Actuals
Marathon-2:28.24
Dirt Mile-1:33.41
Juvenile-1:40.94 (fastest ever, barely beating out Stardom Bound)
Sprint-1:07.08 (fastest ever)
Classic-1:59.27 (3rd fastest ever)

I'm just glad we all got to see M LUTE put it all together again. I knew they couldn't run with him if he stayed together (physically)during the race. That's the most talented horse Baffert has ever trained.

2nd most.

Silver Charm says hi :)

Under this thinking she would finish a distant second to Zarkava.

Surely ( though, in this case, Shirley seems more appropriate ) Justin could have returned with a more thought out post.

and it's time to get rid of that Japanese flag...

whatever chuck thinks is best for our girls. i play very little on our race days.

put her on the DIRT in the spring against Eight Belles:( or most of the season against Proud Spell or Music Note.

Goldicova was one of the real standouts but she isnt even the best SHE in Europe. With the quality looking a little fillie like, are we gonna see more of them busting up the boys club next year?

It was a very rough day for Murtaugh. His ride on Fleeting Spirit was absolutely no picnic either. Then Dettori outrides him in the Juvie Turf. Then going head-to-head with the rabbit. Then he chooses Duke of Marmalade over Henrythenavigator in the Classic. Terrible decisions all day.

And he moved too late on Heart Shaped and cost her the race in the Juvy Fillies Turf.

Tough weekend for Murtagh.

Zenyatta to use a mutual fund analogy won a basket of races, against good but not great competition. She didn't hit a home run in my opinion but you can't knock her record, however you can question the quality of horses she ran against. She should have been in the Classic in my opinion. Winning the formally named distaff really didn't help her reputation.

Goldikova ran as a 3yr old filly against boys, and pretty much outclassed her rivals as she pleased. I thought that one performance far outshined any one performance Zenyatta had this year. I don't know which filly should win the Eclispe. But when you mention both horses to me, I have more of a respect for Goldikova after the championships.

zenyatta isn't in the running for top 3 yo filly, but has the mare championship sewn up. i just wish she'd have run in the classic, but maybe next year....since it's in her backyard again. and yes, i know, she won on dirt-that wasn't a knock on her ability on a surface, but she obviously likes santa anita.
anyway, as for goldikova...i have an issue with any horse coming here, running once, and winning the award-i didn't like it when high chaparral did the same. these awards are for imo the top horses for the year, here. goldikova didn't run here all year, she ran here once. a breathtaking performance, but not one which i feel negates any and all racing by every other 3 yo we had here running and winning.

it just seems like when they do a broadcast and gush about a particular horse, they curse him. it happened with war pass earlier this year. they went on and on (and on and on) about how good he looked, he was slew all over, yada yada...and then the horse finished last.
then you had big brown, on and on about how he was about to win the tc. oops.
and then curlin yesterday. i know they're probably thinking they're building excitement and tension. imo they're just building a headache between my temples.

now, had pacheco and goldberg got into a fight, that would have made the broadcast just great.

i still wonder tho....why the change in seating arrangements? did he bitch, or did she???

wow. you are GOOD!!

For what it's worth I feel no different about Curlin today as I did before the Classic. So much for hurting his legacy...

funny you say that...neither do i.

well, i hope he gets to keep midnight lute in training...because i don't know what will happen with midshipman because of his new owners.
and then i read this from drf:


Where and how Midshipman prepares for next year's Kentucky Derby is uncertain. John Ferguson, a racing adviser for Sheikh Mohammed said "there's every possibility" the horse could winter in Dubai and be transferred to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, but "nothing's definite".


at least he has vineyard haven.

I completely agree with your last paragraph - I could see Goldlikova IF there were no worthy 3 year old fillies out there. However, both PS and MN are legitimate championship-caliber fillies with outstanding campaigns. Goldlikova will probably get votes from silly writers, but she has no shot.

Also, I think I might have to give the Eclipse for male turf horse to Conduit simply on the basis that there is no way on earth I could justify giving it to Kip Deville (who I like) based on his one win in a graded stakes at Belmont, a bad race at Woodbine and a good 2nd in the BC. That is a weak, weak resume for a champion.

or they could give it to ravens pass.:p