What Smarty Jones faced in 2004 & what Big Brown faces on Saturday....the difference?

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Didn't also-rans Rock Hard Ten and Eddington go on to greater things post TC? I think RHT lost just one more race in his career and accounted for the Swaps, Malibu, Strub, Big Cap and Goodwood. Eddington took the Pimlico Special, Gulfstream Park Handicap, and Calder Derby. Not sure if anyone lining up this Saturday look to have that sort of potential.

But, we didn't know that going into the race. Denis of Cork, Tale of Ekati and even Ready's Echo could prove more later on this year.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Hickory Hill Hoff

But, we didn't know that going into the race. Denis of Cork, Tale of Ekati and even Ready's Echo could prove more later on this year.

Good point. Denis of Cork could make a lot of noise if managed properly. Tale of Ekati, being by Tale of the Cat, no matter what his talent level, to me doesn't seem a classic type horse (I expect a Grand Slam or Scan type effort from him--which is to say he will drop out of a forward position at the top of the stretch). I'd look for him, if he were in any other barn than Barclay Tagg's, to point for mile races and extended sprints subsequently.

I have no idea who Ready's Echo is. Everytime I see his name I think of the horse that was a bad 2nd to Majestic Warrior in the Hopeful who then ran last in the Champagne. The only thing I know about him is that he's not that horse. Which is probably a good thing...

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Good point. Denis of Cork could make a lot of noise if managed properly. Tale of Ekati, being by Tale of the Cat, no matter what his talent level, to me doesn't seem a classic type horse (I expect a Grand Slam or Scan type effort from him--which is to say he will drop out of a forward position at the top of the stretch). I'd look for him, if he were in any other barn than Barclay Tagg's, to point for mile races and extended sprints subsequently.

I have no idea who Ready's Echo is. Everytime I see his name I think of the horse that was a bad 2nd to Majestic Warrior in the Hopeful who then ran last in the Champagne. The only thing I know about him is that he's not that horse. Which is probably a good thing...

Take a look at his races.....he may not win, but he could be a price underneath in the exotics.

[lemoncrush]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

I have no idea who Ready's Echo is. Everytime I see his name I think of the horse that was a bad 2nd to Majestic Warrior in the Hopeful who then ran last in the Champagne. The only thing I know about him is that he's not that horse. Which is probably a good thing...

you're thinking of ready's image, who I believe is also running Saturday in the Woody Stephens.
Ready's Echo is also a pletcher horse, and seems to actually want more ground. despite being by More than Ready.
He's a deep closer, who showed an explosive turn of foot in his maiden race last summer, and then again in his maiden win this past March.
He just missed in an ill-timed ride by JV in an allowance race at Keenland, and then didn't run until the very end in the Peter Pan.
He's over his head here, and with his running style, 3rd is probably his ceiling, unless Denis or Cork and/or Casino drive both exert too much energy early, then I could see him running up for a non-threatening 2nd.

[slotdirt]

I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that a More than Ready with Kingmambo as a damsire could travel a route of ground. More than Ready has actually had some pretty significant winners on the grass going long in both Australia and Europe in his short career.

[Thunder Gulch]

Agree with a lot of you that the field in general was tougher, and the fact that Birdstone won a G1 on this track was huge.

I don't remember that 2004 crop being great, but I guarantee there were more than one or two that had posted 100 Beyers in routes, unlike this year's group.