Inspirational and depressing at the same time

[blackthroatedwind]

I don't care about eclipse awards.....very simply Formal Gold was one of the best horses I have ever seen.

[justindew]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I don't care about eclipse awards.....very simply Formal Gold was one of the best horses I have ever seen.

Nevertheless, it's a crime that he didn't get Horse of the Year in '97.

6-1 in the Donn was also a crime.

[justindew]

Originally Posted by Cardus

What a thrilling three-way round robin that was among 'Gold, Skip Away, and Will's Way.

And if Louis Quatorze hadn't gotten hurt after winning the Ben Ali in the spring.....

The handicap division of 1997 was probably the best we've had in the last 15 years.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by justindew

And if Louis Quatorze hadn't gotten hurt after winning the Ben Ali in the spring.....

The handicap division of 1997 was probably the best we've had in the last 15 years.

Add in the fact that the 3YO's were excellent too, probably best 1-2-3-4 Derby finishers of the past 25 years (and the Belmont winner, another good one, didn't even run.)

[King Glorious]

Wow. Fifteen posts in this thread talking about the handicap division of 1997 and not one mention of Gentlemen. I guess people forget that he won the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Pacific Classic, the San Antonio (beating the previous year's BC Classic winner Alphabet Soup), and the Pimlico Special (beating some horse named Skip Away). In my opinion, at his best, he was the best of the group that year but at the very least, a thread shouldn't go 15 deep on the subject and he not be mentioned.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Wow. Fifteen posts in this thread talking about the handicap division of 1997 and not one mention of Gentlemen. I guess people forget that he won the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Pacific Classic, the San Antonio (beating the previous year's BC Classic winner Alphabet Soup), and the Pimlico Special (beating some horse named Skip Away). In my opinion, at his best, he was the best of the group that year but at the very least, a thread shouldn't go 15 deep on the subject and he not be mentioned.

Fair point... think that says a lot about the year, though.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Wow. Fifteen posts in this thread talking about the handicap division of 1997 and not one mention of Gentlemen. I guess people forget that he won the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Pacific Classic, the San Antonio (beating the previous year's BC Classic winner Alphabet Soup), and the Pimlico Special (beating some horse named Skip Away). In my opinion, at his best, he was the best of the group that year but at the very least, a thread shouldn't go 15 deep on the subject and he not be mentioned.

Gentlemen was terrific as well. It was unfortunate that when he came to NY in the Fall of 1998 he wasn't the same horse.

[Travis Stone]

I believe it was Formal Gold and Will's Way who battled down the stretch in the Whitney? That was the summer of great finishes at Saratoga.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Was that when he and Skip Away dueled torridly, while Wagon Limit went past both to win the Gold Cup in the slop?

I don't remember the race well enough to describe it that way but it was the day Wagon Limit won.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Was that when he and Skip Away dueled torridly, while Wagon Limit went past both to win the Gold Cup in the slop?

Yes. Chuck and I were talking about that the other day, it was one of the last big races where he was an assistant to Jerkens.

[slotdirt]

I think I read Captain Bodgit or Will's Way - I can't remember which - is standing in Alberta somewhere for like $1500.

Of the ones you mentioned, Skip Away has to have been the biggest disappointment at stud.

[justindew]

Originally Posted by Cardus

I know that he didn't face anyone in the Ben Ali, but he did win by a county. (14 lengths?)

Editor's Note was in that field.