Bernardini

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Yes - A. P. Indy was "a better race horse" because Drysdale "never got to the bottom of him"

Perhaps A. P. Indy was improving and would have been a better older horse - but anyone who rates him better than Bernardini as a racehorse - based on the record - is clueless.

Likewise, anyone who relies solely on numbers is as well.

As you know already, there is more to my belief Indy was a better runner than Bernardini than just that one little quip I mentioned.

Based on the record? Indy was a grade 1 winner at 2, despite being far from having reached his full potential. He beat a very good horse in the SA Derby (Bertrando) that was probably much better than anything Bernardini beat.

He won the Belmont. His loss in his final start before the BCC (I believe it was the JCGC) was light years better than anything Bernardini ever showed, and oh yeah, he won the BCC over a much better field than what Bernardini faced.

Granted, one loss does not define a career or a horse, but Bernardini did fire and had no excuses when he lost to what was basically a deluxe version of Musket Man.