As we've seen this year and last with Sovereignty and Journalism in the runners - watching a couple good horses go at it is fun. We just wish they'd race more!
Over in harness racing, this year's big expectation falls to two untested three year old colts in Canadian star Beau Jangles and Indiana's World Champion Odds on Mr. Mamba.
The hype has certainly already started. If you watch the WEG feed you'd think Beau Jangles was the second coming of Somebeachsomewhere. Over in the Hoosier state, the Beach comes in a close second in a match race (with Beau third).
Everyone has an opinion, and I do too. Mine is: The chances of either of these horses being the great Somebeachsomewhere are between slim and none, and slim left to bet sports because of the CAW's.
Why am I so sure? Because good horses encourage debate, while great horses end them.
When Beau Jangles won his first real test by a half a length - the Metro - there was chatter in the handicapping sphere that if Frantic Hanover got out easily (and he reportedly bled) he would've beaten him. Not to mention, is Frantic Hanover even any better than the Ontario breds he's been beating up? Whether that's true or not is irrelevant, it was valid talk from sharps.
When Odds on Mr. Mamba set the world record in 147.4, there was a horse near him and the talk was about other things as well. "Who is that other horse, was the track souped up, was the time real?" Is this horse that good? Again - we watched a potential freak horse horse freak - but these were questions that were completely valid.
Meanwhile back at the 2008 ranch, it was just different.
The Metro Stakes in '08 - the Beach's first real test - was turning to the gate and it featured horses who we didn't have to wonder if they were good or not - including several millionaires, and double world champion Shadow Play - he himself likely one of the better colts we've seen this century.
Less than 110 seconds later there was no such talk about the big son of Mach Three.
The talk was instead about how he made those other exceptional horses look like 3 claimers. The talk was about how fast he could possibly go. About the separation, about the rebreak, about how little was asked of him. About how much he could've won by; about what we just watched.
There were no 'what if' questions because the true greats don't pose questions, they answer them with incalculable ease.
Three year olds since Beach have gotten their comparisons in the media. Whether they be Rock n' Roll Heaven, or Captain Treacherous, and others.
Often times we hear excuses for younger horses facing older - about how hard it is to transition from three to four, or how it has to be late in the year for a three year old to compete in these instances.
While Captain Treacherous was a takeout reduction at 4-1 odds in the TVG against older foes, you can bet your bottom dollar the Beach entering the same race would've been 1 to 5, and probably an overlay. If he raced at four, we'd probably be mortgaging the house each race at 1-9.
Age doesn't matter. Nothing really matters when you're dealing with a dominant animal with that kind of DNA.
I'm very much looking forward to this season to watch Beau and Mamba settle this on the track. They're obviously two very good colts. Heck I'm interested to see any new shooters who wintered well join the fight, too.
But with a full admittance I'm no PTPstradamus, I'm pretty sure that in six months, the Somebeachsomewhere comparisons will be relegated to the dust bin, just like they have every single year since that incredible animal set foot on the racetrack.
Have a nice Tuesday everyone.
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