Who was closer to the Triple Crown...Smarty or Alex?

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Noone hates this horse. I think that the superlatives being thrown around without beating a good or large field or setting any track records has caused the polarity between the worshippers and those who dont worship him.

Those who worship the horse think those who don't are irrational, and vice versa.

I can't wait for the BC to be run and hope he stamps himself one way of the other.
A narrow loss with a troubled trip is my worst nightmare as we will have to listen to the debate over how good he was for decades.
Lets let him get it on, and have the final judgement come after the last chapter in the book is written.

That's about the most logical thing that anyone has said all day long. It will be decided on November 4th...I can't wait!!!

[Pointg5]

Originally Posted by kentuckyrosesinmay

That's about the most logical thing that anyone has said all day long. It will be decided on November 4th...I can't wait!!!

No it won't, if he wins people will say they want to see him as a 4yo and that he beat no one...If he loses, the lovers will think of something else...It will spiral out of control, and the only thing we will ever talk about is Bernardini and how great or overrated he is and Steve will have to change the name of the site to the something related to Bernardini...

[Kasept]

Hadn't had the opp to chime in here and haven't read the whole thread, but it would seem pretty clear that Smarty Jones was by far closer to winning a crown than Afleet Alex.

While I consider any dual Classic winner who didn't win the third a "near miss", it's harder to make cases for those that don't win the Derby or Preakness than those that win the first two legs. Without the pressure of the three week lead-up to the Belmont, or even the pressure of going into the Preakness as the Derby winner, it's difficult to know how trainer and jock react. You also don't know who might have lined up in the races with different outcomes, etc.. The scenario of going into the Preakness with a Derby-winning Alex is totally different than that of them going in off the near miss at Louisville, etc..

Smarty Jones was yards away from a crown and would certainly have been a winner under a slightly revised race script that gets Elliott to avoid the harassment of Solis and Bailey so early and so long.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Hadn't had the opp to chime in here and haven't read the whole thread, but it would seem pretty clear that Smarty Jones was by far closer to winning a crown than Afleet Alex.

While I consider any dual Classic winner who didn't win the third a "near miss", it's harder to make cases for those that don't win the Derby or Preakness than those that win the first two legs. Without the pressure of the three week lead-up to the Belmont, or even the pressure of going into the Preakness as the Derby winner, it's difficult to know how trainer and jock react. You also don't know who might have lined up in the races with different outcomes, etc.. The scenario of going into the Preakness with a Derby-winning Alex is totally different than that of them going in off the near miss at Louisville, etc..

Smarty Jones was yards away from a crown and would certainly have been a winner under a slightly revised race script that gets Elliott to avoid the harassment of Solis and Bailey so early and so long.

I actually like both horses and I understand what you are saying about going into the belmont. I was looking on the three races as a whole not as one then another, then the last one.

I guess AA's ability to get back up and win impressed me more. (Not that I am a dimwit and think he would have won by 20) He reminded me of Alysheba in the derby that day and I guess it stuck in my head.

I would though agree with anyone that REAL QUIET should be the one who has come the closest to winning the triple crown. He is my fave anyway.


And by the way, don't think I wasn't mad at how Solis rode in that Belmont!!!! I was very upset when Gary didn't come back to ride him. I knew then that he wasn't going to win, but I didn't expect that kind of ride from Solis.