Maclean's Music (110 preliminary Beyer)

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

I thought Proper Reality was a pretty bitchin' horse myself.

Never was a fan of Dancing Spree though.

Yeah, but that was his coming out party....and he couldn't have beaten Seeking the Gold when he was good.

Dancing Spree did win the BC Sprint later that year.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Yeah, but that was his coming out party....and he couldn't have beaten Seeking the Gold when he was good.

Dancing Spree did win the BC Sprint later that year.

Yeah, obviously STG was a better horse.

Dancing Spree fluked that BC Sprint win.

[Revidere]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Yeah, obviously STG was a better horse.

Dancing Spree fluked that BC Sprint win.

That was a great ride by Cordero.

As for 1997 HOY:

If he did anything between the Belmont and Malibu, a case could have been made for Silver Charm, no?

Won

Kentucky Derby-G1

Preakness S.-G1

San Vicente S.-G3


2nd

Belmont S.-G1

Santa Anita Derby-G1

Malibu S.-G1

San Felipe S.-G2

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Revidere

That was a great ride by Cordero.

As for 1997 HOY:

If he did anything between the Belmont and Malibu, a case could have been made for Silver Charm, no?

Won

Kentucky Derby-G1

Preakness S.-G1

San Vicente S.-G3


2nd

Belmont S.-G1

Santa Anita Derby-G1

Malibu S.-G1

San Felipe S.-G2

Dancing Spree won because of the mayhem that Sam Who caused.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Dancing Spree won because of the mayhem that Sam Who caused.

While On The Line lost all chance because of Sam Who's lateral move, not sure if it really affected the outcome, as the other speed, Safely Kept and Olympic Prospect were unaffected. On The Line, et al. would have only added to their already breakneck :44 flat duel, which was probably the main reason why Dancing Spree got up.

I suppose you could say Dispersal would have won with a clean trip, but IIRC he was a free-running horse and would have probably been up much closer and likely fried otherwise. I would suggest instead that his trouble actually benefited him by knocking him well off the pace and forcing him into making a late run.

That aside, Dancing Spree was a more than capable sprinter having won the True North, Carter, Churchill Downs Handicap, etc.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

While On The Line lost all chance because of Sam Who's lateral move, not sure if it really affected the outcome, as the other speed, Safely Kept and Olympic Prospect were unaffected. On The Line, et al. would have only added to their already breakneck :44 flat duel, which was probably the main reason why Dancing Spree got up.

I suppose you could say Dispersal would have won with a clean trip, but IIRC he was a free-running horse and would have probably been up much closer and likely fried otherwise. I would suggest instead that his trouble actually benefited him by knocking him well off the pace and forcing him into making a late run.

That aside, Dancing Spree was a more than capable sprinter having won the True North, Carter, Churchill Downs Handicap, etc.

On the Line was more than able to sit and pounce. He could blaze away, or sit back off the lead. It made no difference. If he fired that day, he wins. To this day I'd rate him one of the top five sprinters I've seen.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

On the Line was more than able to sit and pounce. He could blaze away, or sit back off the lead. It made no difference. If he fired that day, he wins. To this day I'd rate him one of the top five sprinters I've seen.

The question then becomes would he have fired? IIRC, he had been routing in the fall, not sprinting, and also was coming off bad, recent beats at Oak Tree in CA and Aqueduct in NY. Seems like he was a tired horse at that point, not a horse sitting on a BC Sprint win.