Quote:
Originally Posted by Sightseek
Phalaris -
Do you have more information on Barbizon?
Also, the crop of 1958 with First Landing and Intenionally was that overall pretty outstanding?
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The foal crop of 1954 - which included Bold Ruler, Round Table and Gallant Man, as well as Gen. Duke, thought by some to be better than any of them - is considered by many to be one of the best in modern racing. If you look at a list of the thoroughbred champions, you'll see that the champion 2YO of 1956 was not any of these but instead was Barbizon.
If the 1956 season had ended on October 26, that would not have been the case. On the evening of that date, Bold Ruler had won seven of eight starts, including the one-time champion maker, the Belmont Futurity; Barbizon had never even run in a true stakes event. But on Oct. 27, the picture changed. Bold Ruler had a disastrous outing in the Garden State, running up on the heels of another horse and finishing 17th, while Barbizon won. An effort to redeem his season in the Remsen further damaged Bold Ruler's reputation, as he reared at the start and was eased. At season's end, Bold Ruler had failed to be effective in a race longer than six and a half furlongs while Barbizon was five for six and had won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile of his day.
Barbizon never won another stakes race. In fact, the only time he ever again placed in a stakes race was in the Hutcheson. He ran in the FOY, Jersey (then Jersey Stakes, a 9f dirt race of significance run between the Preakness and Belmont), Kent, Leonard Richards, Laurance Armour and Arlington Classic as a 3YO, unplaced every time and never beaten less than seven lengths, and was unplaced in two stakes outings at 4 before his career ended.
First Landing won 10 of 11 starts at 2, including six stakes races at distances ranging from five furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. His only defeat as a 2YO was to Intentionally, who was first or second in 9 of 11 starts and won three stakes. Also among the best 2YOs of that crop was Tomy Lee, who won six of eight starts - unbeaten in six starts in California (four stakes after beginning his career on Jan. 7) and second under the wire in two starts back East: second by a neck to First Landing in the Champagne (though DQ'd to third for fouling Intentionally) and second by a head in the Garden State. Sword Dancer, future classic winner and HOY at 3, was third in the Garden State.
First Landing, Tomy Lee and Sword Dancer showed up for the classics, with Tomy Lee winning the Derby, with Sword Dancer second and First Landing third. Sword Dancer, as mentioned, had the best year in 1959: was subsequently second in the Preakness, and won six of his remaining seven starts at 3: the Met Mile, Belmont, Monmouth Handicap, Travers, Woodward and JCGC. First Landing was relatively off-and-on after his 2YO season, not dominating but usually running credibly and winning another nine races before the end of his 4YO season. Intentionally, champion sprinter of 1959, was steered clear of the classics and ran as late as 1962, finishing unplaced only twice in 20 dirt starts at 3 and beyond.
