Havre de Grace To The Azeri | Rick's Journal | Forum

Larry and I have mapped out some possible races for the next few months for Havre de Grace and Joyful Victory. We decided that the best choice for Havre de Grace’s first race of the year is The Azeri at Oaklawn on March 17th. Joyful Victory will run at The Fair grounds in The New Orleans Ladies Stake on the same day. We felt these are the best opportunities for our two fillies. Ramon Dominques will come in to ride Havre de Grace and Robbie Albarado will be aboard Joyful Victory. This will be a big day for Fox Hill.

Rick

March 17th has a BIG RED star for FHF marked on my calendar! Sure hoping for a double victory and fair weight assignments!;-) Will Awesome Feather likely be there? Will Grace get a work over the track before the Azeri since the track is under new management this year? Best of luck to both horses and to FHF — these talented ladies have equally talented jockeys aboard for good measure!

Post edited 2:50 pm – February 22, 2012 by jan

The Azeri will probably come up tougher than the Ladies at the Fair Grounds. Grace likes the Oaklawn surface and being their best horse, you want the best horse against the best competition. So, given the way Grace is training, this move makes sense to me ( as long as the weights are fair ). Here is an article and neat pic from Bloodhorse announcing the decision:

       http://www.drf.com/news/fair-g…..ong-bullet

Sorry, the above was from DRF.

Best of luck to Gracie and Joy!AJ

tommyhewett said:

AJ said:

jan said:

The Azeri will probably come up tougher than the Ladies at the Fair Grounds. Grace likes the Oaklawn surface and being their best horse, you want the best horse against the best competition. So, given the way Grace is training, this move makes sense to me ( as long as the weights are fair ). Here is an article and neat pic from Bloodhorse announcing the decision:

 

       http://www.drf.com/news/fair-g…..ong-bullet

Sorry, the above was from DRF.

My reasons are purely personal. After last weekends shenanigans (IMO) at Oaklawn, I wouldnt watch or bet $1.00 on a race from there. Again, purely my personal feelings as a fan and bettor. Obviously Rick and Larry have a more professional attitude toward racing Grace (and all their horses), as they should. Its not my money or my livelihood.AJ

 Am I out of the loop? What went on at Oaklawn?

I find the whole fiasco with the Southwest…the timing, the comments, the confusion, the last minute (???) decision to split…..well as a fan I found the whole episode 'unsettling'. I dont believe for a minute that it was really a last minute 'impromptu' decision. As a fan, it was a very strange turn of events. More 'staged' like the old WWF than the sport of kings. Its Nascar time!!!!!!!AJ (JMO)

AJ said:

AJ said:

tommyhewett said:

AJ said:

jan said:

The Azeri will probably come up tougher than the Ladies at the Fair Grounds. Grace likes the Oaklawn surface and being their best horse, you want the best horse against the best competition. So, given the way Grace is training, this move makes sense to me ( as long as the weights are fair ). Here is an article and neat pic from Bloodhorse announcing the decision:

 

       http://www.drf.com/news/fair-g…..ong-bullet

Sorry, the above was from DRF.

My reasons are purely personal. After last weekends shenanigans (IMO) at Oaklawn, I wouldnt watch or bet $1.00 on a race from there. Again, purely my personal feelings as a fan and bettor. Obviously Rick and Larry have a more professional attitude toward racing Grace (and all their horses), as they should. Its not my money or my livelihood.AJ

 Am I out of the loop? What went on at Oaklawn?

I find the whole fiasco with the Southwest…the timing, the comments, the confusion, the last minute (???) decision to split…..well as a fan I found the whole episode 'unsettling'. I dont believe for a minute that it was really a last minute 'impromptu' decision. As a fan, it was a very strange turn of events. More 'staged' like the old WWF than the sport of kings. Its Nascar time!!!!!!!AJ (JMO)

Why dont they have a plan? Why cant they have, say, a limit of 16-18 horses and a way to pick them for the race? After all its a derby prep and the derby has 20 (?) horses. May as well get the horses used to battling it out with a crowd. Most of the horses that win these races, because the field size is so small, do not race well at all on derby day. To fans like me, its a wasted three months. It proves absolutely nothing. Silly if you ask me. Then again, I am only a fan and there is a lot I probably dont understand. Dont know if it was just Oaklawn or if other tracks would have been 'baffled'. Seems to me it was not thought out very well and Ive come to expect more from the industry than ad libbing. JMO AJ

Oaklawn has a history of splitting stakes races when there are enough entries.  12 entires in one and 11 in the other will probably be more than the single running of the Fountain of Youth @ Gulfstream.  Baffert commended Oaklawn on this choice.  Again the decision was made once enough horses entered.

tommyhewett said:

maintenok said:

AJ said:

AJ said:

tommyhewett said:

AJ said:

jan said:

The Azeri will probably come up tougher than the Ladies at the Fair Grounds. Grace likes the Oaklawn surface and being their best horse, you want the best horse against the best competition. So, given the way Grace is training, this move makes sense to me ( as long as the weights are fair ). Here is an article and neat pic from Bloodhorse announcing the decision:

 

       http://www.drf.com/news/fair-g…..ong-bullet

Sorry, the above was from DRF.

