The thing I wonder about is how much did this race take out of Bluegrass Cat? Because the Haskell is a grade 1, $1 million race, you can't use it as a prep for the Travers.........and Pletcher didn't. Can BC improve off of this? He could bounce big time, if you believe in that stuff. On the other hand, the Jim Dandy was clearly a prep for Bernardini and he absolutely jogged home under restraint. As Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss pointed out on that telecast, Castellano clearly was trying to save horse for the Travers because Bernardini needs that race to have a chance at the Eclipse. I believe even more improvement is forthcoming for that colt; can we say the same for BC? I'm not sure. This race had to take a lot out of him. Boy, these are going to be the longest three weeks. I'm ready for the Travers now.

Gander,
I thought strong contender ran his typical race. He lunged toward the rail out of the gate and altered his path a couple of times before settling into midpack around the turn. After that he simply just was not fast enough to keep up with BC. All in all an average perfomance, but he was not going to catch BC.

bluegrass cat hadn't run since the belmont, that was his first off a layoff...scary, huh? i say that because most think a top performance is second off...
meanwhile, bernardini, who ran a stunner, will be wheeling back on the least amount of a break he's ever had.

i'm ready for the travers as well. should be one to remember.

Is there any hope of Corinthian going in? Anyone know their schedule now that he didnt show much in that allowance? Maybe im a sucker, no comments please :) , but he showed me just as much talent as any 3 yo in the beginning of the year. Could end up being a VERY contentious race if he shows up to form.

lookout travers here comes the CAT!!!!!!!!!

BC will have to run at least as well, I think, to beat Bernardini. To be honest, I really think Bernardini can handle anything thrown at him. I don't see any reason why he couldn't race off of "only" a four week layoff, but then I've been made a fool of before by horses, lol. This is what sports is all about - if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. The Travers will be a test for lightly raced Bernardini and now we'll see what he's made of. It doesn't get much better than this.

I agree with most your points. I must say, I went from zero to ten on the excitement level for the Travers!

That was a very nice run, but Bluegrass Cat has nothing for Bernardini..

I have to admit that I was practically giving the Travers to Bernardini, and looking forward to the win, but I hadn't figured on other colts improving so rapidly. Nonetheless, at some point Bernardini was going to meet stiffer competition (although he already proved to me what he could do when he won the Preakness.......but that's another story), so why not now? Actually, this will be a good thing for him as he starts to run against older horses. At the very least, the Travers may toughen him up; thus far, he's had it easy because he's just incredibly talented. I wouldn't want him to run against the likes of Invasor off of races that haven't mentally prepared him for the tough road ahead.

Well, aren't we lucky to get to see two awesome performances. What a race the Travers is shaping up to be. I can't wait!

Nice to see Bluegrass Cat run nicely. The field that he beat wasnt all that good, but it wasnt all that bad. If was suppose to win the race, but I didnt think he would win like he did. I still think that Cat will be overmatched in the Travers. Bernardini has a win over the track in impressive style. Also Bernardini is going to have 1 more week of rest. I think those two things coupled are going to make Bernardini the winner.

Gotta be careful when the one-turn hot-shots go two turns. Some make the transition okay, but going against a proven class two-turn horse like Bluegrass Cat, you'd want better odds to back him.

You keep telling yourself that. That was an awesome performance yesterday.

Yeah that is great huh? Boy was I not expecting that!!!!!! I mean I had conceded the Travers to Bernadini(reluctantly) and on the far turn yesterday I screamed wow this race is over!!! I didn't expect that tactical speed from the 8 pp and talk about easy, wow. When they turned for home those ears were pricked and he was having the time of his life. This is most definitely a new and improved version of Bluegrass Cat. That was not the same horse who ran in the Tri Crown races.

LOL So now Bluegrass Cat wins the Travers in a walkover.......Bernardini does the same thing in the Preakness and yet the race doesn't count (in only his 4th start, first around two turns no less), but Bluegrass Cat is awesome? I am not knocking BC (see my posts, obviously), but I do find the attitude amusing.

Who said that? I don't recall anyone saying that.

He definitely ran the race of his life yesterday, but the Bluegrass Cat that ran in the TC races was pretty good too. He beat a lot of quality horses in the derby and was beaten only by a genuine superstar. Then he was ridiculously wide in a 12f race and still beat decent horses like Stepenwolfer and Sunriver and was right there challenging the leader at the finish.
The horse he was battling down in Tampa this winter/spring (Deputy Glitters) proved in the Ohio Derby that he can run a pretty good race when he feels like it, and the only reason DG turned the tables on him in the Tampa Bay was because BC threw a shoe. The horse has been a solid competitor all year. Now he has simply taken the next step. If he and Bright One are both healthy enough to make it to the Travers it should be an interesting betting race.

Betsy I find you amusing as well. Noone said anything about BC winning the race in a walkover. I don't see any posts referring to that made by anyone. I think you are way to hypersensitive to Bern. Ok, so now he has a true competitor in the Travers, you think after that performance yesterday that its off base to say that? Look Betsy, one horse won easily against Ministers Bid and Hemingways Key. The other agaisnt Strong Contender. I don't see any difference between the two and quite frankly even with three weeks would rather have Pletcher in my corner. Bernadini is obviously more established and more talented at this point. But its no longer a walkover for him. Bright One is pretty special as well and will provide pace. No damn way Berandini outruns him early, none. Bright One is a very fast animal. And no way does he not get a challenge in the lane from BC. Bottom line is this, hes gonna get tested early, in between and late in the Travers and will have to work to win it. If you feel that these statements are off the mark then it is you that I find amusing.

Great, only three more weeks of this debate to go!

Question: is it certain the BGC will run in the Travers? I thought I heard Pletcher make a remark that 20 days was a little tight.

Yeah miraja but he had gears yesterday. He also was thrilled to be doing what he was doing. He wasn't all out being scrubbed on to give his best. Ears were flipping and pricked and he was having a ball and looked to truly enjoy the hell out of what he was doing. Something turned his attitude around.