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  #1  
Old 11-04-2019, 03:57 PM
parsixfarms parsixfarms is offline
Churchill Downs
 
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Location: Saratoga Springs
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Perhaps I'm missing something, but why all the immediate bestowing of Horse of the Year upon Bricks and Mortar? Don't get me wrong, he's an outstanding horse who did everything asked of him this year, but he is the best of a weak male turf division in this country. And in neither the Arlington Million nor BC Turf did he defeat any top class invaders. The best horse he beat all year might have been Robert Bruce.

If history is any guide, a turf horse will be named Horse of the Year only in the absence of a truly deserving dirt horse. From my perspective, the best horse in America in 2019, and the horse deserving of Horse of the Year, is Mitole. There were two highly anticipated "races of the year" in 2019: the Met Mile and the BC Sprint. Mitole won each of these impressively. He ran consistently faster, and against better competition. If we want to argue that people should not be afraid of having their horses lose races, then we should not hold his lone loss in the Vanderbilt, when caught in a vicious speed duel while on a dead rail, against him.
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  #2  
Old 11-04-2019, 05:17 PM
freddymo freddymo is offline
Belmont Park
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by parsixfarms View Post
Perhaps I'm missing something, but why all the immediate bestowing of Horse of the Year upon Bricks and Mortar? Don't get me wrong, he's an outstanding horse who did everything asked of him this year, but he is the best of a weak male turf division in this country. And in neither the Arlington Million nor BC Turf did he defeat any top class invaders. The best horse he beat all year might have been Robert Bruce.

If history is any guide, a turf horse will be named Horse of the Year only in the absence of a truly deserving dirt horse. From my perspective, the best horse in America in 2019, and the horse deserving of Horse of the Year, is Mitole. There were two highly anticipated "races of the year" in 2019: the Met Mile and the BC Sprint. Mitole won each of these impressively. He ran consistently faster, and against better competition. If we want to argue that people should not be afraid of having their horses lose races, then we should not hold his lone loss in the Vanderbilt, when caught in a vicious speed duel while on a dead rail, against him.
I agree with everything you said...BUT Klarman has been in the game for a long time and has run millions into the game forever without a morsel of acknowledgment or recognition. Save Steve and Andy and the people that know. If there was a time to be subjective, its with Bricks... Nobody can argue Mitole didn't have an unreal campaign and is a VERY deserving candidate for the award; I just think it's Klarman's time
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  #3  
Old 11-04-2019, 05:56 PM
parsixfarms parsixfarms is offline
Churchill Downs
 
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Originally Posted by freddymo View Post
I agree with everything you said...BUT Klarman has been in the game for a long time and has run millions into the game forever without a morsel of acknowledgment or recognition. Save Steve and Andy and the people that know. If there was a time to be subjective, its with Bricks... Nobody can argue Mitole didn't have an unreal campaign and is a VERY deserving candidate for the award; I just think it's Klarman's time
I agree that Klarman would be deserving of the award for outstanding owner; and Mitole winning Horse of the Year would do nothing to lessen that achievement.
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  #4  
Old 11-04-2019, 07:06 PM
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cakes44 cakes44 is offline
The Curragh
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by parsixfarms View Post
Perhaps I'm missing something, but why all the immediate bestowing of Horse of the Year upon Bricks and Mortar? Don't get me wrong, he's an outstanding horse who did everything asked of him this year, but he is the best of a weak male turf division in this country. And in neither the Arlington Million nor BC Turf did he defeat any top class invaders. The best horse he beat all year might have been Robert Bruce.

If history is any guide, a turf horse will be named Horse of the Year only in the absence of a truly deserving dirt horse. From my perspective, the best horse in America in 2019, and the horse deserving of Horse of the Year, is Mitole. There were two highly anticipated "races of the year" in 2019: the Met Mile and the BC Sprint. Mitole won each of these impressively. He ran consistently faster, and against better competition. If we want to argue that people should not be afraid of having their horses lose races, then we should not hold his lone loss in the Vanderbilt, when caught in a vicious speed duel while on a dead rail, against him.
Could not agree more.
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  #5  
Old 11-04-2019, 09:21 PM
Dahoss Dahoss is offline
Keeneland
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by parsixfarms View Post
Perhaps I'm missing something, but why all the immediate bestowing of Horse of the Year upon Bricks and Mortar? Don't get me wrong, he's an outstanding horse who did everything asked of him this year, but he is the best of a weak male turf division in this country. And in neither the Arlington Million nor BC Turf did he defeat any top class invaders. The best horse he beat all year might have been Robert Bruce.

If history is any guide, a turf horse will be named Horse of the Year only in the absence of a truly deserving dirt horse. From my perspective, the best horse in America in 2019, and the horse deserving of Horse of the Year, is Mitole. There were two highly anticipated "races of the year" in 2019: the Met Mile and the BC Sprint. Mitole won each of these impressively. He ran consistently faster, and against better competition. If we want to argue that people should not be afraid of having their horses lose races, then we should not hold his lone loss in the Vanderbilt, when caught in a vicious speed duel while on a dead rail, against him.
Didn’t the sprint lose a lot of its luster when Imperial Hint scratched? Not sure I’d call it a race of the year.

I’m not sure I agree Mitole ran against better competition either. His Met was fantastic, but McKinzie probably wins with a clean trip. Aside from that he was beating up on Whitmore and Firenze Fire. Not exactly world beaters. He had excuses in the Vanderbilt but was soundly beaten.

Bricks going 6 for 6 and winning the race at Gulfstream, Turf Classic, Manhattan, Arlington Million and BC Turf is a pretty solid by today’s standards
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  #6  
Old 11-05-2019, 10:14 AM
Konk Konk is offline
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Running 6 times in a year is pretty good by today's standards.
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  #7  
Old 11-05-2019, 11:05 AM
Dahoss Dahoss is offline
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Running 6 times in a year is pretty good by today's standards.
Is that what I said?
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  #8  
Old 11-06-2019, 03:28 PM
Konk Konk is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dahoss View Post
Is that what I said?
No, I was cracking wise based your comment about the races B&M won this year.

Sorry, I should have used instead.
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