Curlin didn't look invincible...

[Thunder Gulch]

I agree with a lot of you here. Whether he was a little short or not, he just didn't have the same explosion we want to see from him. Has anyone ever come back from the Dubai trip with the same horse? That trip just seems to bring a lot of champions down from their pinnacle on the way home.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

I agree with a lot of you here. Whether he was a little short or not, he just didn't have the same explosion we want to see from him. Has anyone ever come back from the Dubai trip with the same horse? That trip just seems to bring a lot of champions down from their pinnacle on the way home.

I think that Dubai 'curse' is at times coincidental, however I agree he didn't win like a 3/10 shot should with the set up he got. Still we have seen what the Spa usually does to champions, Ginger Punch also got up mostly on will, and Curlin did the same yesterday.

[ArlJim78]

i think its way after the fact to blame dubai. he looked sharp in his first outing after dubai, the one in KY where Einstein was second.

with that said, he does seem to be on the decline for whatever reason.

[Quiet Chris]

The horse is not invincible. Commentator probably would have beaten him yesterday, except for the fact that Commentator might have not shown up.

Curlin's JCGC will be the real test to see what he is made of. They have been shipping him around the world and changing surfaces on him all year.

The horse is clearly the best dirt horse in the world though. There doesn't appear to be anyone out there that can take him in a 10f dirt race.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Quiet Chris

The horse is not invincible. Commentator probably would have beaten him yesterday, except for the fact that Commentator might have not shown up.
Curlin's JCGC will be the real test to see what he is made of. They have been shipping him around the world and changing surfaces on him all year.

The horse is clearly the best dirt horse in the world though. There doesn't appear to be anyone out there that can take him in a 10f dirt race.

I have to agree with Dahoss here. That first paragraph is classic.

Almost as good as "my aunt probably could have been my uncle except she might not have a d i c k".

[TheSpyder]

Great horses don't always win by open lengths..Check the Champions book. He ran a good race and I don't think he was short, I think just enough was asked of him to win.

Spyder

[the_fat_man]

I see that we're making assumptions again based on numbers without considering the race dynamics. They went, essentially, 1-2 around the track in fast fractions, there were ZERO moves in the race, and Curlin came from off the pace to run down the speed. Anyone who thinks this wasn't impressive really needs to get on a bike, get on the track, and try it out. Try chasing a fast pace and then running the leader down on your own. This might radically alter one's perception of trips.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

I see that we're making assumptions again based on numbers without considering the race dynamics. They went, essentially, 1-2 around the track in fast fractions, there were ZERO moves in the race, and Curlin came from off the pace to run down the speed. Anyone who thinks this wasn't impressive really needs to get on a bike, get on the track, and try it out. Try chasing a fast pace and then running the leader down on your own. This might radically alter one's perception of trips.

Please spare me the bike riding crap. So now sitting 4th behind a rapid pace set by inferior horses on a seemingly fair track ISNT a good trip? So if they go too slow on the front we can blame a slow pace but if they go too fast we can blame a fast pace? He won because the 3 horse couldnt run the last eighth in 13.20.

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

I see that we're making assumptions again based on numbers without considering the race dynamics. They went, essentially, 1-2 around the track in fast fractions, there were ZERO moves in the race, and Curlin came from off the pace to run down the speed. Anyone who thinks this wasn't impressive really needs to get on a bike, get on the track, and try it out. Try chasing a fast pace and then running the leader down on your own. This might radically alter one's perception of trips.

I recently participated in a 5k and was trying to close on a fast pace. Needless to say things didn't go according to plan...

[slotdirt]

I don't know, didn't Formal Gold get waxed in Dubai back in like '97, then come back to the states to run several supremely fast races? I think the Dubai effect is somewhat overestimated, particularly with a horse who has, in general, shipped as well as Curlin has.