THIS SITE!!! has a link to the OSS points standings and YES, the beach is in the top 10, the OSS gold program caters mostly to middle of the road horses, that are too good for the grass roots but not good enough for the larger stakes, not many horses have been in more then 3 or 4 gold events, to declare the rules have been "bent" or even broken is not a bright statement.

When you drive by a multi-million dollar home do you say, "one day if I work hard enough I can own a house like that." or do you say, "If we tax those people more I might be able to own a house like that some day." Same goal but a different avenue in which you are trying to achieve it. Rules are in place sometime they work for you and sometime they work against you. In this case if you don't own a piece of SBSW they clearly aren't in your favour. He will pack the house and WEG will do a great job promoting this great night of racing. This translates into a great busniess move for harness racing. I am sure that is what the OSS program was intended to do.

So is it all about the money? Do you really believe that having the horse race in Woodbine is going to increase the handle? It isn't the first time he's raced in Canada. It isn't as though it's going to be a nice warm night in June like it was for the NA Cup where they will be lined up to get in. I don't know but we will find out soon enough.

I can't help but thinking there is a greed factor built into the decision to race in the OSS Super Final. What else does the horse have to prove? Nothing. Why rain on the parade of the horses that have been faithful to the program all year long?

No, winning and being too fast is not a reason to keep the horse out of the race. If the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted to play with one of the OHL teams during the hockey season, just to stay tight before their next NHL game, would you then allow them to come back for the Memorial Cup to play in the Championships?

The rules need to change.

I will apoligize right now, because I do not know what the rules are regarding the eligebility to race in the Super Final. I thought that you had to accumulate so many points to be able to race in the Super Final. Any horse that did not have the required points was not eligble. If one win gives the Beach the required points I don't see the problem. If one win does'nt give the Beach the required points, he should not be allowed to race in the Super Final.

The owners that put up the sustaining fees and the starting fees should not be discriminated against to allow a super star that chose to ignore the local sires stakes in favour of the lucrative million dollar races, why should he be allowed to participate in the Super Final if he is not eligble? Possibly if ; he is allowed to race on the premise that he will fill the stands, maybe his conections should consider campaigning the Beach in a four year old campaign.

Where would this industry be without the mighty Beach? For a horse that was raised in United States, sold in the United States basically raced in United States and now returning to United States to take up his stallion duties. Come on!! It's the least the Province Of Ontario can do is send him off with a big old fat Canadian check worth a $150,000.00 bucks isn't it?

You doubting Thomases heads will all spin when he goes out and scoots around Woodbine in 1:46/1 off a front half in :50/2, three quarters in 1:18/3 and sets an all time speed record.

There has never been a faster Standardbred set foot on a race track than Somebeachsomewhere and finally this horse is going to step onto the fastest track in North America. Sure it's late in the season, but dose that really matter. It shouldn't as a matter of fact the tracks been raced on for almost a month now, it's had all kinds of rain, it should be tight and lightning fast. As long as it's not a dirty night with a strong head wind. I wouldn't be one bit surprised at all to see the Maritime Monster step up to the Woodbine plate and crank out a home run that will be echoed threw out the Standardbred Industry for years to come. Drive on MacDonnell, give the big colt his head. Give the world what they've been waiting for all year long.

Its obvious the rules would of been 'bent' if there was such one in place.. The fact that 'the beach' will put more people in the stands which = more concession sales, more wagering etc etc.. The advertising has been on mainstream radio for over a month now that he will be competing in this race.. Its unfortunate that the horses who have competed dilligently in this program are now battling for second place money.. We all want to see "the beach" race one last time here.. His calibre comes once in a lifetime.. But they should of created and invitational for him..

It has always bothered me that Somebeachsomewhere was coming back to race in the OSS Super Final. In my experience with other equine organizations, you are required to participate in a specified number of qualifying events to be considered for the Championship. For a horse to have only raced once in the OSS Gold divisions and then be eligible for the "Championships" doesn't seem right. Just looking at the other winners through the year, they have competed in at least three Gold division races (Keystone Horatio (7), The Mohegan Pan (5), Lennon Blue Chip (3), Deuce Seelster (5), Lucky Man (7)). There isn't a horse in the top 20 who hasn't competed at least twice. Here's another thing to consider - the $300,000 purse isn't going to add any credibility or value to Somebeachsomewhere but don't you think it would for one of the other horses that competed diligently in the series all year and is deserving of the opportunity to be a "Champion" but in all likelihood won't have a chance?

Regardless how good the Beach is, the OSS rules should require the participation of horses to a minimum before they are allowed to compete in the Super final. This year just a few horses were part of this elite class and most of the elimination moneys were carried over to the final. Is it what the OSS objective is, a race to the money for a few when the vast majority of participants are financing these gold series? The industry keeps on worrying why sales are down and the breeding component is shrinking! May be it is time to realize that the buyers need to be given an opportunity to buy and race theirs horses in a program that would allow them to stay competitive for more than two racing years! Obviously, rewarding the big breeders is not working and without buyers, the industry is doom! It is time to rebuild our industry from the bottom up and not the top down!!! What part of this statement is not understood?