Not So Fast… Studying Crop Circles
This has been an interesting week in horse racing, with the closing of Aqueduct and the biggest showdown of the year in the Stephen Foster Stakes. But it has also been a time of reflection of what we had and what we have. As we head into the Saratoga meet, we leave behind memories of The Big A and look ahead to a new Belmont Park, while envisioning what Thoroughbred racing will be like in the years to come. This column analyzes the Foster and its implications, but also, and more importantly, how we look at this year’s 3-year-olds and one horse in particular. ~ Steve Haskin
Not So Fast… Studying Crop Circles
By Steve Haskin
This headline has several meanings, so we will attempt to clear it up a bit before proceeding. Then again, some may become even more confused.
Not So Fast — This pertains to 1) Speed or lack of it, and 2) Don’t jump to hasty conclusions before all the facts are in. That was simple enough, right?
Studying Crop Circles — This one you may have to reach for a bit, but we’ll give it a try. Have you ever noticed that when you look at crop circles from the sky they form an elaborate and perfectly structured design. But when you look at them from the ground they don’t look like anything at all. Well, you are about to learn the same applies to Thoroughbred crops. Make sure you are looking at them from the sky and getting a broader view before concluding whether they are strong or weak. I have seen way too many crops declared weak just from looking at them from ground level.
So, with that out of the way, we can proceed without you wondering what that cryptic headline means.
Just to keep it current, let us begin with Saturday’s Stephen Foster Stakes, although that is not the main focus of the column, but does serve as a worthy lead-in. By the end of last August, the 2025 crop of 3-year-olds was considered by many to be extraordinary, even better than the previous year’s crop that only saw 3-year-olds finish first, second, and third in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and then amazingly saw the same three horses (Sierra Leone, Forever Young, and Fierceness) finish first, second, and third again, in a different order in the 2025 Classic. The odds of that happening are beyond our comprehension.
But before that second Classic, many had already concluded that the ’25 crop, headed by Kentucky Derby, Belmont, Jim Dandy, and Travers winner Sovereignty; Preakness, Haskell, and Santa Anita Derby winner Journalism, who was second in the Derby and Belmont; and Pennsylvania Derby winner Baeza, second in the Santa Anita Derby and Jim Dandy, and third in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, were the nucleus for one of the most talented crops seen in years. And, like their predecessors, they were all coming back to race as 4-year-olds.
Oh, we forgot top mention there was also a horse in the crop named Magnitude, who showed signs of immense brilliance in two lesser stakes, the Risen Star and Iowa Derby, but got absolutely crushed by Sovereignty in the Travers, beaten some 20 lengths, and then was handled easily by Baeza in the Pennsylvania Derby.
Ok, let’s fast forward to now. Sovereignty has lost two races in a row, Journalism has lost four races in a row, and Baeza has lost three races in a row. What about Magnitude who couldn’t get near Sovereignty or Baeza? Well, he has won four races in a row, beating older horses last year in the Clark Stakes, upsetting the mighty Forever Young in this year’s Dubai World Cup, and has just beaten both Sovereignty and Baeza by picking their pockets clean right out of the gate and stealing the Stephen Foster Stakes, despite breaking through the gate before the start.
So last year’s much revered crop of 3-year-olds has now been turned upside down, with the best horses unable to buy a victory and the horse who couldn’t touch those top colts unable to lose. What a difference from last year. Was everyone so wrong about this crop? Here is where we use our first “Not so fast.” It is true this crop was judged prematurely from the ground, but we still have not looked at it from the sky. Anyone who has ever followed older horses knows that their season does not start until the Whitney. The latter half of the racing season also includes the Woodward and Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Pacific Classic, and Awesome Again Stakes, which all lead to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Only then can last year’s crop be judged properly.
