On the eve of the Eclipse Awards, when weeks of argument about the superiority of Zenyatta and Blame will come to end, the most pressing question is … who will the big mare be bred to.
My expectation is that the short list is something like this: AP Indy, Smart Strike, Distorted Humor. Someone will shortly ask, “What about Giant’s Causeway?” I don’t especially like him for this mare, but many might.
Bernardini is good enough but doesn’t yet have enough proof on the racetrack to satisfy some. Why would anyone send a mare of this quality to a stallion who isn’t fully proven?
So it’s a very short list.
My own preference, if the mare and the choice were mine (and obviously aren’t), is Galileo. He has the class, he had exceptional cruising speed and begets this, he had outstanding closing speed and begets this, and he is a good, medium-sized, sound horse. Hard to fault, isn’t he?
Now we await the formal announcement. The envelope please.
bloodstock in the bluegrass 