Comments on: Despite layoff, Animal Kingdom should be champion http://www.voice-tribune.com/sports/horse-sense/despite-layoff-animal-kingdom-should-be-champion/ The Voice Of Louisville Mon, 20 May 2013 04:29:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Glenn Craven http://www.voice-tribune.com/sports/horse-sense/despite-layoff-animal-kingdom-should-be-champion/#comment-7009 Glenn Craven Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:15:15 +0000 http://www.voice-tribune.com/?p=34943#comment-7009 Don't know where I came up with the "Lane's End" bit. ... Must have been thinking about the Spiral, which I then addressed later. Essentially my points remain the same. :-) Don’t know where I came up with the “Lane’s End” bit. … Must have been thinking about the Spiral, which I then addressed later.

Essentially my points remain the same. :-)

]]> By: Glenn Craven http://www.voice-tribune.com/sports/horse-sense/despite-layoff-animal-kingdom-should-be-champion/#comment-6951 Glenn Craven Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:27:50 +0000 http://www.voice-tribune.com/?p=34943#comment-6951 I think you either have a typographical (or factual) error here, or else I'm just not understanding your point. "Yes, Animal Kingdom had only two wins on the year. So did Caleb’s Posse, who scored a pair of Grade I wins in the King’s Bishop, where he beat the star-crossed Uncle Mo, and the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, where he whipped a solid field that included Shackleford and some accomplished older horses." I am a fan of Animal Kingdom and a BIG fan of Graham Motion, but if I had a vote, it sure wouldn't go to him for champion 3-year-old. Caleb's Posse had five wins in 10 starts this year; Animal Kingdom only MADE five starts. All five of Caleb's Posse's wins were in stakes races, including a G3 in the Ohio Derby (which hardly compares to the Kentucky Derby or even the Lane's End) and a G2 in the Amsterdam. Among his G1 wins was the King's Bishop, where he defeated 2-year-old champ Uncle Mo. ... Say what you will about Uncle Mo being "star-crossed," the reality is that his effort in the Amsterdam was excellent, especially off the layoff, and Caleb's Posse bettered him. And, ultimately, I felt Caleb's Posse's win the Breeders' Cup Mile was the performance of the weekend at the B.C. Animal Kingdom won the Kentucky Derby. He nearly won the Preakness. I've seen critiques of the field that faced Caleb's Posse in the Ohio Derby, but the G3 Spiral Stakes won by Animal Kingdom was secured over no better a field -- the likes of Decisive Moment, Twinspired, Beachcombing, Taptowne, Preachintothedevil, Son of Posse, Positive Response, Thirtyfirststreet, Glint and Rescind the Trade. There isn't a LIFETIME graded win from anyone else in that field. Two of them STILL haven't cleared NW2L. That just isn't enough to be the 3-year-old champion unless someone has declared the Kentucky Derby a "win and you're in" Eclipse title race. I think you can make a case for Caleb's Posse as Horse of the Year in a season this "scattered" among the Classic and Older Horse divisions. He'll likely be in the top two for champion sprinter (with Amazombie). And he ought to be the favorite for champion 3-year-old colt. I think you either have a typographical (or factual) error here, or else I’m just not understanding your point.

“Yes, Animal Kingdom had only two wins on the year. So did Caleb’s Posse, who scored a pair of Grade I wins in the King’s Bishop, where he beat the star-crossed Uncle Mo, and the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, where he whipped a solid field that included Shackleford and some accomplished older horses.”

I am a fan of Animal Kingdom and a BIG fan of Graham Motion, but if I had a vote, it sure wouldn’t go to him for champion 3-year-old.

Caleb’s Posse had five wins in 10 starts this year; Animal Kingdom only MADE five starts.

All five of Caleb’s Posse’s wins were in stakes races, including a G3 in the Ohio Derby (which hardly compares to the Kentucky Derby or even the Lane’s End) and a G2 in the Amsterdam. Among his G1 wins was the King’s Bishop, where he defeated 2-year-old champ Uncle Mo. … Say what you will about Uncle Mo being “star-crossed,” the reality is that his effort in the Amsterdam was excellent, especially off the layoff, and Caleb’s Posse bettered him. And, ultimately, I felt Caleb’s Posse’s win the Breeders’ Cup Mile was the performance of the weekend at the B.C.

Animal Kingdom won the Kentucky Derby. He nearly won the Preakness. I’ve seen critiques of the field that faced Caleb’s Posse in the Ohio Derby, but the G3 Spiral Stakes won by Animal Kingdom was secured over no better a field — the likes of Decisive Moment, Twinspired, Beachcombing, Taptowne, Preachintothedevil, Son of Posse, Positive Response, Thirtyfirststreet, Glint and Rescind the Trade. There isn’t a LIFETIME graded win from anyone else in that field. Two of them STILL haven’t cleared NW2L.

That just isn’t enough to be the 3-year-old champion unless someone has declared the Kentucky Derby a “win and you’re in” Eclipse title race.

I think you can make a case for Caleb’s Posse as Horse of the Year in a season this “scattered” among the Classic and Older Horse divisions. He’ll likely be in the top two for champion sprinter (with Amazombie). And he ought to be the favorite for champion 3-year-old colt.

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