Worlds Best Horse

[Lemon Drop Husker]

Originally Posted by Some_One

Well you're going to have a bit of the Zenyatta effect where one race will attempt to validate an entire career as AP will be lucky to face more then 5 horses in his next two races combined. So the BC Classic will be his real only test in his career.

Seriously?

The BC Classic would be his "only" test in his career?

The complete flopping on AP and his accomplishment this year is becoming annoying to be honest. And I'm far from being an AP Homer much less a monster fan. I simply appreciate what he did in an 8 week stretch against quality, YES quality, horses.

He is one of 12. The first in 37 years. And did it against his pedigree and supposed running style to get it done. I'm baffled how some still are not impressed.

[Lemon Drop Husker]

Originally Posted by Kash$

Extraordinary
examples..
Big Red
Frankel
Spectacular Bid
Affirmed,
just to name a few

Great
Sunday Silence
Easy Goer
Seattle Slew
Ruffian
Cigar
Zenyatta
Rachel Alexandra
Risen Star
Manila
just to name a few..

OK. As I assumed, we are just off a category so to speak in language.

Your great is my elite, and your extraordinary are my best of the best. I think we are both in line with our thinking, just have different tastes/feelings for the word "great".

[Kash$]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

OK. As I assumed, we are just off a category so to speak in language.

Your great is my elite, and your extraordinary are my best of the best. I think we are both in line with our thinking, just have different tastes/feelings for the word "great".

Whos your favorite..mine

Frankel
Spectacular Bid
Landaluce

[Lemon Drop Husker]

Originally Posted by Kash$

Whos your favorite..mine

Frankel
Spectacular Bid
Landaluce

My favorites are weird. Most based upon big wins and beliefs in horses. Huge underdog fan and digging for prices.

Lemon Drop Kid obviously. Palace Malice. Funny Cide. Charasmatic. Drosselmeyer. Dakota Phone. Blame. Hard Spun. Summer Bird. Tiznow. Giacomo. Ghostzapper.

As for the Best of the Best? Probably Invasor and Ghostzapper. I think both are seriously underrated and unappreciated. I still can't believe I got 7/1 on Invasor in the BC Classic. Just a massive overlay for a horse I had as the 9/5 chalk.

But if I'm honest, probably Frankel. Just flat out unbelievable horse. People talk about push-button speed, tactical speed, knowing how to win, etc.. He was the complete package. He could encounter any situation and have the ability to adjust, rate, get it done in traffic, and still overcome due to his pure talent, agility, and ability.

[tubesockshakur]

Alysheba 4 year old season was as good as you will get.

[Kash$]

Originally Posted by tubesockshakur

Alysheba 4 year old season was as good as you will get.

Ever look up Bid 4 year old season?

[pandy]

With Firing Line and Shared Belief out, things are looking very good for American Pharoah. I just hope he gets into the Classic so we can see him race against older horses.

[LottaKash]

At 70, I have seen a whole bunch of good ones, live at the races, and/or have read their charts and read the articles of what they had done, for oh some many of these wow-type horses...

Of course some of the fun of racetalk is, and has always been, comparing one horse's record of accomplishments in his or her generation, to another's...While hearing and having some real good dogfights about it too...

Given that tho, I have an extremely hard time trying pigeon hole any one of these fantastic horses into categories such the Greatest, Best, etc...

I just refer to them as, "The Legends", of this great game of ours...They are all such an important part of the most memorable times in the history of horseracing....

I have been so lucky to see, so many, many of those Legends, in my time...

[pandy]

That's a good way to look at it.

[Steve R]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

Seriously?

The BC Classic would be his "only" test in his career?

The complete flopping on AP and his accomplishment this year is becoming annoying to be honest. And I'm far from being an AP Homer much less a monster fan. I simply appreciate what he did in an 8 week stretch against quality, YES quality, horses.

He is one of 12. The first in 37 years. And did it against his pedigree and supposed running style to get it done. I'm baffled how some still are not impressed.

So far, just not fast enough to be compared with the all-timers. And where does the pedigree/running style limitation come from? He seems quite typical of contemporary American classic horses to me.

[RacingFan1992]

Well here is an Update for how the dirt horses stand overall among the turf horses in the overall standings.

1.) American Pharoah
4.) Shared Belief
10.) Honor Code
14.) Firing Line
19.) California Chrome
25.) Prince Bishop
27.) Dortmund

Old Standings did some shuffling:
2) American Pharoah
4) Shared Belief
14) Firing Line
18) California Chrome
22) Prince Bishop (Ire)
24) Dortmund
26) Honor Code

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by RacingFan1992

Well here is an Update for how the dirt horses stand overall among the turf horses in the overall standings.

1.) American Pharoah
4.) Shared Belief
10.) Honor Code
14.) Firing Line
19.) California Chrome
25.) Prince Bishop
27.) Dortmund

Old Standings did some shuffling:
2) American Pharoah
4) Shared Belief
14) Firing Line
18) California Chrome
22) Prince Bishop (Ire)
24) Dortmund
26) Honor Code

Again, who cares?

Who made them king? Why not take a Pace Advantage poll and use that to declare the rankings? That's just as meaningful.

In addition, it's folly to declare a particular apple as being better than a particular orange. You can't compare a European turf horse to an American dirt horse.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by Fager Fan

You can't compare a European turf horse to an American dirt horse.

I'll second that.
Apples to oranges.

[RacingFan1992]

Sorry I posted. Just thought I would share. I'm not the one who did the list so don't kill the messenger.

[Pensacola Pete]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

AP is Elite.

In my opinion, American Pharoah is a good horse in a very bad crop of 3 year olds. The horse has to prove himself against 4 year olds before even being hinted at as "Elite."

In fairness, the same could have been said about Seattle Slew in 1977. He didn't have much (at the time) to beat for his Triple Crown wins, either. But he went on to prove himself against older and earn his status among the great.