Bluegrass Cat

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by oracle80

This is most definitely a new and improved version of Bluegrass Cat. That was not the same horse who ran in the Tri Crown races.

He definitely ran the race of his life yesterday, but the Bluegrass Cat that ran in the TC races was pretty good too. He beat a lot of quality horses in the derby and was beaten only by a genuine superstar. Then he was ridiculously wide in a 12f race and still beat decent horses like Stepenwolfer and Sunriver and was right there challenging the leader at the finish.
The horse he was battling down in Tampa this winter/spring (Deputy Glitters) proved in the Ohio Derby that he can run a pretty good race when he feels like it, and the only reason DG turned the tables on him in the Tampa Bay was because BC threw a shoe. The horse has been a solid competitor all year. Now he has simply taken the next step. If he and Bright One are both healthy enough to make it to the Travers it should be an interesting betting race.

Originally Posted by miraja2

He definitely ran the race of his life yesterday, but the Bluegrass Cat that ran in the TC races was pretty good too. He beat a lot of quality horses in the derby and was beaten only by a genuine superstar. Then he was ridiculously wide in a 12f race and still beat decent horses like Stepenwolfer and Sunriver and was right there challenging the leader at the finish.
The horse he was battling down in Tampa this winter/spring (Deputy Glitters) proved in the Ohio Derby that he can run a pretty good race when he feels like it, and the only reason DG turned the tables on him in the Tampa Bay was because BC threw a shoe. The horse has been a solid competitor all year. Now he has simply taken the next step. If he and Bright One are both healthy enough to make it to the Travers it should be an interesting betting race.

Yeah miraja but he had gears yesterday. He also was thrilled to be doing what he was doing. He wasn't all out being scrubbed on to give his best. Ears were flipping and pricked and he was having a ball and looked to truly enjoy the hell out of what he was doing. Something turned his attitude around.

[Thunder Gulch]

Bernandini was friggin awesome last week, but BGC certainly appears to be a top notch 3yo as well. Pletcher has been a little warm this year as well.

[jpops757]

If the Cat passes on the Travers, where would he prep? I would think Pletcher would use a race at CD if it fite the time limitations. Also another race over the BC surface. I dont think Pletcher would avoid Bernardini but he is generaly 2 or 3 moves ahead of everyone else and is thinking about what is best for his horse. Does anyone have a picture of BGC before the derby and a current one> I ay be wrong but to me physicaly he looks so much more developed, biger, and more mature. I would like to see a comparison.

You know something, I thought how great his race was would be lost by many but it appears that many of you appreciated just how great it was. I thought I would be fighting an uphill battle on here trying to extoll the virtues of that awesome performance but you guys are already starting threads or replying with questions about him in the BCC!! WHich means I have missed something as well. That race he ran was so good that he may not care if he wins the Travers, he may try to plot a course to honestly have a shot in the BCC. One things for sure, if hes not ready to run in the Travers he won't be in there.

Oracle, I was extremely impressed by his demeanor during the race. He just seemed to be out there toying around. My question is, and yes its VERY hypothetical, but if he were to skip the Travers and win the BCC, does that put him in the dog fight for champion 3 yo with Bernardini (assuming Bernardini wins the Travers)? It seems like it could go either way at that point. Again, very hypothetical, but hey, im caught in the moment!

Originally Posted by Balletto

Oracle, I was extremely impressed by his demeanor during the race. He just seemed to be out there toying around. My question is, and yes its VERY hypothetical, but if he were to skip the Travers and win the BCC, does that put him in the dog fight for champion 3 yo with Bernardini (assuming Bernardini wins the Travers)? It seems like it could go either way at that point. Again, very hypothetical, but hey, im caught in the moment!

Funny that you use the words toying around and I used the words having a ball out there. I just really didn't expect that kind of an effort and it really blew me away, especially the way that he did it. I had always thought of BC as a workmanlike horse who I had labeled in my own mind as a "grinder" type without the tactical speed or burst of speed necessary to be top caliber. He also always needed to be ridden to give his all in his prior starts and didn't strike me as a particularly "happy horse" out there.
They opened the gates and I had very low expectations for the race, I thought it would be a rather boring affair. I lost my mind as they entered the far turn and the horse was obviously having a blast and Johnny had a hammerlock. He just looked like a completely different animal. Johnny V kind of confirmed what I thought I had just seen when he stood up before the line and vigorously pumped his fist. He wins huge races all the time and doesnt always react like that. I told the guy next to me that it must have felt as good to Johnny as it looked to me because his reaction was definitely the reaction of a guy who has just discovered that he has a very good horse to ride.
I love the sport and really was upset that the Travers had appeared until yesterday to be on the verge of becoming an anticlimactic formality for Bernadini. The Travers should always be much more than that. If Pletcher decides to run the horse in the Travers, it should be a nice show.

[Gander]

In my opinion Bluegrass Cat would not have a shot at 3 year old champion unless he won the Travers & BC Classic. If he skips the Travers and Berardini wins the Travers, then it would be unlikely Bluegrass Cat would have any shot at it. Unless of course Bluegrass Cat won both the Jockey Club and the BC Classic, which is a longshot he'd even run in both races.

I dont know, im a fan of Barbaro. He had talent, no doubt. But he won two G1's in the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby, and then a listed and two G3's. I just couldnt imagine the voting not going to Bernardini or Bluegrass Cat if they beat older horses in the Classic. But I can see the argument... Barbaro was impressive in the biggest 3yo race of the year and has kept his name in the news...