Let me start by saying that I am NOT a Bernardini fan and I am a Barbaro fan. One of my best friends worked for Matz for most of this year so I have contacts with in his camp.
However, Bernardini gets the nod. However good Barbaro might have been, his injury precluded him from showing it. (In fact it may be sacriledge to say it but I think Bernardini was going to win the Preakness even if Barbaro didn't get hurt.)
In this era, winning the Withers, the Preakness, the Jim Dandy, the Travers, the Gold Cup and then running second to the likley HOY in the Classic is more than enough to get the award. I watched the Gold Cup with a group of Barbaro's connection and biggest supporters and even they had to concede that Bern had done enough to merit the honor.
For Eclipse voters to vote based on "what might have been" is absurd. Should they have voted Easy Goer over Sunday Silence because "had he had better ankles, he'd have beaten SS?" No.
Last edited by Linny : 11-28-2006 at 12:38 PM.
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