the most OVER rated horses in history

#1 05-30-2006, 12:47 PM

maybe Volponi ?

but then again his winning the bCC was never regarded as anything but a fluke,.ghostzapper on the other hand, ran maybe three routes in his life and in compared to some of the great horses, he, IMo is overated.

wins the BCC and races once ,more at a mile and then retires,
overrated.

1st_Saturday_in_May · #2 05-30-2006, 12:50 PM

I'll respectfully disagree about Ghostzapper. Granted he raced sporadically but when his hooves hit the track 'twas a thing of beauty. Far the best of any horse that I have witnessed in 3+ years of watching racing.

#3 05-30-2006, 12:53 PM

jeez dustin, uh oh, they got to you too....

What about Pleasantly Perfect, his highsteppin effortless stride wasn't one of the best ?

Thoroughbred Fan · #4 05-30-2006, 12:54 PM

Any owner's own two year old before their first race. Hey, we all like to think they are good till they aren't.

randallscott35 · #5 05-30-2006, 01:08 PM

What Volponi? I love him. And nobody think that highly of him anyway. If you are going to pick an overrated horse it has to be someone who is really highly rated.

Point Given is terribly overrated if you ask me. People put him high on their top horses of all time and he never beat an older horse in his life.

slotdirt · #6 05-30-2006, 01:10 PM

Has to be Fusaichi Pegasus. Has to be.

hoovesupsideyourhead · #7 05-30-2006, 02:27 PM

artie the paper champ shillar...hands down....

#8 05-30-2006, 02:41 PM

artie schiller, c'mon, he always hits the board, always, 100% lock to hit the board

#9 05-30-2006, 02:44 PM

Man I have a bunch

1) Arazi
2) Fusaichi Pegasus
3) Funny Cide
4) Brother Derek - even though I was on his band wagon
5) Bellamy Road

Skip away · #10 05-30-2006, 02:48 PM

Funny Cide, Bellamy Road, Point Given, Cliffs Edge, Perfect Drift. All overrated.

Suffolk Shippers · #11 05-30-2006, 02:52 PM

Empire Maker, had all the tools, had the pedigree, even had the trip more or less in the Derby and couldn't get past an almost equally over rated horse, Funny Cide.

Crown@club · #12 05-30-2006, 02:53 PM

Overhyped or Overrated

AP Valentine, Saarland

Danzig · #13 05-31-2006, 06:12 PM

oh, this should stir some controversy....secretariat. he lost 5 of 21 lifetime, yet is proclaimed by many to be the best EVER. the best horse ever doesn't lose almost 1/4th of the time!

now, his tc races were something to see. but come on, what about his total record?

Hickory Hill Hoff · #14 05-31-2006, 06:48 PM

Here's some from the last 20 years; Capote, Houston, Mister Frisky, Strike the Gold, Editor's Note, Red Bullet, Dollar Bill, Eddington and most Breeder's Cup Juvenile winners. I could go on...

Hickory Hill Hoff · #15 05-31-2006, 06:50 PM

Point Given? Expect for his Derby failure, he's been one of the best this decade!

Hickory Hill Hoff · #16 05-31-2006, 06:51 PM

I forgot, also my wive's favorite; SEA HERO!

Danzig · #17 05-31-2006, 07:05 PM

honestly tho, tongue in cheek posts aside....any horse who can run, and win, in graded company can't really be overrated, overhyped. they are the top of the heap. yes, some horses are truly great, but it doesn't mean all the others are no good, or are overhyped, etc.

i don't agree with bestowing the title of 'great' on a horse who runs one or two good races. great is earned over a career, and shouldn't be a title given lightly, earned because a horse was on his game on one day, or two days. but by all means, talk about an incredible performance--that is something to enjoy.
for instance, a good sprinter running a lifetime best should earn compliments galore, but let's not name him the next dr fager!

lil e tee did earn other wins in his career, he wasn't a one time wonder. gato del sol on the other hand....

Thunder Gulch · #18 05-31-2006, 07:09 PM

FuPeg and Lemon Drop Kid this decade.

Volponi's Classic was a bit of a fluke, but his versatility on different surfaces at different distances makes him underrated in my book.

No way Point Given was overrated.

#19 05-31-2006, 07:23 PM

This is easy....Funny Cide is BY FAR the most over-hyped Thoroughbred of the modern era...he captured the American public after winning a weak renewal of both the Derby and Preakness (especially since Empire Maker was crippled in the Derby), and he has struggled to beat NYRA-breds and Gr. III compant since - without any significant excuse.

He simply is just not a very good horse and happened to peak at the right time in May of 2003 - similar to Giacomo in last year's Derby, although everybody knew Giacomo was a fraud at the time....the difference is that people were really convinced that Funny Cide was a true Champion of the ages during his run through the Triple Crown races - while most savvy analysts knew that Empire Maker was the best of that subpar group of 3-year-olds.

#20 05-31-2006, 07:36 PM

I believe Point Given, Fusaichi Pegasus, Ghostzapper, and Bellamy Road - all of which many of you believe were overrated - were/are all immensely talented horses..

..Ghostzapper might have been one of the fastest horses in the last quarter century from 8-9 panels IMO (him or Dubai Millenium IMO)....Point Given would have gone several more races without losing had he not gotten injured IMO, including winning the BC Classic..he was unstoppable at Classic distances when on his game..the reason many believe he, along with Fu-Peg and Bellamy Road, were overrated is because they were/are all injury riddled and never had the opportunity to significantly compete in the handicap ranks and race against elders...I regret that myself..

Fu-Peg was great but extremely unsound...Bellamy Road is the best handicap horse in training IMO and should have a chance to prove it soon...I didn't like him in last year's Derby, but I do believe that he has unbelievable talent and should even be a better 4-year-old with his physique.