Biggest gap between the best horse in a crop and the rest

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

And, by the way, on the subject of this thread, it is preposterous to even suggest that horses that never raced past early June of their 3YO seasons ( and this includes Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex ) were distanced from their respective generations. Without knowing if they progressed, or how they stacked up against others in their generations who developed later, it is unfair to place them significantly ahead of their peers.

Take a look at Slew o' Gold, who obviously proved best of his generation, and tell me he was the best horse in early June when Caveat was kicking his azz in the Belmont.

I agree, but I think if Smarty had stuck around, he would've eaten alive those other 3-year-olds in his class all season long.