Rabbit for Mine That Bird?

[Riot]

Originally Posted by lemoncrush

I've been more than impressed with MTB, but to say he'll run this field into the ground is a little premature, especially with two fantastic
set-ups in the first 2 legs of the triple crown. Dunkirk, Summer Bird and Charitable Man all have a lot of upside going into this race.

From what I see, MTB has one heck of a long-slow-distance training bottom on him. He'll have the endurance to do a mile+ then pick it up. Do the others?

[lemoncrush]

Originally Posted by Riot

From what I see, MTB has one heck of a long-slow-distance training bottom on him. He'll have the endurance to do a mile+ then pick it up. Do the others?

I think it's hard to know. MTB is such a different horse now than he was as a 2 year old, and even in his two preps this spring. He was mediocre at best at his previous running style, then showed dramatic improvement as a deep closer in 2 races with a very respectable pace to close into. In addition, he's received two very good rides by Borel and Smith in his last two races.
The field overall is certainly weaker than the Derby and Preakness, but MTB is far from a lock to me just because we all assume he can get the distance.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by lemoncrush

I think it's hard to know. MTB is such a different horse now than he was as a 2 year old, and even in his two preps this spring. He was mediocre at best at his previous running style, then showed dramatic improvement as a deep closer in 2 races with a very respectable pace to close into. In addition, he's received two very good rides by Borel and Smith in his last two races.
The field overall is certainly weaker than the Derby and Preakness, but MTB is far from a lock to me just because we all assume he can get the distance.

I'm talking more about his training background, not his races. I don't assume he can get the distance, I think it's obvious he will. Faster than someone else, I don't know. Can someone else match his training prep?