The Stephen Foster was decided five strides out of the gate when Magnitude opened a clear lead on the five-horse field, with Sovereignty going way too wide for a five-horse field. Baeza once again showed that he loves the gate so much he has no desire to leave it. He was out of contention before he took a breath. What was ironic was that Sovereignty and his jockey Junior Alvarado had the right strategy in both their races this year, only in reverse. If they don’t go to the lead in the Oaklawn Handicap there is a good chance they win. If they go to the lead in the Stephen Foster there is a good chance they win. At least a far better chance than totally ignoring Magnitude. That is not meant to imply we haven’t seen a changing of the guard. Magnitude, always a big strong handsome colt, has matured into a professional powerhouse this year, who possesses tremendous tactical speed and knows how to use it. He has now defeated the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, Travers, Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Saudi Cup in his last two races.
Magnitude glides over the muddy track to win the 2026 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Keith Asmussen, father of Magnitude’s trainer Steve Asmussen, broke and trained the colt at his El Primero training center in Laredo, Texas. “When he left here we knew he had room for improvement, but he has improved even more than we could have hoped for,” he said. “He had quite a bit of physical maturing to do. There were no problems at all with his attitude and soundness like you’ll see with many new babies. Mentally he was very solid. He never got nervous about anything and even when he was very young he had the mind of a 3-year-old. He was extremely professional and had a lot of guts. When he left here he just needed to do a little developing.”
So, for now, let’s just remember that the Foster was run on a muddy track, with a rapidly improving classy colt loose on an uncontested lead. Sure, fans of Sovereignty would have liked him to at least beat out his new stablemate Baeza for second and not gone in reverse from the eighth pole home. That has never been a shortcoming of his; he has never lost ground in the stretch. So make of the Foster what you wish. Magnitude took control of the race right out of the gate and did what he had to do. Baeza ran another excellent race, but again in defeat after a sluggish start.
And as for Sovereignty, see me after the Whitney and I’ll have a better answer for you. I, frankly, have no idea what is going on with him. I do know that he missed his scheduled 3-year-old debut in last year’s Holy Bull Stakes because a fever interrupted his training. I do know he skipped the Preakness with his connections expressing that this year’s Dubai World Cup was their long-range goal for him. I do know that another fever cost him a start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. And I do know that he wasn’t able to make the Dubai World Cup after all. Last Spring, he surely looked like a Triple Crown winner waiting to happen, but it didn’t. So this past weekend, was it the muddy track that caused him to lose touch with the field when he should have been moving in to challenge Magnitude? I do know that there was a 25-length reversal between Sovereignty and Magnitude from the Travers to the Foster, and lots of questions that it is hoped will be answered in the Whitney. This is too talented a horse to ever give up on.
And let’s not forget White Abarrio, who has had his ups and downs throughout his career, and I would think there will be more ups on a more suitable track. Finally we have Baeza, who went from being “owned” by Sovereignty last year to blowing right by him in the Foster after conceding the field five lengths at the break. Stay tuned, this is just beginning to get interesting.
OK, that takes care of the Foster. We’re still dealing with crop analysis, but shifting to this year’s much maligned crop, especially one member who just happens to be the star and is in desperate need of a defense attorney after being accused of a reputation damaging crime. The defendant, who goes by the bright and cheery name of Golden Tempo, has done nothing but good in his quest for respect and has become racing’s cover boy along with his history making trainer with the movie star name of Cherie DeVaux.
Golden Tempo has duplicated Sovereignty’s feat of winning the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, while skipping the Preakness, but unlike the latter, his applaude meter is noticably lower. And we are about to tell you why in one word.
As his self-designated attorney I am here to state that my client pleads not guilty to the accusations of defrauding the public by pretending to be a serious, top-class colt who in reality is “Slow!” A slow horse is not supposed to be all over Facebook, X, Tik Tok, and all the other ruling bodies that control and influence our society. I will address the court and prove that my client has been unfairly branded with that demeaning word when the truth is that “slow” is relative and merely a perception, especially in the world of horse racing.
