The difference between this years Derby fractions and those of other years (War Emblem's Derby win excepted) is that the horses setting the early fractions in prior Derbies all caved in the stretch (lots of lick but no stick ), while this years front runners never tired.
It's probably too early to compare Smarty to the great horses of the past, much less Seattle Slew. The Derby win was impressive but... the track favored speed horses that day. His previous wins did not come at premier tracks against top-notch company.
I suspect he will fare well in the Preakness - probably win - but the Belmont 3 weeks later? We'll see.

are you guys beating dead horses? sorry couldn't help myself.
dan

actually, there not dead at all, they are really fast.. at least one of them thinks so!!

i know its not scientific, but when i bet at the dog or horse track.. i always chose the one that poops right before the race. i figure they are a little bit lighter that way.. and i dont know about ya'll, but i feel great after a #2..

bigjohn

That's been the story with the Derby over the years...Pace pressers tend to win most often...front runners win once in a while, closers win some.

I still don't think that anything that happened before the storm is pertinent to the Derby...the track was totally different. You cannot say that the track for the Derby was speed favoring based on the previous races that day. I don't feel that Smarty Jones won because of any track bias...he was simply much the best horse that day.

I wasn't yet comparing Smarty Jones to Seattle Slew...that will need to wait 3 1/2 weeks. There are some parallels, however. Both undefeated, with relatively unknown trainers and jockeys.

At least one of Smarty Jones' wins came at a premier track against top-notch company.

No doubt Smarty Jones is a good horse - a great horse even. I liked him a lot going into the Derby but I just couldn't stomach 4-1 in a field of 18 quality horses. There has been just too many huge prices in that race during my lifetime for me to go with the favorite.

Not to beat a dead horse, but if the track was so sloppy how did the front runners manage to set such a reasonable pace and yet not tire in the muck?

This must be what it's like for an American to hear two Canadians discussing the curl, runs and falls in a sheet of curling ice?

Bren R.

no offense bren, but why do they call that a sport?? ANY sport that requires the use of a broom, is not a sport, its a domestic duty.. its a game.. its not a sport. football is a sport.. monopoly is a game. and curling, well, its just curling??

all kidding aside, i see that game evolving kinda like horseshoes or washers here in the US. a bunch of drunk guys, standing around outside, with nothing to do.

bigjohn

In reply to:

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all kidding aside, i see that game evolving kinda like horseshoes or washers here in the US. a bunch of drunk guys, standing around outside, with nothing to do.

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I curled for 16 years, I also play baseball and soccer... and curling and soccer both met up at the top of the strenuous activity list.

I enjoy watching any sport, and I've broadened my horizons, I'll watch cricket and rugby when I can catch a game - I even played cricket in high school, the drama teacher (a very proper Englishman) decided to take a bunch of us dirtbags who hung out by the auto shop smoking and teach us the game - I was pretty cocky going into it... after all, I played A ball up until junior, I knew how to swing a bat. It's a hell of a lot different when the bowler's taking a run at you and you have to take it off a bounce, lemme tell you!

Bren R.

What, no "I told you so!", Mark?

That was a VERY impressive Preakness win on a track that the announcers said was not favoring speed. Smarty was much better than everyone else.

They way he just pulled away from everyone, I see a triple crown in 3 weeks. Nobody was even close to able to compete.