I’ve meant it when I’ve said that Andy Beyer is a good writer. Where Beyer falls apart however is in his failure to apply logic and deduction to the game of horseracing. In that application, he really is a man trying to navigate a canoe upstream without a paddle.
Sometimes, the things from his own mouth or pen are enough to leave one shaking one’s head in disbelief. What follows, in his own words, is writing from one of those times. Before reading this be apprised that Beyer assigned the fastest figure of Barbaro’s career (111) for his effort in the Kentucky Derby. Additionally, though a precocious 2YO grass horse, Barbaro's dirt victories leading up to the Derby were not impressive, even if one is of the belief that the Derby was, and by his own words Beyer is stating Barbaro's Derby was not a standout. How and why Beyer states what appears below and draws the conclusion he prints is for those with Beyer like minds to try and decipher. He is one of a kind.
“Barbaro accomplished no more than any of the three; his reputation rests principally on his victory in the Kentucky Derby. His winning margin was the largest in 50 years, but he beat a below-average group of
3-year-olds, and his winning time, while good, was not extraordinary.”
For the most part true, however, Beyer continues:
“Yet I believe Barbaro was better than any of the above-named colts and was very likely the best American 3-year-old since Spectacular Bid. He accomplished his Derby victory so authoritatively that the performance only hinted at his ability on dirt.”
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www.drf.com]
Really? Despite the golden circumstances, collapse of a weakish field and "average" time?
Maybe I should have titled this post, "How to Martyr a racehorse"
A little later, the following from "Kiss of Death Beyer" 3 days after the Derby.
[
www.drf.com]
Is anyone else of the opinion that Beyer needs to stick with "interest" stories?
CtC
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2007 01:56AM by Chuckles_the_Clown2.
