Anytime a post time favorite wins the Kentucky Derby from off of the pace with an eye-catching move ...people will always give them the benefit of the doubt.
Fusaichi Pegasus was hailed as the second coming when he was taken back off of a 45.99 pace and won with a perfect trip. He reportedly sold for $60 million after the Derby ... and honestly, $60 million probably seemed a huge bargain for "Fu Peg" given all of the hysteria associated with a well bred post time favorite winning the Derby.
Street Sense got a dream run up the rail after a 46.26 half mile. Few people cared that Hard Spun set a legit pace and would have won had Street Sense not got the clean inside run. Few people cared that Curlin was buried behind a wall of tiring horses.
Street Sense won just two of his next five starts, both at odds of 1/5. In his three defeats, he was a good 2nd in the Preakness at 6/5 odds, 2nd in the Kentucky Cup to Hard Spun at 4/5 odds, and 4th in the Breeders Cup Classic as the 5/2 post time favorite. Curlin paid $10.80 in the BC Classic and Hard Spun was 2nd at 8/1 odds. The exacta of "Derby excuse horses" paid $70.80
Fusaichi Pegasus was a soundly beaten 2nd in the Preakness at odds 1/5. He won the Jerome. And then finished 6th in Breeders Cup Classic as the 6/5 favorite. Captain Steve was the big excuse horse in the Derby the Fu Peg year. He made that stupid pre-mature move into a hot pace and took the lead on the far turn. He was beaten just a neck to Fu Peg in the Preakness, and finished 3rd in the BC Classic at 13/1 odds.
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05-05-2013, 03:29 PM
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