This has been an exceptionally weak year for older male two-turn dirt horses. Most of the G1 and G2 races have been pretty sorry spectacles.

The only hopes for anything special happening this year are Invasor and Mayan King ... or someone popping up off the bench. Flower Alley ... and a few others ... represent the "off-the-bench" hopes ... and horseracing fans are nothing if not hopeful.

Let's pray something good happens ... because it's been very dreary so far.