I hear a lot of complaints about a lack of stars, and I understand that, but I'd rather see a competitive field of top flight horses than one or two stars, and the rest fodder for a field.

Let's look at the Classic.

Last year the top five were

Gun Runner
Collected
West Coast
War Story
Gunnevera
Arrogate

I guess there were two stars in there, one well past done. This year's field is almost certainly deeper - especially with the foreign contingent. Collected and War Story are nice enough, but at the pointy end of the division?? I think I saw the futures have Gunny at 30-1.

Then there's the sprint.

The top two return, plus xy jet and promises fufilled, and the Forego winner, and maybe Limo Liberal on his home track.

And, if you really need star power, I here tell a filly from Europe might come.

C'mon, man.