even the track announcer has yet to really see.

* Recall after all, the sudden improvement in April and May in recent years by CHARISMATIC, WAR EMBLEM, and yes, even Giacomo, probably the weakest Derby winner of the past three decades.

ITEM #4: The Breeders’ Cup Committee outdoes itself shifting all of its filly races to Friday and expanding racing’s big event with three more races, to 14 total BC races, all in the name of “growth.”

As a footnote to these moves, the Committee chooses Santa Anita for two consecutive years when no one at this point — not even Santa Anita — knows exactly what kind of racing strip will be in play for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup this fall.

Further, after the choices cited above were blasted almost unilaterally in various public forums and privately by many experienced horsemen, a top Breeders’ Cup official (name left out as a courtesy), brushed off the criticism with the following priceless quote: “People in racing are always resistant to change.”

Final random thoughts:
* Yikes!
* Frankly, the people who run racing’s most important tracks and high profile events are the ones who stubbornly resist good advice from smart, serious-minded people who play the game, live the game and have a deep regard for simple, straightforward common sense. In that spirit, your own random thoughts are of course, always welcome.

//STEVE DAVIDOWITZ

Editor’s Note: Steve Davidowitz’ Handicapping Hints and Spot Selections are available each week for Saturday racing (under Best Bets) in the TrackMaster Winner's Circle). Steve has shown profits on all his plays in nine of his prior 12 seasons. . .Steve is the author of two highly acclaimed books on racing - 'Betting Thoroughbreds' and 'The Best and Worst of Thoroughbred Racing' - Steve encourages comments on any racing matter directed to him at davidwtz@aol.com