Well, better in what regards?...ust because they are owned by wealthy Shieks doesn't necessarily mean that he is not a good horse for the people...I know that everybodt saw the movie "Dreamer" and that the Shieks are portrayed as the bad guys of the industry in that movie - BUT, in reality the owner is a smaller story to me...Yes, ownerships matter when there is a good blue-collar story, but I don't think Bernardini will necessarily be punished for his owners if he goes on to be great....the media will find a stoyline, trust me....we can sell all types of horses to the American public to make them love us and we willl sell him if he really excells in the national spotlight...

As for the 'better for racing' comment, yeah, we covet our Derby winners and Barbaro had a non-main stream interest like Funny Cide and Smarty Jones did, but that fades with time, too....Look at Funny Cide..he is very average now and his impact has dwindled although he still won a graded event a couple fo weeks go.....the American public grasps the star of the moment and will cling to him if he proves to be worthy...Funny Cide was certainly no Superstar IMO, but the American public didn't understand that and who cares?..the sport got good pub off of the NY gelding and his story...

I think that Bernardini will prove to be 'better for racing' because he is a horse that COULD easily change the breed....he is a beautiful speciment and a beautiful mover and is by one of the most important sires from one of the nicer blue-blood broodmares in our sport.....it is excellence at that level that WILL make him a strong influence on the breed once he retires and goes to the breeding shed....