Getting 10 furlongs...

[Clip-Clop]

This dirt mile is going to be balls out, it is most certainly not the place to have Mo.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Clip-Clop

This dirt mile is going to be balls out, it is most certainly not the place to have Mo.

Yep.

To Beyer's column yesterday -- considering there is no next year ... Pletcher did the right thing by insisting on running UM in the Classic instead of the Dirt Mile.

If there was a next year for Uncle Mo -- the move would have been to bypass the Breeders Cup and run in the Cigar Mile at AQU with the typical Pletcher spacing off a big number.

[Clip-Clop]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Yep.

To Beyer's column yesterday -- considering there is no next year ... Pletcher did the right thing by insisting on running UM in the Classic instead of the Dirt Mile.

If there was a next year for Uncle Mo -- the move would have been to bypass the Breeders Cup and run in the Cigar Mile at AQU with the typical Pletcher spacing off a big number.

He would have thrived there for sure. From TAP's standpoint it must be over after Saturday. Having the favorite (weak or not) is not a bad place to be in a race with ? marks all over it.

[King Glorious]

This was the same logic I used in saying Zito was making a mistake by running Commentator in top class sprints. Same reason I preferred horses like Lion Heart and Bellamy Road in the Travers rather than the King's Bishop.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

This was the same logic I used in saying Zito was making a mistake by running Commentator in top class sprints. Same reason I preferred horses like Lion Heart and Bellamy Road in the Travers rather than the King's Bishop.

Commentator and Lion Heart weren't as capable of rating and going as slow up front as UM can do.

Bellamy Road is the closest style wise of those three.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Commentator and Lion Heart weren't as capable of rating and going as slow up front as UM can do.

Bellamy Road is the closest style wise of those three.

No kidding.

I thought his Timely Writer performance was huge.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Same reason I preferred horses like Lion Heart and Bellamy Road in the Travers rather than the King's Bishop.

Neither horse won the Travers. In fact, both horses were undefeated in sprints. Lion Heart broke a stakes record the only time he ran 7f.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Neither horse won the Travers. In fact, both horses were undefeated in sprints. Lion Heart broke a stakes record the only time he ran 7f.

Lion Heart was a better sprinter. He was a sales topper at FT Calder as well.

I was initally convinced that both Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex were MUCH better sprinters. Both of them could rate -- and in AA's case, could take back.

Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, and Funny Cide all seemed much less likely to prefer a route VS a sprint ... but they had the seasoning and foundation and all that.

UM has the opposite look. He looks like the type of horse who should be much more successful routing than sprinting -- but he hasn't stayed healthy.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, and Funny Cide all seemed much less likely to prefer a route VS a sprint ... but they had the seasoning and foundation and all that

The worst handling was that of Funny Cide. He was awesome sprinting. I loved when he made his 4yo debut at 7f and romped at GP. Thought it was a sign of things to come. Nope. Then when it was evident he wasn't a force in two turn races anymore and pressure was put on him to cut him back, Tagg tossed him in the Met Mile, perhaps the toughest race for any horse to win be it sprinter or router. When he ran an even 5th, Tagg held up the performance and said, "See, he's not a sprinter".

I guess he was vindicated when later that year, the horse traded decisions with the great Newfoundland at 10f. Tagg went so far as to take the horse to Canada and Finger Lakes to get him victories rather than just shorten him up.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

UM has the opposite look. He looks like the type of horse who should be much more successful routing than sprinting -- but he hasn't stayed healthy.

I think you can't say one way or the other because, like you said, he hasn't stayed healthy. The King's Bishop suggested he can sit off a very hot sprint pace and still fire. I would guess he's equal at both, up to a certain distance. Like Twirling Candy.