Europe versus North America
November 29th 2008 08:21
This year it has been obvious to me how superior the European 3 year olds have been in comparison with those of North America. This was drawn into stark reality with the wins by the (French) 3 year old Filly Zarkava in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe - and the Breeders’ Cup Classic quinella of the European stars, Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator.
(photo: www.daylife.com)
Timeform have put this into tight focus with the list and weighting of the top 10 three-year-olds from North America and Europe.
The top European three year olds are rated superior on 133 pounds - and it is a dual honour with Raven’s Pass and Zarkava ranked equally.
In the US the top weighted horse is Big Brown on 132. In truth this may be a flattering assessment as I doubt if Big Brown was quite as good as many on the European list. The depth of talent was quite staggering this year in Europe.
Going further down the Timeform list we have New Approach on 132 - equal to Big Brown. Again - I think the comparison now flatters Big Brown.
On 131 is Henrythenavigator, a horse never defeated by New Approach, and only denied greater accolades by the late blooming Raven’s Pass. I would be putting my money on Henrythenavigator ahead of Big Brown on every occasion.
On 130 we have both Conduit and Tartan Bearer. Conduit highlighted his ability with a St Leger and a season’s ending win at the Breeders’ Cup meeting.
Further down the list we have the brilliant French filly Goldikova on 128 and her French counterpart (stablemate of Zarkava and one-time Arc favourite) Montmartre on 126. This was a classic year for the French 3 year olds.
When this list is measured against the North American list it is stark in difference. The conqueror of Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes Da’Tara is on 120 - ranked with the brilliant, but ill-fated Eight Belles. Second (equal of three) on the North American list on a weighting of 123 is the Canadian sprinter Fatal Bullet, who was a brave second behind Midnight Lute in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Also Music Note, who transferred from Darley to race for Godolphin this year and won most notably the Mother Goose Stakes and then the Coaching Club American Oaks - by 11 lengths. The third of this group is Proud Spell who won the Kentucky Oaks - by 5 lengths - on a muddy, slushy Churchill Downs. Even the ridiculous winning margins in these cases would lead to question the depth and quality of 3 year old opposition.
The Australasian list is headed by Whobegotyou on 126p (p: denoting likely to improve) - to which I think they have it right. Clearly our best 3 year old and he will only get better with racing. At least as a gelding we will get to see him race on next season and beyond, unlike those heading the other lists.
It was truly an exceptional year for the European three-year-olds. It was truly a very average (to poor) year for those of North America. And in Australia we had Whobegotyou.
EUROPEAN THREE YEAR OLDS:
133 RAVEN'S PASS
133 ZARKAVA
132 NEW APPROACH
131 HENRYTHENAVIGATOR
130 CONDUIT
130 TARTAN BEARER
129 PACO BOY
128 GOLDIKOVA
127 VISION D'ETAT
126 MONTMARTRE
126 TAMAYUZ
NORTH AMERICAN THREE YEAR OLDS
132 BIG BROWN
123 FATAL BULLET
123 MUSIC NOTE
123 PROUD SPELL
122 GEORGIE BOY
121 COLONEL JOHN
121 MAMBO IN SEATTLE
121 ZAFTIG
120 DA'TARA
120 EIGHT BELLES
120 INDIAN BLESSING
119 DENIS OF CORK
119 GAYEGO
AUSTRALASIAN THREE YEAR OLDS
126p WHOBEGOTYOU
122 AICHI
121 NORTHERN METEOR
121 REBEL RAIDER
120 SAMANTHA MISS
119 FIST OF FURY
119 SOUSA
118p WILANDER
118 FERNANDINA
118 TIME THIEF
A video of Music Note winning the Coaching Club American Oaks (Grade 1) by 11 lengths:
Goldikova: brilliant filly, but not the best in Europe in a brilliant year
(photo: www.daylife.com)
Timeform have put this into tight focus with the list and weighting of the top 10 three-year-olds from North America and Europe.
The top European three year olds are rated superior on 133 pounds - and it is a dual honour with Raven’s Pass and Zarkava ranked equally.
In the US the top weighted horse is Big Brown on 132. In truth this may be a flattering assessment as I doubt if Big Brown was quite as good as many on the European list. The depth of talent was quite staggering this year in Europe.
Going further down the Timeform list we have New Approach on 132 - equal to Big Brown. Again - I think the comparison now flatters Big Brown.
On 131 is Henrythenavigator, a horse never defeated by New Approach, and only denied greater accolades by the late blooming Raven’s Pass. I would be putting my money on Henrythenavigator ahead of Big Brown on every occasion.
On 130 we have both Conduit and Tartan Bearer. Conduit highlighted his ability with a St Leger and a season’s ending win at the Breeders’ Cup meeting.
Further down the list we have the brilliant French filly Goldikova on 128 and her French counterpart (stablemate of Zarkava and one-time Arc favourite) Montmartre on 126. This was a classic year for the French 3 year olds.
When this list is measured against the North American list it is stark in difference. The conqueror of Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes Da’Tara is on 120 - ranked with the brilliant, but ill-fated Eight Belles. Second (equal of three) on the North American list on a weighting of 123 is the Canadian sprinter Fatal Bullet, who was a brave second behind Midnight Lute in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Also Music Note, who transferred from Darley to race for Godolphin this year and won most notably the Mother Goose Stakes and then the Coaching Club American Oaks - by 11 lengths. The third of this group is Proud Spell who won the Kentucky Oaks - by 5 lengths - on a muddy, slushy Churchill Downs. Even the ridiculous winning margins in these cases would lead to question the depth and quality of 3 year old opposition.
The Australasian list is headed by Whobegotyou on 126p (p: denoting likely to improve) - to which I think they have it right. Clearly our best 3 year old and he will only get better with racing. At least as a gelding we will get to see him race on next season and beyond, unlike those heading the other lists.
It was truly an exceptional year for the European three-year-olds. It was truly a very average (to poor) year for those of North America. And in Australia we had Whobegotyou.
EUROPEAN THREE YEAR OLDS:
133 RAVEN'S PASS
133 ZARKAVA
132 NEW APPROACH
131 HENRYTHENAVIGATOR
130 CONDUIT
130 TARTAN BEARER
129 PACO BOY
128 GOLDIKOVA
127 VISION D'ETAT
126 MONTMARTRE
126 TAMAYUZ
NORTH AMERICAN THREE YEAR OLDS
132 BIG BROWN
123 FATAL BULLET
123 MUSIC NOTE
123 PROUD SPELL
122 GEORGIE BOY
121 COLONEL JOHN
121 MAMBO IN SEATTLE
121 ZAFTIG
120 DA'TARA
120 EIGHT BELLES
120 INDIAN BLESSING
119 DENIS OF CORK
119 GAYEGO
AUSTRALASIAN THREE YEAR OLDS
126p WHOBEGOTYOU
122 AICHI
121 NORTHERN METEOR
121 REBEL RAIDER
120 SAMANTHA MISS
119 FIST OF FURY
119 SOUSA
118p WILANDER
118 FERNANDINA
118 TIME THIEF
A video of Music Note winning the Coaching Club American Oaks (Grade 1) by 11 lengths:
| 24 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
