Black Is the New Black
It didn’t take long after the Florida Derby for people to start decreeing Big Brown “this year’s Bellamy Road.” He’s also this year’s Indian Charlie, this year’s Pulpit, and this year’s Curlin.
“Big Brown is this year’s Bellamy Road” is this year’s “This is a wide open field” or “This is a weak crop.”
Other horses evoke memories of other horses, too. Just yesterday someone said that Colonel John is this year’s Prime Timber. That’s not bad, but I think of him more as this year’s Afleet Alex (especially if Big Brown is this year’s Bellamy Road).
It pains me to say it, but Court Vision could be this year’s Giacomo (especially if Big Brown is this year’s Bellamy Road and Colonel John is this year’s Afleet Alex).
Anyway, Giacomo always hinted at talent, but never quite got there in the big race and was “too slow to win the Derby,” which is how I feel about Court Vision. The difference is that Court Vision will be a third of the price.
Smooth Air is this year’s Deputy Glitters. He doesn’t deserve to be the longest shot on the board based on his consistent record, but he probably will be. Hopefully he goes on to win some nice races (like the Ohio Derby).
I heard someone say that Visionaire is this year’s Thunder Gulch, and that Z Fortune is this year’s Funny Cide, but I don’t get those as much.
Still, it’s a fun exercise in Derby history to compare horses from today with yesteryear. At least there is no Tincin this year.
