Should A Thoroughbred Trainer Know How Much The Kentucky Derby Has Taken Out Of A Contender?

Yes, I would sure hope so..Top Trainers know that the conditioning of the race horse can never be underestimated in its importance to the performance of their horses in competition. No matter how sound, how talented, how well bred horses may be, trainers know they have to follow proper care and maintain the conditioning routine/background. A trainers job is to know all about their horses, and it's his or her job is to keep the performance horse perfectly sound with proper conditioning... but without conditioning the horse will be doomed to failure on the track and ultimate lameness off. Top Trainers must make the right call, and most do. A trainer spends their entire life in the pursuit of conditioning horses to win. My respect goes out to horsemen of the old school. They have different training thought, I admire their common sense way of conditioning and conditioning philosophy.

Yesterday, I kept that Triple Crown hope door open, hoping Super Saver would win..however, it turned out to be a Hot Pace and Calvin Borel should NEVER of had Super Saver up there so early in a Hot Pace, the fact that Super Saver raced hard two weeks before, winning the Derby took a lot of him. he should of never had him on the lead that early. The other horses that ran in the Derby slowed their pace knowing they weren't going to win...basically saving themselves for the next race.. The times were really fast during the Preakness race. Many thought it was going to be a slow pace, including me. It just goes to show anything can happen in horse racing. Well, now that all is said and done, I'm very happy that all horses and connections are safe, healthy and happy!

My Picks were Super Saver, Lookin At Lucky & Jackson Bend, Lookin At Lucky & Jackson Bend save the day for me..really felt bad about Super Saver, but have great respect that Calvin Borel knew when to play quits...it's all about safety, and the health of the horse in the end.

:)

It is difficult for a trainer to make this call without the owner backing him up. The pressure within the industry for the Derby winner to come back two weeks later is absolutely enormous. I look at Neil Drysdale after Fusaichi Pegasus had a huge effort in winning the 2000 Derby; he stressed that he peaked the horse for the race and was not keen on the Preakness or the Belmont...we know what happened when Drysdale's voice was muted by Triple Crown fever; FuPeg flattened out in Baltimore - losing to Red Bullet - and his racing career was essentially over.

Yes they should and do. And so does the jockey. Whats your point?... Are you questioning the trainers ability to figure out whether a horse should be entered into a race, after only a 2 week rest period from an earlier race?.....

...Billy Ray