Top 25 Most Overrated Performances of '06

[cmorioles]

You could throw in ANY race at Delaware Park at any class level.

[Dunbar]

Stopped reading when I got to your #2.

--Dunbar

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Stopped reading when I got to your #2.

--Dunbar

I agree....he should have made it first.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I agree....he should have made it first.

I know---I might have put Sun King on this list simply to annoy you.

However...

In the Whitney, he came within a head of beating Invasor...and that was a VERY misleading result...but you already know that, because you're sharp.

Invasor made a bold and totally pre-mature move in that race, Jara sent him inside of Flower Alley just prior to about the 3/4 pole, a move that clearly suggested he thought that he would be ensured of victory if he could simply put Flower Alley away. He wasn't much worried about anyone else.

Invasor was hooked up with Flower Alley for almost five furlongs in that race, very impressively put him away with complete authority at the 1/8th pole, and still had enough left to fight off a DREAM TRIP Sun King. Who could not get passed a very softened up Invasor.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I know---I might have put Sun King on this list simply to annoy you.

However...

In the Whitney, he came within a head of beating Invasor...and that was a VERY misleading result...but you already know that, because you're sharp.

Invasor made a bold and totally pre-mature move in that race, Jara sent him inside of Flower Alley just prior to about the 3/4 pole, a move that clearly suggested he thought that he would be ensured of victory if he could simply put Flower Alley away. He wasn't much worried about anyone else.

Invasor was hooked up with Flower Alley for almost five furlongs in that race, very impressively put him away with complete authority at the 1/8th pole, and still had enough left to fight off a DREAM TRIP Sun King. Who could not get passed a very softened up Invasor.

Sadly I don't particularly disagree. Except you have to stop with the Flower Alley baloney. That horse was never really effective. It was the premature move by Jara into the fast pace that proved Invasor's mettle and not his brief interaction with the finished Flower Alley.

What the Whitney showed really showed was two things....Invasor is a very good horse and good horses can overcome bad riders.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Sadly I don't particularly disagree. Except you have to stop with the Flower Alley baloney. That horse was never really effective. It was the premature move by Jara into the fast pace that proved Invasor's mettle and not his brief interaction with the finished Flower Alley.

What the Whitney showed really showed was two things....Invasor is a very good horse and good horses can overcome bad riders.

Why was he moved pre-mature into the fast pace?

Because his rider wanted to take it to Flower Alley....obviously thinking that Flower Alley was the only horse who could beat him going into that race.

Even though Flower Alley ran nine or ten lengths behind Invasor, I actually thought he ran better in that race than just about anyone--as, he had his hand forced by Invasor's premature move...

But yeah, Flower Alley's a stalking type, he wasn't taken "out of his game" as much by it as Invasor was.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Why was he moved pre-mature into the fast pace?

Because his rider wanted to take it to Flower Alley....obviously thinking that Flower Alley was the only horse who could beat him going into that race.

Even though Flower Alley ran nine or ten lengths behind Invasor, I actually thought he ran better in that race than just about anyone--as, he had his hand forced by Invasor's premature move...

But yeah, Flower Alley's a stalking type, he wasn't taken "out of his game" as much by it as Invasor was.

Yes, the mediocre Jara rode Invasor poorly, but Flower Alley was completely ineffectual. I know we have had this argument a thousand times, and I will go watch the race again, but I think Flower Alley ran for about two furlongs at most.

I know we had this argument before the Woodward, where you defended Flower Alley, and he ran like crap. Now, it may be fair that he regressed even farther for that race, but it certainly does nothing to defend his Whitney. Running a tad from the 5/8 pole to the 3/8 pole is basically meaningless.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I know---I might have put Sun King on this list simply to annoy you.

However...

In the Whitney, he came within a head of beating Invasor...and that was a VERY misleading result...but you already know that, because you're sharp.

Invasor made a bold and totally pre-mature move in that race, Jara sent him inside of Flower Alley just prior to about the 3/4 pole, a move that clearly suggested he thought that he would be ensured of victory if he could simply put Flower Alley away. He wasn't much worried about anyone else.

Invasor was hooked up with Flower Alley for almost five furlongs in that race, very impressively put him away with complete authority at the 1/8th pole, and still had enough left to fight off a DREAM TRIP Sun King. Who could not get passed a very softened up Invasor.

He also got stuck behind a soft pace in the Woodward and still ran a good 3rd as the choice. Invasor was the best horse in America this year and SK ALMOST ran him down, perfect trip or not. I'd take SK in my barn in a heartbeat.

I'll throw any of Fleet Indian's races in there instead.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Invasor was hooked up with Flower Alley for almost five furlongs in that race, very impressively put him away with complete authority at the 1/8th pole...

Flower Alley was not competitive at all this year, and putting him away is hardly impressive.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Flower Alley was not competitive at all this year, and putting him away is hardly impressive.

Invasor was moved early into a hot pace to do so.....

Even if Flower Alley does suck---Jara still moved very prematurely simply to take it Flower Alley.

[cmorioles]

I was reading from oldest to newest, didn't see this had been addressed already. No doubt he ran a much better race than Sun King did.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Stopped reading when I got to your #2.

--Dunbar

I have as much respect for The Tin Man as a horse as I do any horse in racing.

However, anyone with even a basic understanding of horse racing knows that his win in the Arlington Million was VERY circumstance aided. It was a total Merry-go-round race through hilariously slow fractions.

It was an absolute theft of America's #1 Turf race not run on Breeders Cup day....and if that race wasn't won by a horse who is as incredible as The Tin Man is, NO ONE that is competent would have ever taken it seriously.

Popular horse, awesome horse, I'm a big fan of his...but his Arlington Million win was simply a theft, with a one-in-a-lifetime trip.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

You could throw in ANY race at Delaware Park at any class level.

Top 3yo horses from the last two crops, such as Barbaro, Afleet Alex, Bellamy Road, and High Limit all won their debuts at Delaware Park, as 2yo's.

But, I know what you're saying CJ....just pointing out that they have had a few very impressive debut winners lately.