It's funny you say this. Originally when I was reading it I figured it was him, then I had to look back at the author...Of course Hovdey is busy taking pictures with Zenyatta in the winner's circle so...

http://www1.drf.com/tc/preakness/200...isquatorze.pdf

Louis Quartorze only won one G1 (the Preakness) and got beat a nose in the Classic, but would absolutely destroy Lookin at Lucky. Look at the horses he got beat by. Hennessy, Maria's Mon, Unbridled's Song, Editor's Note, Skip Away, Will's Way, Cigar, Alphabet Soup. Every one of those horses would be a heavy favorite in the Classic (except Hennessy, being a sprinter.) He would be 3/5 against this group- or less- on his own merit. And the scary thing is, it could be argued that was the 3rd best of the 3yo crops between 1995-1997.

http://www1.drf.com/tc/preakness/201...n-at-lucky.pdf

To be clear, just because the current group isn't that good doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to it. It will be a great two days of racing at the best BC venue.

Definitely.

Why we are at it?

That's the oddest 'typo' I've ever seen.

While I can appreciate the 1996 3YO crop being tough, when did winning races stop counting? I liked Lookin at Lucky's Haskell a lot. His Preakness, while not as visually impressive as you might like, I thought it was impressive enough coming out of the beating he took in the Derby. I'll take my chances with him on November 6.

The comparison was based on 3yo accomplishment (I know that wasn't clarified). Lookin At Lucky won the Preakness and Haskell, Louis Quatorze won the Preakness and Jim Dandy. No comment was really being made on their respective talents.

The point of my post, which was missed by RHT as well, was that this year's "big 4", in other years, would have all been mid-range contenders to say the least. Lookin At Lucky on paper was similar to Louis Quatorze, who went off at 18-1. What price will the former be?

Doesn't mean Lookin At Lucky can't win this year. Louis Quatorze almost did.

I was comparing their respective talent.

Louis Quatorze was in a different zip code than Lookin at Lucky.

Since I'm in a very nitpicky frame of mind today, I was wondering which zip codes those two horses would be from??

I agree. I was really disappointed when he got injured at 4. He looked like he was going to be a monster off his first two starts that year.

The Skip Away-Formal Gold-Will's Way battles were epic enough. What kind of armageddon would have been unleashed if he was in there as well?

Apparently not "epic enough" for those HotY voters…

Man, you are dumb.

From the guy whose greatest horse evar is one loss away from ending a 19 of 20 career with 0 HOTY awards.

I think she deserved at least 1.

Dude, that's harsh.

I think this year's field is better than the last two and better than the field that St. Liam beat in 2005. I don't think its anywhere close to 2006 or 2007...

100% better then the St Liam group. RHT did not get to run :(

even Editor's Note and the filly My Flag would have been at the top of the 2010 crop.

& Honour and Glory

:tro::tro:

my #1 doubleplusgood favorite horsey of all time.

I still see Zito quotes recently saying he was as talented a horse that he's ever trained.

40510!

He said different zip codes!

Honour and Glory was a hell of a horse. He would be a top sprinter/miler in any of the last 15-20 years IMO.

Louis Quatorze finished second to Maria's Mon in their respective 2YO debuts ( on or about July 4th ) and broke his maiden in his second start as a 2Y0. He followed this up with respectable performances against one of the best, if not the best, 2YO crops I have ever seen.

He was not a late developer. He was just flat out good.

Really?

Really?

LOL...

both were conceived at the same location! (Lane's End)


Yes... really.

Add in Gentlemen to that '97 handicap division and you have a tough call to make. Each of those mentioned put up multiple monster races. Shockingly, they all ran against each other, too. Imagine that.

Voters took the easy way out, especially since all but Skip Away fell by the wayside prior to the BC.

The first comment sounds like one of our own.

I think Joe has lost his mind:

of course they do! but somehow it comes as a surprise to some of these people. its called the MEDIA and if you believe more than half of it...you will never,never win in this game. just like trainers and owners say they have the HOY, THIS TIME EVERY YEAR......one guy says it ...they want to punch him in the face. happens every year...oh, but the nerve of that SOB.....lol..lol." i lost every race i bet on the BC but i won that crappy argument on derby trail forum...i'm good"...lol...lol. you just can't buy entertainment like this....lol. this is the best group ever assembled for the BC classic...there i wrote it too. must be true or worth crying about....lol

Oh lord. Sofa King We Todd Did.

Thanks Joe,

You hit the nail on the head perfectly. Zenyatta will crush this field. Dare I say she will break Secretariat's track record. What a way to go out!
Your're right about last year's Classic. Horses that she beat have alreay won 9 Grade 1 races since then and placed in 7 others. That is, the horses that lost to Zenyatta in the 2009 Classic have either won or placed in 16 Grade 1 races since last year.
If that doesn't seal it-then I don't what will

More bad opinions. Nothing new.

They'll all be quite silent in a little over ten days.

Then we will begin hearing all sorts of conspiracy theories from the Zaniacs.

"But at the same time, I am amazed that Zenyatta continues to be dismissed as a synthetic specialist, as a stay-at-home California horse. For three years now, everyone has known where Zenyatta was, and this year she ran nothing but Grade I races. Still, few came looking to try her."

Oh I get it. She has proved that she is more than a synthetic specialist because few fillies and mares have shipped to SoCal to face her on synthetic surfaces.

....god hopefully every side will.

This would have all been mercifully ended 11 months ago if they had just really retired her instead of holding a fake retirement ceremony.

Who do YOU think is going to win? I've seen a lot of posts but don't remember seeing your pick yet. I'm by no means a Zeetard, but I don't see why a reasonable person wouldn't have her on a P6ticket.

Yeah, I really need to start giving out opinions and taking stands.

OK. The only post I saw of yours on the Classic said Zenyatta would not be on your ticket. You didn't say who you were betting. I guess it's like that article posted earlier, people say she'll lose but don't say who they're picking to beat her. I realize it's a week away, but SURELY you have some sort of opinion on who else to toss or pick instead.