I know, I know….what can I say – he inspires me to no end.

As to the Arc…aside from the “sporting” comments I have read ( and with which I agree…to an extent. I do not make Mr. Jackson as solely a “sportsman.”)

Well, in the context of celestial bodies vis a vis horseracing…the Arc would be like jumping over the moon. I wonder if Curlin’s stud deal will “eclipse” the combined deals of SS, HS & AGS…should he accomplish such an improbable feat?

Don- you’re one of the best pace handicappers I know, so now I”m really worried about Curlin running in the Arc.

@Kevin – Oh yeah, nailed that tri-although I was very upset when Einstein nosed Barcola for 2nd. I figured that probably burned a lot of exactas. I tend to try the trifectas just because of the usual bigger payouts. They seemed the logical 3 to play so I put both Barcola and Einstein in 2nd and 3rd. Thank god!

By the way – to any readers with an a love for the history of horse racing, do make sure you check out Kevin’s blog “Colin’s Ghost” – it’s phenomenal!

http://www.colinsghost.org/

@ Jerry – BB is the only dirt horse in the U.S. that would worry me in a matchup with Curlin, although I’d like to see Heatseeker and Curlin go at it at some point as well.

@Soul Merlin – You have no idea how much such comments mean to me. I totally agree as well, although I do dabble quite a bit in fantasy football – even though that’s not really hardcore gambling. Not much of a cards or slots player as I just can’t really get into them, and I don’t bet on any other sports. Handicapping horse races is fun for me whether I bet or not. I usually end up betting at least a small $2 wager or two though.

@Steve – yes indeed – although I try to stay away from making direct comparisons to the horses of yesteryear if at all possible. I just wish I had been alive during the sport’s glory days so I could’ve seen some of the TC winners of the past.

The historical facts tend to weigh against Curlin winning against top class horses going long on turf here, there, or anywhere. Winning the Arl Million would be a huge accomplishment all by itself. Claiming “best in the world” requires winning the Champion S, the Arc or the Melbourne Cup.

The Foster Hcp should’ve been downgraded years ago. Barcola is a listed caliber horse with speed figures to match. And there can be no comparison to Secretariat, a 2yo champion and triple crown winner.