Bernardini

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Invasor was a pretty nice horse, but great? No way.

Bernardini, he was also a really good horse as well, but I just don't get how people went off the deep-end with him.

I adored Bernardini and just thought he was a tremendous horse. He didn't get a chance to prove his greatness as a 4 year old, which stinks. Maybe Invasor wasn't "great", but I see people knocking his race to this very good older horse as proof that Bernardini was not very good and that makes no sense. I think it's possible to think a horse is very good and very talented without thinking he's the greatest thing ever. Bernadini did have exceptional talent, but thanks to the Sheikh, we'll never know what he could have done as he improved as an older horse. I also think it's unfair to knock him because Barbaro broke down in the Preakness. Bernardini ran great that day - who's to say he wouldn't have won anyway? That would have been a very nice rivalry - too bad it didn't happen.

No one loves Indy more than I do, but yes - I absolutely think Bernardini could have beaten him.

[Indian Charlie]

At the time of their respective retirements, I think there was still quite a bit more upside to Indy than Bernardini.

The thing with Indy, his Canadian race notwithstanding, he was still improving with every start. I, and many others back then, thought he was going to keep getting better had he raced more.

I can't say the same for Bernardini.

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

At the time of their respective retirements, I think there was still quite a bit more upside to Indy than Bernardini.

The thing with Indy, his Canadian race notwithstanding, he was still improving with every start. I, and many others back then, thought he was going to keep getting better had he raced more.

I can't say the same for Bernardini.

You didn't think Bernardini was capable of improving even off his excellent 3 year old form? I guess we'll never know, but I thought he had a lot more that we never got to see. All I do know is that I have never been as crushed as I was when Indy was scratched on Derby eve........what a punch in the gut that was. It was sweet vindication when he won the BC. He won that race so easily.I hoped he'd run as a 4 year old, but I didn't think that was ever a real possibility. I was just glad that his owner was not into breeding because if he was, Indy would be in Japan now. It's been a long time - maybe I'm underrating how good he was as a racehorse because he's been so good as a sire. It's a shame that he probably won't ever sire a KY Derby winner, but maybe one of his sons will.