As they crossed the wire in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the 2-year-old division appeared to be somewhat of a wreck. The race was won by an undistinguished English shipper named Wilko, who didn't run as fast as Juvenile Fillies winner Sweet Catomine. Roman Ruler, the hot horse coming in, showed nothing. Afleet Alex turned in a decent performance when second, but how good could he be if he couldn't beat Wilko? Weren't there any good 2-year-olds out there?

There were. They just didn't run in the Breeders' Cup. The events of the last couple of weeks have been very encouraging for the division, which includes two potential superstars in Rockport Harbor and Declan's Moon.

First Rockport Harbor. His Remsen victory Saturday proved that he is not an over hyped horse riding Smarty Jones' coattails. That may not have been the case after he won a couple of races at Philadelphia Park and then won the Nashua, earning a modest Beyer figure of 84. Still, he got a tremendous amount of publicity, mainly because he is trained by John Servis and ridden by Stewart Elliott, the same team that brought you Smarty Jones.

With the undefeated New York bred Galloping Grocer in the field, the Remsen was a true test. Galloping Grocer had won his three prior starts by a combined 31 3/4 lengths and his figures were legitimate. The two hooked up midway on the far turn and, though Rockport Harbor won by just a neck, he gave the impression that he had another gear left and was not ever going to let his rival by him. Asked for a top effort for the first time in his career, he also proved his capable of running fast. His Beyer figure was an impressive 102.

At this point in their respective careers, Rockport Harbor is way ahead of Smarty Jones, who didn't win a graded stakes until the Arkansas Derby. That doesn't mean his is as talented as him, but Servis is convinced Rockport Harbor hasn't come close to reaching his potential.

"Smarty Jones, at this stage in the game, was extremely talented," Servis said. "The big learning point for him, or the big immaturity point for him, was teaching him to settle. With Rockport Harbor, he's just loaded with talent and doesn't know what to do with it. He's really hasn't put it all together. When you watch him breeze in the morning, you can tell he's not aggressive. He just kind of does it because it's what you want him to do. If you could picture Wilt Chamberlain the seventh grade. You could see the talent, but then you watch him do things, you'd say, what is he doing? When this horse puts it all together he's going to improve by leaps and bounds."

A week earlier, Declan's Moon reappeared in the Hollywood Prevue. When beating Roman Ruler in the Del Mar Futurity while earning a Beyer figure of 107, he had already established himself as a top colt. The Prevue only confirmed that. He blew the field away in the stretch, winning by four lengths while covering the seven furlongs in 1:21. Should he win the Dec. 18 Hollywood Futurity, he should be named 2-year-old champion.

"I think he is a special horse," trainer Ron Ellis said. "The next race is the big one for us. Right now I'd say we're the front runner for the Eclipse Award, but I think we've got to finish it off and win the Hollywood Futurity and beat some of the good ones. And I think we've got the horse to do it."

Declan's Moon looks like a horse that does everything right. He runs fast and he's professional. He doesn't look like the type who will peak too early.

The big key for both is staying healthy. Should they, the 2005 Kentucky Derby field will not be lacking in quality.

Juvenile filly championship no contest
With Sweet Catomine's dominating victory in the Juvenile Fillies, the race for the 2-year-old filly championship is no contest. That's too bad because Runway Model deserves some sort of recognition. Her victory in Saturday's Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs was just her second stakes win this year, but she has nonetheless compiled a remarkable season. During an unfortunate era where top horses might run five or six times a year and need two months off between starts, the Golden Rod was her 10th race this year. She's been going since April 30.

Trainer Bernie Flint wanted to stop on Runway Model, who was third in the Juvenile Fillies, early in the year, but the filly wouldn't have it. She wanted to get back out there.

"She's a throwback to the old days," said Flint. "She's everything that I'd like to be if I was a racehorse. She's just a doll and she wants to be a runner. She was broken-hearted when I locked her up."

Loss won't hurt 'Pico'
Pico Central's loss in the Cigar Mile should have no bearing on whether or not he wins the sprint championship over Speightstown. Had he won, that shouldn't have counted, either. Nor should his Met Mile win count for anything, at least when it comes to deciding the sprint title. Somehow, people seem to have forgotten what a sprint race is and a mile is not a sprint, even if it is run around one turn. The definition of a sprint is any race under a mile. Case closed.