The Nine Running The Classic
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

1. LAWYER RON
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John R. Velazquez
Morning Line Odds: 5–2
This race is for 3-year-olds and up. Lawyer Ron falls into the “and up” part of that, and that’s why he’s the favorite. He’s professional, and he’s won 12 of 25. He used to have a hard time settling into a race, but he seems to have put that behind him and grown into a horse that knows how to run and won’t be easily flapped. He’s in a tough spot on the inside. He doesn’t want the pace; he wants to shadow the pace, just to the outside. He doesn’t like mud in his face either, so the task is to get him clear, make sure he doesn’t get bottled up, and then rein him in on Hard Spun’s flank. That’s a tough maneuver. If Johnny V can get him there, and he runs to the form he showed in his two last wins, it’s his race. But what to do about Curlin wearing him down on the stretch last out? He was game, but he was second, and I don’t see the excuse.
2. STREET SENSE
Trainer: Carl Nafzger
Jockey: Calvin Borel
Morning Line Odds: 3–1
It would be quite a trick to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvie, the Kentucky Derby, and then the Breeders’ Cup Classic (nabbing the Travers along the way). That would put Street Sense’s star — and stud fee — very high. But nothing he did in the last two races puts him over this crowd. His win in the Travers was no surprise — the field was far outclassed. Last out, he couldn’t catch Hard Spun. All the other 3-year-olds are getting better, he’s staying about the same. I would be more comfortable dismissing him if it weren’t for a crazy little pattern: His biggest victories all follow a loss over artificial dirt, and he seems to step up when are all eyes are on the race. Maybe they know something, maybe he’s set to win by 10 lengths.
3. ANY GIVEN SATURDAY
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Garrett Gomez
Morning Line Odds: 4–1
Four to one is a value here. Any Given Saturday’s summer has been spectacular. He didn’t do so well at the Kentucky Derby, but that was the last race he lost. Since then he’s clicked three in a row. Most important, he’s won at Monmouth in the Haskell (the only entrant with a win over this course). I don’t think that a win over the track is enough, in itself, to warrant backing him, but his win was huge. When they hit the stretch and shut down the pacemaker Cable Boy, the race was up in the air; Hard Spun had a nose in front, and Curlin was ready to strike. It was AGS that stormed to the front. While Curlin and Hard Spun dueled all out, AGS opened up daylight and ran away with the race. Last out, he overcame a six-length lead to take the Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont from Tasteyville like it was nothing.
4. CURLIN
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Robby Albarado
Morning Line Odds: 3–1
His last race in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont was thrilling, and his victory over the favorite here (and one of the best 4-year-olds running) puts him in a good light going in to Saturday. Clearly, he’s one of the top horses on the track. The knock is his unpredictability. Looking at the past performance lines tells you two things: He might very well win this race, and he might very well not. It’s easy to imagine a race that Curlin wins, and even when he’s not turning in a spectacular performance, he runs well, but I think he’s going to be too chalky to back, what with his recent win over the favorite, and the high Beyer speed figure (114) he earned in that race. The worst race he’s run was at Monmouth in the Haskell.
5. GEORGE WASHINGTON
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Michael Kinane
Morning Line Odds: 20–1
What a strange year it’s been for George Washington. He was retired a year ago, after finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He proved ineffective as a stud and was back in O’Brien’s barn in time to race in the Queen Anne Stakes in June. But upon his return, he has yet to race up to his preretirement form. In addition, he’s never won at this distance, and he’s never won over dirt. That adds up to no chance tomorrow, but O’Brien is no fool; this horse must have made the trip for a reason … I just can’t figure out what that reason would be.
6. AWESOME GEM
Trainer: Craig Dollase
Jockey: David Romero
Morning Line Odds: 30–1
This is a good horse, but I think the water is too deep for him Saturday. I could see him overcoming one of the top entrants here, but all of them? Too many excellent horses would have to misfire for us to see this one in front at the wire.
7. DIAMOND STRIPES
Trainer: Richard Dutrow
Jockey: Cornelio Velasquez
Morning Line Odds: 15–1
Diamond Stripes’s victory last out in the Meadowlands Cup was serious. He ran a very good race against strong handicap horses. Is he up to this crowd? It’s a big step-up. He hasn’t failed to get in the money this year, but that’s true of four horses in the gate, so something has got to give.
8. HARD SPUN
Trainer: Larry Jones
Jockey: Mario Pino
Morning Line Odds: 8–1
Eight to one is nuts for Hard Spun, and if it stays that high, I’ll plunge on him. The popular question is the distance of 1 1/4 miles, but if you look at the Derby, Hard Spun has over five lengths on Curlin at the wire. That’s not a horse failing, that’s a strong finish. On top of that, last out over 1 1 /8 miles, he wasn’t losing any ground to Street Sense after setting the pace. He’s going to have the pace again tomorrow, and he’s got his work cut out for him, but he’s game. I see a scenario that puts him in second, but I don’t see him falling any farther back than that.
9. TIAGO
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Jockey: Mike Smith
Morning Line Odds: 12–1
If Tiago sticks around and races after all of the horses to his left in the gate Saturday are retired, he will come into a spot as the dominant handicap runner in America. Will this start tomorrow? It’s hard to see it. His two last races have both been excellent, but I’m not sure that two victories over California Polytrack translates to a victory at the Jersey Shore in the Classic. To back Tiago is to imagine the failure of at least four horses. That’s not betting on Tiago, that’s betting against the others, which is no way to bet.