"If there was one race that tilted the emphasis of American racing toward speed and precocity, that race would be the Futurity Stakes."

"Grade 1 races for 2-year-olds made more sense when 2-year-old racing played a more prominent role, and when more juvenile Grade 1 winners went on to excel at 3 and beyond. As things stand today, having 2-year-old races make up 13 percent of the Grade 1 schedule -- when only eight percent of the total races run are for 2-year-olds -- exaggerates this division’s importance. Assigning Grade 1 ratings to races that don’t warrant them only cheapens the entire graded system."

"The Racing Post and RPRs were not around in 1975 when Wollow was around, but compared to the top two-year-olds who have come since then Frankel rates up with the very best. He achieved an RPR of 127+ for his Dewhurst success, which puts him in co-third on the all-time juvenile list alongside Xaar, Seattle Rhyme and Rainbow Corner - behind Arazi (134) and Celtic Swing (133). Since all of those came in the 90s, Frankel rates as the best European juvenile in the 21st century."

"I have Dream Ahead rated higher at the moment but I always want to believe the hype and, through not fault of his own, Frankel couldn't earn a higher rating because of the quality of the opposition. To get 130 rating a horse has to beat some extremely useful horses and, providing they all run their race, I'm hopeful the winner will be one of those once-in-20 year horses."