George Washington

[Hwjb]

For all that the winner was impressive and that the race was probably a weak renewal, I felt that George put up a fine effort, clearly failing for stamina rather than anything else.
Kinane gave him a good ride, and George seemed not to appreciate the bump he took on straightening up, his head going up, but that's by the by as his effort was petering out at that point. He travelled beautifully on the surface until the stretch where he found the additional two furlongs beyond him.
In my mind his performance confirms that he acts fully on dirt and probably justifies the commercial gamble Coolmore took by running him in the race.

[ninetoone]

Wow, I saw it quite differently...I also thought he had a decent trip until the stretch where he was between horses and got absolutely hammered by a fading Lawyer Ron. He was done at that point. I think he had some run left in him, but we'll never know....it's all about the trip & he sure didn't get it yesterday.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Hwjb

For all that the winner was impressive and that the race was probably a weak renewal, I felt that George put up a fine effort, clearly failing for stamina rather than anything else.
Kinane gave him a good ride, and George seemed not to appreciate the bump he took on straightening up, his head going up, but that's by the by as his effort was petering out at that point. He travelled beautifully on the surface until the stretch where he found the additional two furlongs beyond him.
In my mind his performance confirms that he acts fully on dirt and probably justifies the commercial gamble Coolmore took by running him in the race.

I agree with this. It wasn't the dirt that got him beat. He wasn't disgraced at all. He finished sixth but beat some pretty decent American dirt horses in Lava Man, Perfect Drift, and Lawyer Ron and he was only beaten seven lengths total. Not as good as I expected but not as bad as many think.

[Danzig]

i thought he ran pretty well, had a lot of new things thrown at him all at once, and handled the race pretty well. classy horse. the one i was surprised about was david junior.

[Cannon Shell]

Yeah he'll be a great dirt sire just like Swain

when a trainer like A. O' Brien makes a staement like he's the best he's ever trained...well, you're expecting a little better
can you ever tell a trainer they're wrong?
like Pat Riley said DWade was the best he's ever coached
can you go up to him and say "Magic Johnson, you dimwit"?
I'd have go up to Aiden and say "Rock of Gilbratar"
but not this GW horse...

He was much better than i thought. He handled the dirt ok.

[brockguy]

Kinane said that hed love to try him on dirt again but unfortunately that cant happen!! Well I would love to see him try something like the Cigar Mile (if Im correct that its on dirt). Trip much more to his liking. Only trouble would be if DCat is there!

He's a great horse, and I think he would run better the next time out on dirt. What a sire he should be.

[Hwjb]

Originally Posted by BellamyRd.

when a trainer like A. O' Brien makes a staement like he's the best he's ever trained...well, you're expecting a little better
can you ever tell a trainer they're wrong?
like Pat Riley said DWade was the best he's ever coached
can you go up to him and say "Magic Johnson, you dimwit"?
I'd have go up to Aiden and say "Rock of Gilbratar"
but not this GW horse...

George Washington is a better miler than Rock of Gibraltar, by several punds too. Off the top of my head the only horse O'Brien has trained who was rated higher than George Washington was Hawk Wing, although Stravinsky may have been close.

[kgar311]

Funny how George's stock went up by coming sixth in the classic and dini's went down by coming second.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by brockguy

Kinane said that hed love to try him on dirt again but unfortunately that cant happen!! Well I would love to see him try something like the Cigar Mile (if Im correct that its on dirt). Trip much more to his liking. Only trouble would be if DCat is there!

Cigar Mile would be great. I think the distance did him in more than the dirt. Discreet Cat should actually be more incentive for a Coolmore horse to run in the Cigar Mile.

[brockguy]

Originally Posted by Cardus

You're reducing your analysis to a Timeform rating??

The Rock accomplished much, much more than GW, the father of our country, the mother of all throwouts in the BC Classic.

Timeform vindicates my belief that Hawk Wing was the best O'Brien ever trained!! Others acheived much much more, but on his day...

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Cardus

If we used the "on his best day" comparison, wouldn't Bellamy Road be the second best three-year-old behind Secretariat?

LOL. Rock of Gibraltar was much better than GW in my opinion. This year, GW wouldn't have even been my selection to win the Mile.

[Hwjb]

Originally Posted by Cardus

If we used the "on his best day" comparison, wouldn't Bellamy Road be the second best three-year-old behind Secretariat?

No, based on the fact that the only time they met over a mile, Hawk Wing was rated as a clear-cut winner, and to all that saw it, would have been had things panned out differently (see below).
Then, as the Rock went to maul a poor bunch of milers during the rest of that season, Hawk Wing came back the following year to put up an effort in the Lockinge which had to be seen to be believed...a performance 7lb better than the Rock ever produced.



