dear bernardini fans....

Originally Posted by Pillow Pants

I keep watching the replay and it's obvious Bern wasn't on his game today. Castellano moved him too early and that also hindered his chance to win. Not saying he would've won if Castellano waited, but it certainly would've been closer.

Invasor ran an incredible race and deserves HOY. That stumble was very close to being disastrous and the ability to recover from that AND the amazing stretch run make for an unforgettable classic. One of the best.

Horrible ride by JC. He had a chance to guide Dini to the rail going into the first turn but chose to rush up between horses. Then he moves way way too soon around the far turn. But I would take 6 wins, multiple Grade I's and a 2nd place finish in the Classic all day long. Someone come up with a horse (on dirt) that had a more impressive year?

[avance2000]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Horrible ride by JC. He had a chance to guide Dini to the rail going into the first turn but chose to rush up between horses. Then he moves way way too soon around the far turn. But I would take 6 wins, multiple Grade I's and a 2nd place finish in the Classic all day long. Someone come up with a horse (on dirt) that had a more impressive year?

ummmm.....maybe......invasor?

Originally Posted by avance2000

ummmm.....maybe......invasor?

Really--how so? Just because he won today makes it a better year. Explain your reasoning here.

[avance2000]

well they each won the same # of graded stakes races in the U.S. right? (four i think)
and invasor won the big one.
to me that makes for a better year

[avance2000]

Originally Posted by avance2000

well they each won the same # of graded stakes races in the U.S. right? (four i think)
and invasor won the big one.
to me that makes for a better year

oops. forgot the withers was a G3. that gives bern 5 to invasor's 4.
i'll still take 4 with the classic to 5 without.

[Rupert Pupkin]

I'll bet that Bernardini would beat Invasor in a match-race. The speed horse always has a big edge in match-races.

[randallscott35]

Heard a Bailey interview the other day where even he wanted to compare him to the alltime greats. It was across the board...There is a need to prop these horses up b/c people want desperately to have "the horse." It's a shame and it isn't Bernie's fault, but these people needed a wakeup today.

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I'll bet that Bernardini would beat Invasor in a match-race. The speed horse always has a big edge in match-races.

I think your right. So what. Much of racing is negotiating with the rest of the field, which was not accomplished by Bernardini. I would love to see the horse run again, lessons were learned.

Let him go ahead and crush some fields, mature, and come back and dominate a BC field as a talented tough animal. That would be ideal.

[letswastemoney]

3 year old grade Is shouldn't count as highly as older horse GIs

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by avance2000

oops. forgot the withers was a G3. that gives bern 5 to invasor's 4.
i'll still take 4 with the classic to 5 without.

you got it ..you called it congrats...dini moved to soon and invasor was game as they come..

Originally Posted by avance2000

well they each won the same # of graded stakes races in the U.S. right? (four i think)
and invasor won the big one.
to me that makes for a better year

Well Dini won like 4 Grade I's didnt he? I dont have the PPs in front of me. Did Invasor win 4 Grade I's?

[boswd]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Really--how so? Just because he won today makes it a better year. Explain your reasoning here.

Pim. Special GI
Suburban GI
Whitney GI
Breeder's Cup Classic GI

That is more than prety impressive.

[Suffolk Shippers]

I was definately against Bernardini going into this because I felt he hadn't beaten anyone this year and he had yet to be tested. The only horse he ever "beat" was Barbaro and that horse's leg was dangling from his torso.
That being said, totally dismissing Bernardini as a fraud is a very flawed position to take.

This is another instance where "super horse" or "monster" did not apply. I wish people would be a little less trigger happy to label a horse in that fashion. If beating short fields of over matched three year olds by a combined 40 lengths qualifies as a monster, than I have a few Massachusetts bred 3 yr olds who have dominated the state bred $40,000 stakes at Suffolk Downs this year to show you...are they monsters, too?

Of course not. We would all be better suited to wait out the hype in this sport. We are all seemingly desperate for a superstar. It's becoming more and more obvious that those stars have become elusive, and the ones we *think* we have turn out to have a little less luster than we expected or aren't given the chance to develop, either by being retired or injured.

Bernardini is a really good horse. If he keeps racing, he can easily be a champion of some sorts and remembered as a great one. But the insane comparisons...Secretariat? Be serious people. Wait until the chips are down and the races are run.