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http://blogs.bettor.com/Zenyatta-couldn … ter-a38702
"Aside from Mike Smith, who will be in the saddle when the gates crash open came race time, no-one knows the feeling that comes up through the reins from Zenyatta better than Steve Willard. He is the mare’s work rider and his reaction to her workout suggested that those banking on the favourite not handling the track were on the wrong track themselves.
“She’s terrific," Willard said. "She couldn’t be training any better. She loves the dirt. She drives off it. It doesn’t have the trampoline effect like the synthetics."
Zenyatta grazing… (photo taken yesterday)
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n291/UpInClass/OZshots/zenyatta_grazing_400w_wednesday_nov3_2010.jpg
Do all artificial surfaces have the bounce effect? Or is it just the ones we have to race on? Would Michael Dickenson agree that dirt is better than synthetic?
Espoir City seems to be a bit of a forgotten horse in this. Even with concerns about the draw and distance odds of 20/1+ appear generous for the champion Japanese dirt horse. Would have cost mega bucks to supplement which I doubt they would have done if they didn’t consider he had a reasonable chance of going close.
Do all artificial surfaces have the bounce effect? Or is it just the ones we have to race on? Would Michael Dickenson agree that dirt is better than synthetic?
I might be mistaken about this but I am sure last time I heard about Michael Dickinson he was trying to invent a new surface.
His greatest achivement was Das Horse winning the breeders cup, but personally for me it was Silver Buck winning the Gold Cup, and being honest about which of his 5 had the best chance.
Take note Paul Nicholls!
Michael Dickinson, who retired from training in 2007, is a major critic of the dirt surface. That is why he helped invent Tapeta (Latin for Carpet
) Footings – an artificial surface, which he believes is more beneficial in preventing injury to horses.Do all artificial surfaces have the bounce effect? Or is it just the ones we have to race on? Would Michael Dickenson agree that dirt is better than synthetic?
I might be mistaken about this but I am sure last time I heard about Michael Dickinson he was trying to invent a new surface.
His greatest achivement was Das Horse winning the breeders cup, but personally for me it was Silver Buck winning the Gold Cup, and being honest about which of his 5 had the best chance.
Take note Paul Nicholls!
The extremely unsound yet brilliantly fast A Huevo had an abbreviated 3yo campaign ending with a win in the West Virginia Breeders Classic, a state-bred stakes race worth an inordinate amount of money. Michael Dickinson had the nerve to bring him back from a 4-year layoff. Then A Huevo won the Grade 1 De Francis Dash and the West Virginia Breeders Classic for the second time. The horse gets injured again in the WVBC, should’ve been retired but returns the following year when Dickinson tries a third WVBC for the 9-year-old gelding with 11 lifetime starts. A Huevo has a catastrophic breakdown at the start of the race, right in front of thousands of fans. So when that’s the first image that comes to mind for many racegoers in the Mid-Atlantic when we hear the name Michael Dickinson, it’s no wonder we’re reluctant to accept whatever surface he’s trying to sell us. It wasn’t dirt that killed A Huevo, it was his trainer’s greed.
The Legend of Zenyatta (may induce crying, be advised)
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/eticket/ … 4/ZenyattaDo all artificial surfaces have the bounce effect? Or is it just the ones we have to race on? Would Michael Dickenson agree that dirt is better than synthetic?
I might be mistaken about this but I am sure last time I heard about Michael Dickinson he was trying to invent a new surface.
His greatest achivement was Das Horse winning the breeders cup, but personally for me it was Silver Buck winning the Gold Cup, and being honest about which of his 5 had the best chance.
Take note Paul Nicholls!
The extremely unsound yet brilliantly fast A Huevo had an abbreviated 3yo campaign ending with a win in the West Virginia Breeders Classic, a state-bred stakes race worth an inordinate amount of money. Michael Dickinson had the nerve to bring him back from a 4-year layoff. Then A Huevo won the Grade 1 De Francis Dash and the West Virginia Breeders Classic for the second time. The horse gets injured again in the WVBC, should’ve been retired but returns the following year when Dickinson tries a third WVBC for the 9-year-old gelding with 11 lifetime starts. A Huevo has a catastrophic breakdown at the start of the race, right in front of thousands of fans. So when that’s the first image that comes to mind for many racegoers in the Mid-Atlantic when we hear the name Michael Dickinson, it’s no wonder we’re reluctant to accept whatever surface he’s trying to sell us. It wasn’t dirt that killed A Huevo, it was his trainer’s greed.
I don’t know of Michael Dickinson Flat record except Das Hoss (I believed I misspelt it earlier) but in the early eighties on jumps he was exceptional. When he went to america his mother Monica took over, but I don’t think with the greatest success. In the eighties I had Silver Buck and Bregawn the following year.
So when you write about what he done in America it quites shocks me, because I thought he was better than that.
Are you positive it was his fault and not just following the owners wishes.
I don’t know of Michael Dickinson Flat record except Das Hoss (I believed I misspelt it earlier) but in the early eighties on jumps he was exceptional. When he went to america his mother Monica took over, but I don’t think with the greatest success. In the eighties I had Silver Buck and Bregawn the following year.
So when you write about what he done in America it quites shocks me, because I thought he was better than that.
Are you positive it was his fault and not just following the owners wishes.
An article from 2004
The old war horse Dickinson has turned into Lazarus this time is named A Heuvo. He is now 8 years-old. Back in the 90’s- – – yes, that last decade- – – this West Virginia-bred son of the very obscure sire, Cool Joe, won The West Virginia Breeders Classic. And he did it in style, setting a track and stakes record for the 1 1/8 miles.
But that mark in the history book was erased, because a post race test found the presence of clembuterol.
