Congaree Champion Sprinter?

[PaceAdvantage]

Baffert seems to think so....I was a little shocked when I read this....my first reaction was "talk about a stretch!" Here's the line from the Bloodhorse article on Congaree's Cigar Mile victory:


"I think he should be champion sprinter. He beat Aldebaran in the Carter and I think he can go six furlongs with the best of them."

Article Link (http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=19407)

[lsbets]

First, I think from 7f to 9f Congaree is probably the best out there, but if Baffert thinks he is the champion sprinter and can go 6 with the best of them, then why was he in the BC Classic instead of the sprint? I know, the purse, the answer is obvious and a no brainer, but I think that to be the champion sprinter, you actually have to sprint.

[turffan]

Depends what you call a sprint I guess. I guess I'd call it anything up to a one- turn mile. While we'll never know if Congaree could beat the best at 6 furlongs I think we can conclude that Cajun Beat isn't going to beat him at 7 furlongs and up. I can probably find some Charles Town super stars who could beat Cajun Beat at 4 1/2 furlongs. So how short is short?

Interesting situation but I agree that if Baffert wanted that he should have run in the BC Sprint. Saying that Congaree could run with the best of them at 6 furlongs is, to a lesser degree, like Frankel saying Empire Maker would have won every race he never showed up for (of course he would have had to have carried less than 120 lbs).

[Valuist]

I think Baffert is right. I was saying long before the Breeder's Cup that he could win the Sprint, IF he chose to run in it. And while we heard what a great race Medaglia D'Oro ran in the Classic, Congaree wasn't far behind him. He kind of reminds me of Precisionist, who ran down a good field of sprinters as a turnback in 1985. Same thing w/Gulch. At 6 furlongs I'll take a classy horse like Congaree over a speedball like Cajun Beat or Shake You Down. And as good as Aldebaran is, he is NOT as good as Congaree.

[blind squirrel]

i always thought CONGAREE should have run in the sprint.
he reminds me a lot of CHEROKEE RUN....come on BOB,you
can't be serious about he SPRINT ECLIPSE.

[ceejay]

Any thoughts about Congaree as champion older male (although it is hard to deny mineshaft)? To me Congaree is just not a sprinter.

[Tom]

Read Joe Cardellos article inthe DRF about Congaree-does this guy's last 12 months scream out horse of the year?
I think over the course of the whole year, nobody has done what he has done. Consistently on top for longer than anthing else.

[plainolebill]

What the heck, Forego won champion sprinter off just one 7f race!
I don't know if Congaree is champion sprinter but he sure has had one heck of a year for a horse that looked washed up about 14 months ago.

[Observer]

Tom & Plainolebill .. I totally agree!! Congaree has had a fine year .. from beginning to end .. a truly rare horse with a wonderful blend of speed and staying power for a wide range of distances .. but I don't see the voters as giving him even a half thought for Horse of the Year .. or even Champion Older Male .. and can't see Sprint title either.