Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Yes, Joel, everyone knows Ad Valorem is second or third tier, thus his winning one of Europes biggest Group 1s at a mile does not speak well of their contingency this year. I understand the horses you mentioned may not have been in that race but I still consider it a bad sign.

I haven't noticed anyone saying they " know " Gorella is not as good at 1 3/8 as she would be going shorter. However, in my extensive experience with horse racing I would say many more horses with explosive bursts like Gorella will NOT sustain that move as they stretch out severly. Certainly it is possible just not likely.

As for Intercontinental, while I certainly gave her no shot last year, and in my case it was because I was never enamored with her as a horse more than a feeling about the distance, but as I pointed out before she wired the field and for that reason I am not sure her win can be considered a true measure of the overall talents of the field. Somehow I don't believe Gorella will be in a position to go wire to wire. I'm sure you won't argue that if a horse is to successfully negotiate a distance that is overall to far for him or her that victory is very likely to occur on the front end.