stormello scratched due to colic--hope he's ok.

that changes the scenario quite a bit.

curlin will win the paid workout with ags running second......i know i am going out on a limb.........but curlin is in another area code compared to h.s

he sure is, why the derby proved that.:rolleyes:

Maybe, maybe not, but nothing happened in the Preakness or the Belmont to make me think Curlin is in a different zip code. In fact I would say to the contrary. Hard Spun did what he did in spite of two horrible rides. Well I think the Preakness was more of a training issue than a ride issue, but in the Belmont, Gomez was literally standing up the in the irons with a strangle hold on him all the way up the back side. Horse had no chance in either race. I'm interested to see how this race unfolds. But I would not be surprised at all if Hard Spun wins this convincingly, nor would I be surprised if Curlin did the same.

AGS going to be tough today

Curlin is a nose away from great doubt. He is also a nose away from 2 out of 3 TC wins. And if latter happened, the Derby stampede would have had people feeling deprived of a TC winner. The more I look at the Belmont, the more I still wonder. We had horses just absolutely walking with two under relaxed control, the others straining. Almost 1:16 at 6f... holy cow. Much worse than a Turf race.

So on a track that plays to speed, if Curlin wins this off this rest... Total respect. I dont have it now.

He doesnt have to win today, he doesnt even have to run second

My opinion is that Curlin does not get to the winner's circle today and that AGS does not hit the board. We'll find out if Cable BOy is the goods by dinner time. Hard Spun will have first crack at the likely pacesetters Xchanger and CB. Hopefully, he can outlast a swift moving Curlin to his outside. HS/Curlin/Cable BOy. Tables are turned today.

Nothing would surprise me too much here. but at 9F on this track i think Hard Spun might have an advantage. i guess i'll predict that he finishes 1 or 2.

I'm still a little suspect about how good AGS is, and Curlin may not be cranked. HS / Curlin-AGS-CB or Curlin-AGS / HS

.....well the derby proved that hard spun with a perfect trip couldnt seal the deal, curlin may not be cranked but a blind man can see he is better than hard spun....;)

no way i would argue who's better between hard spun and curlin, but my problem was the 'different zipcode' comment. no way curlin has shown he's in a different zipcode than anyone else in the top tier.

of course that could all change today, but hard spuns chances only got better with stormellos defection.

you're kidding, right? only a perfect-er (real word? i think not!) trip for street sense got hard spun beaten that day.

....so, hard spun didnt have a great trip?? i am sorry, talking smack is the fun part of horse racing. i just think curlin is the better horse, no harm intended. i am playing the pick 4 and HOPE curlin DOES NOT WIN..... :) it will be interesting to see where spun gets placed, cable boy looks very fast, his last race was HUGE.

no, he got a really good trip. but i think pino opened up on him a bit mid way thru the race, rather than giving him a breather...that didn't help his cause when street sense came up late. i'd say the winner got the MORE perfect trip, and that made all the difference.

curlin on the other hand had to deal with traffic throughout and finished up well. had he also gotten a good trip, hard spun may well have had problems placing.

BUT monmouth plays to speed, the race is a bit shorter, and i think that all helps hard spun here.

oh, and don't apologize! i have no issues talking opinions (until things degenerate into name-calling, stating opinions should never get personal!)..i can handle the smack!

I think this year's Haskell is a great Match-up. The best since 1987 when Lost Code, Alysheba and Bet Twice went at it. This year I see Hard Spun as the Bet Twice, Curlin as the Alysheba and Any Given Saturday as the Lost Code, although the "Code" had accomplished a lot more coming into the race. Stormello's Deflection changes the pace immensely. I Hope it's actually a good race with 3 or 4 horses with a chance to win with an 1/8th to go. I like Any Given Saturday, but can accept a victory by Curlin or Hard Spun.

personally.....i hope curlin never wins again--well, unless they change trainers.

Hard Spun just loves to finish second these days. They need to cut him back and let him loose...

In 1997 I fell for a beautiful gray named Free House (RIP big boy). Broke my heart often as a 3YO, but redeemed himself nicely as an older horse. 10 years later we have Hard Spun. Funny story, I was at the Belmont, and my seats were really bad at the top of the stretch, and was right there as Free House took the lead turning for home. It was only for a brief moment, but it was right there. I've been saying that Hard Spun is another Free House since the Preakness. He was in almost the same spot as Free House was in the Belmont, but my seats are in the Clubhouse now. Fortunately I've only got a few more opportunites to lose money on Hard Spun as he will not race after his 3YO campaign.

Anyone think the Bernard Baruch is an option? Would like to see him on the grass. How about the Kings Bishop? Too short?

Speaking of Freehouse... whatever happened to Freesgood?

Free House 10-1 in Derby finished 3rd passed in final 1/8 of a mile, Hard Spun 10-1 in Derby finished 2nd passed in final 1/8 of a mile.

Free House was thought to have best chance in Preakness, finished 2nd, Hard Spun thought to have best chance in Preakness, finished 3rd.

Free House makes wide move on the turn to the lead in Belmont, finished 3rd, Hard Spun makes wide move with winner and runner up in Belmont, finished 4th.

Free House runs next in Haskell, finished 3rd, Hard Spun runs next in Haskell finished 2nd.

Correlation being always a bride's maid, never a bride. Both of these horses were always there with a real good shot and didn't get it done in these 4 races.

Thinking more about The BC Mile for his October race, thus the Bernard Baruch instead of the Saranac. Although I guess in the grand scheme of things 1/16 mile longer isn't that big of a deal. Maybe the Saranac, Kelso, BC Mile route? I'm not sure he's so quick that the 6f BC Sprint would work.