Curlin Proves It: Preakness Reaction

-Curlin proved he's special. He came home on guts and class. Most horses would have packed it in after getting stormed by Street Sense at the top of the stretch. What a finish. We'll see if either of the top two finishers run in the Belmont in three weeks. It would be fun to see a rematch but understandable if those two need a vacation after that dramatic stretch duel.

-Hard Spun is a gutsy horse too. I think he might turn out to be a great miler. He hung on for third, not too bad. He just doesn't seem to have that necessary kick in the stretch to win at these distances against the best 3-year-olds. But he does beat most of them. I mean, he finished 2nd in the Derby. Maybe he does have some kick in the stretch.

-Once again Pletcher's guys were no factor. Is Circular Quay more hype than substance?

-I thought NBC's on the ground reporter, Tom Neumeier, took a bit of a cheap shot at Calvin Borel in his post race interview. Neumeier said, "people are saying that you moved too soon today," implying that Calvin made his move too soon on Street Sense and that that may have led to him getting caught by Curlin in deep, deep stretch. What people were saying that?

I mean c'mon, first of all Street Sense passed everybody at the top of the stretch, including Curlin and looked for a moment like he was going to run away with the race just like he did in the Derby. That's the part of the track where Street Sense moves. Only really special, tough horses (like Curlin) can come back after being passed in the stretch the way Street Sense passed Curlin. Borel made his move on time and it's just lame that he hadn't even caught his breath before he was being criticized by Tom Neumeier.

-How funny is it that the President of Magna Entertainment, or whoever that guy was that presented the trophy to Curlin's people, called Robbie Albarado, Robbie Alvarez?

-The "racing world" was a photo finish away from 3 weeks of positive media and hype leading up to the Belmont. Now what?

Here is the 2007 Preakness Replay:

Don't Sleep On Curlin!

I guess it's "one and done" for the Curlin bandwagon? It may be just me but I think Curlin's third place finish in the Run For The Roses was pretty impressive.

I mean, the only horse to get a better trip in the race than Street Sense was Hard Spun. Curlin meanwhile was "shuffled back" and in between and among all kinds of horses for much of the race and emerged from the pack as a strong third, in his first race against "top" 3-year-olds and in the first race in which he wasn't able to dictate the terms.

Now the buzz is about Circular Quay and how everybody likes his chances in the Preakness. Well, what about the big chestnut? In a race like the Preakness, with a smaller field, Curlin might be able to stalk the leader or leaders and make a run on his terms.

Does he have the speed, does he have the class to compete against Street Sense, Hard Spun, Circular Quay and the rest? Well, experts and fans alike seemed to think he did before the Derby. And with a big race like that under his belt doesn't it even make him a stronger contender?

Derby Hangover, Looking Ahead

It doesn't look like too many Derby horses are going to reemerge 12 days from now at Pimlico. So far, Street Sense, Hard Spun and Curlin look likely. As do, Teuflesberg and Sedgefield. Imawildandcrazyguy is looking at the Belmont.

It appears that Trainer Todd Pletcher (Circular Quay, Any Given Saturday, Cowtown Cat, Sam P., Scat Daddy) is going to "take his ball and go home". He does plan to bring King of the Roxy back in the Preakness though.

The disappointment is understandable, but you only need one horse to win the derby, not 5. Street Sense and Hard Spun both looked excellent in workouts over the Churchill Downs surface and were both sharp for the race.

Based on his 3rd place finish, I can't help but think what Curlin might have been able to do with a little more seasoning. He may end up being overlooked in the Preakness. He was able to make up a lot of ground to finish 3rd after being shuffled back early. But that's what you usually have to do to win the Derby, unless you're Street Sense and Calvin Borel, and then you just come scrape-paint on the rail and slip through when the red sea parts.

Pletcher's horses were no factor in the race, as were Trainer Doug O'Neill's (Great Hunter, Liquidity) entries. O'Neill is apparently taking his guys back to California for some needed soul-searching. "I think a return to California would be good for all of us," he said.

Some other likely or possible Preakness starters are Chelokee, Xchanger, C.P. West, Flying First Class and Starbase.

• 
  

As far as NBC's Derby coverage, I don't see why it was necessary to show the horses from the straight-above angle along the far turn and into the stretch. It made everything look like a video game. The angle would have been interesting to see as a replay, but for those of us that are accustomed to watching horse racing on TV, the traditional side angle would have been fine.

Hell, I would have settled for the old-fashioned split screen shot.

• 
  

Overall, I think the Derby was a little bit of a letdown. It didn't have the excitement that I was looking forward to because the race was basically over at the head of the stretch. When Street Sense took the lead it was over. Hard Spun hung on gamely but didn't make it exciting. I think everyone was expecting big drama in the stretch.

The Triple Crown series might turn out to be a thrill anyway as Street Sense looks like a legitimate threat. Curlin is still a bit of an unknown. I'm not sure how Hard Spun will handle the distance at the Belmont but he has a good shot in the Preakness.