There is an old saying, “Your speed doesn’t matter. Forward is forward.” In other words, in racing, as long as you are moving forward you always have a chance to win, as the fleetness of foot of those you have to catch is often in question. And if there is one thing that is undeniable, it is that Golden Tempo is always moving forward, and all he has been asked to do is barely outrun the others who are perceived to be slow. To conclude the philosophical part of our defense, we will just say that it is not always how fast your are running toward your destination, but the path you take to get there. And can anyone deny that Golden Tempo has taken the right path in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont and has kept moving forward?
Many dismissed his Kentucky Derby victory due to the “slow” time of 2:02 2/5 and closing into a :25 4/5 closing quarter. His Beyer speed figure has no bearing on this case at all, as that is a manufactured number and is based on interpretation, not fact. What is fact is his final time and the quarter into which he closed.
We now focus on the aforementioned words “relative” and “perception.” Let’s state these facts:
Golden Tempo’s “slow” final time in the Derby was faster than the final times of Spectacular Bid, American Pharoah, Justify. Sunday Silence, Alysheba, California Chrome, Silver Charm, and Smarty Jones, and equaled the time of Seattle Slew and Winning Colors. Every one of those horses are in the Hall of Fame.
As for the slow final quarter Golden Tempo had to close into, yes it was :25 4/5 (his time was :24 3/5), but Seattle Slew’s was :26 1/5, Alysheba’s and American Pharoah’s were :26 3/5, Sunday Silence’s was :28, Justify’s was :27, California Chrome’s and Winning Colors’ were :26 1/5. And unlike Golden Tempo, most of those final quarters were theirs. To show once again how “slow” is relative, Golden Tempo’s time was faster than nine of the last 13 Kentucky Derbys.
Then of course he had the audacity to come back in the Belmont Stakes and run its 1 ¼-mile distance this year in a pedestrian time of 2:03 2/5. Well, of course that was at Saratoga, so if we were to compare it to anything it would have to be the Travers, run at the same distance and same track. We understand that the Travers times have gotten faster over the years, and the times for the races earlier on the Belmont card were ridiculously fast.
But on Belmont day, real speed burners were in the True North and Woody Stephens sprints early and won by two of the fastest horses in the country. It also must be noted that one of the classiest horses in the country, Nysos, won the Met Mile, where the fractions were two full seconds slower. Comparing his 1:09 2/5 fractional spilt to the two six-furlong fractions of 1:07 3/5 and 1:07 4/5 in the earlier sprints, his final time of 1:34 4/5 was, dare we say… slow? So perhaps the track was slowing down a bit. Then there was 1 ½ hours between the Met Mile and the Belmont with no dirt race in between, and a quick heavy rain right before the feature. So who really knows what the track was like by then.
Golden Tempo nears the finish in the 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
With all that, let’s take Golden Tempo’s 2:03 2/5 at face value. Gallant Man, who ran the then-fastest Belmont Stakes in history, won the Travers in 2:04. Whirlaway, who ran the then-fastest Kentucky Derby in history, won his Travers in 2:05 4/5. Thunder Gulch, who ran the then-fifth fastest Kentucky Derby in history and the second fastest in the previous 21 years, won the Travers in 2:03 2/5. Sword Dancer, the Horse of the Year at 3 and winner of the Met Mile over older horses, won the Travers in 2:04 1/5. Native Dancer, winner of 21 of his 22 starts and one of the greatest of all time, won the Travers in 2:05 3/5. We could go on and on, but we believe we have again succeeded in showing that “slow” is relative and not a proper label to put on a classy Thoroughbred, especially a Derby and Belmont winner.
Let us now address the early condemnation of this crop of 3-year-olds. We distinctly remember how vilified Alysheba’s 1987 crop was after he won the Derby in 2:03 2/5. But by the end of the year and all through the following year when everyone had a chance to see the crop circle from the sky, it was recognized as one of the greatest crops of all time. If you don’t believe us just ask AI, which stated, “The 1987 North American three-year-old Thoroughbred crop is widely regarded as one of the deepest and most competitive in modern racing history.” Among that one-time “slow” crop were Alysheba, Bet Twice, Lost Code, Gulch, Java Gold, Polish Navy, Cryptoclearance, and Afleet. That year, the Met Mile, Whitney, Marlboro Cup, and Woodward were all won by 3-year-olds, who also finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (by a nose) and Jockey Club Gold Cup.