Here was what our course reporter had to say after his effort in the 2,000 Guineas:

Hawk Wing had been the subject of glowing reports from his stable during the winter and has to go down as one of the unluckiest Guineas losers for many a year, clearly at a disadvantage the way things worked out but leaving the impression he'd have overcome everything had he actually begun his effort earlier in his group; given his stable-companion Sholokhov was said to be in largely as a pacemaker, it was perhaps a little surprising that Hawk Wing's rider elected to stay were he was, as he could comfortably have gone either way from a stall almost bang in the middle, but those were reportedly his instructions; thereafter, Hawk Wing travelled strongly under a patient ride and, having smoothly made his way into contention, wasn't actually asked for his effort until well inside the final 2f, Spencer seemingly under the impression he had only his rivals on his side of the track as a threat, thereafter producing a finishing burst very rarely seen at this level, taking lengths out of his group inside the last and only just failing to get up; there's little doubt he would have run out a clear-cut winner had things panned out differently and the sky's clearly the limit so far as his prospects for this year are concerned; he could reportedly next take in the Irish Guineas first, and would surely be odds on to win it, though most post-race talk inevitably centred on Epsom (promoted to favouritism, though stable also has High Chaparral towards fore of betting); whether he'll stay 12f is another matter; his pedigree doesn't suggest he's sure to, and the way he travelled here before accelerating in such devastating fashion suggests speed is more his forte than stamina; one thing's for sure, if he does genuinely stay it'll take something very special to stop him; a big, close-coupled colt who was fitted with a crossed noseband, he looked in fantastic shape and handled the preliminaries well.

[Hwjb]

I'm not saying it should be based on one race...here's why.

Rock of Gibraltar ran on in "electrifying" fashion (your words) in the BCM to beat all bar Domedriver. However unlucky you think he may have been there it's impossible to rate him more than a 2, at most 3 length winner.

In the Lockinge Hawk Wing slaughtered Domedriver by 20 lengths. OK. that may be an unfair reflection, so lets look at Reel Buddy, beaten over 21 lengths into fifth at Newbury. The Rock beat that horse just 4 lengths in the Sussex. The only way you can get them close is through Where or When. Hawk Wing beat him by 11 lengths, The Rock beat him by around 6 and a half lengths the season before, however the problem there is that Where or When improved out of all proportion in the meantime.
I can't see how it's possible to conclude that Rock of Gibraltar was a better miler than Hawk Wing. It goes against all handicapping logic.

[SundayStar]

george did a little better than i thought he would do. his performance was well, mediocre. not a dylan thomas run (david junior took up that role) but certainly not befitting of a horse that is supposed to be a superstar. too bad he didn't run in the mile where he would've had the chance to strut his stuff. big waste running him in the classic. he becomes merely an afterthought in the annals of bC history instead of a possible great champion.

Originally Posted by Hwjb

For all that the winner was impressive and that the race was probably a weak renewal, I felt that George put up a fine effort, clearly failing for stamina rather than anything else.
Kinane gave him a good ride, and George seemed not to appreciate the bump he took on straightening up, his head going up, but that's by the by as his effort was petering out at that point. He travelled beautifully on the surface until the stretch where he found the additional two furlongs beyond him.
In my mind his performance confirms that he acts fully on dirt and probably justifies the commercial gamble Coolmore took by running him in the race.

Actually, he was trying the final eighth of a mile....personally, I think it was clearly the surface he wasn't handling moreso than the distance....If you watch the replay, his action - while trying and reaching out - was HORRIBLY sloppy...he was a fish out of water on the dirt....he was climbing and just never got the surface - which was expected.....I thought he actually showed more stamina than I thought he would....

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

Actually, he was trying the final eighth of a mile....personally, I think it was clearly the surface he wasn't handling moreso than the distance....If you watch the replay, his action - while trying and reaching out - was HORRIBLY sloppy...he was a fish out of water on the dirt....he was climbing and just never got the surface - which was expected.....I thought he actually showed more stamina than I thought he would....

he got beat by the tap and geeacomo!!!..not the best...david junior was a also ran ..with the right breeding..

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by hoovesupsideyourhead

he got beat by the tap and geeacomo!!!..not the best...david junior was a also ran ..with the right breeding..

Yep...

I thought for certain that DJ would handle the surface better than GW (or at least have a better shot at it based upon his breeding)... was I wrong or what?