Who Is Horse Of The Year?

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

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It leaves the Breeders Cup Classic and Preakness Stakes. Two narrow wins for SS in very fast races. In both instances ... anyone watching the tape can see Easy Goer was more impressive in defeat both times. Sunday Silence had the better tactical speed and in both of those races ran more professional.. and that was really the difference in the outcome.

The only way you can argue that SS was the better horse of the two - is if you think the offical results of those 4 head-to-head meetings are all that count.

Really? I've watched that Preakness many times, and I always come away marvelling at Sunday Silence's race. How "anyone watching the tape can see Easy Goer was more impressive in defeat" comes as a complete surprise to me. Sunday Silence has to steady as Easy Goer passes and squeezes him into Houston. He loses a length or more by steadying, but his incredible athleticism allows him to accelerate again to the outside and set up the historic stretch run. Yes, that put Easy Goer at a disadvantage on the rail, but IMO if Easy Goer was the better horse, Sunday Silence would have never caught up with him in the first place after the squeeze.

Let others decide for themselves:

The Preakness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tw09xHXUhI

or this one, for some commentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoY_U8NTC7E

Yeah, if Sunday Silence's apparent ability to make lightning fast adjustments and his 3 out of 4 wins don't count, you can argue that Easy Goer is the better horse. But I still wouldn't agree with you. And I certainly don't agree that Easy Goer ran the better Preakness.

--Dunbar