Crist: The BC deserves NOT to have RA

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

While they didn't know the entire field in the Belmont, the Preakness generally is a more quality race. They were taking on the top 4 finishers in the Derby whereas the trend in the Belmont the past few years is a field of horses that didn't run well in the Derby or plodders that the connections feel the distance will help them. They could have taken the gamble that by the time the Belmont rolled around, the better horses would have dropped out and they would have a fresh horse.

I couldn't disagree with this statement more, both in terms of the relative strength of the Preakness versus the Belmont in general, or specifically with respect to this year's race.

Given trainers' desire for more time between races, the Preakness has become a race that generally is the weakest of the Triple Crown races, relegated to being less about Derby rematches and more about whether the Derby winner can keep the Triple Crown hope alive. The recent trend is for the better horses that did not win the Derby to pass the Preakness to run with five weeks rest in the Belmont.

The Preakness had a "deeper" field this year because of the perceived weakness of the 50-1 Derby winner. When the fact that highly regarded horses such as Dunkirk passed on the Preakness (and Quality Road had still not been taken out of consideration for the Belmont) was coupled with the distance, the Belmont would have been the far more ambitious spot. Rachel's presence is what made the Preakness this year. Without her, it would have been perceived as a very weak race.

(And I'll repeat that, after having run Rachel in the Preakness, I thought Jackson did the right thing by passing the Belmont.)

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

I couldn't disagree with this statement more, both in terms of the relative strength of the Preakness versus the Belmont in general, or specifically with respect to this year's race.

Given trainers' desire for more time between races, the Preakness has become a race that generally is the weakest of the Triple Crown races, relegated to being less about Derby rematches and more about whether the Derby winner can keep the Triple Crown hope alive. The recent trend is for the better horses that did not win the Derby to pass the Preakness to run with five weeks rest in the Belmont.
The Preakness had a "deeper" field this year because of the perceived weakness of the 50-1 Derby winner. When the fact that highly regarded horses such as Dunkirk passed on the Preakness (and Quality Road had still not been taken out of consideration for the Belmont) was coupled with the distance, the Belmont would have been the far more ambitious spot. Rachel's presence is what made the Preakness this year. Without her, it would have been perceived as a very weak race.

(And I'll repeat that, after having run Rachel in the Preakness, I thought Jackson did the right thing by passing the Belmont.)

2008 - This field was so terrible in both races and unfortunately the second best horse died
2007 - Second best horse (Curlin) wins Preakness - is second to a fresh Rags to Riches, who was the only top horse that skipped the Preakness, but she didn't run in the Derby either
2006 - Bernardini wins the Preakness - Jazil wins the Belmont - I think that says enough about the quality of those two races. The horses who skipped the Preakness were Bob and John and Steppenwolfer - hardly exuding with class
2005-2004 - essentially the same fields

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

2008 - This field was so terrible in both races and unfortunately the second best horse died
2007 - Second best horse (Curlin) wins Preakness - is second to a fresh Rags to Riches, who was the only top horse that skipped the Preakness, but she didn't run in the Derby either
2006 - Bernardini wins the Preakness - Jazil wins the Belmont - I think that says enough about the quality of those two races. The horses who skipped the Preakness were Bob and John and Steppenwolfer - hardly exuding with class
2005-2004 - essentially the same fields

Did you just knock Jazil???????

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Did you just knock Jazil???????

I did.

I've never said he was the most talented thing to look through a bridle, I just liked him.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I did.

I've never said he was the most talented thing to look through a bridle, I just liked him.

I'm stunned by this turn of events

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I'm stunned by this turn of events

I'm showing my rebellious side.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I did.

I've never said he was the most talented thing to look through a bridle, I just liked him.

Hey, im learning to be objective as well. Someone brought up mineshaft and i didnt say a word.

What would you say was the better field this year, the belmont or the preakness?

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Hey, im learning to be objective as well. Someone brought up mineshaft and i didnt say a word.

What would you say was the better field this year, the belmont or the preakness?

How can you even ask that question? If you want to say excluding Rachel which was the better field you have a valid question but with Rachel in the Preakness it was light years ahead of the Belmont.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

What would you say was the better field this year, the belmont or the preakness?

Without Rachel, the Belmont was a better field.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Did you just knock Jazil???????

i had to read that twice too

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

2006 - Bernardini wins the Preakness - Jazil wins the Belmont - I think that says enough about the quality of those two races. The horses who skipped the Preakness were Bob and John and Steppenwolfer - hardly exuding with class

Bernardini was a longshot in the Preakness, having won only a four-horse edition of the Withers. The rest of the Preakness field was so bad that Hemingway's Key ran third.

Both the second, third and fourth place horses from the Derby (Bluegrass Cat, Steppenwolfer and Jazil) skipped the Preakness to run in the Belmont.