Wednesday Jul 23, 2008

May 30, 2008 Edition It's an instant-messaging world and we're horseplaying in it. Each week, a few members of the Horseplayer PRO team exchange pleasantries on the information superhighway. This week, it's Chicago handicapper Joe (DakAttack) Kristufek and ESPN/ABC Sports freelance producer Tim (TimmyT) Turrell who samba in cyberspace. DakAttack:  how's the world's most famous foot doing? TimmyT:  just got off the phone with someone very close to the scene that says he's doing MUCH better! TimmyT:  which is great news! DakAttack:  so without revealing "your source", what's the scoop? TimmyT:  well, i can tell you (despite what you've been reading) the horse was not doing very well on Monday.  there was quite a bit of inflammation and pressure in the hoof which precluded them from putting the final patch over the quarter crack.... TimmyT:  today, however, he went to the track and looked much better....and supposedly they're thinking they might be able to finalize the patch Friday TimmyT:  Dutrow has always been confident, but he was very subdued earlier in the week.....he's much brighter now! TimmyT:  and (as a guy working on the ABC telecast) so am i! DakAttack:  yes, his presence in the starting gate IS your show DakAttack:  it IS the race DakAttack:  that's great news TimmyT:  let's keep our fingers crossed! TimmyT:  did you happen to read the ntra teleconference transcript? TimmyT:  gotta love dutrow! DakAttack:  no, late draw at Arlington today DakAttack:  what he say now?!?!? TimmyT:  talkin' more smack on the Japanese horse! DakAttack:  wow TimmyT:  dutrow: “The Japanese horse has so much to prove,” Dutrow said. “I don’t know if he’s on the top of his game training (at Belmont). I would not depend on this horse for second (place).” DakAttack:  for a guy with a horse with a bad foot, he hasn't lost his mojo TimmyT:  "Later in the teleconference, Yamamoto’s racing manager Nobutaka Tada was asked if Dutrow’s comments offended him. “No, not at all. I enjoy listening to his comments. It sounds like he knows our horse more than us.” DakAttack:  nice TimmyT:  I LOVE IT! DakAttack:  toss more dung in the game! DakAttack:  we could use a little WWE infusion TimmyT:  would you rather have that or ZERO personality (not naming names!)? DakAttack:  love the trash talking DakAttack:  and if he wins with a bad hoof, it just adds to his legend DakAttack:  like that cripple Assault TimmyT:  no doubt....and anybody that wants to talk about "who's he beating?"....can save it! TimmyT:  ANY horse than accomplishes the triple crown deserves it....PERIOD! DakAttack:  well, maybe not sir barton, or gallant fox DakAttack:  but i see your point TimmyT:  why not Sir Barton or Gallant Fox? DakAttack:  sir barton won the derby as a maiden, and beat four horses in the preakness DakAttack:  gallant fox beat three horses in the belmont DakAttack:  different era, they ran like four races in a month DakAttack:  the withers was actually before the belmont DakAttack:  omaha LOST that race, but is still technically a triple crown winner TimmyT:  well, again, my point is they still had to RUN these three races in five weeks...... TimmyT:  i don't care if it's a walk-over, it's a worthy accomplishment DakAttack:  ohhhh nooooo doubt TimmyT:  some have talked recently about moving the time between the triple crown races....i think that's a complete joke! DakAttack:  trust me, i'm not much of historian, with me, it's "on to the next race" DakAttack:  NO, i agree with you DakAttack:  it IS the accomplishment TimmyT:  people say, "nobody complained when they moved the 3-point line in basketball" DakAttack:  no comparison TimmyT:  it's the TRADITION of the event for it to be five weeks....THAT'S why one of the toughest feats in sports....and what makes it so great! DakAttack:  as I noted earlier, the Triple Crown has changed over the years, but the constant is winning three races in a short time frame TimmyT:  we've had, what, 6 horses in the last 11 years bid for the triple crown.....both silver charm and real quiet losing by a head and nose, respectively... DakAttack:  do you root for all of them? TimmyT:  umm....HELL no! DakAttack:  real quiet was a killer DakAttack:  kent still has nightmares of that TimmyT:  another great argument.....did kent blow the race by moving too soon? DakAttack:  maybe, but either way, i'm GLAD real quiet didn't go down in history as a Triple Crown winner TimmyT:  me too!...and absolutely DID NOT cost him the race!...that's a farcical argument DakAttack:  I thought Smarty Jones was TRULY deserving DakAttack:  the jocks in that race didn't want stewart elliott to win it DakAttack:  they did everything in their power to get him beat DakAttack:  and they did TimmyT:  agreed....my colleague Jerry Bailey and Gary Stevens contributed to him getting beat! TimmyT:  Bailey moved eddington WAY to early to intentionally hurt smarty DakAttack:  they toyed with Stewart DakAttack:  let him think they were giving them the lead TimmyT:  great example of gang warfare! DakAttack:  and they all took ill advised runs at him DakAttack:  set it up for the bird to swoop late TimmyT:  yep...but, again, that's why it's such a tough race....none of 'em ready to really run that far.... DakAttack:  smarty would have won DakAttack:  and afleet alex was deserving, too, but he got beat in the derby TimmyT:  afleet alex was arguably best in the derby, too TimmyT:  terrible trip DakAttack:  yep DakAttack:  goes back to what you said DakAttack:  TOUGH TO WIN A TRIPLE CROWN TimmyT:  which is why big brown is no cinch....now especially with his hoof split in half! TimmyT:  let's just get him in the gate! DakAttack:  war admiral won the race with half his foot falling off DakAttack:  and he was one of the greatest of all time TimmyT:  great horses do great things DakAttack:  everyone remembers him for losing the match race to seabiscuit TimmyT:  yep DakAttack:  let's get him in the gate, and let him write the next chapter TimmyT:  no doubt....and hopefully our sport can grab some GOOD national headlines for a change! DakAttack:  then curlin can win the stephen foster, and we can get cranking on setting up the match race DakAttack:  nine furlongs at churchill TimmyT:  let's hope....then we have ali vs. frazier DakAttack:  who would you bet on? TimmyT:  objectively i'd have to take curlin right now....he's more proven having faced older TimmyT:  but let's see what the "big" horse does next saturday and how he trains going into the showdown (if it happens) TimmyT:  i'll be at belmont beginning monday morning with my video camera in hand....will try and bring everybody as close as i can to the scene TimmyT:  it's an exciting time to have two superstars in training....we need more of this! DakAttack:  right, one step at a time, in this game, you can never get ahead of yourself TimmyT:  no you can't....we still have to get by this belmont stakes....i'm not counting anything until the gate opens! TimmyT:  i can't wait to get to the big apple and this "scene"....it's gonna be awesome!