Have no clue about whether CQ is hurt or not, but sending AGS to the Wood doesn't sound like the worst plan. He seemed likely to have another gut-wrencher against Street Sense or Great Hunter in the Blue Grass and might not have gotten enough graded money to go on to the Derby. I thought it was nuts to send him to the Blue Grass in the first place. Could be wrong and usually am, but I think he will romp in the Wood.

I was hoping he'd run a mediocre 4th or something to get a better price on him on Derby Day as I agree, he was subjected to a likely lack of pace in this race.

If that's the motivation... SHAME ON PLETCHER. I was just thinking how he's almost got TOO many possible starters and trying to juggle them all is counterproductive. But why would he compromise his likely "top dog" if this is the case? I have to think something is wrong and if that's the truth, he shouldn't be considering running him in the Derby.

Actually, if he doesn't call an audible and send him to the Blue Grass, he shouldn't run him at all. The calvary charge isn't a place for a horse that's effectively had a 1 race campaign in 2007.

I agree.

CQ, was on the top of my Derby Trail horses (like most other people). With the move being made (i hate to say this) but i would rather hear that he is infact off the Derby Trail. 8 weeks without a race and skipping your last prep to be replaced by a stablemate sounds really fishy. I also hope this isn't a way for some of Pletcher's other stock to get graded earnings.

How can you have confidence in a horse that's been shelved for 8 weeks prior to the biggest race of his career?

-bt-

It is Pletcher, really can't question him. It will help his odds.....The horse is a light framed horse so maybe it took alot out of him, who knows

Are you booking that?

Quay has plenty of foundation so that is the only good thing. The Derby just isnt a good race for Quay with or without a race leading up to the Derby. He would have to pass 19 other horses and that just doesnt happen. I havent liked the handling of Quay at all this spring. I think the LA route was the wrong thing to do.

You have the SA Derby, Illinois Derby, Bluegrass, Arkansas Derby and the Coolmore left to get your graded money. So there are plenty of races left for Pletchers horses to try to get their needed money.

Well I am a getting.....getting off the CQ bandwagon right now. 8 weeks? never gonna happen. I wouldnt be shocked to see an announcement soon. dang.

Giacomo didnt have to pass 19 of em but he sure passed most of em... I'll never forget the first time I saw the blimp view, Mike Smith was movin that horse boy...Its a shame Rose let up on Alex for we would have another tc winner... O well , the mystique continues

If that was the case, and I was the owner of CQ, he'd be yanked from Pletcher's barn so fast his head would spin...I would borrow my buddies flatbed truck if I had to...Its safe to say that no horse will ever win the derby off of a 2 month layoff..No way, no how, unless he's a monster amongst stuffed animals...You take all chances away of him being primed for the big race.. A big disservice would be done to the owners of CQ if he was held out of the Wood because of a stablemates earnings (or lack thereof)...I would say "Let's hope thats not the case", but if it wasnt the horse would have soundness issues...Let's hope that's not the case

which of pletchers horses would he be trying to get in the gate in the ky derby at the expense of circular quay? i'm not sure that theory makes a lot of sense.

his most interesting horse at this point (besides AGS) is deadly dealer, and if run on the board in the arkansas derby, he should be okay for the race.

This is the kind of situation that makes you think of the way t-breds used to be handled.

Was very interesting hearing Bob Fox's segment this afternoon on the show about War Admiral and that he raced in a mile and a quarter allowance race just 4 days before his derby win.

4 days.. 8 weeks.. what's the difference?

romp over nobiz ? he will be lucky to win

maybe

I shouldn't have to start with this but on these boards, sometimes it's necessary.......I'm sure Pletcher knows his horses better than I do. Now, having said that, I don't like this at all. I'm not too concerned about the layoff. In today's game, it's just not as big a deal as it used to be. Used to be that u could count out all of the horses using only two preps because 90% of the field had three. Not this year. A couple of contenders will be coming in with only two so it's not as big a disadvantage now. I believe that Notional and Scat Daddy are the two biggest obstacles for Circular Quay to have to beat in the Derby.....and both of them will be coming in off of a five week layoff, which everyone said couldn't be done......until last year. So the game has changed and along with it, many old "rules" are being changed also. So the layoff is not a huge concern. Of course, it's not ideal but it's not that big a deal to me. What I find of greater interest is the fact that they had a plan for Any Given Saturday and now they are changing it, leading me to believe that he will be one work short for this race. I think this is going to be the last time we see this horse this year.

BINGO!

Me thinks, this is the case :(

It's totally logical for Pletcher to give Any Given Saturday his earnings shot in this spot rather than risk it next week at KEE against a group where there is a legitimate chance he would be gutted again going for a top placement. This would seem to assure 'Saturday' a healthy check if he does anything other than fall down as well as an extra week's rest going into Churchill. A win-win.

But as for going into the Derby with Circular Quay off a 2 month break... Yeesh.

If he actually does train CQ up to the Derby, I would be rooting mightily against CQ. That's all we need is for some horse to miraculously win the Derby off an 8-week layoff.

--Dunbar

i think it is a decision based on necessary earnings. CQ has them, AGS doesn't. even if AGS finished 2nd or 3rd that will give him enough earnings.

good decision? NO
just doesn't make sense from a conditioning standpoint