Strongest Classic Field Ever?

NoLuvForPletch · #1 10-26-2010, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Quality Road is a cross between Lemon Drop Kid and Bertrando, meaning he's tailing off and can't get the distance.

Blame in a normal year would be under-the-radar very much like previous winners Wild Again, Skywalker, and Awesome Again. And yet he's one of the "big 4".

Lookin At Lucky is about as accomplished as Louis Quatorze or Birdstone were, neither of whom were heavily backed in their respective Classics.

Pepper's Pride was never considered for the BC Classic and almost certainly would have been a longshot if she had, not a major player.

That is a pretty harsh condemnation of Looking At Lucky, don't you think? The only thing LQ and LAL have in common is that they both won the Preakness. LAL is a 5 time Grade 1 winner, who, like many others before him did not luck into winning the most over-hyped race in the game, The Kentucky Derby. What else has this horse done wrong?

blackthroatedwind · #2 10-26-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoLuvForPletch

That is a pretty harsh condemnation of Looking At Lucky, don't you think? The only thing LQ and LAL have in common is that they both won the Preakness. LAL is a 5 time Grade 1 winner, who, like many others before him did not luck into winning the most over-hyped race in the game, The Kentucky Derby. What else has this horse done wrong?

On their best days, I honestly doubt Lookin at Lucky could come close to Louis Quatorze. I think you should take a good look at his pps. Louis ran some VERY big races, in some VERY big races, at a time when there were some VERY good horses racing.

NTamm1215 · #3 10-26-2010, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

On their best days, I honestly doubt Lookin at Lucky could come close to Louis Quatorze. I think you should take a good look at his pps. Louis ran some VERY big races, in some VERY big races, at a time when there were some VERY good horses racing.

You mean he would have stacked up well against First Dude, Super Saver, Trappe Shot, and Thisskyhasnolimit?

blackthroatedwind · #4 10-26-2010, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

You mean he would have stacked up well against First Dude, Super Saver, Trappe Shot, and Thisskyhasnolimit?

It's scary to compare some of the 1996 3YOs to this bunch. Skip Away? Unbridled Song? Louis Quatorze? Will's Way?

Travis Stone · #5 10-26-2010, 09:31 AM

Unbridled's Song in full disclosure is one of my favorite horses evah... but with a different owner and better feet, I always wonder how far he could have gone. He turned for home in the Derby like the next best thing. Oh well.

randallscott35 · #6 10-26-2010, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Unbridled's Song in full disclosure is one of my favorite horses evah... but with a different owner and better feet, I always wonder how far he could have gone. He turned for home in the Derby like the next best thing. Oh well.

He has done more to destroy the breed than any other horse in history. Like crossing a Ford Pinto with a Delorian.

philcski · #7 10-26-2010, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoLuvForPletch

That is a pretty harsh condemnation of Looking At Lucky, don't you think? The only thing LQ and LAL have in common is that they both won the Preakness. LAL is a 5 time Grade 1 winner, who, like many others before him did not luck into winning the most over-hyped race in the game, The Kentucky Derby. What else has this horse done wrong?

http://www1.drf.com/tc/preakness/200...isquatorze.pdf

Louis Quartorze only won one G1 (the Preakness) and got beat a nose in the Classic, but would absolutely destroy Lookin at Lucky. Look at the horses he got beat by. Hennessy, Maria's Mon, Unbridled's Song, Editor's Note, Skip Away, Will's Way, Cigar, Alphabet Soup. Every one of those horses would be a heavy favorite in the Classic (except Hennessy, being a sprinter.) He would be 3/5 against this group- or less- on his own merit. And the scary thing is, it could be argued that was the 3rd best of the 3yo crops between 1995-1997.

http://www1.drf.com/tc/preakness/201...n-at-lucky.pdf

To be clear, just because the current group isn't that good doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to it. It will be a great two days of racing at the best BC venue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Bernardini and Invasor would drown this bunch. And Premium Tap would fill out the tri again.

Definitely.

Antitrust32 · #8 10-26-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Unbridled's Song in full disclosure is one of my favorite horses evah... but with a different owner and better feet, I always wonder how far he could have gone. He turned for home in the Derby like the next best thing. Oh well.

my #1 doubleplusgood favorite horsey of all time.

I still see Zito quotes recently saying he was as talented a horse that he's ever trained.

