Over at Bloodhorse I saw the Mendelssohn=Bellamy Road argument again.
I decided to go re-watch his derby:
I remembered how fast it was--22 and change, 45 and change, 1:09 and change, but not how the front half the field was all running the same speed. A stampede onto the back stretch, a stampede around the far turn, a stampede down the home stretch.
That parity of speed is what I see this year. None could really pass each other or shake free, and most hit the wall about the same point, at which time they were passed by Afleet Alex and Giacomo. Closing Argument didn't really come from off the pace, he was bunched in the front of the stampede and just stayed on longer.
If Promises Fulfilled plays his part, we have our Spanish Chestnut.
Who is Bellamy Road? Mendelssohn seems easy, but the two horses are really very different with very different levels of experience entering the race. He kind of reminds me of Audible.
Who is Afleet Alex, the experienced horse that got better as it got longer?
Who is Giaccomo, the no hoper from way out of it?
Who is Closing Argument, the horse near the front who out stays his odds?
Poor Bellamy Road, he really did acquit himself well in the derby, despite all the scorn.
