2015: American Pharoah becomes 12th Triple Crown winner

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Well, you're half right, at least as far as my post-Belmont response. I can't remember ever going back to dig up ridiculous posts and quoting them when they've been proven wrong (or at least highly dubious), but I may make an exception in this case. That's how over-the-top I think the accolades have been for a horse that to me has shown no more quality than Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, Big Brown and California Chrome had at the same stages of their careers. (I won't put Silver Charm in that list because SC won his KD and Preakness against 2-3 other horses with BSF's in the 115 range, and was more impressive, IMO.)

But if AP wins the Belmont, I can't think of a scenario that would keep me from joining the worshippers, short of some truly calamitous event that wipes out most of the competition. I won't care if AP has the most perfect of perfect trips/setups--if he can get 1.5 miles on top of everything else he's done and beat these more-rested horsess, then he's truly worthy in my book.

In fact, it seems to me that the ones making excuses in advance are the very people who think AP is so spectacular. I keep reading about all the things that can go wrong in the Belmont from the AP-Is-The-2nd-Coming camp. It's almost like they don't believe the hype themselves.

--Dunbar

This is really good.

[Rudeboyelvis]

With the exception of Frosted, Everyone else in here thus far is a complete toss to beat AP. Who has Materiality beaten, exactly, to warrant such expectation?


He beat nothing in the Islamorada, and outlasted a horse that quit in the Derby.

Sign me up to take that at 7/2

Again, not a particular fan of the horse, but the irrational exuberance of his supposed and inevitable failure in 3 weeks because he has yet to meet some imagined criteria in getting here is funny.

[knickslions2]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

With the exception of Frosted, Everyone else in here thus far is a complete toss to beat AP. Who has Materiality beaten, exactly, to warrant such expectation?


He beat nothing in the Islamorada, and outlasted a horse that quit in the Derby.

Sign me up to take that at 7/2

Again, not a particular fan of the horse, but the irrational exuberance of his supposed and inevitable failure in 3 weeks because he has yet to meet some imagined criteria in getting here is funny.

Still nobody targeted for the Belmont fast enough to push or challenge AP for the lead. Maybe I'm missing something? Somebody will try but not sure how that will go. Lots can change in three weeks but can't wait to see Baffert hoist that trophy!!

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

With the exception of Frosted, Everyone else in here thus far is a complete toss to beat AP. Who has Materiality beaten, exactly, to warrant such expectation?

Why is Frosted a contender in the Belmont, but not Materiality?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Why is Frosted a contender in the Belmont, but not Materiality?

Not sure why either are contenders? Frosted ran a better derby then Materialty IMO. I think both should be 15 to 20 to 1 to offer value and they will both be way under that price. Does Frosted have more then a 1 in 10 or 12 chance to beat AP? I dont see it

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Not sure why either are contenders? Frosted ran a better derby then Materialty IMO. I think both should be 15 to 20 to 1 to offer value and they will both be way under that price. Does Frosted have more then a 1 in 10 or 12 chance to beat AP? I dont see it

One won the Wood Memorial with a competitive figure and one won the Florida Derby with a competitive figure.

Both had some excuses in the Kentucky Derby, and even if those don't hold much water, certainly one won't be shocked, given historical results in the Classics, to see either horse fire their best shot at Belmont.

Witness: Gate Dancer, Tank's Prospect, Snow Chief, Hansel, Pine Bluff, Tabasco Cat, Louis Quatorze, Point Given, Lookin At Lucky, Shackleford, Oxbow, Commendable, Lemon Drop Kid, Brimstone, Jazil, Summer Bird, Union Rags, Palace Malice, Little Current.

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Why is Frosted a contender in the Belmont, but not Materiality?

Because Frosted may have the slightest look as an outside longshot from a pace perspective, where Materiality will be the typical over-hyped, over-bet TAP entry that has already proven he's not capable of rating.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

Because Frosted may have the slightest look as an outside longshot from a pace perspective, where Materiality will be the typical over-hyped, over-bet TAP entry that has already proven he's not capable of rating.

Has Materiality even ever won a race wire-to-wire? He was far back early in the Derby and finished well.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Has Materiality even ever won a race wire-to-wire? He was far back early in the Derby and finished well.

He rated off Stanford a colt that worked in 9.8 and is speed ball. His slop mdn race he was on pace as well. the Florida derby he was sent and who can count anything from that surface good or bad that day. He could be a closer? but that trip in derby hardily validates that is his preferred style. All that trip suggests is he was 4th or 5th best horse in the race that day.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by freddymo

He rated off Stanford a colt that worked in 9.8 and is speed ball. His slop mdn race he was on pace as well. the Florida derby he was sent and who can count anything from that surface good or bad that day. He could be a closer? but that trip in derby hardily validates that is his preferred style. All that trip suggests is he was 4th or 5th best horse in the race that day.

