10 days until the races of Dubai World Cup Day - March 25.  We can use this thread for anyone's thoughts as they arise.  Who do you like?  That kinda stuff.

The Japanese contingent are coming loaded for bear.  I'll be rooting for them and betting on select horses, of course.  

Hoping for a big day. 

https://news.netkeiba.com/?pid=news_view&no=225087    If it shows up in Japanese, you know what to do. 

I look forward to this race every year. Classic 1 1/4mi 2 turn run unlike the Saudi Cup. Hopefully there's pp's for this years edition. Other than Panthalassa and Country Grammer run lines it's usually a guessing game.

I usually look for the local contingents and use a couple of them in my tri's and super's.

Would of been interesting to see Flightline run here.

It's one of the few days I am interested in an entire card, not that I would ever bet an entire card.  All I can say at this point is that I know the Japanese are sending over live horses.  The prices will dictate the play, in my case.  

Good luck, Chief.

Same here about playing the entire card. My usual is the late Pick 3, small wager on the turf race and usually get a couple plays for the World Cup.

Would've liked to see a few more American runners entered.

Take a look at the older runners in the US and it makes you want to cry.  Years ago we had a robust handicap division...and I mean decades ago, actually.  Now, with early retirements, horses dying, drugs and piss poor horsemanship we have a hard time competing anymore.  

Of course, there are exceptions...and they prove the rule.

I prefer the international sport and have made no secret about it for quite a few years now.

And the poster child of everything wrong with the North American racing game is:

Breeders' Cup FUTURE STARS FRIDAY

Yeah, let's reward breeders for flooding the market with juvenile sprinters and milers.

Watching the races at the Cheltenham Festival in England this week has been a breath of fresh air.  Older Thoroughbreds doing what the breed was meant to do: run 2 miles or more on turf, drug free.  As far away from Louisiana bush track cheating as you can get.  Racing as it was meant to be.   I love this race especially:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7EvbKw1r6U

There's always free PP's for Dubai somewhere. Worst case scenario you can download the free ones from Emirates Racing but the format isn't what we're used to.  We won't have anybody there to shoot it for the first time in forever, sadly, but when I do the entries article on Wednesday I'll hopefully have links to free PP's.

I love Cheltenham, too.  What a tremendous test and fabulous race.  Around 3  1/2  miles over 32 various jumps over undulating ground.  And an exciting, rip roaring finish.

it is very refreshing to observe and look at that course and crowd!  

Personally, I love the versatility of the Thoroughbred.  But I truly dislike what we do in the US by basically running between 6 and 9 furlongs as a steady diet.  BORING and very bad for the breed. 

Futurestars Friday.  smh  See how many around racing at 4.  It's pitiful.

That was exciting with a good finish.

Cheltenham is definitely on my bucket list of race meets I'd love to attend -- it's the Breeders' Cup of jump racing!  I'd rather go to it than the Grand National.

The narrow window of distances we run is annoying.  Like I said, we just breed juvenile milers that can be retired at the end of their 3-year-old season so they can go back to the farm to make more juvenile milers. 

When the BC discontinued the short-lived Marathon race and replaced it with the Juvenile Sprint (which later moved to turf) that also demonstrates what's wrong.  Again, reward those precocious kids, penalize older horses that can stay a distance.