How do you.....

[philcski]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

By the way, Smarty Jones ran one great race in his entire career, the Preakness, and failed the one time everything didn't go his way, the Belmont. Calling him great is like declaring a bartender great because the one time you bought a drink from her she somehow managed to pick out the only cold beer in cooler. Let her do it a few more times before acknowledging her exceptional talents.

This goes against your earlier belief (which I 100% agree with) that will they remember you in 25 years, 50 years. Smarty Jones will be remembered as great in 25 years, as he is now by 95% of the racing population. Everyone of his races was pretty amazing (other than the Southwest where he struggled around the track against mediocre types.)

Is Seattle Slew not great because he ran poorly in the Hollywood race?

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

It takes a special talent for any horse to win with him....however the Arkansas Derby is hardly a career defining race and whether his legion of fans like it or not, the torrential rain prior to his Derby made that race moot. Lionheart was absolutely out of gas when they turned for home and still held second easily. The truth is that nobody ran a step that day.

Hey, losing to Birdstone was no disgrace. But, it was hardly the sign of a great horse.

He was going to win that Derby, torrential rain or not.