Bewerben zum clanbeitritt » have a representa

In the wake of California Chromes devastatingly easy score in Saturdays Awesome Again Stakes, more than a few people wondered why anyone would want to face the worlds best racehorse in next months Breeders Cup Classic.Its a reasonable question. California Chrome is now 6 for 6 this year, including powerful victories in the Dubai World Cup and Pacific Classic, and he has not lost a race in 18 months. And on Saturday, he took serious early pressure from a very good multiple Grade 1 stakes winner in Dortmund while being pinned down inside, where he has never really wanted to be, at least in the past, and brushed it off like it was nothing. Absolutely nothing.In the end, California Chrome won the Awesome Again by 2-1/4 lengths, but it would have been much, much more than that if he hadnt been completely geared down late to keep plenty in reserve for his Breeders Cup engagement. Now thats a scary thought.But regarding the question of why anyone would want to face California Chrome in the BC Classic, heres the answer: Because the best horses are supposed to run in the best races. Period.They dont always do, however. And part of the problem here in a Breeders Cup context was brought on by the Breeders Cup itself when it created the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile.While the general concept of the Dirt Mile was a good one, it just hasnt panned out in practice. There is no coherent series of races in the U.S. for dirt milers, nor has the creation of one been spurred since the Dirt Mile was first run in 2007. Moreover, there is no Eclipse Award category for dirt milers, nor should there be, because that would only serve to water down our championships.But the biggest issue here is, the Dirt Mile has acted as a siphon, taking away talent from other, far more established Breeders Cup events such as the Sprint, and most troubling, the Classic.Only last year, we saw Liams Map decline to face American Pharoah in the Classic, and opt for the Dirt Mile, instead. I understand that the prospect of facing American Pharoah in the Breeders Cup last year was not a pleasant one, but a horse like Liams Map, who won the Woodward and was a giant second in the Whitney, belonged in the Classic. Liams Map was much the best winning the Dirt Mile, but frankly, I feel a strong second in the Classic to American Pharoah would have enhanced his stature more.The Classic/Dirt Mile political football after California Chromes dominating performance Saturday was Frosted. Many on social media opined that after California Chromes latest performance, Frosted should run in the Dirt Mile, because he has no shot in the Classic.That might be true. Frosted, and maybe no one else, has a chance to beat California Chrome in a truly run Classic. But thats almost beside the point. Frosted, winner of the Whitney and Met Mile, and third in the Woodward after a terribly overconfident ride, belongs in the Classic. His credentials warrant running in that race, and make him overqualified to run in the Dirt Mile, which is essentially a rich consolation prize.Also, Frosted is owned by Sheikh Mohammeds Godolphin. The front end of a $1 million Dirt Mile purse probably wont change Godolphins fortunes, nor, I think, will a Dirt Mile victory greatly enhance Frosteds already well-established stallion credentials. Godolphin, to its great credit, has always been about running in and attempting to win the very best races. For that reason alone, I would be disappointed if Frosted didnt run against California Chrome in the Classic.Saturday notes:* Beholder has been a tremendous three-time champion. But Stellar Wind is simply better than her now. Stellar Wind ran a better race than Beholder did when she won the Clement Hirsch at Del Mar, and she did the same in the Zenyatta. Stellar Wind had the tougher trip Saturday being three wide on the first turn and having to be used early to negate Beholders natural pace advantage, and yet she still prevailed.* Cant find an apparent excuse for Klimt, who had to settle for second at 1-5 behind Gormley in the FrontRunner. Gormley was decidedly best. He also ran his 1-1/16 miles a gaping 1.31 seconds faster than Noted and Quoted did winning the Chandelier four races later, and that after similar early paces.* Its easy to be excited about Three Ruless 10-length destruction of his field in the Florida Sire In Reality Stakes, which made him unbeaten and untested in five starts. But keep in mind, he was 1-5 in a 12-horse field Saturday, which says almost as much about his opposition as it does about him.* Im giving Flintshire a pass for his second to Ectot at 1-5 in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. Flintshire just wasnt himself on the yielding going, and he will be expected to rebound in the Breeders Cup Turf on the firm footing he is certain to get at Santa Anita.That said, take nothing away from Ectot. Ectot was a disappointment in his first two U.S. starts, but he set a legitimate pace for the footing and 1-1/2-mile distance, and he kept on going.