But you started this thread out by suggesting that the Roman numbers were some sort of evidence that this years crop is "underperforming" vis a vis other crops.

But then you admit this only the first step in comparing this years crop to itself. Maybe it's useless in comparing year by year???

Which horse ran the -33 in the FL derby? Is that Barbaro? What was wrong with that race?

Who knows? some of these systems seem rather self fulfilling. The race where they broke a track record at TB comes back as a Beyer 102, so now the purpose of Beyer numbers is to compare other horses. So naturally if you are comparing vis a vis SS/AGS other horses have got to line up with 102. So only one other horse has run a 105....Does that really prove this crop is bad or is it self fulfilling?