The Original Game » e first time last June in the Vanity Mile. Beholder

Thoroughbred racing is not static. Clearance Soccer Jerseys Ireland . It cant be, not when the participants -- equine and human -- are made of flesh, bone, and blood. By definition, over time, performance will change.We got a perfect illustration of this over the summer thanks to Beholder and Stellar Wind. Beholder, a three-time Eclipse Award winner, and Stellar Wind, the best choice as champion of a 3-year-old filly division that lacked a real standout, met for the first time last June in the Vanity Mile. Beholder was making her second start of the year and Stellar Wind was making her first start as a 4-year-old, meaning it could be said Beholder had a conditioning edge a recent race will often afford. Beholder won the Vanity by 1-1/2 lengths over Stellar Wind, but the contest really wasnt as close as the win margin would suggest. Beholder was far from fully extended to prevail.These two met for a second time nearly two months later in the Clement L. Hirsch. It was the first outing since the Vanity for both. Beholder went to the lead and controlled a comfortable pace, a huge tactical advantage over Stellar Wind, who was being hard used at an earlier stage in the race than she would have been under different circumstances just to stay in touch with Beholder. Yet despite having the demonstrably tougher trip, Stellar Wind admirably persevered, wore down Beholder, and got the best of her by a half-length. And as was the case with the win margin in the Vanity, Stellar Winds win margin in the Hirsch did not really do her justice.Beholder came back to finish a game, if soundly beaten second in the Pacific Classic to California Chrome, finishing ahead of some other good males, while Stellar Wind sat out and awaited her third meeting with Beholder in the Zenyatta Stakes early this month.If the Clement Hirsch was an indication that Stellar Wind had loosened Beholders grip on the older dirt female division, the outcome of the Zenyatta offered proof that a passing of the torch had indeed taken place.In a race very similar to the Hirsch, Beholder tactically controlled the Zenyatta pace while Stellar Wind was hard pressed to stay with her. Stellar Wind was doing the dirty work, not allowing Beholder to shake loose, which would very likely hand her the race, and keeping her honest at an expenditure of her own resources. Stellar Wind, who was also wide on the first turn, again had the much tougher trip. And again it didnt matter. Beholder ran great, as she always does. Stellar Wind just ran better, winning by a neck, and again being better than just a neck would suggest.As noted, this game is not static, and all of this comes to mind because I see a situation analogous to the above example in the biggest stakes race on Saturday, the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup for 3-year-old fillies on the turf.Since last fall, Catch a Glimpse has been the best grass filly of her generation in North America, winning eight straight races on grass since switching to the surface in her second career start in August of last year. Among the big races she won were last years Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies, the Penn Mile over males, the Belmont Oaks in game fashion. And along the way, Catch a Glimpse elicited favorable comparisons to Tepin, last years Eclipse Award winning turf female and, like Catch a Glimpse, a member of trainer Mark Casses barn.Time and Motion is a contemporary of Catch a Glimpses, and though a respectable fifth to her in the Breeders Cup last fall when still a maiden, no one considered her an equal. At least not at that time. However, Time and Motion has improved steadily this year, and changed her frame of reference to Catch a Glimpse over the summer. Time and Motion was a gaining second to Catch a Glimpse in the Belmont Oaks, beaten just a half length, and in August, Time and Motion handed Catch a Glimpse her first ever loss on turf, beating her in the Lake Placid Stakes.The Lake Placid was run in a similar manner to the Clement Hirsch involving Stellar Wind and Beholder. Catch a Glimpse, with better early speed than Time and Motion, controlled a comfortable pace, giving her a huge tactical edge over Time and Motion, who was put into a drive at least an eighth of a mile earlier than she would have been under different circumstances. Yet despite Catch a Glimpses big pace advantage, and Time and Motion having to make a sustained, grinding run, Time and Motion caught Catch a Glimpse in time to win by a neck. And sorry of you heard this before, but again in this instance, the win margin was not really indicative of the relative performances of these two that day. First by a neck doesnt really do Time and Motion justice.Catch a Glimpse will control the pace again Saturday in the QE II, and she will again be bet over Time and Motion. And no one would be surprised if Catch a Glimpse gains revenge on Time and Motion because, well, shes still a fine horse. But if you watched the Lake Placid with an understanding of all the factors in play, it is difficult not to think that when it comes to 3-year-old turf fillies, there has been a change at the top, and Time and Motion is, now, the better horse. