Curlin

[jpops757]

Even without the post draw, everyone is looking for reasons to not play him. Reason number one is asking him to win the Derby in his fourth start. Number two is lack of quality that he has beaten. The third is not willing to take the low odds on him.The most valid as far as im concerned is that Albarado will lose it. All this said it looks to me he is what he is and will smoke them. Maybe he will regress sometime but all he has done is improve so far. He looks as if he will continue to improve.

[pointman]

I can only hope that people keep looking to beat this horse, leaving better odds for me. Agree with you, the only two negatives I see at this point is Albarado and the possibility of getting a really bad post. I don't mind that he hasn't raced against the greastest competition, he has blown away everything thrown at him. Other than the Bluegrass, a race in which the results have given me nothing to use in factoring the derby, who has faced really good competition? Didn't a horse named Bernardini come into the Preakness last year off a similar record?

[lemoncrush]

Originally Posted by pointman

who has faced really good competition? Didn't a horse named Bernardini come into the Preakness last year off a similar record?

Who has faced good competition?
Scat Daddy, Stormello, Circular Quay, Great Hunter, Any Given Saturday, Street Sense, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Dominican, and just about every other horse in the field.

Curlin has a ton of talent, but running past Flying First Class and Deadly Dealer is not the same as going 1-1/4 miles against 19 other horses, many of whom have been through the wars and are battle tested.

[slotdirt]

Curlin is joining the ranks of Afleet Alex and Bernardini for most threads ever about one horse. Perhaps there can be a "Curlin" section in the main forum?

Curlin = Showing Up

Just my two cents.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Curlin is joining the ranks of Afleet Alex and Bernardini for most threads ever about one horse. Perhaps there can be a "Curlin" section in the main forum?

Curlin = Showing Up

Just my two cents.

Curlin = not ready for 10 furlongs.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

Curlin = not ready for 10 furlongs.

You think that Scat Daddy is? I'd take Curlin at ten furlongs way before I'd take Scat Daddy.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

Curlin = not ready for 10 furlongs.

And which horse pointing to the race looked better than him at 9 furlongs?

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Curlin is joining the ranks of Afleet Alex and Bernardini for most threads ever about one horse. Perhaps there can be a "Curlin" section in the main forum?

Curlin = Showing Up

Just my two cents.

Once again...I agree!

[pointman]

Originally Posted by lemoncrush

Who has faced good competition?
Scat Daddy, Stormello, Circular Quay, Great Hunter, Any Given Saturday, Street Sense, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Dominican, and just about every other horse in the field.

Curlin has a ton of talent, but running past Flying First Class and Deadly Dealer is not the same as going 1-1/4 miles against 19 other horses, many of whom have been through the wars and are battle tested.

If you read my post correctly, I excluded the Bluegrass. However, was the Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby and the Wood really strong fields? My point is that I don't think that it is a knock on Curlin that he hasn't faced strong competition when he has blown everything away that he has faced. Your point on being "battle tested" could be valid, but I think that is a little overrated as well. I see nothing wrong with what Curlin has done, especially the professional way he ran in the Arkansas Derby. If people want to throw him out, that is fine with me.

[slotdirt]

The only horse on Curlin's par of facing lesser competition is Hard Spun. Both have only faced two potential entrants into the Derby including a common opponent of Teuflesberger.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by lemoncrush

Who has faced good competition?
Scat Daddy, Stormello, Circular Quay, Great Hunter, Any Given Saturday, Street Sense, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Dominican, and just about every other horse in the field.

Curlin has a ton of talent, but running past Flying First Class and Deadly Dealer is not the same as going 1-1/4 miles against 19 other horses, many of whom have been through the wars and are battle tested.

Agreed!

[flifishri]

Originally Posted by lemoncrush

Who has faced good competition?
Scat Daddy, Stormello, Circular Quay, Great Hunter, Any Given Saturday, Street Sense, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Dominican, and just about every other horse in the field.

Curlin has a ton of talent, but running past Flying First Class and Deadly Dealer is not the same as going 1-1/4 miles against 19 other horses, many of whom have been through the wars and are battle tested.

Cruised past without much urging is more like it. Wait'll Albarado uses the stick if he has to, can you say...explosion? He's the real deal.

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by jpops757

Even without the post draw, everyone is looking for reasons to not play him. Reason number one is asking him to win the Derby in his fourth start. Number two is lack of quality that he has beaten. The third is not willing to take the low odds on him.The most valid as far as im concerned is that Albarado will lose it. All this said it looks to me he is what he is and will smoke them. Maybe he will regress sometime but all he has done is improve so far. He looks as if he will continue to improve.

Say what you will about Albarado, he's hot this year, has won 4 of the main Derby preps on 3 different horses. (Notional, Curlin, Slew's Tizzy).

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by jpops757

Even without the post draw, everyone is looking for reasons to not play him. Reason number one is asking him to win the Derby in his fourth start. Number two is lack of quality that he has beaten. The third is not willing to take the low odds on him.The most valid as far as im concerned is that Albarado will lose it. All this said it looks to me he is what he is and will smoke them. Maybe he will regress sometime but all he has done is improve so far. He looks as if he will continue to improve.

That's the biggest reason for me