So, I suggest we hold off on branding this crop as slow when we’ve only seen it from the ground where it looks like nothing more than a bunch of cut grass with no shape or form. With the state of racing now, it is time we pump up our heroes, most notably our classic winners. The old-time greats didn’t need pumping up for the simple reason being that they actually ran and ran often, and racing fans quickly forgot the defeats knowing a victory was imminent. Did anyone in the long run care that Kelso lost 24 races and finished out of the money in 10 of them, or that Forego and Round Table each lost 23 races in their stellar careers? I assure you they did not. Seabiscuit, considered by many the most popular horse of all time, lost 56 races. Perhaps we should start focusing on what our stars accomplish and not what they don’t.
It is fine to handicap races professionally on YouTube and assess a horse’s chances and his or her’s strengths and weaknesses. But keep the branding iron in the closet until a horse gets on a van for the last time and heads off to retirement. By then you will at least have had an opportunity to get a good look at those crop circles from the sky.
Photos courtesy of the Columbus Dispatch, Churchill Downs, and Coglianese Photos/New York Racing Association.
Racing historian, author, and award-winning retired journalist for the Daily Racing Form and The Blood-Horse, Steve Haskin was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame’s Media Roll of Honor in 2016. Known for his racing knowledge and insightful prose, he has been an exclusive contributor to Secretariat.com since 2020.
The conversation about crop quality is one of the most fun parts for passionate fans. Spotting one or two outstanding runners each season is pretty easy, but trying to judge an entire crop is a totally different discussion. And with so many horses retiring at three becoming the norm it always feels like we are assessing a story that ends halfway through.
Bold Ruler, Gallant Man and Round Table were so dominant, influential and consistently brilliant that many people see the crop of 1954 as the gold standard. There have been 14 other trio of contemporaries inducted in the Hall of Fame but neither are more memorable.
We have mentioned many times here that the crop led by Alysheba and Bet Twice is one of the most prolific in history.
But if you take the number of Hall of Fame horses by generation as a metric of quality one can say that the ones from 1966 (Majestic Prince, Arts and Letters, Gallant Bloom, Ta Wee, Ack Ack, Shuvee, Cougar II) and 1970 (Secretariat, La Prevoyante, Desert Vixen, Dahlia, Ancient Title, Forego, and the champion steeplechaser Cafe Prince) are the frontrunners.
If you look at more recent crops from the sky you can say the generation born in 2018 was truly outstanding. Look at these names: Essential Quality, Medina Spirit, Hot Rod Charlie, Midnight Bourbon, Life is Good, Jackie’s Warrior, Cody’s Wish, Malathaat, Olympiad, Rombauer, Speaker’s Corner, Elite Power, Mandaloun, Golden Pal, Next, Senor Buscador, and none other that the great Flightline.
The crop that was supossed to be led by Nyquist and Exaggerator had other good ones like Gun Runner, Arrogate, Songbird, Whitmore, Collected, and Accelerate.
The crop born in 2004 had Curlin, Zenyatta, Street Sense, and Hard Spun as its best runners and not other exceptional runners on dirt.
Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza, Nitrogen, Burnham Square, and Magnitude, have the rare opportunity of elevating their crop into be one of the top generations this Century.
Finally, if Golden Tempo, Renegade, Napoleon Solo, Further Ado, Commandment, Chip Honcho, Englishman, and Crude Velocity keep progressing the eay they have hinted, this group could end up being remembered as something special.
But you must be a warrior instead of a worrier for your horse to leave a legacy.
Agree with your crops mentioned, untill you came to 2023……SOMEBODY has to win those races, doesn’t mean they are something special! I thought Forever Young, Fierceness, Sierra Leone, Dornoch, Mindframe, Nysos was strong….this year? If this doesn’t look weak, then what does?.