You're a trip handicapper now....in addition to becoming a sudden fanboy?

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by freddymo

He rated off Stanford a colt that worked in 9.8 and is speed ball. His slop mdn race he was on pace as well. the Florida derby he was sent and who can count anything from that surface good or bad that day. He could be a closer? but that trip in derby hardily validates that is his preferred style. All that trip suggests is he was 4th or 5th best horse in the race that day.

Let's just reveal the elephant in the room:

Materiality has the talent, and most importantly, the early speed, to hinder American Pharoah's bid to stay 12 furlongs.

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Has Materiality even ever won a race wire-to-wire? He was far back early in the Derby and finished well.

Semantics, Rollo. He pressed a still maiden in the slop in his maiden breaker, pressed a confirmed quitter in the Islamorada, and pressed an average Bluegrass Singer before dueling with Upstart, who would later just quit in Kentucky.

Frosted's off the pace effort in the Kentucky Derby was clearly better than Materiality's off the pace effort, and if his saving grace, "pressing" AP, is what folks are holding out hope for - well, you can see the what he was up against when successful doing so in the past.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

Semantics, Rollo. He pressed a still maiden in the slop in his maiden breaker, pressed a confirmed quitter in the Islamorada, and pressed an average Bluegrass Singer before dueling with Upstart, who would later just quit in Kentucky.

Frosted's off the pace effort in the Kentucky Derby was clearly better than Materiality's off the pace effort, and if his saving grace, "pressing" AP, is what folks are holding out hope for - well, you can see the what he was up against when successful doing so in the past.

"Clearly better" usually means more than one out of ten people that know anything about watching races would agree with you. I would have trouble finding one out of 100 that actually think Frosted's Derby effort was "clearly better" than the effort of Materiality.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

With the exception of Frosted, Everyone else in here thus far is a complete toss to beat AP. Who has Materiality beaten, exactly, to warrant such expectation?


He beat nothing in the Islamorada, and outlasted a horse that quit in the Derby.

Sign me up to take that at 7/2

Again, not a particular fan of the horse, but the irrational exuberance of his supposed and inevitable failure in 3 weeks because he has yet to meet some imagined criteria in getting here is funny.

People look for the most logical horse because its been an impossible task to conquer and so it makes sense to bet anyone but the favorite, which frankly has been a good strategy for 40 years. Just not this year.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by freddymo

People look for the most logical horse because its been an impossible task to conquer and so it makes sense to bet anyone but the favorite, which frankly has been a good strategy for 40 years. Just not this year.

Guess we will know in a few weeks...
I've gotten my hopes up a few times over the years since affirmed. Been wrong every time...and then there's the particular memory of a certain charcoal grey horse who was one hell of a horse...and failed.
I'll believe it when/if it happens, but not one moment before.
If that makes me a hater, than I question who is setting the bar...

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

With the exception of Frosted, Everyone else in here thus far is a complete toss to beat AP. Who has Materiality beaten, exactly, to warrant such expectation?


He beat nothing in the Islamorada, and outlasted a horse that quit in the Derby.

Sign me up to take that at 7/2

Again, not a particular fan of the horse, but the irrational exuberance of his supposed and inevitable failure in 3 weeks because he has yet to meet some imagined criteria in getting here is funny.

Not nearly as funny as the feigned outrage directed at those who may have even the mildest of criticisms of the horse.

This was also an epic fail in the application of the "Who did he beat?" theory considering Materiality beat a horse who twice handled Frosted. Unless you hold Tencendur and El Kabeir in extremely high regard.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

This is really good.

No, it's really not.

It's completely backwards.

You should try your hand at stand up comedy.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

No, it's really not.

It's completely backwards.

You should try your hand at stand up comedy.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I'll explain.

The AP detractors are the ones throwing around excuses as to why AP keeps winning, often accusing his fans of doing just that as to why he might lose the Belmont.

The reality is that the detractors keep reaching for more and new absurdities, often contradicting their own earlier absurdities.

Heck, I've been accused of various things ranging from chest thumping, claiming credit for his success and even being somewhat the zealot.

The funny thing with that one is that, as we've discussed on Facebook, I'm not even convinced that AP is the best horse in this crop.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

I'll explain.

The AP detractors are the ones throwing around excuses as to why AP keeps winning, often accusing his fans of doing just that as to why he might lose the Belmont.

The reality is that the detractors keep reaching for more and new absurdities, often contradicting their own earlier absurdities.

Heck, I've been accused of various things ranging from chest thumping, claiming credit for his success and even being somewhat the zealot.

The funny thing with that one is that, as we've discussed on Facebook, I'm not even convinced that AP is the best horse in this crop.

That didn't help. Sorry, I think you are reaching here.