Embrace the chaos. Some of the picks enveloped within are of significant value. Some are next to useless. For the biggest racing event of the year, I will leave it to the reader to discern meaning and credibility. Most importantly, I sincerely hope everyone enjoys the race.
Race 12
Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) for Three-Year-Olds and Upward, 1 ¼ Miles on the Dirt
Andrew Dressner: 1- Tripoli
Isn’t that a city? I like the sound of it. Why did you name a horse that? Maybe it’s fast, so you don’t need a name to show that it’s fast.
Allie Stofer: 1- Tripoli
I’m picking Tripoli because it sounds like AAA, and I trust them.
Katrina Lambert: 2- Express Train
I don’t know. It has a good ring to it? It sounds like we’re going somewhere. Express Train. It’s very active. Can I ask why I’m being asked?
Corbin Gregg: 2- Express Train
I’m picking Express Train. With the current administration, Pete Buttigieg will do great things for the transit system, and I expect this to be a part of that.
Eddie Harrison: 2- Express Train
So I’m going to ignore the ones I knew previously. Let’s go with Express Train. These seem like very New York centric names.
Esme Bleecker-Adams: 2- Express Train
I should be partial to Art Collector but I also take the Express Train every day and I like the speediness it implies so I’m gonna pick that one.
Diana Silva: 3- Hot Rod Charlie
It reminds me of hot sauce. I like hot sauce.
Olivia Stern: 3- Hot Rod Charlie
I’m picking Hot Rod Charlie because it reminds me of “Hot Rod,” the film. I’ll leave it at that.
Cristine Kalinski: 3- Hot Rod Charlie
I think I’ve gotta go Hot Rod Charlie for the win, as opposed to my Echo Zulu pick, Hot Rod Charlie has always struck me as an old veteran with all of the experience and the speed to win, he’ll show up when you need him the most.
Hugh Esterson: 3- Hot Rod Charlie
I’m going with HRC, not just because I like cars and I like racing, but because he’s due for a true breakthrough win. He’s run well this year, winning the Pennsylvania and Louisiana Derbies, finishing runner-up at the Belmont Stakes, and third at the Kentucky Derby. I remember him being a standout horse to watch back in May, and his time is now. Watch Hot Rod Charlie break through to the front out of stall 3 with French jockey and victor of this year’s edition of the Preakness Stakes Flavien Prat aboard.
Chris Murray: 3- Hot Rod Charlie
I’m between Knicks Go and Hot Rod Charlie. In the past, I’ve had to evaluate them and have thoroughly enjoyed them. Knicks Go is such an appealing horse, but Hot Rod Charlie has a different feel to him, so I’ll have to go with him. That’s my guy, that’s my horse.
Jill Rice: 3- Hot Rod Charlie
I’ll go with Hot Rod Charlie because I read that one WSJ article about him and his frat bro owners and I thought it was a very heartwarming tale of how they acquired this horse with major wins. They, like the owner of this esteemed site, are “Philips,” ancient Greek for “horse boy.” That’s a legit fact, I know Greek. But yes, HRC because he’s cool and he’s also got “hot rod” in the name (and hot rods are fast).
Paul Moquin: 3- Hot Rod Charlie
Hot Rod Charlie, Max Player, Knicks Go
Kreena Vora: 4- Essential Quality
Looking at the numbers, he has won eight out of nine starts, and seven of those came on fast dirt. The trainer’s stats are also very good with last time out winners (30%) and on dirt as a whole (26%).
Niko Konstantellis: 4- Essential Quality
I don’t know. Do I have to do this right now? Ugh, I think I have to stick with my gut and go with Knicks Go. Even though he’s beatable! I would like all five of the top horses to finish in a line and I’d be happy. I’m just worried that Knicks Go is going to run out of gas in the stretch. He has to run an extra eighth of a mile, and Essential Quality has done it twice already. The Knicks are on fire though, go Knicks. I don’t know. I don’t even want to bet on this race. It’s like I’m standing on the top of a building and throwing a $100 bill off the edge, running back down, and hoping it lands back in my hand. Poor Art Collector; Luis Saez got stolen from him. Fuck it, Stilleto Boy. Eh, no. I mean, there’s not even a way to see how Knicks Go might run going this far. Let’s start eliminating horses and see if that helps. I guess Tripoli, I guess I could do it. But he’s good too! Alright, Express Train, get rid of him. And I guess we’ll get rid of Stiletto Boy, and also Medina Spirit because I hate him. But I can’t get rid of my boy Ricardo Santana and Steve Asmussen. But alright, Max Player is gone too. So we’re down to four, and they’re all running next to each other. Knicks Go finishes ahead so much, he might have enough of a cushion to make it the extra eighth. O.K.
*several minutes of watching replays of Hot Rod Charlie*
I think Knicks Go might get beat.
4-3-5-6. Essential Quality will have a lot to do, but he’s done it all before.
Kevin Moquin: 4- Essential Quality
It’s Essential Quality. Knicks Go setting the pace should give Essential Quality the perfect set up to win.
Matt Ludington: 4- Essential Quality
That name sort of calls out to me. There’s a sort of mystery around it and it sounds powerful.
Lucas Ludgate: 4- Essential Quality
Essential Quality easy play. Every other horse is pretty much a pure early speed/wire to wire horse.
Susan Moquin: 4- Essential Quality
That’s what life is all about: having an essential quality. We should live our lives with Essential Quality.
Joe Burns: 5- Knicks Go
5-3-1
Knicks Go has been the fastest of his group since last fall and finishes out his races as if the extra eighth of a mile should be within his range. Hot Rod Charlie has been in the quickest second half three year old races with an eye on this race as the focal point of his season, if the choice falters he will be the first to take a shot. Tripoli is my longshot, he has done little wrong since switching to the dirt.
Maddie Sandholm: 6- Art Collector
I don’t know if you know this or not, dear reader, but I do art. I’m majoring in it too. Solely because I don’t want to be broke for the rest of my life, betting it all on a horse — that also collects art — seems like the best life plan for me.
Owen Roche: 6- Art Collector
Evocative of Newark’s most discerning patron of fine art — and his prize racehorse, Pie-O-My — Art Collector is on a hot streak and set to burn down the house on the Cup’s biggest stage. I’m not breaking balls — get ready for a heavy envelope this month.
Emma Moquin: 6- Art Collector
My pick for the Classic is Art Collector. I like that her speed figures are so consistently high her last couple of races and that since she hasn’t faced anyone in the field since she has gotten so good, there is a chance of her surprising us today. This race is so open and I believe that any horse can win this race, but I’m really sick of picking the same four horses over and over again, so Art Collector is my pick to add a little bit of spice without being too risky.
Joan Moquin: 6- Art Collector
Grace Getman: 7- Stilleto Boy
If your name has a weapon in it, that’s how you win.
Gillian Russo: 8- Medina Spirit
Medina Spirit is the one familiar name to me — I feel like he won something else and I should go with him? But my god do I want to back Stilleto Boy. The misspelling is unfortunate, but if you’re going to name your horse after something notoriously difficult to run in, that tells me you’ve prepared your horse to defeat all obstacles and expectations and run like the wind.
Emily Ellis: 9- Max Player
Max Player cause it sounds like sax player and I have a soft spot for those.
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