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Ireland . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Cheapest Soccer Jerseys Ireland . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. http://www.cheapsoccerjerseysireland.com/ . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. The 2016-17 bowl season is set. We know any college football game is better than no college football game, but some of the matchups are more compelling than others, whether thats based on star power, matchup, swirling controversy, coaching intrigue or disappointment.Heres a look at some games that stand out for one reason or another.Most entertaining bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Clemson in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl semifinal is the most compelling game of the postseason. These two talent-laden teams are no strangers to the College Football Playoff, and no one will call it a gimme for Alabama in the final, if the unbeaten Crimson Tide take care of business against two-touchdown underdog Washington in the other semifinal. These teams -- and their distinguished coaches -- have the chops to shock the seemingly unstoppable Crimson Tide.Clemson starts with QB Deshaun Watson, and Ohio State counters with J.T. Barrett. Both surround their QBs with outstanding skill players, such as Buckeyes RB/WR Curtis Samuel and Clemson WR Mike Williams. Both have elite defenses. Both score a lot of points. Its easy to see this one being uncertain deep into the fourth quarter.Least entertaining bowl: First, there are no bad bowl games. Its college football, which is always a good thing. But you could make a case that Eastern Michigan vs. Old Dominion in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl might not be appointment television for everyone.If we sound like were being more soft than snarky, consider that the Eagles are playing in their first bowl game since 1987 and ODU is playing in its first bowl game ... ever.By the way, there are a lot worse things than chilling in the Bahamas with a plate of fried chicken and dirty rice from Popeyes.Best coaching matchup: No offense to Washington, but Las Vegas sees the showdown with top-ranked Alabama, the unbeaten defending national champion, in the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl CFP semifinal as a mismatch. The Crimson Tide are favored by 14 points, the largest margin in the CFPs brief history.The Tide are playing for a place in history -- as in, to be ranked among the all-time greatest teams. They have won 25 games in a row overall and 15 consecutive games against ranked foes, which is tied for the second-longest streak by any team since the AP poll debuted in 1936. Coach Nick Saban, already often rated the greatest college football coach in history, is going for his sixth national championship.Washington went 7-6 last season and was 0-12 in 2008. Yet there is one element that should give observers pause: Huskies coach Chris Petersen. At Boise State, his slingshot was pretty darn dangerous in David versus Goliath matchups, most notably the 2007 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. His ability to outflank, outfox and schematically dissect foes is notorious and celebrated, particularly with extra preparation time. Of course, the Sooners were favored by only 7 1/2. Its going to take more than a few trick plays and fortunate ball bounces to outduel Saban and the monstrously talented Tide.Best coaching matchup II: Wisconsin is going to be a heavy favorite against Western Michigan, but know that Badgers coach Paul Chryst is going to be a 10,000-word underdog to Broncos coach P.J. Fleck in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Chryst, 51, is friendly but laconic, a highly respected guy who doesnt seek the spotlight and didnt get a head-coaching opportunity until his late 40s. Fleck is just 36, and when he was hired in 2012, he was the youngest head coach in FBS and the first to own a birthdate in the 1980s.Fleck, a hot Power 5 coaching candidate, oozes charisma. Hes prone to dancing and frenetic speeches concluding with his trademark Row the boat! Chryst will lose the news conferences decisively. But know this about both men: They are excellent coaches. Chryst might have an NFL future, and rumors are already hot about Flecks potential landing spots.Something To Prove Bowl: No. 9 USC and No. 5 Penn State both had cases to be viewed among the four best teams in the nation by seasons end, particularly the Nittany Lions. As such, their meeting in the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual is a chance to make a statement. Penn