Most Memorable Moments of 2006 POLL!!!!
 

With the New Year fast approaching, I thought we could post our top three most memorable moments of 2006 (these can be good or bad). What stories do you think will be associated when flashing back to 2006? Also, would you consider this year to be beneficial to Thoroughbred Racing?

Barbaro Derby and Barbaro Preakness

Personally?

Good: Jazil winning the Belmont Stakes, Invasor was VERY exciting to me overall; unleashed in the Pimlico Stakes, holding off Sun King in a thriller and than taking the BCC.

Bad: The death of Saint Liam

Most memorable moments were:

1. Discreet Cat's Cigar Mile. I haven't looked forward to a race with that much anticipation in a long time and to see him deliver the way he did made it well worth the wait.

2. Bernardini's collection of works. Even though he lost in the Classic and the competition he faced in his other races was weak, watching him run was a pleasure. He ran with such an effortless ease and I have no doubts in my mind that he's the real deal.

3. Ouija Board in the BC. Watching the old girl do it once again was special. A true world champion.

As for whether or not I think it was a good year for racing, I don't think it was. But I think it's getting to be the norm rather than the exception when we keep hearing about horses retired early for whatever reasons, trainers being suspended for drug violations, etc. All of the bad news is not even knews anymore. It's becoming the norm.

Bad: Jazil winning the Belmont Stakes. (In a year when the 3-year-old division was loaded with stars who had blockbuster talent....this nag who is still elidgible for an N2X Alw race wins one of the three Classics.)

Good: The death of Saint Liam. (Just what the breed needed...another stallion who didn't thrive until he was placed in the care of a notorious move-up trainer)




I know, I know....it's very mean to say the death of a superstar horse (or any horse for that matter) is a good thing...especially coming from someone who's been a vegetarian for three and a half weeks now----but, maybe it a good thing for the breed anyway. Basically, I saw Sightseek's two big events a little differently.

Yah you really got love the death of a champion at a young age, no doubt.:rolleyes:

I thought the most memorable moment came when Barbaro just left them for dead at the top of the lane in the Derby.

Good: Barbaro's races, especially the Derby and the recent news that he may soon be released from the hospital!
Bad: all the breakdowns and passing of old friends!

Being serious this time....

Good: Any one of Discreet Cat's wins

Bad: Barbaro's Preakness

That day will probably be the greatest of them all for me.

Good:Jackson's making the decision to try and save Barbaro's life.

Bad: St Liam passing on.

Way to show your true colors. Wish death upon a horse because you don't like his trainer. Very classy.

The Best...

1. Invasor's BC Classic
2. Discreet Cat's Cigar Mile
3. Pine Island's Alabama

The Worst...

1. Death of Pine Island
2. Death of Paseana

Ooh those are some good ones.

I thought Jazil in the Belmont was personally satisfying. Ouija Board in the F&M Turf.

Good: Barbaro's Derby win.
Bad: The Preakness.
Worse: Cringing every time I had to watch Discreet Cat win a nothing race while facing nothing horses, and knowing I'd have to hear how great he was from Drugs later in the week.

Identify yourself....

Where did u read that? He didn't wish death upon anyone just said that he thought it could be good for the sport that another drugged up horse is not out there messing the game up anymore. It's really no different than people who think unsound horses shouldn't be bred. Maybe the way he said it was a bit hard but the point is a valid one IMO.

Like the people that would have bred to him anyways won't just go breed to another drugged up stallion. Calling his death the best moment of the year is tasteless and not even the least bit humorous. Taking someone's best and worst moments and reversing them is at best a lack of creativity and at worst rude.

Yes it was! :)

I might have surpassed my 3, but I'd add Pride's last 3 races to the list. Awesome girl.

I would NEVER wish death upon a horse....

I save those wishes for people.


In all seriousness....hearing about Saint Liam's death did not make me feel good in any way at all. I just STRONGLY disagreed with Sightseek's best moment (Jazil's Belmont)....and, though Saint Liam's sudden and early death was sad....a rational case could be made that it wasn't a bad thing for the breed...especially when you look at St. Liam's carrer both Pre and Post Dutrow Jr.

I wouldn't have gone so far as calling it the best moment of the year myself. But I did at least see where he was going with that.

The comments about Jazil winning the Belmont though, I agree with them 100%. It's a sad day in the sport when horses like that can win races that are supposed to be among our better ones. Same as when Giacomo won the Derby, Wilko won the BC Juv, Sarava won the Belmont. Sure, it's great for the owners and the fans of those horses but it speaks more to the quality of our races, or lack thereof, when these kinds of things happen.

