This is my problem

Barbaro will not race again as we all know. But he prob will end up winning the eclipse award for top 3 year old. I think this is crap. If Jazil goes on and wins the Travers and another race and the runs well in the Classic then why isnt he the winner. If Bernardini wins the Jim Dandy, Travers and runs well in the Classic then why not him. Barbaro had a good career and won 4 races as a 3 year old. But that does not warrant an Eclipse Award in my mind.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Barbaro will not race again as we all know. But he prob will end up winning the eclipse award for top 3 year old. I think this is crap. If Jazil goes on and wins the Travers and another race and the runs well in the Classic then why isnt he the winner. If Bernardini wins the Jim Dandy, Travers and runs well in the Classic then why not him. Barbaro had a good career and won 4 races as a 3 year old. But that does not warrant an Eclipse Award in my mind.

I don't think he'll win the Eclipse if the above horses do as well as they SHOULD. If they don't, then he deserves it as much as any of them. Wouldn't you agree?

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

I don't think he'll win the Eclipse if the above horses do as well as they SHOULD. If they don't, then he deserves it as much as any of them. Wouldn't you agree?

I agree Cajun, but I have a feeling that no matter what happens Barbaro wins the Eclipse Award for top 3 year old.

[randallscott35]

If Bernardini or Jazil can win the Travers and the Breeders Cup Classic they could make it very interesting. (throw in a Haskell and they might get it.)

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

I agree Cajun, but I have a feeling that no matter what happens Barbaro wins the Eclipse Award for top 3 year old.

I don't think he will if Bernardini runs as well as he's supposed to. I wouldn't imagine Jazil getting the Eclipse, but I can see Bernardini winning if he doesn't turn out to be a bomb.

[Kasept]

We had this discussion with Haskin and Steve Crist on ATRAB. We all agreed there was potential for a three year old like Bernardini, or now Jazil, to end up Horse of the Year if they won the BCC and assorted important 3yo stakes while Barbaro gets the Sophomore Trophy...

Originally Posted by Kasept

We had this discussion with Haskin and Steve Crist on ATRAB. We all agreed there was potential for a three year old like Bernardini, or now Jazil, to end up Horse of the Year if they won the BCC and assorted important 3yo stakes while Barbaro gets the Sophomore Trophy...

I would love to see a horse like Jazil or Bernardini win the award before Barbaro. Dont get me wrong, I like Barbaro but I dont think he derserves the eclipse award just yet. He might win by default since there really isnt any clear cut outstanding 3 year old at the moment. But if someone steps up and wins a couple of big ones then that horse should win it before Barbaro.

At this point only Bernadini could beat him. Thast because he never stomped on Bern, they never met. Jazil would really have to run the table and I find that highly unlikely with his running style and the fact that the races will now shorten up.
If bern were to win the Travers and also win a race in the fall he could get it, but Barb looks like the only other horse who would win it and I think he will, deservedly so. He was so good, and you cant hold the injury against him.

[miraja2]

In addition to the Holy Bull, Florida Derby, and the Kentucky Derby, Barbaro also won a G3 turf race this year.
I don't think winning races like the Jim Dandy and the Travers will be enough for a horse like Bernardini (or someone else) unless they also the win BC Classic. I think ONLY a BC Classic victory + a good summer/fall campaign by someone will take the title from Barbaro.
Flower Alley won the Jim Dandy and the Travers last year and finished second in the BC Classic (along with winning the Lanes End in the spring) and he finished well behind Afleet Alex in the voting.....as he should have.
Barbaro was spectacular in the spring and I think it is right that only a spectacular performance in the fall would take it away from him.

Bernardini needs to win the Travers (no easy task) and a grade 1 in the fall against older horses and he will be 3yr old of the year.

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by miraja2

In addition to the Holy Bull, Florida Derby, and the Kentucky Derby, Barbaro also won a G3 turf race this year.
I don't think winning races like the Jim Dandy and the Travers will be enough for a horse like Bernardini (or someone else) unless they also the win BC Classic. I think ONLY a BC Classic victory + a good summer/fall campaign by someone will take the title from Barbaro.
Flower Alley won the Jim Dandy and the Travers last year and finished second in the BC Classic (along with winning the Lanes End in the spring) and he finished well behind Afleet Alex in the voting.....as he should have.
Barbaro was spectacular in the spring and I think it is right that only a spectacular performance in the fall would take it away from him.

Afleet Alex won two Classics - why is everyone forgetting that the Preakness counts just as much as the Derby? If a turf stake early in the year is the deciding factor in the award voting, that will be a disgrace. The Travers blows the Florida Derby away in terms of importance and Bernardini hasn't been spectacular? I'm sorry - Barbaro was not that great in the Holy Bull and most people were not all that impressed with the Florida Derby (no one called him spectacular after that).

There's still plenty of racing to be done - as a Bernardini fan, I hope that he makes this argument moot.