I wasn’t betting yesterday. Just watching. No dog in the fight.
Is Antiquarian another overrated Todd Pletcher horse? He ran 4th as the 3-2 favorite yesterday in the Suburban.
No offense. I hope Todd Pletcher isn’t another one of Steve Haskin’s buddies.
He might have finished better, but his stumble at the break seemed to ruin his chances.
We are getting our first taste of what life will be like with FanDuel TV laying off all their on-air talent. My first impression: it feels a little lonely watching on my 65-inch. Some of the tracks have their own analysts. Which is fine. But not great. When they had the on-air talent, it felt like we were all in this thing together. Like I said, it feels lonely.
Thankfully, Saratoga is running right now, and we can watch on Fox, Fox1, or Fox2. Figuring out which one is always more fun than a barrel of monkeys. However, they still have their on-air commentators who mostly do a great job. Andy can wear on the nerves though.
Fox is trying to fill the void left by FanDuel TV. Yesterday, they were showing some races from Los Alamitos of all places. But they aren’t buying in completely. Not showing all the races. They used some former FanDuel/TVG commentators. Mike Joyce, Simon Bray, and Todd Schrup were there with their new Fox-polos.
It all makes me wonder what will happen to tracks like Horseshoe Indy and Parx. Not that I play either other than once a year each.
I’m sure that it will all work itself out. Churchill makes money. Their stock seems to do very well. They should put in some effort and buy out FanDuel TV. If that is even possible.
But for now, watching the rubble of what’s left of FanDuel/TVG feels lonely.
What a performance by Phileas Fogg! A fun to root for gelding !
Sweet Azteca sure loves Los Al! I hope she gets her chance to compete in October this year. Another Del Mar BC scratch that came back for a stakes win in 2026. Doing it on July 4th has to be “Sweet.”
Happy Independence Day, friends!
To win the Great Lady M three years in a row is quite a feat!
She was plenty tired, in the winners circle….that’s a long stretch for a comebacking mare, she held off a nice Mandella filly …but if she’s to win in October, she will need to be tighter and fitter, and I believe she will….
RE: G2 Suburban Stakes, Saratoga, R8, 1 1/4 miles.
Forged Steel, at 4-1, appears to be the one to beat, but I believe Parchment Party, at 8-1 could spring an upset. I’ll key those two on top, in the first two slots, with Phileas Fogg,
Antiquarian, Hit Show and Stars and Stripes underneath in the 3rd and 4th slots.
That is: 2,4/ 2,4/ 6,7,8,9/ 6,7,8,9 ($2.00 superfecta)
BTW, thank the Racing Gods that four horses and three jockeys walked away from that devasting spill at Saratoga today. Word has it that Javier Castellano was being evaluated at the hospital following that incident.
Paco Lopez was one of the of the jockeys involved in the spill, but came right back in the next race, winning the Schuylerville Stakes aboard Harper’s Corner, at 12-1.
The courage and nerve that these jockeys display is amazing.
edit: Paco Lopez was one of the jockeys involved in the spill
First stakes of the Saratoga meet and horrible chain reaction falls ….
It was indeed horrible but it’s fortunate it wasn’t a lot worse. Four horses and three jockeys walked away, and according to the report I heard, the fourth one Javier Castellano was being evaluated for hip pain. We’ll pray that it’s nothing serious, but the spill looked devastating.
When I was a kid we had Native Diver, you had Kelso…..then we had Ancient Title, you had Forego, and there also was Royal Glint, for the Midwest (Michigan Mile and One Eighth? What a name, for a big horse race?)…Then there was John Henry….a couple of infertile guys named Precisionist and Cigar……Best Pal….we had Lava Man….today…..there’s…….?????…….where have the standout geldings gone? Shared Belief was a tragic loss, but where have they all gone?
Funny Cide, too. And the great Rossi Gold, the pride of Arlington, who won something like ten stakes races there.
