Re: Just thinking out loud... (585 Views)
Posted by:
Dan (IP Logged)
Date: June 05, 2004 07:43PM
I'd go further than saying he wasn't a Secretariat, Smarty is a nice horse but unless you think Birdstone is Victory Gallop or Touch Gold, I'd say Smarty is no Real Quiet or Silver Charm, either.
I think the difference between the good horses and the great horses isn't talent - they both have that - its the ability to adapt and adjust. Smarty still hasn't shown he can do that with top notch horses. As easy as this is to say in hindsight, everything just set up perfect for him in the Derby and the Preakness. Hell, it set up perfect for him today. He just couldn't adjust to the distance or the pace (which wasn't that face given the times Belmont's been throwing off today). My (worthless) opinion is that Smarty is a cut below the best horses of the last 20 years, and several notches below Secretariat, Affirmed and Slew. I trust JB's figs, so maybe he is faster (although his final times sure don't indicate it), but he certainly isn't better.
Birdstone flashed enough at two to think he might be a decent horse. At this point in his career, he compares alomst perfectly with Lemon Drop Kid. It would be nice if he can have the same sort of 4 year old year LDK had.