Best: Saw the Caribbean Classic live. Never had a better time at the racetrack.

Worst:
tie: Barbaro/NYRA spiral/Bad Track Surfaces/Eight Straight Losing days in November.

The difference between Sutra and Seek Gold and Jazil is the caliber of race they performed their miracles in. The Belmont is billed as a classic race. It's one of the nation's most recognizable races. I personally feel like it should be won by horses "worthy" of winning it. I realize that statement will get me into trouble because it can easily be said that any horse that wins any race is worthy of winning it and to an extent that's true. But at the same time, we should be honest enough to know the difference. For example, I would have been disappointed had a horse like Charismatic, Funny Cide, or War Emblem won the TC. To me, they weren't worthy of being on the same pedastal with Secretariat, Affirmed, Citation, and Count Fleet. We'd like our champions to be the horses that we know are the best horses, not some horse that lucks up and catches lightning in a bottle or is just the best of a really bad lot.

None of this should take away the enjoyment u felt from having Jazil win the race. We all have our favorites for whatever personal reasons we have. But I think DrugS' point was more a shot at the race than it was at Jazil. I think he would have had the same feeling no matter which of the horses that were in the race would have won. I know I would have. In a year in which we had some really standout 3yo's, (IMO the top five of this year has been better than the top five in any of my 20 years as a fan), it's sad that the winner of a race such as the Belmont is still eligible for a nw2x race.

Jazil would have beaten Bernardini w/o much trouble at 12F. His Derby coming from last at Churchill was better than Bernardini's Classic at the same distance. Stretch it out to 12 and he'd beat Bernardini. Invasor too.

High point of the year -- Barbaro still alive.

My personal racing high point of the year -- Lemons Forever in the Oaks.

Low point of the year -- Lost in the Fog.

My personal racing low point of the year -- having to suffer through that Bernardini drivel from May until November. Now the spaceship has picked up most of the Bernardinians and transported them back to Bernardinia. Where they can pretend that he beats Seattle Slew and runs 1:58 or so.

These are personal but:

Year's Best Walking into Saratoga for the first time and taking it ALL in the 4 days we were there.

Close 2nd Would be Breeder's Cup Day

And worse was BC day when Hooves got the call from Steve that Pine Island had been put down.

She was a talented girl, wasnt she? Talent wise, she was right there with any Euro filly.

I love me some Red Rocks as well.

Hey, we're right there together. Jazil is a true distance type horse going against runners with superior speed.

And as I stated, as well as Sightseek, it was PERSONALLY satisfying.

He happened to be my favorite yearling colt at the Kee sept sale. He was very intelligent and had an aura about him. I was glad to see him amount to what he did. Hate him or love him, you can never take away the fact that he's now a Classics winner.

I loved Balletto, but she ended up being a HUGE letdown everytime it actually mattered. Sort of a dissappointment across the board this year.

In a bad way, that was a memorable part of this year for me.

Well we can now add "dilusional" to long list of Druggie's attributes.

You might be the only person alive who believes that Jazil's dead heat for 4th place, while well beaten in the Derby---was so impressive that it would somehow translate to a winning performance over Bernardini and Invasor at slightly further distance of ground.

Invasor and Bernardini are both excellent horses. Heck, the 3rd place finisher to them that day isn't so bad either....he did win a pair of Grade 1's this year..and his win in the Clark was a totally emphatic score over a big field of a average to mediocre types.

Jazil's only other lifetime win, besides the phony Belmont Stakes (when he won from last-to-first in a race that featued a TOTAL pace meltdown up front) came in an AQU maiden special weight race that was taken off-the-turf! He managed to win it by a head, over the great Tasteville, with a 78 Beyer figure. Some horse eh?

Ugh, I grudgingly agree.

best part about that post i made was that it totally made for an ideal double-meaning :)

touché my friend!

The most "memorable" moment will be the Barbaro breakdown. You see a handful of exceptional winners every year, but a breakdown like that on that stage is something I won't be able to get out of my mind.

The Kentucky Derby and Balletto consistently hangin' like Mr. Cooper.

Bethani and I were talking earlier...no one makes us laugh out loud as much as you do...:D

love the old school TV show references.

high point--barbaros survival against all odds. that horse is no quitter.

low--losing lost in the fog to cancer, and pine islands bc.

best - invasor proving me right, the bernmafia wrong, and making me a whole lot of dough all in one glorious race.

worst - without a doubt the preakness. first (and most importantly) we saw the end of a career that could have been one of the most spectacular we have seen in years. and secondly it marked the begining of some of the worst months in the history of racing.....the lost era of bernardini.

that was fun for me too, thanks for reminding me how fun it was!

Best Moment = the most exciting race for me personally this year was The Azeri at Oaklawn...Round Pond and Happy Ticket literally go eyeball to eyeball from gate to wire and Round Pond wins by an eyeball...great race...

Worst Moment = Being mistaken for a woman in the early Derby Trail days....lmaooooooooooo.....:p

I gotta go with this pair...although The Introduction to Derbytrail.com is a biggie,too!;)

goes without saying i suppose!
it should get a special award.