Defining a great horse

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by CSC

This a point that isn't brought up enough in my opinion, Skip Away beat Cigar by a head that day while getting a 5lb advantage. If that is the best he could do with a Cigar probably past his prime, one must wonder how he would have fared against Cigar when he was at his best. Not as well, one would surmise.

Well wasnt Skip Away 3 years old? Try having Skip Away at HIS prime and Cigar at his prime if you want to make this kind of comparison.

But I know you always think the 2nd place finisher is better than the first place finisher

[CSC]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

Well wasnt Skip Away 3 years old? Try having Skip Away at HIS prime and Cigar at his prime if you want to make this kind of comparison.

But I know you always think the 2nd place finisher is better than the first place finisher

In a 5 race series all things equal, I would take Cigar over Skip Away whether it's 1 1/8 or 1 1/4. Skip Away at his best was very good but in terms of consistency Cigar would be my choice, You knew he would always run his race. I do know Bailey in his book was emphatic that he was the best horse he had ever ridden and he would know, but I understand the interest in comparing horses. I'm actually more interested how Cigar would have matched up with Holy Bull, that is the rivalry that for unfortunate reasons never materialized.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

Well wasnt Skip Away 3 years old? Try having Skip Away at HIS prime and Cigar at his prime if you want to make this kind of comparison.

Yes, I knew I was opening a can of worms with the weight comment. I agree that Skip Away had yet to reach his peak ability. The flip side is that Cigar had already been to Dubai that year and was pretty clearly past his prime.

Since we can't have each at his prime, we can only look at the race we did get. I don't think the 3-yr-old Skip Away would have beaten the 6-yr-old Cigar at equal weights that day.

--Dunbar

[The Indomitable DrugS]

I would give Skip Away a slight edge over both Holy Bull and Cigar.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I would give Skip Away a slight edge over both Holy Bull and Cigar.

I'd give Awesome Again a slight edge over all three.

And a chasm advantage in the shed.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by philcski

I'd give Awesome Again a slight edge over all three.

And a chasm advantage in the shed.

Awesome Again was not even close to those three when you look at overall body of work.

He's like A.P. Indy both as a race horse and sire.