Thoroughbred racing is not static. 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 Authentic Jordans . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Cheap Jordan 12 Wings .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. http://www.wholesalejordan12.com/discount-jordan-12-wholesale/cheap-jordan-12-flu-game-china.html . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. Cheap Air Jordan 12 Retro . "I dont know that were close," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I just think, right now, the acquisition cost just doesnt work for us right now. I dont know if I can quantify how far off or things like that that they might be but I would say we continue to have dialogue. Cheap Jordan Shoes Free Shipping . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. ST. LOUIS -- Monday night turned into another missed opportunity for the St. Louis Cardinals, and it could have been so much worse.St. Louis entered the ninth inning on the verge of being the first no-hit victims in Busch Stadium IIIs 11-year history, but Jeremy Hazelbakers leadoff homer on an 0-2 pitch from Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks saved it from that distinction, if not the indignity of a 4-1 loss.Whats more, the New York Mets 8-1 loss in Washington kept the Cardinals (75-68) a half-game out of the National Leagues second wild-card spot. Theyll hope for similar help Tuesday night as well as a better result in game two of their series with the Cubs.Manager Mike Matheny, perhaps looking for any positive from an offense thats scored in just four of their last 34 innings, pointed to the last three outs of Monday nights defeat as a good sign.Its always good to score and then get another guy on base, he said. You try to make something happen and put a little pressure on them. We didnt care how it happened; we wanted to get something going.Time is running out to get something going for St. Louis, especially at home, where it fell to 32-40 and must win its last nine games to avoid its first sub-.500 season since Busch III opened in 2006.It wont help that itll have to face Jason Hammel (14-8, 3.50), who already owns two wins against it this year, a 2-1 decision on April 19 and a 12-3 verdict on May 24 in which he worked six shutout innings despite not having his best stuff.But the recent versioon of Hammel is one they might be able to hit.dddddddddddd Hes coming off a dreary 12-5 defeat Sept. 6 in Milwaukee, where he allowed 13 hits and nine runs, eight earned, in 5 2/3 innings.However, Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia hasnt been much better. Garcia (10-12, 4.58) has been pummeled in four of his last five starts, including a 12-6 loss Thursday night to the Brewers at home.Garcia was lit up for eight hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings, walking one and whiffing three, as he suffered his fourth straight loss.Whats more, St. Louis might have another injury concern to deal with as first baseman Matt Carpenter departed Monday nights game after seven innings with back tightness. His status for Tuesday night isnt known.What is known is that Chicago would love to clinch on its archrivals turf. The proof of that might have come in the sixth inning Monday night, when right fielder Jason Heyward enraged the fans who cheered for him last year by falling into the seats to snatch Hazelbakers foul fly.It also highlighted one of the big differences in the teams. While the Cardinals have been one of the games shakiest teams defensively, the Cubs sport plus defenders and good athletes at almost every spot on the field.Heyward jumping into the seats, Addy (shortstop Addison Russell) in the hole, JB (second baseman Javier Baez) all over the place, manager Joe Maddon said. All of that. ' ' '