Magic Shoes

Zenyatta, as everyone who watches brown things run around in a circle knows, won yesterday; number 17 in a row. In a world where stakes horses are finished in about start five, it is quite the accomplishment.

Amazingly, there are plenty of folks out there who believe that Zenyatta really ain't that good. That's she's been a little lucky because she runs on a synthetic racetrack, she has not run a Lou Pena like speed fig - that sort of thing. One of my favorite posters at Paceadvantage, because he is smart (and I like his name) is Chickenhead. I remember laughing out loud when reading his magic shoes post. It kills me. In responding to one of many posters who were discrediting Zenyatta, he wrote this:

It really is quite amazing, and this is only partly in jest, that the other owners and trainers have let this obviously slow horse pile up $6 million. This is quite an amazing phenomenon, this almost outlandish stupidity on display spanning YEARS.

Now I realize that she generally runs on synthetics, a miracle surface that amazingly enough SHE is the only horse in the world it is suited to. A singular entity. It hinders every horses performance, except her, who it moves up. Now it does favor closers, and she is obviously the only closer around, but still, that doesn't explain it all. I think she wears magic shoes. A special composite forged from Shirrefs secret stash of unicorn tusk.

But, even allowing that other owners have been powerless to stop her and her magic shoes, on the magic/tragic surface that makes everyone slow -- unforgivably -- they have also let her, twice now, steal away with the G1 Apple Blossom and its large purse, arguably the top race of the Spring for Fillies. And with No Magic Shoes allowed!

WTF is wrong with everyone!

Chick is one funny dude. The unicorn line makes me laugh each time I read it.


Well the ORC is making Rock n Roll Heaven qualify again. I know they have to be by the book, but geez, can you not give them a break before a $1.5M race? Foggy night, some wacky stuff happening; it seems it could be given a pass. Anyhoo, at least it is not a big deal. He probably wanted to blow the horse out anyway, and it so happens that Mohawk has q's scheduled. Of course, Bruce Murray would have helped out a Cup horse if they didn't.

Auckland Reactor has some issues. He has been bumpy, but he is not that bad. He must be having some breathing or allergy issues, I would think. He shows moxy, but falters late, just like a sick horse does, in my opinion. Kelvin Harrison comments here.

Shark Gesture, boom. No tougher horse around right now. Not that I have seen anyway.


Noel Daley comments on his Cup charges. He does not seem overly worried about All Speed. I thought Ideal Matters was tired at the wire in his last, but he disagrees. He also speaks about being disappointed with Ideal in the NJSS final as I was.

Cup week starts in earnest this week. Who does the early line favor? I guess Rock n Roll Heaven, and All Speed are no brainers to like. Dr. Dreamy maybe, or the Burke colt? Other than that I really do not know who to hang the hat on this weekend. I don't mind the way OK Commander has been racing with a longshot chance. I hope he draws ok this week for a potential poke. Anyone have any insight?