Lost in the Fog's sad and early death hasn't yet been mentioned....

Another horse from a "move-up" trainer with otherworldly stats.

And it was a PERSONAL response, so you felt you needed to knock both me and something I personally enjoyed? Nice to meet you too. By the way, that is Wild Desert in my avatar, would you like to argue that his sudden death would be good too?

This wasn't a thread about the quality of certain horses, which I'd be the first to admit he wasn't the best of the year, but I liked him. Personally I'm not wild about Discreet Cat (who is a talented horse), but could care less that that is YOUR personal favorite moment.

I never knocked you. Just disagreed.

Fair enough, a rational case that it wasn't a bad thing for the breed is a little different than best moment of the year. I still don't understand why so many people are upset that Jazil busted their Belmont bets. How so many people could have left him off their tickets in a twelve furlong race when he runs between 24 and 25 seconds for every two furlongs no matter the distance still blows my mind. Of course I played all my tickets with Steppenwolfer in the top three spots so I guess I don't have much to brag about either.

I love these guys who know so much about training who most likely couldn't put a bridle on one if there was a cash reward for doing so.
Mott got a turf mare off the same guy that Dutrow got Liam off of and her form wasn't any good either, yet she became a mutiple graded stakes winner.
He "move her up" as well? I suppose he did, but has it occurred to anyone that perhaps the guy who had those horses simply isn't very good?
Nah, couldn't be that, it doesn't fit the grand scheme of how things shoudl be huh? Mott moved up the filly because he is a classic conditioner, and the other guy did it with juice.

Which is perfectly fine, but I don't think this was a thread designed to debate what other people enjoyed, so to target what I put was a bit odd.

I don't think people are upset about Jazil. They just realize he isn't very good, and in many years would not have even been considered a Belmont contender. It is similar to Giacomo in my opinion. Both are fraudulent G1 horses who happened to be in the right spot at the right time.

I bet Jazil but would tend to side with King Glorious ( who I rarely agree with ) and DrugS that his win in the Belmont Stakes was a woeful sign for the breed. He simply aint much horse....and I was touting him since before the Wood.

His time in the Belmont actually compares quite well to the times from the past 10-15 years. What he is is a good 12-16 furlong horse in an era that 12-16 horses get no respect while milers like Discreet Cat are revered.

Do you think he would have beaten Barbaro or Bernardini at 12f? I'd even take Brother Derek against him at that distance.

I didn't bet Bluegrass Cat in the Belmont---so he didn't bust me.

He did however have the audacity to win a Classic race, in a year loaded with genuine star 3-year-old colts. The Belmont Stakes not having either Discreet Cat, Bernardini, Barbaro, or Sweetnorthernsaint in the field, and racing, is actually one of the "worst" moments in the '06 racing season. IMO.

I am a bit odd.....

Sands Springs was FAR better for Reinstedler than Saint Liam. Mott improved her a bit because he probably is a better trainer than Tony Reinstedler....who prior to going out on his own worked for Shug. I'm sure he never learned anything from him.

LITF's death and the circumstances of it were the worse by far in my opinion!! The lose of St. Liam was tough as well.


The efforts made to save Barbaro is the best story/memory of the year.

And Bob and John, Oh So Awesome or Deputy Glitters would have been much better? It was a crappy field, but I think the class of the race (as low as that class was) did indeed win. The 2nd & 3rd placed horses in the Derby ran 1-2 as they should have in that field.

Not all inspiring, but as I said, Jazil was a personal favorite of mine on the trail and therefore him winning was personally satisfying. Did I put him in a Top 10 list and not know about it? Chill guys, I just like the horse.

So you look to bet on his horses every chance you get? hes one of those guys I auto toss on seeing his name. he will beat you rarely and when he does it pays like 4 bucks or less. No thanks. Mott is "PROBABLY' a better trainer than reinstedler? Probably?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats like saying Phil Mickelson is probably a better golfer than me.

No, I think Barbaro and Bernardini would have beaten him. I think Showing Up, SNS, and Brother Derek would have been back with Bluegrass Cat though. At 12 furlongs I think he was the 3rd best in his crop which it seems to me is hardly an embarassment to have him win the Belmont.

I'd take Barbaro and Bernardini over him in a heartbeat, and he deadheated with Bro Derek at a mile and a quarter and I'd have to give the edge to Jazil at a mile and a half.

Another yet-to-be mentioned:
Horatio Nelson's Vodafone.

And just to spite Drugs, I'd put Bernardini's Travers above Discreet Cat's Cigar.

worse than Seek Gold?!