re: UPDATE Nasal strip OK for California Chrome's bid at Belmont

Danza, curve, holiday, samraat, wicked strong maybe inclusion, roc, and cc.

I'm sure others will run.

This is the list I've been seeing:


California Chrome
Ride On Curlin
Social Inclusion
Kid Cruz
Commanding Curve
Danza
Wicked Strong
Samraat
Intense Holiday
Tonalist
Commissioner

Commanding Curve is definitely running the Belmont, Ring Weekend may make it too. Despite a 5th place finish, the horse had the legs to do much better. He got jostled right out the gate and cut-off just prior to the stretch. My buddy just forwarded sent out this email. He is living the dream.

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First, let me thank our Preakness hostess and designated driver, Marlene, for a fantastic Preakness weekend. We had a great time!

Well, it just wasn't RING WEEKEND's day in the Preakness. Hopefully, you didn't lose as much $$$ as I did. RW was bumped repeatedly out of the gate when the #6 horse came over forcing #5 into RW. That wasn't as severe as I first thought, but it may have played a little on RW's focus. Down the backstretch, RW was cruising along fine. RW commenced his run for the leaders around the half-mile pole and was moving great along the rail. We were yelling to just keep going past the leaders, but unfortunately, RW ran up on the heels of Pablo Del Monte and had to steady going into the turn. That killed RW's momentum and I believe a chance at a top 3 finish. RW was laboring deep into the stretch after trying to re-rally and finished 5th, beaten 12 lengths. Hey, 5th place in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes (the 2nd jewel of the Triple Crown)...we'll take that! RW earned $45,000 for his 5th place finish, enough to cover his entry fees and travel. We'll see how RW recovers from the Preakness and a decision will be made as to enter him, along with COMMANDING CURVE, in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 7. Thanks for all the well-wishes and encouragement prior to and after the Preakness race. It was a great weekend, and we got to go to the "Toast to the Preakness winner" party at the stakes barn after the race. Back there, we hobnobbed with Terry Finley, Jeff Lifson, Tom Bellhouse, some of the other WPT partners, and WPT trainers Graham Motion and Mike Stidham...as well as partners/owners for the various other Preakness horses. RW was in his stakes stall and was eating up his feed, which is a good sign after a race.

Congratulations to California Chrome, who became the 13th horse to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes since Affirmed last won a Triple Crown in 1978. Hopefully, we can be the spoiler when COMMANDING CURVE, or RING WEEKEND, mows Chrome down in the Belmont. Commanding Curve has been doing fine and working great as he prepares for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes in 3 weeks.

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Aspy, I tried to email you but it's acting up, so I'll put it here. My dad's boss bought the saddle Chrome wore in the derby for a cool $7200 at a charity auction last night. Apparently he bought Orb's last year as well.

That extra quarter mile is a killer.

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bought the saddle Chrome wore in the derby for a cool $7200 at a charity auction last night. Apparently he bought Orb's last year as well.

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Wow!

That is VERY COOL.

Glad he can use it. Don't see the big deal. Leg wraps and blinders enhance performances too, and they've been around forever.

Leg wraps don't necissarily enhance performance, they just help whatever issue they are covering.

Back wraps help with the rundown spots on the back of the back legs. You can put extra padding there. I guess that can enhance if you are running on a track that causes lots of rundown sores.

Chrome's saddle

Interesting, the article says they use it for training and the owner says it made him faster in the Derby, almost making it sound like Victor rode with it. I'll have to see if I can get a picture to see if it is the same saddle. I know there was some authentication when he bid on it and the charity auction was in Louisville.


ETA:I don't think the saddle in that article is the one Victor used in the Derby. They must just use that to exercise him. The colors aren't the same. The one in USA Today is all black, and the one Victor used has red or maroon.