Arlingtonfan,
I looked up Rossi Gold, whom I hadn’t heard of before. He did indeed win 10 stakes at Arlington, according to Pedigree Query. He must have been wonderful to follow — he won at least one graded stakes every year for five years!
I am so tickled that you looked him up, Ms Blacktype! I loved that horse and saw several of his races in person. He had a thrilling running style and was such fun to cheer for. After the 1982 Arlington Million (the second running of the race), I got to visit him in his stall! Was I ever thrilled.
I didnt realize how well Funny Code did, as a 4yo….he tailed off, after that but was a crowd favorite, I always root for NY and Cal breds, when they enter stakes company….
It was originally the Michigan Mile, but they changed the distance to attract better horses and they wanted to keep the integrity of the original name. Most people got used to it.
Being Saratoga is about to open, how about FourstarsDave ! Lest we forget!
It could be another symptom of the “race to breed” trend. They don’t want to geld any horse with potential. Also the consolidation of breeding to a handful of expensive sires makes them too expensive to geld. It is a shame we don’t have the long careers to follow.
Yes. I do find it encouraging that geldings will be allowed to run in the Arc starting in 2027. It’s about time!
A toast to Ancient Title California’s golden horse 72 to 77!! Two other great California geldings Best Pal won inaugural Pacific Classic at 3! And one of the best mudders of all time River Buoy
I love your analogy..from the sky and I so agree with you. I do think we have a really good crop of 3 year olds and love how GT has progressed i also believe he will keep on getting better as he seems to me like he now knows his job. I fell in love with Magnitude last fall at Pa Derby he was stuck on rail which isn’t great at that track but when he was clear he had a look of determination on him that caught my eye..he didn’t throw in the towel. Maybe Baeza will soon stop loving the gate lol and join the party sooner. Seems to me Sovereignty isn’t interested like he was last year. Let’s hope they all keep on because it’s so much better for racing when we have really nice older males competing.
I thought Plutarch looked very good, in his recent work, in between horses, he held sway and pulled away, looks like he has grown some…. he’s out of Stellar Wind, who beat Beholder twice, in epic stretch battles…
Here is hoping that Golden Tempo’s bacterial infection is cleared up fast; that Sovereignty recovers his mojo; and Baeza wins another grade one. Actually, please God, I hope all three (and Magnitude) retire safe and sound.
Thank you again Steve for your work. Your column is the first thing I read on Tuesday morning. I at least feel smart for one day of the week.
As for high school, I had to have tutoring and summer school to get a D minus in math. I pay my bills on time, pay my own taxes without the use of an accountant; have never been audited (thank you Heavenly Father) by the IRS; and to this day don’t give a pile of horse hockey what time two trains reach the same destination.
Lol. So well said Sharon.
Like you pointed out Steve perspective gives us a wider look at the subject. We’ve all been guilty of reaching conclusions to quickly about every crop through the years. For myself these days I refrain from any conclusions because of lack of data. As of now it reminds me of the code breakers back in early 1942 in the Pacific. They could only read 10 to 15% of the data which gave them indications but no concrete conclusions. We have questions but the horses have the answers. Time will tell. Another superb piece Steve, you always give us something to think about.
Thanks Derek. Another good analogy.
Steve Haskin, The Voice of Reason.
A brilliant column. I can see that Mr. Haskin put in plenty of research time. I really enjoyed it.
However, I still say that Golden Tempo is better at a mile and a quarter than the rest of them. Best of the crop I mean.
Interesting that Cherie Devaux will skip the mile and an eighth Jim Dandy and train up to the mile and a quarter Travers. Sure, we were told that there was a setback. OK, if you say so.
Sovereignty was disappointing in the Stephen Foster. The muddy track was an excuse. Muddy being different than the sloppy track that he won the Derby over.
But I’m not sure that we have been told the whole story with Sovereignty.
He missed the Breeders Cup Classic with a fever. Again, OK, if you say so.
Sovereignty was off almost 8 months before his comeback at Oaklawn. Then off over another 2 months leading to the Stephen Foster. A weird pattern IMO. The horse looks good. But he doesn’t look like that beast we saw last year. The beast that got on them quick and seemed to swallow his opponents up in the stretch.
