John Mazza is an older gentleman who is always the first trainer in the gate at Monmouth every summer, and I doubt if he meant Summer Bird and the others were equal. He was just getting “into the moment” of the excitement of the Haskell, and it is true–his barn is the first one through the gate, and one of the barns where many of the good stakes winners who ship to Monmouth to run stay when they are visiting.
Mazza is one of the good guys–back in the 60s and 70s, he was the kind of horseman that is rare these days: his barn and horses were immaculate, he did not allow any cursing by the help.He taught me the correct way to rub a horse, and I still care for my exracehorses the same way–no shortcuts, buckets of water to bathe them (no hoses sprayed in their faces), stalls picked twice a day (I’ll never forget the day he made us do all the stalls over again at feeding time because they weren’t picked to his liking).
Times have changed for his barn–but he still appreciates good horses, and I’d suggest you cut him some slack.
Admittedly, I’m partial because he introduced me to Thoroughbred racing way back when I was 19-years -old and he’s the firt trainer I ever worked for. We remain good friends.
OK back to the original post–sorry. Had to let you know he is special.
Although if Summer Bird 
): She is in a much, much tougher race than the one Mine That Bird is in. If she wins this or even acquits herself well, she is even more special than I give her credit for being.
:lol: (Alas, I have scrubbed each and every one of them – three by Curlin, one by Galileo and one by Point Given – from the site. But no doubt more will be cropping up.)
