RAGS or RACHEL

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Why does the competition that Eight Belles and Rags To Riches (and by curious extension HOY Curlin) ran against come into play against them, and yet the same standard is not extended to Rachel Alexandra?

i think the field saturday is the best one rachel has faced, i haven't said otherwise. i also think eight belles gets more credit than she deserves because of her death. and i'll probably get crap for saying that, but it's true and is my opinion. yes, she got second in the derby-i'd have been shocked if she hadn't, considering who else ran...
i don't think curlin is that good, so why would i give points for rags beating him by a head bob? i think there were better horses in that crop that year than curlin, and that he benefitted by them all clearing the field and leaving him to it all at age four.


edit~ the question was which race i thought was better, i gave my answer and why i thought that way-that's all.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Danzig

i think the field saturday is the best one rachel has faced, i haven't said otherwise. i also think eight belles gets more credit than she deserves because of her death. and i'll probably get crap for saying that, but it's true and is my opinion. yes, she got second in the derby-i'd have been shocked if she hadn't, considering who else ran...
i don't think curlin is that good, so why would i give points for rags beating him by a head bob? i think there were better horses in that crop that year than curlin, and that he benefitted by them all clearing the field and leaving him to it all at age four.


edit~ the question was which race i thought was better, i gave my answer and why i thought that way-that's all.

Did you see the '07 JCGC and BC Classic? Who of consequence was missing from those races?

I suppose Curlin loses points for being both versatile and durable?

As for the edit, you've clearly gone beyond the initial question. Else, why are we talking about multiple renewals of the Martha Washington?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Did you see the '07 JCGC and BC Classic? Who of consequence was missing from those races?

I suppose Curlin loses points for being both versatile and durable?

As for the edit, you've clearly gone beyond the initial question. Else, why are we talking about multiple renewals of the Martha Washington?

yes, i saw them.
also, i went beyond the topic because i saw mention from others of not just who they thought had the better race, but who was the better horse-so i chose to expound on my answer and how i arrived at my thinking.

as for curlin, i am mostly thinking of his four year old season when i say he had the field to himself. i thought he had a very good season at three, as did a few others. i think it's a shame they all retired, and left him to play all alone.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Some people forget that Any Given Saturday was a shorter price than Curlin in the Breeders Cup Classic in which he won...and the Belmont Stakes the year R2R won it was such an insanely slow paced race and Curlin was down inside at Belmont.

I realize R2R beat a far more legit horse ... but it's tempting to pick RA's Preakness because R2R's Belmont was run at a snail's pace at an uncommonly long distance.

I voted dead heat.

Another less tricky poll would be RA's Oaks win vs RA's Preakness win.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Some people forget that Any Given Saturday was a shorter price than Curlin in the Breeders Cup Classic in which he won...and the Belmont Stakes the year R2R won it was such an insanely slow paced race and Curlin was down inside at Belmont.

I realize R2R beat a far more legit horse ... but it's tempting to pick RA's Preakness because R2R's Belmont was run at a snail's pace at an uncommonly long distance.

I voted dead heat.

Another less tricky poll would be RA's Oaks win vs RA's Preakness win.

i don't know...some would pick the oaks because of the margin, but i would definitely vote for saturdays effort.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

It would be a close call.

The Oaks obviously visually ... but I'm of the opinion that her Preakness win was much more dominant than it appears.

[Sightseek]

Seeing Rags' Belmont was far and away the most exciting race I've seen live, but I'd give the edge to Rachel for most impressive.

[tector]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

It would be a close call.

The Oaks obviously visually ... but I'm of the opinion that her Preakness win was much more dominant than it appears.

I'd like to see a pace figure analysis of this Preakness compared to recent ones. I think it would support your point.