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Originally Posted by todko
I think Nafzger and connections saw all they needed to see when Curlin came back and won. It's foolish to run against that horse again.
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They -- at least Nafzger -- just about admitted as much when he said that it was clear that the Derby was just a learning experience for Curlin. Why run now against him, with a possibly tired SS, instead of waiting, especially when that means there is a chance that SS would never risk a second defeat by Curlin, i.e., if he doesn't make it back for the Travers or BC. At this point, Eclipse award strategies start weighing in. If SS lost to Curlin in the Belmont, he'd probably lose 3 YO status unless he did significantly better than him in the BC. But if Curlin wins the Belmont, and SS doesn't face him in the Travers and wins it, SS wins 3 YO, no? All probably silly conjectures, but I think SS's people want to make sure that he gets the Eclipse 3 YO award, do or die, and they don't want to do anything to jeopardize that. Curlin in the Belmont isn't looking appealing right now, not with a colt like SS that has a good chance of hanging once he hits the front in that long, long Belmont stretch...