Hold That Tiger

[british bulldog]

Firstly, sorry for the loss on Rock of Gibralter after posting it as a winner on here earlier. It would surely have won without meeting the interferrance from its stable companion.

Now onto HOLD THAT TIGER.
For a track that showed a biais to those runners who raced close to the front, an advantage to the American runners, as most European horses are held up to come with a telling burst of speed, the performance of the meeting was surely Hold That Tiger.
I would be very interested to find what price he is for the Kentucky Derby in 2003, best price in the U.K. 10/1.
He missed the break and lost 5-6 lengths as they entered the club house turn. Being ridden along 15 lengths off the leader entering the back straight, he started to make up some ground. Coming into the straight, he came 7 horses wide and made up a tremendous amount of ground to be beaten a couple of lengths. Take my word, this was some achievement to finish as close as he did.
I know the winner is stoutly bred to enjoy further, but if they were to race tomorrow the positions would be reversed.
I would be keen to know how the USA were taken with Hold That Tigers performance.

 

[Valuist]

Very impressive. Probably should've been 2nd. But the winner also was very impressive. He set a fast pace and just kept running. I'm guessing O'Brien will point Hold That Tiger for the Ky Derby and use his other 3YO to point for the Irish/Epsom Derbies. One thing about 9 furlongs at Arlington; it ALWAYS favors horses near the lead and the inside. The turn is very big and sweeping and by the time the horses hit the backstretch, there's actually less than 6f to run. Basically, after the break, Hold that Tiger had no chance. Then he also went wide on the 2nd turn. His close kind of reminds me of Alysheba's in the 1986 Juvenile. Of course Alysheba went on to win the Derby and Preakness in 1987. It also should be pointed out that Andy Beyer, the speed figure guru, gave Vindication a 102, which is 2 points better than what Arazi got in 1991 so we believe the 2 YO crop looks very solid.

I hope O'Brien learned his lesson w/Johannesburg; you can't win the Derby with one minor prep on the turf against questionable opposition. Arazi's connections tried the same thing and it failed dismally. O'Brien needs to get Hold that Tiger stabled at Gulfstream or Santa Anita where he can run in the major preps and have the foundation for the rigors of the Triple Crown. If he does that, he will be very dangerous.