Curse of Belmont Stakes suck-up closers continues

[Calzone Lord]

I realize that he was wide against a rail favoring track in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and he didn't get much of a pace setup either, and he was in with legit older males, but I just don't think Orb will be winning any major races anytime soon.

It's amazing that a legend came be born simply by...

* Narrowly edging out Violence after he chased a run-off Majestic Hussar in a two-turn race that melted down. Violence came out of the race seriously injured, but anyone who doesn't think he was the better horse that day is incompetent.

* Winning the Florida Derby in a final time almost 2 full seconds slower than a blowout performance in the Gulfstream Oaks, by a 3-year-old filly, on the same day, over the same surface, at the same distance. I've studied result charts for every champion quality colt since the 1890's ... that stuff never happens to them. It's extremely rare when they win a top race where a 3yo filly goes 2 lengths faster...12? never.

* Winning the Derby in a +30 pace meltdown with Golden Soul second.

This is all it takes to earn comparisons to Easy Goer from no less of an authority than the Associated Press.

I hope his connections keep running tests looking for a health problem, but I think his problem on Saturday was: the bias, the pace, the competition, and most of all, Orb's genuine lack of ability as it relates to being a top class dirt horse of all-ages.