Typically, horses blessed with tremendous early speed (good enough to wire sprints early in their career) are not also blessed with deep reserves of stamina. When you find one that has both, you usually have found a very rare super champion. (like Seattle Slew)

I tend to agree - though recently it sure seems we're getting classic winners from unlikely sources. Elusive Quality; Distorted Humor; Our Emblem - speed influences that at least I associated with early achievers rather than potential classic horses. Though I think it's clear the game is changing some pedigree wise because of the sheer numbers of good broodmares being bred back to these type sires. Dr. Roman of dosage fame was quoted in the NY Post Sunday as saying Smarty was bred as well as any in the field for the distance of the Belmont. I guess that means he likes him better than he did Real Quiet. I'm not so much pro-Smarty than I am apprehensive anyone in this field can pick up their game enough at this time to beat him even if he doesn't fire his best shot. To my eye he has done all the work, chasing down and disposing of quality speed in his last four races without being threatened. It could be the end of the line but I'm not sure anyone told him that.