Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy Asaro
Since my last column on this topic, no horse that Justify beat has done anything to support his Horse of the Year credentials. Look no further than the Breeders’ Cup Mile and the Classic. Bravazo, a half-length behind Justify in the Preakness, was third in the BC Mile, beaten 5¼ lengths. In the Classic, Mendelssohn dead last in the Kentucky Derby, ran fifth, beaten four lengths. And consider McKinzie, who was Baffert’s Derby horse before getting injured. He ran 12th of 14 on the BC Classic.
|
Kind of a silly argument to bring up when you hold Accelerate to the same standard.
Of all the races he won this year, just 3 horses (out of 20 different horses) returned to win another race...and only one of those was able to win multiple times. They were:
Pavel...who won the Stephen Foster G1 amid a series of defeats.
City of Light...who took the BC Dirt Mile G1 after racing sparingly (and losing) during the summer and fall.
Ike Walker...who took 2 optional claimers (he was in for the tag) from 6 or so starts after being defeated by Accelerate in the San Pasqual.
Meanwhile, Justify beat 3 subsequent winners in his allowance score. A graded stakes winner (Core Beliefs) came out of the SA Derby.
In the KY Derby, Good Magic (G1), Audible, Hofburg, Promises Fulfilled (G1, MGSW), Lone Sailor (G3), and Firenze Fire (MGSW) all won subsequently and Mendelssohn and Bravazo placed in multiple Grade 1s each.
In addition to the Derby runners aforementioned, the Preakness produced subsequent graded stakes winner Tenfold. The new shooters in the Belmont did nothing subsequently.