Antitrust32 · #9 10-26-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

It's scary to compare some of the 1996 3YOs to this bunch. Skip Away? Unbridled Song? Louis Quatorze? Will's Way?

even Editor's Note and the filly My Flag would have been at the top of the 2010 crop.

& Honour and Glory

Dahoss · #10 10-26-2010, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

even Editor's Note and the filly My Flag would have been at the top of the 2010 crop.

& Honour and Glory

Honour and Glory was a hell of a horse. He would be a top sprinter/miler in any of the last 15-20 years IMO.

randallscott35 · #11 10-26-2010, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

On their best days, I honestly doubt Lookin at Lucky could come close to Louis Quatorze. I think you should take a good look at his pps. Louis ran some VERY big races, in some VERY big races, at a time when there were some VERY good horses racing.

You mean the Indiana Derby doesn't float your boat? Jeez.

Smooth Operator · #12 10-26-2010, 09:32 AM

Some of you guys better hope they get to the big mare in this one....................

20 for 20 … 3 Cups

On the brink of horse racing IMMORTALITY

By the way, pretty funny to see guys who wholeheartedly backed RA for HotY … when her biggest accomplishment was barely hanging on against the 6 for 24 Macho Again … now all of sudden talking about and dissing strength of competition.

In fact, it's downright HILARIOUS…

randallscott35 · #13 10-26-2010, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Some of you guys better hope they get to the big mare in this one....................

20 for 20 … 3 Cups

On the brink of horse racing IMMORTALITY

By the way, pretty funny to see guys who wholeheartedly backed RA for HotY … when her biggest accomplishment was barely hanging on against the 6 for 24 Macho Again … now all of sudden talking about and dissing strength of competition.

In fact, it's downright HILARIOUS…

Now I need more TUMS.

NoLuvForPletch · #14 10-26-2010, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

On their best days, I honestly doubt Lookin at Lucky could come close to Louis Quatorze. I think you should take a good look at his pps. Louis ran some VERY big races, in some VERY big races, at a time when there were some VERY good horses racing.

While I can appreciate the 1996 3YO crop being tough, when did winning races stop counting? I liked Lookin at Lucky's Haskell a lot. His Preakness, while not as visually impressive as you might like, I thought it was impressive enough coming out of the beating he took in the Derby. I'll take my chances with him on November 6.

RolloTomasi · #15 10-26-2010, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoLuvForPletch

While I can appreciate the 1996 3YO crop being tough, when did winning races stop counting? I liked Lookin at Lucky's Haskell a lot. His Preakness, while not as visually impressive as you might like, I thought it was impressive enough coming out of the beating he took in the Derby. I'll take my chances with him on November 6.

The comparison was based on 3yo accomplishment (I know that wasn't clarified). Lookin At Lucky won the Preakness and Haskell, Louis Quatorze won the Preakness and Jim Dandy. No comment was really being made on their respective talents.

The point of my post, which was missed by RHT as well, was that this year's "big 4", in other years, would have all been mid-range contenders to say the least. Lookin At Lucky on paper was similar to Louis Quatorze, who went off at 18-1. What price will the former be?

Doesn't mean Lookin At Lucky can't win this year. Louis Quatorze almost did.

blackthroatedwind · #16 10-26-2010, 12:49 PM

I was comparing their respective talent.

Louis Quatorze was in a different zip code than Lookin at Lucky.

Indian Charlie · #17 10-26-2010, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I was comparing their respective talent.

Louis Quatorze was in a different zip code than Lookin at Lucky.

Since I'm in a very nitpicky frame of mind today, I was wondering which zip codes those two horses would be from??

philcski · #18 10-26-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Since I'm in a very nitpicky frame of mind today, I was wondering which zip codes those two horses would be from??

40510!

RolloTomasi · #19 10-26-2010, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I was comparing their respective talent.

Louis Quatorze was in a different zip code than Lookin at Lucky.

I agree. I was really disappointed when he got injured at 4. He looked like he was going to be a monster off his first two starts that year.

The Skip Away-Formal Gold-Will's Way battles were epic enough. What kind of armageddon would have been unleashed if he was in there as well?

Smooth Operator · #20 10-26-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

I agree. I was really disappointed when he got injured at 4. He looked like he was going to be a monster off his first two starts that year.

The Skip Away-Formal Gold-Will's Way battles were epic enough. What kind of armageddon would have been unleashed if he was in there as well?

Apparently not "epic enough" for those HotY voters…