I'm somewhat in agreement with END4ME on AP's Belmont race.
I wrote the following in a post in a different thread:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by highnote
D. Wayne Lukas always said you just need to run 12 second eighths to win the Derby. Probably the same with the Belmont.
The early fractions were slightly faster last year, but the final time was slower. Maybe last year was Fast Early / Slow Late.
Two years ago the early fractions were blazing:
23.11, 46.66, 1:10.95, 1:36.47, 2:03.12, 2:30.07
Fast Early / Slow Late
I would like to have seen Fast Early / Fast Late, but that sort of race shape is run by superstars -- like Secretariat:
23 3⁄5, 46 1⁄5, 1:09 1⁄5, 1:34 1⁄5, 1:59, 2:24
This year looked Average Early / Average Late:
24.06, 48.83, 1:13.41, 1:37.99, 2:02.33, 2:26.65
It will be interesting to see AP's speed figure.
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AP's connections did what they had to do to win. Nothing else should be expected. I just didn't find the race very interesting or impressive. To paraphrase Jim "The Hat" Bradshaw -- "Shoot. It ain't nothin' but a horse race. One horse goes out and gets the lead and the rest try to catch him."
Today, none of the jockeys wanted to catch him. They let AP lope along on an easy lead and then AP, to his credit, had plenty left in the tank.
As I also wrote in another thread, it will be interesting to see if AP sticks around long enough to run in the BC Classic. If he has to run 6 furlongs on the lead at 1:08 and change, it's doubtful he will be anywhere near the front when the first horse crosses under the wire.
