Karl Tonite

[Grandstand Handicapper]

While I agree with you a lot of the time and don't necessarily disagree with you on some of the points above, I do have a different viewpoint on a few things:
If Karl is as good as a lot of people (myself included) believe he is, last night was NOT a tough trip for him. This horse, with the talent he's shown all along, should have been able to tackle that trip in his sleep.
If you thought that horse looked sound warming up, I truly don't know what to tell you. If you want to call that armchair veterinarian-ism, that's ok. But I have eyes and have had seen (and had) my fair share of unsound horses. He is not right.
I can't say if that alone is why he was disappointing last night. No one on here (that I can tell) is close to the horse/stable at all, so that's for the Takters to figure out. Hopefully they can.

I am not screaming about TCI, personally, because he hasn't looked like the horse we saw last year pretty much at all this year. I assumed he would lose tonight, quite frankly. I assumed incorrectly it would be to Highland Kismet, who disappointed tremendously. I am a little more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt (he's way greener, has never raced anywhere else, maybe wasn't getting over the surface the best) but I had him pegged as better than that.

And, we agree Ake is an absolute genius and elite level trainer, but he has a stable of 100+, I believe, and was trainer of the year multiple times in Sweden with huge stables there, too. I am not sure who has more horses (him or Takter) but it's not like he's operating a small bench or doesn't have the experience. His horses appear to be rounding into form at a pretty ideal time, while the other three top contenders (in my mind, at least) are trending the other way.

I truly believe Karl is the fastest and most talented of them all, but his connections better get their horse in order or August 3rd is going to be a tough one for them. I don't really call that armchair anything. It's facts. He's going to have to do better to win the Hambo.

I agree with everything you said, to an extent, for the most part. Agreed. Look, like I said, the horse is not 100% sound. Is he walking around dead lame all week, every day, etc......no, he's not. Whatever it is it is. My armchair trainer comments were directed toward to poster who I quoted. I do think Karl was so far ahead of the class that he may have looked invincible to some and his dominance, greatness, whatever was exacerbated. But the rest of the crop started growing, maturing, getting better, turning the corner, and so on.....and next thing you know, last night's trip, and whatever soundness issue he has going on, that gets him beat. Without question the fastest and most talented of this crop. No doubt.

As far as Highland Kismet, he is absolutely much better than that. Far. I don't know that Ake has over 100 now, but it wouldn't surprise me. Small operation no, but he buys/gets a fraction of what Takter gets at the sales. Might have more sent to him. The guy is a legend in Sweden. Without question. But I don't see him buying the #'s that Takter does. Regardless, #'s aside, I just see him campaigning, managing, developing, and whatever you want to call it exceptionally well. That in my mind is what a great trainer does. He is getting his horses moving and trending in the right direction and gives them the chance to peak at the right time. He's the one trainer that I am watching every equipment, shoeing, other change, and I watch every horse of his on the track, closely, with binoculars, to see what changes he's making week to week. I am impressed with what he's doing and how he's doing it. I've never been a raving fan of Takter. I respect what he's/they've accomplished. Jimmy's been doing this a long time. He's a HOF trainer and rightfully so. Great trainer. But I never liked to see dominance by one guy, LOL.

I just wish I could have come up with Noel's colt Sig Sauer last night. Very, very talented cold who just always was a bit behind the class leaders last year and would have been undefeated if not for a miscue. His Q's looked good but Noel's horses are hard to read sometimes and he just didn't show me enough in the Reynolds......but Ake's colt from the rail did! He looked really good in the Reynolds and has been slowly rounding into form, getting better, stronger, etc. Ake-style! LOL.

[Grandstand Handicapper]

Most people on Plop and in general racing don’t understand that you only get so many starts where the horse is at 100% across the board. That’s why I have always said Brett Pelling is the best at having a horse ready for stake races better then anyone.

Brett Pelling......mana ging, campaigning, training, getting a horse to point and peak for a specific race......The best......Hands-down.

[SDST2009]

I agree with everything you said, to an extent, for the most part. Agreed. Look, like I said, the horse is not 100% sound. Is he walking around dead lame all week, every day, etc......no, he's not. Whatever it is it is. My armchair trainer comments were directed toward to poster who I quoted. I do think Karl was so far ahead of the class that he may have looked invincible to some and his dominance, greatness, whatever was exacerbated. But the rest of the crop started growing, maturing, getting better, turning the corner, and so on.....and next thing you know, last night's trip, and whatever soundness issue he has going on, that gets him beat. Without question the fastest and most talented of this crop. No doubt.

As far as Highland Kismet, he is absolutely much better than that. Far. I don't know that Ake has over 100 now, but it wouldn't surprise me. Small operation no, but he buys/gets a fraction of what Takter gets at the sales. Might have more sent to him. The guy is a legend in Sweden. Without question. But I don't see him buying the #'s that Takter does. Regardless, #'s aside, I just see him campaigning, managing, developing, and whatever you want to call it exceptionally well. That in my mind is what a great trainer does. He is getting his horses moving and trending in the right direction and gives them the chance to peak at the right time. He's the one trainer that I am watching every equipment, shoeing, other change, and I watch every horse of his on the track, closely, with binoculars, to see what changes he's making week to week. I am impressed with what he's doing and how he's doing it. I've never been a raving fan of Takter. I respect what he's/they've accomplished. Jimmy's been doing this a long time. He's a HOF trainer and rightfully so. Great trainer. But I never liked to see dominance by one guy, LOL.

I just wish I could have come up with Noel's colt Sig Sauer last night. Very, very talented cold who just always was a bit behind the class leaders last year and would have been undefeated if not for a miscue. His Q's looked good but Noel's horses are hard to read sometimes and he just didn't show me enough in the Reynolds......but Ake's colt from the rail did! He looked really good in the Reynolds and has been slowly rounding into form, getting better, stronger, etc. Ake-style! LOL.

 Appreciate the response. Ake definitely had 100+ horses earlier this year. I watch the Twos in Training vids each year (find them very interesting) and he stated he had either 103 or 105 (can't recall which). I believe he has a stronger homebred feeder system through his owners than Takters, which may be why you see him buying more. Plus, he keeps a number of aged horses, and that's all in; not just 2-3yos.

Noel has said all along what a nice colt Sig Sauer is. I recall him saying in last year's Twos in Training that if the horse is half as good as the horse himself thinks he is, they'd be golden. Sounds like they finally have him right and it couldn't be at a better time.

I wish I had bet the race last night. The only way I figured any value was to throw out Karl and I just didn't see him not being first or second unless he completely imploded. I will say if he hadn't been in the race, the 1 horse (Tony Adams) would've been my key horse and I certainly would've used Sig Sauer, so my faith in Karl cost me some real $$ last night 

I hope they get Kismet figured out. I really thought he was capable of winning the Hambo after watching him jog around Mohawk like he owned the place.

in any event, August 3 just became a heck of a lot more interesting, IMO.

Again, appreciate the dialogue. Nice to be able to have discussion without all the shit-slinging and jeans-creaming that goes on on here so much of the time