Didn't Rockport Harbor get beaten handily by a third-string Pletcher horse in the Lexington?

NT

Even if you accept the delusion that Rockport Harbor was an exceptionally talented horse, he had exactly the wrong running style for the 2005 Kentucky Derby, and would have gotten drowned.

The way the '05 Derby played out I think Survivalist might have outfinished Rockport Harbor.

NT

Luck? The horse is by Unbridleds Song. Are we supposed to be shocked that he wasn't able to stay healthy?
Add in the fact that his signature victory came over the great Galloping Grocer and I think he fails to qualify for this discussion.
In an unrelated matter, he is also one of the ugliest damn horses I have seen in years.

What about Man o' War?

He probably would have slaughtered everyone mentioned.

The last Preakness/Belmont winner not to have run in the Derby, I believe.

Were you too old to hold a paper route at that time?

No but I was doing a stretch in reform school at the time.

timely writer

2002, and I disagree (even though I love his trainer), Buddha was a pretty sorry excuse for a Derby favorite (almost as bad as the actual ML favorite, Harlan's Holiday.)

Devil's Bag was the one I'll always lament.

Also, before my time but Key to the Mint was probably the winner in '72 had he gone in the Derby.

I'm also glad no one has said Bernardini yet, because he wasn't winning the Derby at that point in his career last year.

Thanks for reminding me. Add Bernardini to my list. I don't see why he couldn't have won it. He was good enough to win the Preakness two weeks later. I know, I know. I thought he was good enough to win the Preakness anyway though so I don't think two weeks earlier, he wouldn't have been able to beat Barbaro.

Devils Bag was done well before that Derby. Now, if the 2YO Devils Bag showed up......

Yeah, his win in the Withers was much better than Barbaro's Derby.

Put down the pipe.

Touch Gold

Montreal Red

I don't see the point. Barbaro was prepped to be at his peak in the Derby. Bernardini wasn't. Had he been, from what I saw of Bernardini last year, I have no reason to believe he couldn't have been just as good or better than Barbaro in the Derby had they decided to go that route earlier and had the time. His win in the Withers was a 104 figure. I guess that sucks for a third career start number. It doesn't make sense to me that a horse can run a 113 figure in mid-May but couldn't run a 111 two weeks before? If he wouldn't have been capable of running a 111 two weeks before but could do a 113 two weeks later, maybe Bernardini needs to be on the Mitchell Report.

IMO she had a great shot at winning, I just dont think SS is all that good.

Rockport Harbor was never healthy after the Remsen...

He needed that Withers start. No way he would have been ready for the Derby off a maiden win- you don't seriously believe he could have beaten Barbaro do you? The Preakness is a different race, and (unfortunately) it fell into his hands after Barbaro went down.

Yeah, I know. I remember waiting for the newspaper to show up the next day to find out what he did in the race before the Flamingo (Everglades I think?) and when he was kind of average I was disappointed, then the terrible performance in the Flamingo... still, something was wrong and if he had made it healthy to Churchill he would have destroyed that field.

And wasn't that good up until then...