Early HOY predictions
 

I like Bernardini, but think Rathor has a shot. I am rooting for Barbaro though.

Flower Alley - scenario is simpe...dont lose Whitney, Woodward, JCGC (if he goes), BC Classic - win HOY

The rest have to hope that he loses

I think Rathor could beat him and am fairly certain Bernardini will be the horse to beat in the BC Classic.

Yep - I agree 100%

Bellamy Road or Lava Man.

So hard to tell right now.....but if I had to bet I'd go with Flower Alley. Too bad they don't do future wagers for HOY.
Barbaro? No way.

The ball is in Lava Man's court. If he wins 2-3 more races at the Grade 1 level this year and runs 1st or 2nd in the BC Classic he wins, unless Flower Alley wins the 3 grade 1's he is aiming towards- Whitney, Jockey Club and BC Classic. If Flower Alley is the horse to defeat Lava Man in the BC Classic and Lava Man runs 2nd, Lava Man still wins HOY.

I dont give any 3 year old any shot at HOY except for Showing Up. Not crazy about Bernardini winning anymore than 1 grade 1 and that wont be enough.

Now if Showing Up were to stay on grass and win 3 grade 1's including a BC race, he would be HOY.

:D

Are you the guy on finalturn that thinks Showing Up is Secretariat? Showing Up isn't winning horse of the year no matter what. Turf Eclipse award is actually a real possibility after watching him saturday, maybe even 3yr old if he does what you said with all the grade 1's, but HOY is for dirt horses. I too like Lava Man but watch out for Bellamy Road.

You can bet futures on the BC Classic in vegas.

No I dont post on any other sight.

Bellamy Road, HOY? Hes got a lot of work to do to get that. I think hes a cut below the top horses.

Flower Alley

Tim you are way off. IF Flower Alley wins the BCC he is HOY, makes no difference who runs 2nd. Lava Man is noones hero after beating the awful competition that he has so far except yours. I think you are way overboard on him.

I will throw one in there--Deep Impact. If this horse wins the Arc and maybe he comes to Louisville and wins the classic then I cannot see how you cant vote him as HOY. But like Oracle said--Flower Alley. It is his to loose.

Your right. He could probably not beat Gold and Roses and Network.

Tim noone is saying that he couldnt. But please tell me who he has beaten so far this year? Know who? The very horses you make fun of and ridcule all the time. And last time I checked FA won the Travers and placed in the BCC last year and that credibility carries over. I'm sorry but only winning in Cali isnt gonna cut it.

Those races have nothing to do with this year Mike, they were run last year. If they do then the whole award is meaningless anyways.

Lava Man has beating nothings, I wont deny it. :D
But hes done it on 2 surfaces.

No Tim they don't count towards this year but your post was kind of silly. You are making it out like FA never won at the very highest level or played well there. Lava Man never has. That was his comeback race and if you are a smart trainer you dont throw back into the fire off a long layoff. YOu build their fitness up a race at a time. The Whitney is his next stop, and the WHitney is more prestigious than any race that lava man has ever won. Purse money isn't prestige, and the WHitney is absolutely the most prestigious race you can win with a horse outside the TRi Crown races or the BCC. Past winners include: Equipoise, Discovery(3 times), War Admiral, Stymie, Tom Fool, Kelso(3 times), Dr ***er, Key To The Mint, Alydar, Slew O Gold, Lady's Secret, Java Gold, Personal Ensign, Easy Goer, Criminal Type(not as big a name as these but still voted HOY that year), Awesome Again, Victory Gallop, Lemon Drop Kid, Left Bank, etc. The roster of horses who lost the Whitney is just as impressive. Last years HOY St Liam was defeated there and a little old horse named Secretariat lost it as well as many others.
When you win the Whitney, you join history and certainly vault to the head of the class if you any prior form whatsoever.
What I'm saying is that if Flower Alley wins the WHitney he is DEFINITELY in the drivers seat. Any notion that if he wins the WHitney that he is chasing Lava Man and that Lava could beat him for HOY by running 2nd in the BCC is purely delusional.

If Bernardini wins the Haskell, Travers, JC Gold Cup and BC Classic - which is possible with his talent - then I think he is your horse....

...I have a gut feeling that Sinister Minister will be tough on the lead in the Haskell and could prove hard to reel in if allowed to run off early, but Bernardini is a better horse....the Travers is the target and he should be ultr-tough there....wins in the Travers and Haskell makes him favored over Flower Alley in the JC Gold Cup IMO, and I still belive he is the mosty talented horse and can beat his elders in the BC Classic at year's end.......we'll see...

Flower Alley if he stays healthy.

I think Bernardini is going to the Jim Dandy. SM will fight it out with Brother Derek in the Haskell.