THE BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC: THE STAGE TO PROVE GREATNESS
NOVEMBER 1, 2016
BY DAN MASON-HRRN
TWITTER: @DANMASONSPORTS
EMAIL: DANMASONSPORTS@AOL.COM
SATURDAY’S CLASSIC WILL BE THE STAGE TO PROVE THOROUGHBRED GREATNESS. SHOULD CALIFORNIA CHROME WIN, THE WORLD’S LEADING MONEY EARNER WILL CATAPULT HIMSELF TO A RECORD LEVEL OF WINNINGS THAT NO HORSE MAY EVER REACH. SHOULD ARROGATE WIN THE CLASSIC, IT WILL BE A STUNNING WIRE TO WIRE REPEAT OF THE TRAVERS BY THE ONLY 3 YEAR OLD IN THE RACE. SHOULD MELATONIN SCORE AN UPSET AT 12-1, IT WILL BE THE HORSE WITH THE BIG HEART THAT PERSEVERED, BEATING A SERIOUS ILLNESS COMING BACK TO BEAT THE BEST. SHOULD FROSTED WIN, IT WILL BE ABOUT THE HORSE WITH THE SMART STRATEGY TO LET THE SPEED DUAL HAPPEN UPFRONT ONLY TO SNEAK UP AND MAKE THE RUN IN MID STRETCH TO WIN.
THIS YEAR’S CLASSIC COULD BE HE STORY WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT ENDINGS. AS IT STANDS NOW, ONLY CHROME HAS PROVEN GREATNESS. ON SATURDAY, ARROGATE WILL GET HIS CHANCE TO PROVE THAT FROM POST POSITION 10.
ONE LAST COMMENT ABOUT NYQUIST: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE DIFFICULTY OF MAINTAINING TOP ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE. WHY DO MAJOR LEAGE HITTERS HAVE GREAT YEARS AND THEN NOT SO GREAT YEARS? THERE ARE PGA GOLFERS WHO PLAY WELL AND THEN GO SOUTH. IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN GREATNESS. AT THE OF THE DAY, NYQUIST WAS A GOOD HORSE…A VERY GOOD HORSE….BUT NOT A GREAT HORSE.
THE STAGE IS SET TO SEE GREATNESS ON SATURDAY.