not to beat a dead horse but, ...

[georgewashington]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

You know I guess the thing I am struck by at the beginning at this thread is the lack of respect for Birdstone. On his day with proper rest he ran some very fast races. He was a really good horse, not some tin cup Commendable winning the Belmont. He got the trip but he still had to run an A race to beat Smarty.....I was surprised Smarty lost but race riding is a fact of life and something you need to get over.

Birdstone is very underrated. However your shot at Commendable is pretty low. He is actually in South Korea now but he had a nice race career. Not only did he win a Classic, but he ran well in the Travers too. That Travers was an incredible race where Unshaded nosed out Three Chimneys Albert the Great. I don't remember it but he also was second in the Super Derby. Not a great horse, but he deserves a little respect.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by georgewashington

Birdstone is very underrated. However your shot at Commendable is pretty low. He is actually in South Korea now but he had a nice race career. Not only did he win a Classic, but he ran well in the Travers too. That Travers was an incredible race where Unshaded nosed out Three Chimneys Albert the Great. I don't remember it but he also was second in the Super Derby. Not a great horse, but he deserves a little respect.

George, almost universally Commendable is regarded as the worst winner of the Belmont in the last few decades. The race was insanely slow, came back with insanely slow figures and shows how a bad horse can win a big race if they are allowed to run with a pace of 1:14 and 2 for 3/4 and then stay for a 2:31 and change win.

[georgewashington]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

George, almost universally Commendable is regarded as the worst winner of the Belmont in the last few decades. The race was insanely slow, came back with insanely slow figures and shows how a bad horse can win a big race if they are allowed to run with a pace of 1:14 and 2 for 3/4 and then stay for a 2:31 and change win.

I agree, but he ran a few other nice races in the Travers and Super Derby. I would take him over another nice horse like Sarava. Remember Thunder Gulch was a second slower than Commendable.