Is this group of 3 yos....
 

pathetic?

Yeah they're the slowest crop in quite some time. They had alot of potential as 2 year olds last year but haven't transitioned very well at all.

The probable second choice is Colonel John. His last four Beyers are:

95
86
93
82

Giacomo's last four Beyers going into the Derby were:

95
93
98
94

So we are looking at a Derby where Giacomo would have likely been the second choice. The same Giacomo that went off at 50-1 in a crop that was depleted by MRLS and generally considered to be slow.

Giacomo also had trip excuses in each of his three preps...two mild and one extreme.

And he turned in a pair of alarmingly fast workouts in his two works going into the Derby...after working extremely slow all through his 3yo season leading up to that point.

On top of that - he got a field loaded with speed horses and the rabbit Spanish Chestnut (a 2yo sale phenom) was entered by Tabor (Bandini) solely to do an Inner Light on Bellamy Road.

All of the other closers in that Derby stunk beyond belief - that is unless you considered Afleet Alex a closer at that time....

And calling AA a "closing router" would have been a big reach at the time - after all he had a sprint pedigree, was swerving through the stretch in the Hopeful, and lost each of his first three career starts going a route of ground.

Even though Giacomo didn't really do much running in that Derby win - and was moderate there after - I would enthusiastically bet a horse who had his form going into the Derby against this group of horses.

when i read things like this, it makes me not know what to think.
if its that easy why diden't you have a lifetime score on giacomo, i gave giacomo little shot, i remember it clearly i had him on a backup pick 3, along with half that field, got knocked out the race before anyway so it wouldnt have mattered.

Because Closing Arguement ran 2nd....

Who was about the 19th most likely winner of that race...behind only Spanish Chestnut....

And I REFUSE to ever use the all button out of sheer stubborn bone headedness.

I did well on that race.

Yes, it's down, but get used to the confusion that synthetics will add to the Derby picture from now on.

I had Giacomo 20th in my selections :rolleyes: but the last two years were right on the money.

It isn't just the synthetics. Many years are a muddle if you look into the past. Lil E Tee's year jumps to mind, and Sea Hero's and Strike the Gold's and ... Years in which the top horses never stumble are rare; and didn't the 'golden rail, downhill stretch' Keeneland throw up non-Derby-competitive winners with some frequency, too? Bandini, Sinister Minister, High Yield, Millennium Wind..,

you've been pipped by pg1985!!!!

omg, that's my all time favorite post! thanks joseph!