* Oscar Performance ran away with the Pilgrim Stakes just like he ran away from his maiden field at Saratoga in his previous outing, and he might be a very special 2-year-old turf performer. Still, he had very easy early leads in both of his wins, and I want to see how he responds to real pace pressure before I completely buy into him.* Joking has been a great $20,000 claim for owner/trainer Charlie Baker, and he earned a shot at the Breeders Cup Sprint with his closing score in the Vosburgh. But the Vosburgh made Joking 4 for 5 on wet tracks, which he wont get at Santa Anita. The Vosburgh also made Joking 6 for 9 at Belmont Park. He is 4 for 30 elsewhere.* Its difficult to be optimistic about Runhappys tired fourth in the Ack Ack. Yes, Runhappy was making his first start in nine months, and at a one-turn mile, which can be a difficult distance at which to return. But Runhappy was 1-5 against a field that looked outclassed on paper, and he is a horse who in the past has run big off workouts and layoffs. Boston Red Sox Pro Shop . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Boston Red Sox Store . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Stitched Red Sox Jerseys .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals. Boston Red Sox Gear . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Several swimmers were listed with the wrong qualifying times coming into the Rio Olympics.World governing body FINA was able to correct some mistakes, including that of a Kuwaiti swimmer competing under the International Olympic Committee flag because her countrys national committee has been suspended from taking part in the games.The Guardian newspaper in Britain reported that 17 swimmers from 16 countries still had qualifying times that didnt match the actual results from last years world championships in Kazan, Russia. All were admitted to the games under the universality rule, which is designed to spread the sport to developing countries that would not otherwise have qualified.FINA said the Olympic competition was not affected by the botched times, but there were renewed questions about the murky way swimming is governed and organized.For us, there is no question over the eligibility of the swimmers to compete and we have even gone slightly over the 900-swimmer quota, FINA said in a statement early Friday. The mistakes, if any, did not have any impact whatsoever to the outcome of the competition and to the athletes participation.FINA did change the qualifying times for several dozen swimmers, as well as some relay times for major teams such as Italy and Hungary. The times determine heats and lane assignments during the preliminaries.Further confusing matters, FINA hastily added seven Russian swimmers to its entry list just before the start of competition last Saturday, after they were initially barred from the games over their countrys massive doping scandal. No explanation was given for why the swimmers were allowed to compete, but the decision sparked heated criticism from several athletes, most notably American Lillly King.ddddddddddddOne swimmer initially listed without a time was Kuwaits Faye Husain, who is competing as an independent athlete in Rio because her countrys national Olympic committee was suspended by the IOC for alleged government interference in several sports federations.The 21-year-old Husain, who recently graduated from Williams College in the United States, competed last year at worlds and posted a time of 27.63 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle. But when that wasnt listed in her Rio entry, she was assigned to the opening heat with less-accomplished swimmers.The mistake was initially missed because she didnt have a representative at the team leader meeting held before the start of the games, where mistakes are supposed to be rectified. As an independent athlete, shes being coached by her college coach, Steve Kuster, who arrived in Rio after the meeting.She had gotten here a day or two before me and noticed that she was entered with no time, Kuster said. She was in the very first heat.From there, the coach said, it was a very long trek to get it right. Finally, the issue was resolved and Husain will be in the fifth of 12 heats when she competes Friday.Kuster believes the proper lane assignment will help her put up a much better time than she would have swimming against much-slower swimmers, even though shes got little chance of advancing out of the preliminaries either way. She tied for 64th at worlds.It was more about being where she rightfully belongs, Kuster said.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry . ' ' '