How do you.....

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by miraja2

If I remember correctly, Smarty's top lifetime BSF was a 118, a number that I am pretty sure Bernardini never reached. In the race he posted that 118 he blew away RH10, Eddington, Borrego, and Lion Heart....4 horses that are probably better than any horse Bernardini ever faced - except of course for Invasor who beat him.
If people think that Bernardini was better than Smarty.....fine. He was certainly a quality colt. But to say that Smarty couldn't "have got Bernie out of a jog" again demonstrates that despite Bernardini's considerable talent, he is probably the most overrated horse in quite some time.

I would take Premium Tap - and perhaps even Lawyer Ron over Eddington, Borrego and Lion Heart.

And while I agree that the Smarty Jones who showed up in the Preakness would have probably beaten Bernardini in any career race - I think he's far from the most overrated horse in quite some time.

No one really ever exposed Bernardini - or beat him in a vert authentic fashion - atleast in my judgement, he had enough of a trip in the BC Classic to make that an inconclusive win for Invasor. Bernardini also has more than his fair share of detractors - though they all seemed to not reveal themselves until he finally lost...and did so in what might have been his career best effort.

I think Bernardini was on a road heading to being an all-time overrated horse - however, his very good loss in the Classic changed all that. He really got downgraded by a lot of people for a very good performance that was certainly no worse than any of his others.