Best individual performance by a Derby horse this year

[The Indomitable DrugS]

I've been very disapointed with what I've seen from this crop...compared to what I've seen at this time from ones in years past.

I think both of Curlin's races have been super impressive. He not only won his maiden race in spectacular fashion visually, by double digit lengths, but, he also ran a faster adjusted final time, and thus faster speed figure than the Holy Bull Stakes, which featured eventual Wood winner Nobiz Like Shobiz, eventual FLA Derby winner Scat Daddy, and eventual Santa Anita Derby favorite Sam P. He got his 7 furlongs in 1:22.25. A few races later Nobiz won the Holy Bull in 1:35.46---basically Curlin needed only a 13.21 final 1/8th to better that time...which he certainly would have done.

Obviously, he did that without getting any real pressure against maidens...but it's very rare that you see a horse win a debut race, in faster adjusted final time, than a major stakes winner on the same card. Over the last few years, only Discreet Cat (faster than Lost in the Fog's King's Bishop win) and Nobiz Like Shobiz (faster than Pine Island's Gazelle win)

In Curlin's 2nd start, he was far less impressive from a speed figure standpoint, however, he did something you almost never see. Off a front running maiden win at a sprint distance, he won a Graded Stake at a route distance, from off the pace. Doing so in no doubt about it fashion.

Deadly Dealer's allowance win, while first time Pletcher, also impressed me very much. However, both of those horses are very lightly raced, and don't exactly strike me as the kind of horse you'd want in a race like the Derby.

I've not been all that impressed by any of the Graded Stake preps so far. I think Great Hunter's comeback race was pretty good, and the efforts of the top two in the Tampa Derby weren't bad. But I sure hope something steps up next week.