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Originally Posted by the_fat_man
You should be aware of how important bursts are in races and how taking a break from one of these bursts while the others are all out is a HUGE advantage. This is exactly what SB did. And, you should also be equally aware of what moving prematurely does to a horse.
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As you know I've stated before the Belmont the reasons why I liked Summer Bird and why I didn't like the chances of Mine That Bird. While as outrageous at the time it may have seemed I truly believed Summer Bird was going to win the Belmont even if Rachel Alexandra was running(I wish she had), he was the best horse from a value standpoint, from a distance profile, running style, in terms of a horse coming up to a race, all the reasons you want to see in a horse coming up to a big race. You mention bursts in races, and my problem with Mine that Bird is on a dry track he has he has only one quick burst to expend in a race, which may work on turf courses, but something that in my opinion not as effective in a dirt race at 1 1/2 at Belmont. Summer Bird on the other hand has a efficient grinding style that can be sustained (watch him gallop out) and that worked to his advantage Sat, it is my belief with the blinkers added for this race he could have layed closer to the pace as he basically dragged the Kent around the track until he was given his cue, to suggest that MTB would have done the same thing is a leap, he cannot race close to the pace or certainly hasn't been successful at it to this point. These are 2 vastly different horses and really I think Borel is being made a scapegoat for perhaps losing 1 placing at most. I am confident if they ran the race over again, Summer Bird would win over 80% of time unless Ice plans on having Rosier back aboard. The only way he could lose it is if he was too far back. Finally Kent D didn't win the race, Summer Bird did, all Kent D did was have him closer to the pace than Rosier did with the aid of blinkers...and steer him in the right direction.