Assault was a Texas-bred.

Thanks, I had a feeling I was forgetting someone major, but tricky.

That is a good one.

Who can guess Top Avenger's claim to fame. I'll give a hint. He gave his connections six furlongs of thrill.

Are you saying he led through the first six furlongs of Genuine Risk's KY Derby?

The '79 Carter was a pretty salty looking race on paper.








Star De Naskra upset the apple cart and beat Alydar by a neck at 7/1 in the Carter on May 5th. He crossed the wire first in everything that year until he was soundly beaten in a crazy strong running of the Malboro won by Spectacular Bid.

It was Pleasant Colony's Derby, but an excellent guess nonetheless. The splits were 21-4/5, 45-1/5, 1:10-1/5.

Jesus - there was some pretty fast pace competition for Top Avenger in there....

* Twice set the pace in major 6f sprint stakes in So. Cal



* 45 4/5 for a half going 9f at AQU is almost impossibly fast.



* went wire-to-wire after setting 22 flat and 44 and change fractions in the Bay Shore



* Stretching out a quarter mile after back to back wire-to-wire wins at 8f



I can only do four images a post - but that race had nine decorated speed sprinters in it. Besides the four above and Top Avenger ... another horse won its debut by 15 lengths going just 4.5 furlongs in a 10 horse field. Well Decorated won the Saratoga Special wire-to-wire. Golden Derby won both the Bashford Manner and Tremont virtually wire-to-wire.

Has there ever been a 21 and change opening quarter in another Derby before? That years Derby looked certain to produce it.

Here's the video of the '81 Derby ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND0vK7tE8uU


The horses who raced 1-2-3-4-5 after six furlongs finished 19-10-18-16-17

The horses who raced 15-19-10-17-20 after six furlongs made up the top five spots.

The 10th place finisher Bold Ego - who was 2nd after 6fs and faded the least severly of the speed horses - was 2nd to Plesant Colony in the Preakness.

Partez, the 3rd place finisher, was probably best.

His Jock misjudged the finish and rose in the irons at the 16th pole.
Which probably explains his ill timed move.

It is a miracle some jocks are not killed after races by owners and trainers.

The sire of Sensitive Prince, Majestic Prince, is one of those horses that to me could easily be discussed in conversations about all time greats, but always seems to be a forgotten horse.

That horse was bad ass.

EVERYONE bet Bold Ego in that Preakness, as it went from being the biggest speed filled Derby ever to a paceless race in the Derby. Pleasant Colony still won.

I love seeing the old time 'mud marks'...................brings back memories.