Back in May, there looked like a real good chance that an abnormally high number of three year olds could be entered in the '06 Classic. While injuries and underperformance have whittled down the potential runners, the remaining few are definitely solid enough to get the job done.

3 YEAR OLDS

Bernardini – The flashy pick. When he skipped the Belmont I wondered on this site if he was better suited to dominate the shorter distance of the Breeder’s Cup Mile. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Bernardini faced limited fields in winning the Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes, but he destroyed them with such conviction I don’t hold the quality of the field against him. The only way I see trouble for this horse is if a non-contender sets an unrealistic pace, and Castellano can’t hold the horse up.

Lawyer Ron – The unknown. He’s a winner of 5/6, including a late August win in the St. Louis Derby, his first race since surgery for a bone chip. In any other recent year he’d be a top three candidate, but I really need to see how he does in three weeks at the GII super derby before I put him anywhere beyond the middle of the pack.

Jazil – The opportunist. He's a hard closer that’s obviously better suited for long distances, but would take advantage of any lapse in pace.The horse is currently on the shelf with a bone bruise, and doubtful for the Classic. Unfortunately I don’t expect him to show up, but it sure would be nice. Along with Barbaro and Bluegrass Cat, part of a trio of 3 year-olds who could have strongly contended in this race.