Proud Spell or Eight Belles --Pure Clan is the key

[the_fat_man]

So, I've been following and learning and getting lucky with some winners.

For example, I'm starting to buy into that POLY is bad thing, and started throwing out all the POLY races of dirt horses. I didn't even bother to look at the KEE race of Proud Spell, for example. This turned out well. On the other hand, I followed the same course for Pyro and got skunked. Gee, maybe I should start looking at these races, rather than throwing them out. Nahhhhhhhhhhh, that's just a waste of time. (If you believe this, meet me by the Brooklyn Bridge.)


Anyway, it seems, at a very general level, that the connections, Jones, primarily, revealed his hand when he ran EB in the Derby and PB in the Oaks. Or did he?

Was EB better than PS?

Outside of FIGURES, for those, like myself, who don't use them (that shrinks the set significantly) there is another way to compare these fillies: Pure Clan, about as hardknocking a filly as you'd want.

PC ran 2 fairly competitive races against EB in the Honeybee and the Fantasy (the 2nd, where she was 'gutted' by Dominguez' premature move, more so than the 1st, where EB was eased to the wire) and a seemingly less competitive race against PS in the Oaks. The latter effort was in the slop, of course.

While not good enough to win, PC gained the last call in all 3 races (and got the Johnny V, as interpreted by Edgar Prado, wide trip with premature move ride in the Oaks). Nonetheless, she's (or was), at best, 3rd best 3 year old filly this year.


I don't think the distinction in terms of talent between PS and EB is much, if any.

Would be interesting to know what Jones thinks.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

So, I've been following and learning and getting lucky with some winners.

For example, I'm starting to buy into that POLY is bad thing, and started throwing out all the POLY races of dirt horses. I didn't even bother to look at the KEE race of Proud Spell, for example. This turned out well. On the other hand, I followed the same course for Pyro and got skunked. Gee, maybe I should start looking at these races, rather than throwing them out. Nahhhhhhhhhhh, that's just a waste of time. (If you believe this, meet me by the Brooklyn Bridge.)


Anyway, it seems, at a very general level, that the connections, Jones, primarily, revealed his hand when he ran EB in the Derby and PB in the Oaks. Or did he?

Was EB better than PS?

Outside of FIGURES, for those, like myself, who don't use them (that shrinks the set significantly) there is another way to compare these fillies: Pure Clan, about as hardknocking a filly as you'd want.

PC ran 2 fairly competitive races against EB in the Honeybee and the Fantasy (the 2nd, where she was 'gutted' by Dominguez' premature move, more so than the 1st, where EB was eased to the wire) and a seemingly less competitive race against PS in the Oaks. The latter effort was in the slop, of course.

While not good enough to win, PC gained the last call in all 3 races (and got the Johnny V, as interpreted by Edgar Prado, wide trip with premature move ride in the Oaks). Nonetheless, she's (or was), at best, 3rd best 3 year old filly this year.


I don't think the distinction in terms of talent between PS and EB is much, if any.

Would be interesting to know what Jones thinks.

I think they both were/are highly talented, easily the two best 3YO fillies in the country, and circumstance would dictate the winner. In a match race, Eight Belles would probably have the upper hand with her better early speed, but in a pace-contested race I'd probably side with Proud Spell.

From a perspective of where they fit best this weekend, Jones did the right thing sending the very small in stature Proud Spell to the Oaks and the more rugged Eight Belles to the Derby. It's just a real shame that we have to discuss this posthumously rather than getting the opportunity to see them settle it on track.

The PC comparison would probably hold more weight if she didn't have the slop to deal with on Friday.