Who was the best horse out there today?

Anaimal Kingdom......took back couple of times........ any arguements?

I think he wins that race if he gets a little cleaner break but Shack ran Well  

Great race tho I do Like A K he reminds me of Zenyetta 

AK probably the best horse in that race but yet again a very brutal final time and the conditions were perfect.  pace was hot then it chilled out a lot.  He should be right there at Belmont if only because this is such a soft group.

AK was the best horse. I thought AK got a shitty ride and should have won. I think the horse would have had more late kick if it didnt have to expend so much energy around the 1/2-3/4 pole when the race was really bunched up in the middle of the pack.

I think that Johnny V needs to take some blame here. He didn't spot the hot pace early and he was in last place for almost half of the race.

I figured the hot pace might be his downfall and I, unfortunately, was correct. He is a great horse and if he comes out of this OK and goes to the Belmont, with Nehro there and a few others, it will be a great race.

I agree he was not prepared for that pace

The race I watched Shackleford was much the best.  He chased a very fast opening quarter (22.69) and a quick opening half of 46.89.  He then rated up the backside and got a nice breather, while saving enough to have a good enough kick  at the top of the lane to outlast the Derby Winner.

Conventional wisdom would say, another 1/16th and AK would have collared him, but this isn't conventional wisdom, it's horse racing. 

I think the Belmont will be an outstanding rubber match between two horses who are very game at the classic distances.

I agree Bull.  I didn't mean to shortchange Shack he is tough as nails and I give him tons of credit for that.  very game.  hey they only have to beat the ones that are in the gate with them so with this group Shack is a very tough customer. 

Can't really blame Johnny V. The horse is a synthetic/turf horse. He got some dirt in the face and held up. Not much the jockey can do there.

If your claim is, he wasn't used to the dirt in the face I agree.  If your claim is he isn't a dirt horse, I disagree and don't understand.

HUH? he is a turf/syn horse. What don't you understand? The Derby was his first race on a dirt track!

He just won the Grade I Kentucky Derby and finished a game second in the Grade I Preakness Stakes.  Two of the more prestigious dirt races in the world, and he's not a dirt horse?

Being a dirt horse is more about handling the surface than it is a little dirt in your face. 

And FWIW, the turf at Gulfstream and synthetic at Turfway aren't immune to finding the eyes either.

Lastly, other than prep races, I'd be very surprised if AK ever sees the turf again.  There's really no reason to go back to turf because he's bred to be outstanding on the green.