So the Whitney has been run and Gun Runner produced a sensational run over the final 4 furlongs to really impress.  I appreciate that he returned to Saratoga and raced like he loved the SPA, something he didn’t show last year.  After his intense battle with Nyquist in the Kentucky Derby, I have been expecting him to be better than he had shown.  But finally, he has arrived — to my eye.

Sunday’s JJPPs are ready right now…

Just a comment on Saturday’s JJPP-PLUS.  There were 6 Turf races, I decided to handicap 4 for the main track and 2 for the turf.  There was 100% precip prediction for rain overnight.  It’s usually pretty easy to figure the 1 or 2 races they will keep on the Turf as long as they can… That leaves 4 other, often they will take two off and leave two on… if not take all 4 off.  I got caught.  They left all 4 on the turf!  Actually, I am pleased about that. I believe Turf races should be run on the Turf, almost no matter how soft the turf actually is.  I am very old school when it comes to this…  So bad on me…

Jerry J’s Daily Summer ‘Blurp’ (August 5, 2017)b

(not a Blurb this is a BLURP! And we are not exactly daily)

Saratoga & Del Mar – Week 3 –

“The Whitney at Saratoga”

Welling I’m Blur”p”ing away this weekend. I suppose you get how much I love our great game. Actually, I am pretty emotional, because the Whitney connects me directly back to my three favorite horses – Seattle Slew, Affirmed/Alydar and Personal Ensign.

Personal Ensign is the greatest filly I have seen in my years as a player. PERIOD. I started to realize how great a horse this filly was, when she won her edition of the Whitney. She ran over the boys, plain and simple, on her way to the amazing victory over the Kentucky Derby winner, — Winning Colors – in taking the BC Distaff in the most amazing come-from-behind “got-you” you can imagine.

One of the most amazing and overwhelming victories – I have ever witnessed – was preformed by Alydar in the 1978 edition – Whitney Handciap, in which the 3 year old Alydar (without his shadow Affirmed) romped past the older division of handicap horses (sans Seattle Slew and Exceller) —  Alydar came from about 10 lengths behind the leaders to winning by about 10 lengths —  from the middle of the far turn to the middle of the stretch. It made people speechless (not me)…. He was so dominant, and it told everyone just how good Affirmed was and by extention and just how good Seattle Slew was. But in truth, it was Alydar’s day to shine and in the 1978 Whitney – he shined as brightly as any competitor, in any sport could.

So much for memory road, and I appreciate your indulging me. But let’s talk a little about Gun Runner as he meets a field that appears to be — not as good! This is Saratoga ,quite frankly there are horses that simply love the rarified air and then there are the ones that don’t. Last year in the Travers Stake, Gun Runner came to assert himself as the best 3 year old, with Nyquist no longer the best. He faced a relatively lightly raced West Coaster – Arrogate.             And he was badly beaten, putting up very little in defeat and much less than he normally does. Gun Runner is an interesting horse who runs very well at Churchill Downs and certain other tracks, but his one try over Saratoga, was substandard for him.           Does it mean that Saratoga is not the right track for him or was the exposure to Arrogate the whole issue. I don’t know. But here is what I do know – just to me —  he is a 4/5 Morning Line with a “flaw in his form”. I will therefore, be looking elsewhere for my play…

Daily updates will be caught up after the weekend…