1.)Funny Cide
2.)Ten Most Wanted
3.)Empire Maker
Which one of these has developed the most since his two year old top and which one will continue to develop over the remainder of the year.
Right now on TG Funny Cide is two points faster than Empire Maker on his best day which was Preakness Day. However, that is the only time he has run faster than Empire Maker sine EM ran his 1/2 on Fla. Derby Day.
EM has formed a very good base that you have to believe he will go forward off, but how far forward? He can\'t go faster than Funny did in the Preakness can he?
Experts feel free to weigh in--its only an opinion.
Well here is the deal Silver Charm,because i\'m getting ready to run you down in the Santa Anita Derby.Funny Cide did run the fastest race in the preakness,but overall Empire Maker is the more consistent and will run faster in the future because off the trainer in the way Frankel gives horses rest.The focus here should be on the new comers who will be bursting on the seen in the summer,like Best Minister and Midway Road.Good horses who i\'m sure will run there fastest races this summer.
Freehouse,
Yes, you did mow me down in the SA Derby. However I won the speed duel lost the race angle (See \"Dave Litfin--Expert Handicapping\", a must read). So I really liked my chances in the Ky Derby.
You make a good point about Frankel but in Taggs defense he was going for the Triple Crown and he will NEVER have to run this horse 3 times in five weeks again.
I still think Funny may be the Sunday Silence of this year and Empire will be a little like Goer. The public will always assume EM is better than Funny just like they did with EG and SS.
Also while Bailey feels had he saved ground in the Derby he would have won, he forgets one thing. Jockeys often race wide because they think they are on the best horse and they want to stay out of trouble. If he had saved ground he may have found trouble or had to move earlier than he wanted to avoid it. So we will never know.
Hoping that others weigh-in.
We are just speculating here--post races bar room talk.
Maybe Sky Mesa will join this group before the year is over.
Peace Rules
When he returns he will have the three FFF\'s
going for him.
Fast
Fresh
Frankel
And you know that is the F\'n truth !!
I can\'t wait for the other 3 big guns from 2002 to run later this summer:
Sky Mesa
Toccet
Vindication
and another highly ranked colt of Winstar\'s control,Erinsouthernman from Elliott Waldens barn who also has not raced yet!
Mix in FC, EM, Peace Rules, and the rest and this could shape up as a GREAT race at the Breeders Cup in Oct.!!!
The question was about the big three:
Funny Cide: agree that Tagg won\'t run him on short rest again. FC is special and if he tanks in the Haskell, don\'t be suprised if he gets a long rest. He\'ll be around for awhile, but not sure he\'ll develop any more than he has, he\'s moved forward 5pts from a huge 2yo top. He doesn\'t have the vitamin packs that the Bobbies, Todd, Dwayne, Schuman, Robb and Lake have.
Empire: is royally bred and we\'ll not see him next year, off to stud. More money to be made there than racing. The bi/bo notations are troubling, though both were on sy surfaces. 6pt development from 2yo top, but with Frankel how much more is coming? He feels the Triple Crown should be his. He\'ll crank up EM for the Travers. Firmly believe none of the 3yo\'s will win the BC Classic.
Ten Most Wanted: might have the most upside, but you have to wonder about the addition of front bandages. One of the problems as handicappers, we\'re never sure why a 3yo makes a big jump and stays there. New blinkers, bridle, bit, proper lasix level, shoeing, magic dust whatever. He didn\'t collapse after his big jump up in the Illini Derby and made a nice forward move in the Belmont. Another heading to the breeders shed if he hits any GI wins before the year is out.
Vindication: will never see the track again.
Sky Mesa: they\'re already talking about his stud career. He paired 4\'s as a 2yo. He\'ll have a very short campaign spotted for a Dwyer/Haskell/Travers run. Won\'t win any of the GI\'s.
Toccet: hate the connections, not sure if he\'s even working. Several sore ankles doesn\'t bode well me thinks.
Ghostzapper had a scarry debut he\'s working a storm for another run for Frankel.
Midas Eyes has one of the best ever spring 3yo numbers -2. something. Frankel has so many others they keep running him in sprints but the breeding says longer.
Peace Rules: He\'s at the end of the line for the time being. But, his early speed and ability to get to the rail and run others into the ground will make him tuff, even with a higher fig.
Later,
\'sheets
More F\'n truth about PR; He won\'t win past 9f. on dirt. Not in top company anyway. Watch him go back to the grass, because bF will go for the \'green\' and not run his top horses against each other very often.