I am a big Showing Up fan, ever since the Secretariat at Arlington, however there could be a few issues that keep him from having a year that earns him honors.
First, it became pretty clear in the Man O' War last year that Showing Up probably doesn't want a mile and a half. I know that the MOW was his first start against older horses, but with his pedigree I just don't see 12 furlongs as a very good distance for him. The flip-side of that is a mile on the turf. Personally I think a mile should be a distance where he can be better, but either way he is a horse that seems to be best somewhere in between 8 and 12 furlongs, as his two best wins have both been at 10 furlongs.
This of course uses the rationale that it will be hard for him to get an Eclipse without winning a BC race. That's not necessarily a certainty either.
NT
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