Raw Talent...

[Round Pen]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

She was a total freak...

She broke her maiden with a 109 beyer first time out. 4.5 furlongs at Churchill in 51 flat winning by 9.5 lenghts.
At the time Cherokee Runs stud fee was 20k and she sold for 875k, I wonder what her sale work was. Doug?

Hmmm Good Question I want to say she went in 21 Flat and when she did it that was unheard of, I actually Checked Fasig tiptons Website they have an Archive for Under tack shows but it only goes back till 2003. Mitch

[Thunder Gulch]

Ghostzapper. Fastest horse the last 10 years.

Mineshaft. The best handicapper season since Cigar.

Curlin. As already stated, to go from a late debut to the Preakness with so little foundation against a good crop. He validated it later on.

Smarty Jones. Ran the 3 fastest spring sheet numbers ever at the time. Before he got to Churchill, he was the fastest they had on record. 3rd in the Belmont was 8 lengths back.

Point Given/Empire Maker. This is subjective. While both accomplished quite a bit- particularly PG's 4 straight million dollar races- I'm not sure we saw the best of them. I think either could have been a monster at 4.

Very difficult to leave off Barbaro, whom many think was better on turf, Rachel Alexandra, the best 3yo filly I ever saw, or Midnight Lute when he was healthy.