Posted on 3/6/2008 2:37:07 PM

Horse Racing Picks - Arrogance

By Brian Mulligan

Arrogance according to Webster’s is an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions. The 18-1 New England Patriots had it before they met the Giant killer, the Los Angeles Lakers had it just the other night when laughing all the way to a win over Miami and when horse bettors see a horse with arrogance they have to get on board quickly.

During this Triple Crown run astute bettors look for arrogance in horses as to the way they win or perform in the preps.

Go back a couple of decades and some of those same horse bettors saw arrogance in Sunny’s Halo when he won the Arkansas Derby with something left in the tank.

The Canadian bred looped the field to win the Kentucky Derby under a classic ride by Eddie Delahoussaye.

With just several weeks away from that first Saturday in May, players have to look for runners that are arrogant in the way they go about their business.

Last year, Street Sense showed his arrogance winning the BC Juvenile going away under wraps.

Curlin recently won his Dubai prep with a similar smug attitude as his rider, Robby Albarado, just sat on him and never asked for an ounce of extra sweat from his superstar.

Last year’s BC Juvenile winner War Pass also was arrogant in his recent win and horse bettors should take that into consideration as the TC Trail unfolds.

War Pass didn’t beat anybody recent, there were only 4 foes to deal with, but the way he toyed with his foes says that the kind of arrogance he showed will be very evident in the Derby if he stays healthy.

He finished his final quarter mile in :24.48 and was not touched by a whip. He was barely even shown a whip during the exhibition as he posted only a 93 Beyer.

Considering his last 2 figures in 2007 were an identical 113, nay sayers may opt to think that he is regressing but that is where watching these Triple Crown preps will only make clever horse bettors smarter.

Back in the day I was lucky enough to watch Affirmed train at Santa Anita on his way to Triple Crown glory.

His brilliant chestnut coat gleaned with pride in the morning works and he was not so much arrogant as royal.

War Pass is similar but with a twist. He’s fast, he knows it, and he will try to take it to his rivals in every race the same way a Dr. Fager or Spectacular Bid were successful with.

Cheap, inferior runners never put in arrogant performances. They are intrinsically not capable of those kinds of feats unless they catch say a sloppy strip or a strangely biased track.

The best horse bettors around try to look for and watch for performances on the track that shows that a horse has another gear. A performance that is victorious, yet understated.

Horse bettors were spoiled last year with an excellent crop of sophomores and to hope for another year of that kind of quality is unreasonable, but if War Pass continues to thumb his nose at his rivals in the arrogant way he started 2008, then horse bettors will have to look for another runner to emerge that has a similar ‘bring it on’ attitude.

Watch the spring preps intently for runners that perform well, without being asked for every single drop of gasoline in the tank.

Horse racing with BetUS Racebook Online Racebook. We've got up to date lines and odds on 85+ racetracks. Join BetUS today to get in on the action.