brilliant 2YO's that went on to be great at 3YO

[bdw0617]

we do this EVERY hear. some horse blows us away and everyone starts with the remarks. i was guilty of that with majestic warrior.


I got to thinking and i drew a blank. who is the last real, real brilliant 2YO that went on to be really brilliant at a route of ground as a 3YO and beyond?

I came up with favorite trick, but he was even a shell of himself as a 3YO.

[Bid]

Bid

[Fireslam]

Afleet Alex.

[Tucumcari]

Secretartiat
Easy Goer

[cewright]

Affirmed

[bdw0617]

Afleet Alex.

i would not call him brilliant at 2. good. not brilliant.

[chicago78]

Street Sense. Lookin at Lucky. Afleet Alex.

[bdw0617]

would not call street sense brilliant either. he had 1 good race.

[Fireslam]

Afleet Alex won his first 4 starts as a 2 year old by a combined 28 lengths, including 2 stakes, one Grade 1. Lost his last 2 races by less than a legnth, coming in second in both. Thats way better than "good".

[TJ]

we do this EVERY hear. some horse blows us away and everyone starts with the remarks. i was guilty of that with majestic warrior.


I got to thinking and i drew a blank. who is the last real, real brilliant 2YO that went on to be really brilliant at a route of ground as a 3YO and beyond?

I came up with favorite trick, but he was even a shell of himself as a 3YO.

Hi bdw,
That's a tough one as lately there's been no one that has been brilliant at 2 and 3+. Spectacular Bid came close as 2YO champ of 1978, but didn't get the laurels at 3 as he was defeated by the older Affirmed for HOY in 1979. Since the early 50's there have been 5 two year old champions that went on to become 3 year old horse of the year. In 1954 Nashua was 2YO champ and was HOY in 1955, then came Buckpasser 2 YO champ in 1965 and then 1966 HOY. Of course, Secretariat, 1972 two year old champ and HOY in 1973, Seattle Slew 1976 2YO champ and HOY in 1977. Finally Affirmed, 2YO champ in 1977 who went on to be HOY in 1978 and 1979. TJ

[zinn21]

Man O' War..

[Bid]

In my usual defense of Bid as the best ever and best over 3 years, here are some of the major races he won:
Champagne Stakes (1978)
Laurel Futurity (1978)
Young America Stakes (1978)
Hutcheson Stakes (1979)
Florida Derby (1979)
Strub Series (1980)
San Fernando Stakes (1980)
Santa Anita Handicap (1980)
Mervyn Leroy Handicap (1980)
Californian Stakes (1980)
Washington Park Handicap (1980)
Amory L. Haskell Handicap (1980)
Woodward Stakes (1980)

Kentucky Derby (1979)
Preakness Stakes (1979)

I'd like to see a modern horse get that many starts, let alone wins at that level. Never lost between 7/8 and 1 1/4 mi despite being saddled with Franklin for much of that. And, while he didn't beat the older Affirmed, he was still Champ at 2, 3 and 4.
As to BDW's "and beyond", he won all of his races at 4 while setting 4 track records that year and 7 overall.
I agree that Affirmed, Secretariat, and Slew were awesome. I'll throw Dr. Fager into this conversation. My uncle tells stories of the way he dominated while carrying incredible weights.
This is a good thread BDW. It points out how easily we throw around that "Great" word. Much like boxing we're starved for true greatness.

[TJ]

Since Saratoga is just around the corner I'll go way back to 1922 and mention the 2YO Iron horse, Zev. In 1922 he was co-2 year old champ and at 3 was HOY. TJ
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... f-saratoga

[Jorge]

Majestic Prince
Genuire Risk
Tinajero
Mister Frisky
Sham
Dike
General Assembly
Flying Paster
Al Hattab

some of these had the disadvantage of being foaled in the same year of another mighty runner

[bdw0617]

for everyone who is bowing to kantharos, i have two words.



first


sammari.


i don't think the hype now for him is even close to what it was for first sammari and he got dismantled in the breedres cup juvenille.