My reasons are purely personal. After last weekends shenanigans (IMO) at Oaklawn, I wouldnt watch or bet $1.00 on a race from there. Again, purely my personal feelings as a fan and bettor. Obviously Rick and Larry have a more professional attitude toward racing Grace (and all their horses), as they should. Its not my money or my livelihood.AJ

 Am I out of the loop? What went on at Oaklawn?

I find the whole fiasco with the Southwest…the timing, the comments, the confusion, the last minute (???) decision to split…..well as a fan I found the whole episode 'unsettling'. I dont believe for a minute that it was really a last minute 'impromptu' decision. As a fan, it was a very strange turn of events. More 'staged' like the old WWF than the sport of kings. Its Nascar time!!!!!!!AJ (JMO)

Why dont they have a plan? Why cant they have, say, a limit of 16-18 horses and a way to pick them for the race? After all its a derby prep and the derby has 20 (?) horses. May as well get the horses used to battling it out with a crowd. Most of the horses that win these races, because the field size is so small, do not race well at all on derby day. To fans like me, its a wasted three months. It proves absolutely nothing. Silly if you ask me. Then again, I am only a fan and there is a lot I probably dont understand. Dont know if it was just Oaklawn or if other tracks would have been 'baffled'. Seems to me it was not thought out very well and Ive come to expect more from the industry than ad libbing. JMO AJ

 

Oaklawn has a history of splitting stakes races when there are enough entries.  12 entires in one and 11 in the other will probably be more than the single running of the Fountain of Youth @ Gulfstream.  Baffert commended Oaklawn on this choice.  Again the decision was made once enough horses entered.

There are a couple of reasons why they may have wanted to split this race. The first thought would be that Baffert  probably indictcated that he would bring 2 if they didn't have to run against each other. They may have seen it as a way to have 2 grads. in the K.D. Or maybe they saw it as a way to have a local horse in the money. Or maybe they wanted to give the fans more to come out and see.

Thanks for the info. I do believe the first thought is the reason. The timing is backwards, though. First there were 21 probables, then BB brought multiple horses on 2/13 or 2/14. Then on 2/18 the decision was made to split. I think what is commonplace in the industry appears 'shady' to lay people like me. Nothing illegal going on, just a way of doing business that someone like me couldnt begin to understand. So thanks again for your insight. Very helpful. I appreciate it!!AJ

Don't know why but heard Grace is staying at FG to run on March 17th
Per drf.com. Can't wait to hear from Rich on hear and Facebook.
Why the change! I am scratching my head after committing to the Azeri?

Go Grace and team. Good Luck!!

tommyhewett said:

AJ said:

jan said:

The Azeri will probably come up tougher than the Ladies at the Fair Grounds. Grace likes the Oaklawn surface and being their best horse, you want the best horse against the best competition. So, given the way Grace is training, this move makes sense to me ( as long as the weights are fair ). Here is an article and neat pic from Bloodhorse announcing the decision:

 

       http://www.drf.com/news/fair-g…..ong-bullet

Sorry, the above was from DRF.

My reasons are purely personal. After last weekends shenanigans (IMO) at Oaklawn, I wouldnt watch or bet $1.00 on a race from there. Again, purely my personal feelings as a fan and bettor. Obviously Rick and Larry have a more professional attitude toward racing Grace (and all their horses), as they should. Its not my money or my livelihood.AJ

 Am I out of the loop? What went on at Oaklawn?

 

Nothing went on at oaklawn, 20+ horses entered the southwest and the split the division the day entries were taken, no idea why that poster is upset, maybe Oaklawn should have said no to 15 of those horses and you could have watched a race like the San vicente with 4 horses, maybe that would have made it all better.  SMH

I think having the reigning HOY, merits more money if you want to lure Grace away from a Graded race with more money. Their reasons appear very sound to me. Larry says the shorter stretch run at Oaklawn will suit Joyful better and the longer run at the Fair Grounds will benefit Grace. And, with this being Grace's first race of the year, I can see preferring to keep her where she's been training for the same purse and favorable weight. THE word Graded doesn't carry as much weight to me as some — we have many times seen where competition is equal or better in ungraded races.