Originally Posted by RolloTomasi (Post 1082338)

Well, that was clearly the toughest field Songbird had ever faced and had she wilted down the stretch after the comfortable pace setup, sure you could say she was exposed. But visually, she clearly responded when challenged by a much more experienced and battle-tested mare in Beholder. I think she validated the "hype" and it will be interesting to see what she does at 4. As you know, many a top class 3yo filly have faltered the next year (My Flag, Silverbulletday, Winning Colors, etc.) but hopefully we see her progress.

As for Stellar Wind, I'm surprised that she gets a pass and avoids the "overhyped" branding. She has never delivered when it counted most.

Originally Posted by taxicab (Post 1082349)

Beholder ran a much better race ?
Beholder was a whisker better then Songbird.......that's it.
You're also assuming Stellar Wind was going to run a giant race.
If she breaks slow for a barn that is winless (with a large sample) in BC races that's her mistake.
Songbird doesn't make mistakes.
Songbird is a seven time Grade 1 winner @ distances ranging from 7 to 10 furlongs at DMR/KEEN/SA/SAR(twice)/PARX,she's also a soon to be two time Eclipse award winner.
When a horse puts up that kind of resume and drops a photo by a hair to a first ballot HOF mare,it solidifies her reputation as a freak.
BTW.....
Here's the splits from the Distaff & Classic......
The Songbird fractions seem to be in the same neighborhood as Chrome.
And Chrome wasn't hooked the entire stretch.
Distaff: 23.32/47.16/111.14/136.15/149.20
Classic: 23.28/47.15/110.96/135.72/200.11

Originally Posted by Alabama Stakes (Post 1082350)

Lol soft setup in 23-47-1:11

Isn't a soft setup more like 24-49-1:13.... something like that ?

Originally Posted by freddymo (Post 1082351)

Stellar Wind is a puzzle 3 grade 1's and when she fires she is terrific, I cant figure her out, the 16 Distaff was different then the Oaks and 15 Distaff(much softer competition) in both of those races she ran very well.

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi (Post 1082357)

As I mentioned prior to the BC, Stellar Wind has never done well when racing with less than 6-8 weeks off in between. If you watch the paddock or post parade you'll see that quite often these Curlin fillies are little runty types (Curalina is, too). Maybe they can't take much racing and training.

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi (Post 1082331)

Yep, responding to the mid-stretch challenge of a 3-time BC-winning, 3-time Eclipse winning, 18 for 26 overall, 14 for 16 on the Santa Anita main track older horse and fighting tooth-and-nail to the wire only to lose on a head bob was one of the all-time great exposures of an over-hyped, purported champion.

Reminded me of when that phony Spectacular Bid lost the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Affirmed. What a joke that horse was.

But I understand where you coming from, all this talk of "greatest Distaff of all time" takes away from Personal Ensign's grinding win over 3yo Derby winner Winning Colors in 1988.

Originally Posted by FATPIANO (Post 1082366)

Reminded me of when that phony Spectacular Bid lost the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Affirmed. What a joke that horse was.


what drugs do you take?

Originally Posted by FATPIANO (Post 1082366)

Reminded me of when that phony Spectacular Bid lost the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Affirmed. What a joke that horse was.


what drugs do you take?

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi (Post 1082357)

If you watch the paddock or post parade you'll see that quite often these Curlin fillies are little runty types (Curalina is, too). Maybe they can't take much racing and training.