[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Absolutely he would have. He had won the 6.5 furlong Vosburgh by 6 1/2 lengths, in last-to-first fashion, in the supersonic final time of 1:14 3/5ths. In the words of Tom Durkin after the wire that day: "Just 1/5th off the track record in the 66th Vosburgh Stakes.....Ghostzapper...a sprinting force!" Instead of passing the BC Sprint...Frankel would have run him in the BC Dirt Mile after the Vosburgh. Which, he would have won.
Ghostzapper was a half sibling to confirmed sprinter City Zip...and Frankel waited until August of his 4-year-old season to stretch him out. Here are some quotes.

Before his 4yo debut in the 7 furlong Tom Fool "Trainer Bobby Frankel opted to skip the Breeders' Cup Sprint because he believed Ghostzapper's closing style would work against him at Santa Anita."

After his 4yo debut win in the Tom Fool "Frankel, who won the Tom Fool last year with Aldebaran, said Ghostzapper would be pointed to the $200,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga on Aug. 14 as a prep for the Grade 1 Forego on Sept. 4, also at Saratoga. Frankel said he is inclined to try and stretch out Ghostzapper here in the fall.

"With the speed he showed [Sunday], going long you might be able to sit there with him and turn him loose in the stretch," Frankel said. "Everybody wants to pigeonhole him as a sprinter; we don't know. He's an easy horse to rate."

Here is what was published in the DRF on why Frankel pulled out of the SIX FURLONG Vanderbilt Stakes. "Instead, Frankel will now point Ghostzapper to the Grade 3, $200,000 Philip Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park on Aug. 21.

Frankel wouldn't come out and say it, but part of what went into his decision is his dissatisfaction with the weight assignments for the race. Ghostzapper was assigned 122 pounds, compared with 120 for Speightstown."

How can you be so sure that Ghostzapper would have run in the Classic, as a 4-year-old, if they had a Breeders Cup Dirt Mile. While the purse of the Classic is much greater---a Breeders Cup win, at the important commercial stallion distance of a mile on dirt, isn't exacly something to scoff at. Most Breeders Cup Classic meant horses, aren't looking to run in six furlong races in Mid-August.




Bernardini probably (maybe almost certainly) beats Invasor this year if all of the cheap speed that was in that race (Brother Derek, Lawyer Ron etc.) opted for the dirt mile instead. With a slower pace, he wouldn't have been gunned as early as he was by Castallano. Giacomo, would of also not run as well.

A horse like Concern, would have never won the Classic without the intense pace setup he got.

I also happen to think fast-paced championship races are much more exciting to watch than the slower-paced tactical versions we are now more likely to see.

I just don't see that many owners not trying their horse in the Classic if they think he has a shot and way too many of them think there horse is better than it is. I actually think it is more likely that too many Milers run in the Classic on their connections delusional dreams that they can win the Classic. I agree that had GZ not gone in the Iselin that the Mile would have been likely. Once he went in that race he was going to the Classic though. So I guess the only question is whether a BC Dirt Mile would have changed their decision from the Iselin to the Vanderbilt.

I think Invasor wins the race either way. He could have sat a lot closer if there was less pace, he's been the type of horse that can alter his style to fit the pace scenario. I don't think he needed the pace to beat Bernardini. I also think that if there is a perceived lack of pace in the Classic then we will absolutely see some frontrunners considering the Mile decide to go to the Classic and see if they can wire the field since the Mile pace scenario will likely be unfavorable to them.