State is the official Big Ten champion -- not second-ranked CFP team Ohio State, which the Nittany Lions beat. USC beat both teams that played in the Pac-12 championship game (No. 10 Colorado and No. 4 Washington). Last year, Stanford blasted Iowa in the Rose Bowl and earned a final No. 3 ranking. Its possible that the winner here will do the same.Anemia Bowl: Maryland annd Boston College meet in the Quick Lane Bowl the day after Christmas, but dont expect a lot of flashy offense after the holiday feast. Cheap Nike Soccer Jerseys Ireland. The Turtles rank 92nd in the country, with 25.4 points per game. The Golden Eagles rank 123rd, with 19.1.Disappointment Bowl: Nebraska and Tennessee were both ranked in the top-10 this season, but they will meet in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl as teams down in the dumps. Nebraska started 7-0 but lost three of its final five games. Tennessee started 5-0 but lost four of seven, including a season-ending humiliation at Vanderbilt.Just Happy To Be Here Bowl: Speaking of Vanderbilt, it will play NC State in the Camping World Independence Bowl, the Commodores first bowl appearance since 2013. After losing at Kentucky, Vandy was 2-4 and coach Derek Masons seat was pretty hot. But the Commodores rallied and now will play in the programs eighth bowl game ever. As for NC State, its playing in a bowl game despite at one point losing five of six games.By Land Or By Sea Bowl: Louisiana Tech ranks third in the nation with 359.8 yards passing per game behind QB Ryan Higgins. Navy, with no ocean options in college football, ranks third in the nation with 327.5 rushing yards per game, thanks to its option attack led by QB Will Worth. These two teams meet in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. You could view it as a test of which fighting style is better.Job Interview Bowl: Houstons season seemingly was all about now-former coach Tom Herman and his being coveted by every rich-but-struggling Power 5 program until Texas swooped in and signed him. Yet the Cougars underrated defense under coordinator Todd Orlando also should have been a story, and Orlando can work his way into the narrative in the Las Vegas Bowl Presented by Geico against San Diego State.Orlando is serving as interim coach and will interview to replace Herman as head coach. He could make a big statement with a win, particularly if he finds a way to stop Aztecs running back Donnel Pumphrey, who just became the FBS No. 2 all-time rusher. Stopping Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Dede Westbrook and Pumphrey all in one season would make for a pretty killer résumé.Recruiting Bitterness Bowl: One wonders how collegial things might be between Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher in the Capital One Orange Bowl. First, Fisher was one of the harshest critics of satellite camps over the summer, and Harbaugh loves him some satellite camps in ACC and SEC territories.Further, Michigan beat Florida State for freshman linebacker Devin Bush Jr.?in recruiting the past February, which is notable because Devin Bush Sr. was a former FSU star. Oh, then Harbaugh hired Senior to a position as a defensive analyst a couple weeks after signing day. It also might be worth noting that Senior was head coach at state power Flanagan (Florida) High School, where more than a handful of top recruiting targets play.Best Offense vs. Defense Bowl: In our annual enjoyment of the irresistible force vs. immovable object postseason matchup, we offer up Louisville taking on LSU in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl. Louisville leads the nation with 45.3 points per game. LSUs defense ranks sixth, yielding just 16.4 points per game.When these teams play Dec. 31, its likely that Cardinals QB Lamar Jackson will have won the Heisman Trophy. He has accounted for 51 touchdowns this year (21 rushing and 30 passing) and ranks ninth in the nation in rushing (128.2 yards per game) and 17th in passing (282.5 yards per game). So, yeah, this is LSUs defense, led by new full-time head coach Ed Orgeron and his coordinator, Dave Aranda, vs. Jackson. That alone is reason to watch this intriguing SEC-ACC battle.Underhyped Stars Bowl: Remember Stanford all-purpose terror Christian McCaffrey? How well do you know North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky? Well, these two players, who have been mostly off the national radar this season for various reasons, will meet in the Hyundai Sun Bowl. McCaffrey, the Heisman Trophy runner-up last year, finished fourth in the nation in rushing (145.7 yards per game) and No. 1 in all-purpose yards. Trubisky ranked fifth in the nation in total QBR and 15th in passing yards per game (289), as he hurled 28 touchdown passes with just four interceptions. He also rushed for 270 yards and five scores. He and McCaffrey both project as first-round NFL draft picks. 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