But the problem then was physical. A tendon injury, that nearly ended his career after only four lifetime starts.
A Heuvo, Dickinson, and their fans had to wait.
In addition to his quest for perfection, Michael is also blessed with patience.
We waited four long years.
A Heuvo returned to the races last year, and won an Allowance race and The Grade One Defrancis Dash from 3 starts. That was almost a miracle.
He returned to the racing wars this year in The Forgo Handicap at Saratoga, finishing seventh to Midas Eyes.
That got the old man rolling. Last Saturday, on a beautiful fall night, October 9, 2004 at Charles Town in West Virginia, A Heuvo proved Thomas Wolfe wrong. You can go home again. Over country roads, to a country racetrack. To the place where he was born. West Virginia.
The target was the same race he had won in 1999. It was now worth $300,000. Twice the purse he ran for half a decade earlier.
Off a step slowly, jockey Ramon Dominguez guided the senior citizen runner in a wide, safe, and very quick assault on the lead. Class tells, especially when you don’t need binoculars to see it on a bullring racetrack like Charles Town.
He was his old self. Maybe better. You could hear the crowd gasp as the favorite on the tote board and the favorite in their hearts took command. He never looked back. The final margin of victory was a whopping 19 1/2 lengths! About half the distance of the short home stretch.
Even winning by almost 20 lengths, he was geared down the last quarter, and could have set a new track record. Again. And even faster than he ran in 1999.
After the race, Dickinson told me that one key to the successful return was having an exercise rider who could work A Huevo within a fifth of a second of what Michael would call for. It was that exact planning and execution that helped make victory possible.
People love a good story. Seabiscuit proved that to those who people who never go to the track, buy a Daily Racing Form or make a bet.
The brave story of A Heuvo is not over. With six wins in nine starts, his fans will wait. Sooner or later we want another chance to see and cheer and remember and marvel.
Following the race, Dickinson said that he would like to run A Heuvo in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. I presume he means this year.
That’s not Dickinson’s only citation for illegal substances in his horses.
And the article after his death
A Huevo, a 9-year-old gelding owned by Mark Hopkins and winner of the 2003 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (gr. I) was euthanized after being pulled up soon after the start and vanned off following the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic Stakes the evening of Oct. 8. The son of Cool Joe had been the 1-2 favorite in the nine-furlong race at Charles Town Races and Slots.
A Huevo, bred in West Virginia by Daniel Lopez, won six of 12 starts and earned $389,750. A Huevo finished first in the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic in the fall of 1999, but was disqualified and placed 10th after setting a track record of 1:50.10.
A Huevo rose to national prominence after his stunning grade I victory in the De Francis–a win that came in his third start off nearly a four-year layoff–
while being trained by Michael Dickinson at his Tapeta Farm in North East, Md.
Dickinson, known for his patience and maintaining confidence in his runners, had nursed and trained the horse back into racing shape after suffering numerous setbacks.
His start in this year’s West Virginia Breeders’ Classic came after more than a 10-month layoff. He had not started since finishing 11th in the Fred Hooper Handicap (gr. III) at Calder last Dec. 18.
Out of the Baldski mare Verabald, A Huevo was purchased privately by Hopkins from Lisa Moscarelli in 1999.
Mark Hopkins is a good guy and well respected. Judging by the cases of Da Hoss and Business is Boomin, this was all Dickinson’s idea.
The world has gone Zenyatta crazy!!
So often we are cruelly let down under these circumstances. I hope she pulls it off.
I submitted my analysis on this race early on in the thread, so I’m not going to cover old ground.
I respect Lookin’ At Lucky and he has a massive chance of causing an ‘upset’, but throughout the week I have been growing ever more confident Zenyatta can do it, whilst not being pulled in by the hype – I already know how good she is! Hell, I introduced her to this forum.
I selected Gio Ponti as my value bet last year and this year I’m choosing
Paddy O’Prado
. Kentucky Derby third who perhaps failed to stay 12F in the Joe Hirsch – as Gio Ponti did last year prior to his second in this contest.
Gio Ponti’s price was incredibly generous due to that defeat and Paddy O’Prado, although needing to improve, is solid ew value.
My idea of the first three:
1 Zenyatta
2 Lookin’ At Lucky
3 Paddy O’PradoAgree about Espoir City. I’m not sure how their dirt horses stack up but this is their champion, and judging by how strong their turf horses are I can’t imagine him not being competitive.
Like I’ve said, with a decent draw and short straight I think Lookin At Lucky would probably overturn Zenyatta but Z should win here.
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I’ve backed Zenyatta but am worried by Paddy O’Prado.
I’m not. Paddy has proven that he isn’t very good on dirt, his stamina doesn’t carry as far. Ought to be in the turf, we know he appreciates a firmer surface than what he got in the Joe Hirsch last month.
Paddy ran a blinder in the Derby, as good as Super Saver for mine (without the luck), but that was an absolute bog so hard to be confident. One plus is that in his prep race he finished alongside First Dude behind Stately Victor on dirt, but he failed in the Preakness (maybe he bounced?).
I’ll say it again, looking past his grinding win in the Preakness, Lookin At Lucky has looked an absolute machine. She’s never faced anything like this, but I think she’ll win anyways due to the long straight and the draws.
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I’m not. Paddy has proven that he isn’t very good on dirt, his stamina doesn’t carry as far. Ought to be in the turf, we know he appreciates a firmer surface than what he got in the Joe Hirsch last month.
That’s what worries me, he should’ve gone for the turf but he didn’t. Do they know something?
I hope not, I’ve backed Zenyatta and want her to win cause it’ll be a great story.
) Footings – an artificial surface, which he believes is more beneficial in preventing injury to horses.
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