Harlem Rocker crossed the wire first in the Cigar Mile the last time he raced. The Cigar is the same track and distance as the Withers. I would say he was a failure ... but no way did he ever appear on the path to greatness.
Getting back to Afternoon Deelites ... the 111 Beyer he got in the Hollywood Futurity is, to the best of my knowledge, the fastest two-turn dirt number ever published for a 2yo on a fast track.
I think most people would have guessed Street Sense's 10 length BC Juvie win would be the fastest .. but that was only a 108.
It's not just the figure for AD though ... that was his first lifetime start in a route race. He won the race with disdainful ease in 1:40 3/5ths and looked like routing would be his thing and not sprinting. 2nd place was beaten 6.5 lengths. 3rd place beaten 16.5 lengths.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c08XH52OHc
The winner was being compared to Seattle Slew ... but it was the obliterated 2nd place finisher who would sweep the Fla Derby, Ky Derby, Belmont, and Travers as a 3yo the following year.
