cigar over unbridled, i won't argue...but over tiznow? now that would be a race to see.

His race that day wasn't even as good as Inside Information's.

I was only kidding around. Although I do love that filly.

Nah the 'ducked Exterminator' bit actually isn't legitimate as a flaw for Man O'War based on what we now know. I highly recommend the book by Dorothy Ours for MOW info and I believe that's where I read this (I'm not at home right now and don't have the book with me to double check but I'm pretty sure about it). It's actually a misconception that's been going on for awhile. Exterminator could've been in the match race with Sir Barton and MOW but there was a caveat, he would only be in it if the race were longer (not that they liked the location either but it was mainly a distance question). Once the other two owners settled on preferred distance, it meant Exterminator would be at a disadvantage. Now if you wanted them to face each other at 1 1/2 to 2 miles we can argue the best horse (except we're not really comparing these other great horses for their ability to get 2 miles) but his owners were definitely not going to go up against MOW and Sir Barton at anything like 1 1/4 or lower. They made that decision so I'll argue that Exterminator actually ducked MOW, not the other way around. They did try to work out a three-horse race. I think they should've gone for it. Exterminator probably would've beaten a sore-hooved Sir Barton that day which ain't chump change since he was still a talented horse. Might've actually made MOW break a sweat. As it was there was really no contest.

Colin and Fair Play don't get enough attention. Talk about guts and talent. All that sparring and finally Fair Play managed to run Colin off his feet at the end, Colin still won, and got so fried it was a Pyhrric victory.

For those that answer "yes"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FTWSlxQ4aE

Yeah the book did say that, just finished reading it last week myself. Great read it was too.

i believe they also didn't like the thought of weight for age, the gelding would have been giving weight to the original big red.

What do you think about all the drug use?

I found that quite disturbing, had no idea that sort of thing took place to such an extent.

Did you read Steven Crist's article in the DRF this morning of how things have differed from the card of the 1987 Travers?

http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do...1&subs=0&arc=0

If anyone invents a time machine, I'd like to buy a ticket for one please. :)

Hate to rain on your parade but Bute and steroids were around in 1987. If you knew what was done to horses then in lieu of Lasix, you would be a big fan of it.

I'm glad someone mentioned him in 6 pages of opinions

Submitted without comment...

All-time Breeders' Cup Classic winning Beyer Figs:

06 - Invasor - 116
05 - Saint Liam - 112
04 - Ghostzapper - 124
03 - Pleasantly Perfect - 119
02 - Volponi - 116
01 - Tiznow - 117
00 - Tiznow - 116
99 - Cat Thief - 118
98 - Awesome Again - 116
97 - Skip Away - 120
96 - Alphabet Soup - 114
95 - Cigar - 117
94 - Concern - 115
93 - Arcangues - 114
92 - A.P. Indy - 114
91 - Black Tie Affair - 120
90 - Unbridled - 116
89 - Sunday Silence (Easy Goer) - 124
88 - Alysheba - 122
87 - Ferdinand - 117
86 - Skywalker - 118
85 - Proud Truth - 120
84 - Wild Again - 113

---------------------------------------

While we're at it. Re-posted from last year:

Cigar
BC Classic - 115
JC Gold Cup - 115
Woodward - 116
Pacific Classic - 111
Arlington - 117
Mass Cap - 112
Donn - 117

BC Classic - 117
JC Gold Cup - 111
Woodward - 111
Hol Gold Cup - 118
Mass Cap - 117
Pim Special - 114
Oaklawn - 121
GP Handicap - 116
Donn - 114
Alw - 108

If that's correct, that means Princess Rooney ran a 121 Beyer for winning the Breeders Cup Distaff in '84 (by 7 lengths over Life's Magic). As her race, at the same ten furlong distance, went a full second faster than the Classic.

FWIW, Life's Magic won the '85 BC Distaff by 6 1/4 lengths over Lady's Secret. Lady's Secret won the '86 BC Distaff and the coveted title Horse of the Year.

Interesting that the 2nd place finisher of the first two BC Distaffs came back to win the following year.

It's hard to believe that Princess Rooney actually holds the record for fastest Beyer figure in BC Distaff history, and not Inside Information (who ran a 119)

Princess Rooney went 6-for-6 at age two - after an 18 length ALW win at Calder, she made her stakes debut ten days later and won by 12 lengths. From there, she shipped to Belmont and ran in a 13 horse field in the Grade 1 Frizette, which she won by 8 lengths. The 3rd place finisher, Weekend Surprise, was the dam of both Preakness winner Summer Squall and Belmont winner A. P. Indy.

She made her final start of her 2yo season in the Grade 2 Gardenia Stakes, which she won by 11 lengths. The 2nd place finisher in that race had won a Grade 1 stake in her prior start.

Princess Rooney was a Grade 1 winning filly with a perfect 6-for-6 record, winning her six races by a combined 56 lengths, for a 9.33 length average margin of victory. However, she lost champion 2yo filly honors to the deceased Landaluce, who went 5-for-5, also with a single Gr 1 win. She won her five races by a combined 46.5 lengths, for a 9.30 average margin of victory.

I wonder how close the vote was that year?