Sovereignty will supposedly run next in the Whitney, Better spacing at just 6 weeks. Can’t wait to see what happens.
Thanks Tommy. I agree about Sovereignty. He just doesnt seem like the same horse as last year. The Whitney will tell all.
I’m just happy that so many of last year’s top 3YO stayed in training so you could do this analysis! I hope it’s a trend.
Great analogy with the crop circles and an even better commentary on the relativity of speed. Perhaps there’s an Einstein like rule, Steve’s relativity of speed theory! Over the last few weeks, there’s been a lot of posting about the current crop being subpar, so it’s on-point, too. Golden Tempo and Sovereignty have set the bar high. Let others try to equal their accomplishments.
On a secondary topic, Isn’t it nice that things like high school grades don’t matter anymore for people over 60? For someone who didn’t excel at high school, you sure found your calling in life quickly enough. Most people spend their 20s floundering around figuring out what to do. (I’m thinking of my 27 year old god-daughter with the law degree from Stanford here.)
Thank you Ms B. My high school grades didnt matter when I was in high school. Other than a few subjects that I semi liked such as English and Earth Science I had an inability to concentrate. I had zero retention. What im passionate about I cant get enough of and it occupies my entire mind. What I have no interest in I give no thought. The truly great writers can write about anything.
I had a boring high school class…and I spent the entire time making up a horse race with twelve entrants….I made up the odds…including the 15.5% win take out….and I made up my wagers….I played Exterminateor and Swaps both to win, and an exacta box…..I remember Swaps was $8.30 to one….I cannot recall the price, on Old Bones, maybe 37-1….Secretariat was $2.70…Man O War $3.10….Citation $5.30…..(Dr Fager was 22-1, it was ten furlongs!)…..I put them all in my baseball cap—little papers, with the number of chits coinciding with their odds…..and Buckpasser won, at $12.70 to one, a $27.40 payout—Secretariat ran 2nd and Man O War third—–I did lots of things like this, I had the “All-Star Baseball” game, and made up a league of teams and played the games, kept averages….my nickname was “scoreboard”…..
OMG All Star Baseball was the greatest thing in my life. Making up those teams. I even kept score. I always wondered why pitcher Lindy McDaniel had such a big “Double” number.. I played with my cousin and Frankie Frisch who had the tiniest “1” kept hitting homers. Aa did Wally Moon. Lol
Pete Rose and Matty Alou had the largest “13”……they didn’t have all of the top stars, my big power hitter was Jim Northrup and Willie Horton had a decent #1……yes, Steve….All Star Baseball was the greatest! The spectrum from best to worst was All Star Baseball…..to that vibrating football fiasco!!!
(I THINK #13 was single….but it may have been #7)….
I guess they kept making them because that was after my time. My players were from much earlier than that.
What a great column—loved the courthouse drama and vigorous defense of Golden Tempo. Steve, you are an original ! Your writing gets an A+ from this old English teacher!
Thanks SS. Im sure many handicappers would fine me for contempt of court.
As you proved—-insufficient evidence!
Hi Steve, I love the crop circle metaphor and your comment “Perhaps we should start focusing on what our stars accomplish and not what they don’t.” There’s a lot of wisdom in that.
Thank you. Sometimes you have to split into the wind even when you know the result.
Hi Steve
Thank you for providing an excellent synopsis on Golden Tempo versus some of the past greats. I’m convinced we haven’t seen the best of this Phipps homebred colt who could move on to be one of the greats as well.
With respect to his finishing times in the Derby and Belmont, versus the horses you mentioned, I completely agree it’s all relative. Albert Einstein stated, “relative means that measurements of space, time and motion depend on the observer’s frame of reference”.
BTW, Golden Tempo is currently dealing with a bacterial infection and will miss Jim Dandy. He’ll train directly up to the Travers on 8-29. I hope he has a speedy recovery.
