The road to the Bluegrass Derby is a long one, full of surprises an pot holes, all in need of the right decision at the right time. Mnay players thought that I had made a bad decision in running Down The Jazz in the Sydney Derby. Now I can explain why I felt it would be a good move.
Down The Jazz had just won the biggest race of his carreer in winning the John Wooden. He not only won this race, he crushed it! Earning him a new LTH SPF of 110 . This was not only a personal best effort but it was the best effort put in by a 3yo this year. Woody's Smurfs had turned in a great effort a little over two months earlier in the year at a shorter distance of 8.5f's , earning a 111 SPF.
All of a sudden I needed a recessive race ..... Why?.
As it turned out Down The Jazz did indeed turn Sharp again two weeks later, after completing the upcoming race, it would be two weeks until the Bluegrass Derby. Some players didn't buy the fact the thought that a horse could not progress two races in a row. I say surely they can, but in this case it would be highly un-likely. DTJ just had a 26 speed figure point increase from his last race (84). I don't want him to improve again in his next race, that would increase the chances of him entering the Bluegrass Derby to ahve a recessive race in it, that's the last thing I want.
Something I've learned to understand about SIM horses; When they turn Sharp you have to act on it. At this time Down The Jazz was on a two-week Sharp cycle, it I wanted him to be Sharp on Bluegrass Derby Day it was essential that I race him this week. If I didn't and decided to rest him for the four weeks until the Derby it is not very likely that he would all of a sudden become Sharp for Derby Day. You need a Sharp horse in the Bluegrass Derby.
Right after the John Wooden was run, I visited the chat room, Iago was there, I confided with him as to the kind of race I need for this week. He looked-up the Special Race link and came up with the Sydney Derby. This race would be perfect. My biggest fear was that ther might not be a Graded stakes race for 3yo's listed that week because it was so close to the Bluegrass Derby. One thing that would be very important is that the race was a graded event, to keep him in the highest quality of race. I also needed a race that Down The Jazz would surely recess on. Being on turf and the distance of 12.0f's , assured a lower speed figure. It also builds stamina for when DTJ reaches the Derby distance of 10.0f's, he will already have had the tightener of bieng in a race at 12.0f's.
Down The Jazz needs this race.
It is un-realistic to ship a horse th the other side of the world two weeks before the KY. Derby and then expect that horse to participate in the KY. Derby. The horse would surely fold from exhaustion, that's why this is called fantasy racing, it has a few different pecularities.
This race like all the others, Down The Jazz finds a way or goes out of his way to run widest of all. Running on a surface that is not his favorite, at a distance that he bred to get but has never attempted, he did a great job to finish fourth. I was a little surprised at how low the speed figure was (74) but I was well satisfied that he ran a good race and it was a race that he will benefit from.
