Re: Smarty Jones, the O-2 pitch (409 Views)
Posted by:
Chuckles_the_Clown2 (IP Logged)
Date: May 03, 2004 06:05PM
23.00, :46.60, 1:11.40, 1:37.80, 2:05
22.80, :46.60, 1:11.80, 1:37.20, 2:04
These are fractional times for the Kentucky Derby. Note I have converted fractional seconds from hundredths to fifths for comparison.
The top group of fractional times is the 1989 Derby and the bottom one this years. The fractions at top were set by Houston with Sunday Silence in close pursuit. The bottom fractions were of course set by Lion Heart with Smarty Jones placed similarly to Sunday Silence (if I recall correctly)
I don't think you can draw any conclusions from this regarding the merits of the horses from different eras but I do think it hypothesizes an interesting phenomena about Churchill when the track condition is "muddy/near muddy" and that is that its in the last two fractions that a heavy track takes its toll on the energy of the runners. It doesn't necessarily slow them early.