A Crock of 4yos

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

No because I would never include Rombauer and good horse in the same sentence. I also am not all that big on Hot Rod Charlie, Mandaloun, or Midnight Bourbon. All nice horses but I don’t believe they are in the same league as Life is Good and Flightline. I don’t think Essential Quality was either. Hell, he lost to Medina’s Spirit twice and we saw how Life is Good toyed with him. Since I’m not in the camp that says the only way a horse can be considered good is if he excels at 10f and faces 20 horse fields and runs 15 times a year, I’m just going to be forced to believe that Life is Good and Flightline are good horses and if they only run 4-5 times this year, I’ll enjoy those 4-5 races much more than watching inferior horses run 10 times.

Nobody is in the camp that "great" horses have to run 10f's and face 20 horse fields to be outstanding. There have been plenty of 7 horse fields that proved to be great. You can have a super field of 5—quality, not quantity. Nobody is suggesting Flight Risk, and Life is Good aren't very fast horses. They are very good. The point is you don't know enough about them to suggest they are great. Life is Good has been matched by an equally fast horse, albeit not one made for two turns. Flight Risk has been a show horse and has collected blue ribbons.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Nobody is in the camp that "great" horses have to run 10f's and face 20 horse fields to be outstanding. There have been plenty of 7 horse fields that proved to be great. You can have a super field of 5—quality, not quantity. Nobody is suggesting Flight Risk, and Life is Good aren't very fast horses. They are very good. The point is you don't know enough about them to suggest they are great. Life is Good has been matched by an equally fast horse, albeit not one made for two turns. Flight Risk has been a show horse and has collected blue ribbons.

But that’s the thing. I’m not putting them with the all-time greats at this point. That list belongs to those that have proven themselves time and again at various distances, on different surfaces, against better horses. Unfortunately, the way the sport is going now, it will be extremely difficult for any horse to prove his greatness going forward. They race so sparingly. There are tons of different races that allow them to avoid each other so much. They don’t carry heavy weights anymore. It’s hard. So more and more often we are left to speculate on who the best horses are instead of actually seeing it proven.

You brought up Life is Good’s loss to Jackie’s Warrior. I think races like the Pegasus only enhance how good a race that was. Jackie’s Warrior is the likely champion sprinter and for Life is Good to be a horse that’s good enough to beat the HOY at 9f, to come off a long layoff and face an in-form champion at the champs best distance and damn near beat him is an added feather in his cap in my opinion, not a knock.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Nobody is in the camp that "great" horses have to run 10f's and face 20 horse fields to be outstanding. There have been plenty of 7 horse fields that proved to be great. You can have a super field of 5—quality, not quantity. Nobody is suggesting Flight Risk, and Life is Good aren't very fast horses. They are very good. The point is you don't know enough about them to suggest they are great. Life is Good has been matched by an equally fast horse, albeit not one made for two turns. Flight Risk has been a show horse and has collected blue ribbons.

Get with it, Freddy.

Who needs Easy Goer, Sunday Silence, Prized, and Hawkster when you got King Glorious and Houston?

Who needs Real Quiet, Victory Gallop, and Coronado’s Quest when you got Indian Charlie and Mazel Trick?

Who needs Buckpasser, Mr. Right, Amberoid, and Pretense when you got Graustark?

Who needs Arts and Letters, Ack Ack, Dike, and Al Hattab when you got Majestic Prince and Reviewer?

Who needs Shackleford, Fort Larned, Stay Thirsty, or Mucho Macho Man when you got Uncle Mo?

Who needs Afleet Alex, Flower Alley, Invasor, and Premium Tap when you got Bellamy Road and Roman Ruler?

Who needs Pleasant Tap, Unbridled, Summer Squall, and In Excess when you got Grand Canyon and Red Ransom?

Who needs Silver Charm, Free House, Touch Gold, and Awesome Again when you got Pulpit and Tale of the Cat?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Get with it, Freddy.

Who needs Easy Goer, Sunday Silence, Prized, and Hawkster when you got King Glorious and Houston?

Who needs Real Quiet, Victory Gallop, and Coronado’s Quest when you got Indian Charlie and Mazel Trick?

Who needs Buckpasser, Mr. Right, Amberoid, and Pretense when you got Graustark?

Who needs Arts and Letters, Ack Ack, Dike, and Al Hattab when you got Majestic Prince and Reviewer?

Who needs Shackleford, Fort Larned, Stay Thirsty, or Mucho Macho Man when you got Uncle Mo?

Who needs Afleet Alex, Flower Alley, Invasor, and Premium Tap when you got Bellamy Road and Roman Ruler?

Who needs Pleasant Tap, Unbridled, Summer Squall, and In Excess when you got Grand Canyon and Red Ransom?

Who needs Silver Charm, Free House, Touch Gold, and Awesome Again when you got Pulpit and Tale of the Cat?

The advent of 6,12, and 20 million dollar races is perfect for avoiding competition. You go here, and I will go there. Moneyball Sportsmanship at its finest.