Its funny you should say that because I am often compared to Albert.
Is it your shaggy beard?
The hair….the hair!
🙂
I agree with your questions, about Sovereignity….the fevers….not making planned races, and face it…briefly it looked like he might finish last, on Saturday—around the 1/2 mile pole, when Baeza was nearing him….
Magnitude “survived” the “Dubai Hangover”, survived breaking thru the gate….very commendable….he was lone speed in slop—meaning he was never challenged, for the first five furlongs, and didn’t finish the race covered with a substantial amount of mud on him…. he’s very good, but it’s still June, and there are even more good horses this year…it’s a strong older division….
I have liked Baeza for a long time, now ..John loved him and now we know why—but Baeza is a “loser” type, and he beats himself …back in the day that was called a “dwelt” start…he stood there ….I could tell Bill likes him, he was walking next to him, going towards the track….
Bill Mott…in his post race interview looked stressed, I think he is under intense pressure to win a big race, for Godolphin….which is sad to think—he has done a masterful job, for them…..but he looked stressed, and I think we won’t be seeing Baeza and Sov together again, untill The Classic, sort of like when Charlie Whittingham had Ack Ack and Cougar, and everyone wanted to see them face off again….
I just think Golden Tempo leads a crop that does not look anything like the last couple of years, if he wins The Classic I’ll be wrong, won’t be the first time!….Terrific column, Steve, you “hit the spot”, we ain’t seen nothing yet!…..
Meant to add…. Magnitudes changed leads several times late….he also refused to be passed, on the gallop out—tough cookie!…
(there was a one mile stakes race run in 1:38 that Derby Day, 1979, when Bid came home in 2:02 2/5…Gordon Campbell said Flying Paster lost 75 lbs, on that deep dry surface… Spectacular Bid was not slow, Bud Delp said a safety pin cost him the Triple Crown…I think that Derby surface cost him the TC, that and Coastal, who was a good stayer….)..
Coastal was a realoy good horse and a favorite of mine. He had a great 3yo season, while never being sound. He battled with Affirmed and Bid in the fall stakes, and never got his due because of Bid’s safety pin.
Thanks Matthew love the Cougar Ack Ack and Flying Paster references 3 of my all time favorites!
Flying Paster was a good horse, with a tremendous dirt kick—one of the best I ever saw, dirt horses don’t kick like turf horses, but Paster did….I went out to see him as a 5yo, in the San Antonio, and was blown away, by his look—seemed like he gained 100 lbs of muscle! And he won, with his big late kick, that day….too bad he passed away young…he was a good sire, a good looking horse….
Great article, Steve. Final times can be deceptive when comparing one horse to another.Thanks for putting this in the proper context. Come home times tend to tell the story esp if the winner did not set the fraction at the quarter pole.. As much as I love my Beyer figures I realized early on that the Beyer figs for several derby horses seemed oddly off. At that point you just have to believe what your eyes are telling you. Golden Tempo coking home in 24 puts him squarely n the middle of the hall of fame horses you mentioned.
Thanks for snother great article. Your columns tend to be a great way to reminisce about great horses and great races. Thanks for memories!
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I appreciate it Dominic, thank you!
Steve and friends Citation was regally bred won the triple crown in 1948 missed his 4 year old season due to injury came back and ran at 5 and 6! I too think the year is nowhere near over for Sovereignty and Journalism great run by Baeza fun article Steve ! Appreciate you
And let’s take this opportunity to celebrate convicted criminal Linda Rice…
As a retired professor of Argumentation & Debate and a National Champion in Rhetorical Criticism I’d give Mr. Haskin’s argument an A. (and thanks for your response to my last post on Eastern Echo)!
To be totally honest that would be the first A of my life, so that is quite a maiden to break at my age. Thank you. But where were you when i needed you at Lafayette High?
Blair Moody Elementary School, not too far from Detroit Race Course. You have 8 years on me. And I believe your beloved Damascus was the best horse to ever run at DRC.
There is a story behind that race.
Would love to hear it.