The Graveyard of Champions Claims Another

[jms62]

My 2 cents. At that point of the day the track was extremely favorable to the front end. I can see where Lezcano would think if he let AP get the jump the game was over for him. I can also see where Espinoza saw the same thing and felt the only way he could lose is let Frosted barrel ahead on the lead and let the track carry him. Hence a classic duel ensued. If Pharoh holds on we are talking about an incredible effort for the ages that he gets headed but courageously battles back to win. No one did anything wrong in my opinion. It was a classic horse race and that is why they run em cause the 1/5 favorite can get beat.

One negative I take away is the constant whining from Bafferts camp. It seems like he thinks it is his divine right to have his super horses be uncontested for the lead. Think back to the whining with Game On Dude after his losses.

[JimmyEllis]

Lezcano didn't do anything wrong. Espinosa did have the option of stalking. Why the focus on Lezcano rather than Espinosa? Johnny V wins on AP. Espinosa not only let an inferior horse, that did essentially ZERO running, win a coveted race but he also gutted his horse in the process. Did he actually think that Frosted would beat him (unlikely) or was he more concerned with winning by open lengths - without regard to the cost to the horse?

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Not sure why people are killing Lezcano, I thought he gave Frosted a terrific ride. If he doesn't go, everyone is bitching and moaning how they all let AP waltz on the front end. He never got in front of AP in the past with the tactics that were used, so why not switch it up?

As far as Victor goes, I thought I heard him say in an interview that he knew at the half pole that he didn't have the horse that he was use to having. That being said, he kept him engaged and AP deserves some credit for digging in and putting Frosted away.

Then there is Keen Ice, who is getting zero credit. Sure Javy let Lezcano and Frosted do all the dirty work, but I do think this horse is improving. I honestly didn't expect him to win, but he was on my pick 4 ticket (that was dead after the first leg), just cause he was the only horse that I remember on Haskell day that seemed to make up any type of ground on the Monmouth freeway (regardless of AP being geared down at the end), plus the added panel.

I just don't get all the complaining. Zayad gave us what we wanted and he got beat. That's what makes this game so great. Let's just hope they decide to run him in the Breeders Cup, that would be fun.

I thought Lezcano did a good job, too. As thrilling as finally getting to see a TC happen was, I puzzled over why nobody tried to go with AP in the Belmont, since it gets won on the lead pretty often. What else was Lezcano going to do here? It's clear if you leave AP alone on the lead, he wins.

Doug posted years ago about horses dueling in discussing one of Rachel Alexandra's losses, and I remember he said even if the pace doesn't seem fast, a duel takes a lot out of a horse, just from the nature of how horses interact. AP may have been tired going into the race, or Lezcano's ride on Frosted may have thrown AP out of his comfort zone and that might have taken the starch out of him. Either way, between this and Kentucky Derby being his hardest races, I think it shows that under the right conditions, he's vulnerable at 1&1/4, and that makes for a more interesting BCC. You're right; it'll be fun if he runs in it.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

I thought Lezcano did a good job, too. As thrilling as finally getting to see a TC happen was, I puzzled over why nobody tried to go with AP in the Belmont, since it gets won on the lead pretty often. What else was Lezcano going to do here? It's clear if you leave AP alone on the lead, he wins.

Doug posted years ago about horses dueling in discussing one of Rachel Alexandra's losses, and I remember he said even if the pace doesn't seem fast, a duel takes a lot out of a horse, just from the nature of how horses interact. AP may have been tired going into the race, or Lezcano's ride on Frosted may have thrown AP out of his comfort zone and that might have taken the starch out of him. Either way, between this and Kentucky Derby being his hardest races, I think it shows that under the right conditions, he's vulnerable at 1&1/4, and that makes for a more interesting BCC. You're right; it'll be fun if he runs in it.

yeah, there's a quote...it's not how fast they run, it's how they run fast.