Breeders Cup Turf winners 1999-2008

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

So let me get this straight, you can compare BC winners over a ten year period, but I can't compare the 2002 Johar to the 2003 Johar? Interesting.

And what exactly made Johar go from 2002 goat to 2003 monster? A change of calendars? A flick of a switch?

Remember, he sat most of 2003 on the bench. Mandella got him into top form on BC day, and maybe he was still improving at the same time, but anybody who happened to like him that day was probably basing their support on his San Marcos effort way back in January. That is when he became a BC contender. What was that, about 8 weeks after he nostrilized Rock Opera?

One, I'm not doing much comparing at all, just pointing out that I don't have a hard-on for Johar and his optional-claiming photo-finish friend from that big win that we're to believe would have catapulted him to BC glory mere weeks later. I wouldn't personally rank Shirocco that high on the list, but I have not been really actively participating in the ranking here. Just been more involved in discussing the absurdity of the idea that Johar should be above anyone besides perhaps Better Talk Now on that list.

Two, for years and years now I've been saying that Volponi would have won the 2001 BC Classic. Unfortunately, it's taken 8 years and your wisdom to finally let me know that I can take credit for that because he validated that the next year, meaning that the idea of him being nose and nose with Tiznow and Sahkee down the Belmont stretch is not, in fact, completely ludicrous, because you know, any horse who won a BC race at any point in their career could have won the same division in any given year.....

ps, I also loved Ginger Punch in the '06 Distaff off that allowance race at Keeneland. If only they'd have gone there for her stakes debut instead of to that second-level allowance at Churchill!

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

Two, for years and years now I've been saying that Volponi would have won the 2001 BC Classic. Unfortunately, it's taken 8 years and your wisdom to finally let me know that I can take credit for that because he validated that the next year, meaning that the idea of him being nose and nose with Tiznow and Sahkee down the Belmont stretch is not, in fact, completely ludicrous, because you know, any horse who won a BC race at any point in their career could have won the same division in any given year.....

The irony being that the horse Johar dead-heated with DID in fact win the BC Turf the year before.

But I get your point. Of course, I never suggested the idea in the first place.