Originally Posted by Travis Stone (Post 768478)

And his Travers, though in defeat, was a pretty remarkable training job by Nick Zito... off a 3+ month layoff, Bellamy Road leads the entire race with fractions of :47 2/5, 1:10 4/5 and a mile in 1:36 1/5 before giving it up late to the in-form Flower Alley, who just won the Jim Dandy by 5 lengths with a 112. Bellamy Road earned a 106 in the Travers.

Flower Alley came back and ran poorly in the Gold Cup, but rebounded with a 111 runner-up in the Classic. Roman Ruler (3rd nearly 3 lengths farther back) came back and ran second in the Goodwood to Rock Hard Ten with a 111 Beyer as well.

Originally Posted by Clip-Clop (Post 768499)

And Roman Ruler had just won the Haskell too.

Originally Posted by slotdirt (Post 768495)

Flower Alley wasn't awful that year. Roman Ruler wasn't terrible either, though I think he missed the Triple Crown trail with an injury, if memory serves me correctly. Afleet Alex was the tops though.

Originally Posted by Travis Stone (Post 768503)

Definitely...

By how many lengths would:

- Flower Alley
- Bellamy Road
- Roman Ruler
- Afleet Alex

...win this year's Kentucky Derby by?

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind (Post 768502)

Flower Alley was clearly the trip horse coming out of that Derby after being very foolishly sent after Spanish Chesnut, on the inside, halfway through the race. He ran sneaky well that day and showed great potential.

Originally Posted by slotdirt (Post 768511)

I'll go even further and say that Giacomo would be a major contender in the 2011 version. Dialed In is the 2011 version, and Giacomo, at least in my opinion, was a superior animal at this point in his career to Dialed In.

Originally Posted by Clip-Clop (Post 768504)

Considering the result in that derby...not too confident:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Travis Stone (Post 768503)

Definitely...

By how many lengths would:

- Flower Alley
- Bellamy Road
- Roman Ruler
- Afleet Alex

...win this year's Kentucky Derby by?

Originally Posted by Sightseek (Post 768525)

Bellamy Road, Flower Alley, Roman Ruler, Comma to the Top and The Factor would set it up great for Dialed In.

I just can't be confident that Rose wouldn't screw up again.

I can't look it up right now, but was J.V. on Flower Alley? I think Spanish Chestnut could have been a really nice horse had he not run in that Derby.

Originally Posted by slotdirt (Post 768535)

Spanish Chestnut, even after setting a 44 and whatever pace on Derby day, came back to be a decent enough sprinter later in his career. I liked that horse.

Originally Posted by slotdirt (Post 768517)

I think Dialed In is the definition of plodder. And Giacomo was probably faster. It's really applies and oranges though because both could end up Derby winners and neither be particularly fast.

Originally Posted by NTamm1215 (Post 768506)

No way, an inconsistent Jorge Chavez ride? That never happens.

Originally Posted by slotdirt (Post 768517)

I think Dialed In is the definition of plodder. And Giacomo was probably faster. It's really applies and oranges though because both could end up Derby winners and neither be particularly fast.