Dunkirk Dazzles Too

I know everyone is ga-ga over Quality Road, and not to take anything away from his Florida Derby effort, but I thought Dunkirk really ran a hell of a race as well. I think it certainly would be a mistake to be dismissive of his chances in the Derby....other than of course the minor problem that he may not qualify on graded stakes earnings. It was just his third career start remember; his first against stakes company and his first in five weeks. Quality Road (passing the two-turns test with flying colors) stalked what I suppose was a quick pace. Hard to say for sure given the fast fractions all day and the fact that this was the only two turn dirt race (which makes the winner's 103 figure a bit of a Fake Beyer). But I think one can make the argument that he had a good trip, especially if you accept the notion that the track there was speed favoring.

I mean, you gotta love the way Dunkirk rallied up to the leader in a seemingly effortless manner while five wide; it was kind of comical seeing Johnny V look over his shoulder inside as the challenger was ranging up wide. That was one impressive brush, and from pretty far back too. According to Formulator (and I'm still hopelessly hooked on the software version, even though it requires me to run Windows on my Mac), Dunkirk got the final three eighths in a race-best 36.73, and while taking the circuitous route too. Once he got to the leader, he was confronted with a quality opponent for the very first time. Quality Road was certainly impressive in rebreaking, retaking and retaining his lead. But I didn't see anything that indicates that on another day, with another race under his belt, with a more contentious pace, some added distance, a shorter route home, and, perhaps, a better timed move, Dunkirk couldn't turn the tables. Whether that will happen in the Derby (if he even gets in), I'm not sure; I hate the way he's being campaigned. I love the Toddster as you know, but when it comes to the Derby, he's like a baseball manager who changes his style in the postseason, eschewing the hit and run, or using starters out of the bullpen. Nonetheless I'm putting Dunkirk at #1 in my Paulick list just for fun. I mean, it's supposed to be fun, right?

I also dropped Friesan Fire from second to ninth just because Larry Jones would even consider training this horse up to the Derby. Seven weeks off, and no prep beyond a mile and a sixteenth? Are you kidding me? I'll be betting and rooting in full throat against this one if Jones tries to pull this off, especially since he'll still get bet. Even without the bet, I'd still root against, because it certainly wouldn't be a promising precedent as far as our Derby season goes.

And how nice for the Sheikh of Dubai. He can spend millions to pick off promising two-year olds, bring them home, run them in stakes races which he himself funds with outlandish purses so that they can blow away the American competition on graded earnings and deprive spots to horses of more modest and, perhaps, heartwarming origins. Who's idea was it to count these races towards Derby earnings anyway? Just look at his Royal Sheikhness beaming in this photo; just warms the heart, doesn't it?

And why exactly should I care about Mafaaz?