Derby Trail Forums - Pletcher explains Flower Alley's last race

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Quote:

Originally Posted by moodwalker

Didn't Surf Cat run in the 2005 Big 'Cap?

He did Mood...as a 3yo...big mistaked IMO on Headleys part, but I guess he didn't want to ship him east. I pressed the pace for the great majority of the race last year.

I think he is TONS better as a 4YO this year and would give them all they wanted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GPK

He never ran in the Santa Anita Handicap....it was the Pacific Classic

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr.fager

He never ran in the Santa Anita Handicap....wasn't it the Pacific Classic or something like that?

I think it was the Santa Anita Handicap, where Saint Liam got worked by RHT.

It wasn't...Big Cap is in March...first weekend, no way a 3 year old would be placed there

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=29316

[quote=Rupert Pupkin] I have no idea what is wrong with Flower Alley but I'm sure there is a problem. QUOTE]

The EPO hasn't worn off from last year. Oh, excuse me, Todd Pletcher is the greatest trainer in the world and doesn't need anything to help his horses win.

RIP Left Bank

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gander

People who criticize Lava Man for not winning out of his home state absolutely crack me up. Actually criticizing a horse thats one multiple grade ones this year on 2 different surfaces. Flower Alley rests all winter and cant even be competitive in a race on his bread and butter track. Granted, Invasor is a nice horse and Sun King has really improved, but not even to hit the board in a race you have been targeting for months and months? Wow.

true true true...
and i also got a kick out of the criticism that lava man barely won his last...hell, maybe he bounced in that race, yet still won. after all, that is the point, to win! and he's done that all year. the pacific this weekend only whetting my appetite for when the man and invasor lock horns at churchill.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I'm just giving my opinion. I have no stake in this. I have no connection to Invasor or FA. Invasor is obviously a good horse. He's one of the top few best horses on the East coast right now. But some years the horses are stronger than other years. On the East coast this year, I don't think the older horses compare to the older horses on the East coast in 2004 or 2005.

By the way, I think that Discreet Cat beat Invasor by about 7 lengths or something like that.

With regards to the Barbaro/Sharp Humor comparison, I think that Barbaro ran about 5-6 lengths better in the Derby than in his win over Sharp Humor. I think Invasor ran his race against SK.

To address what Danzig was saying, I'm not saying that FA is better than Invasor right now. I'm saying that when FA is at his best he is much better than Invasor.

There are several horses out there right now that I think would beat Invasor by open lengths on their best day. I think that on his best day Bernardini would beat Invasor by 3-4 lengths. I think that LAva Man and surf cat would both easily handle Invasor on their best day. I think that Buzzard's Bay would esily handle Invasor on his best day. I will be extremely surprised if Invasor wins the BC Classic.

hard to say what he'd do at his best, when was the last time we've seen it? or here's a scary thought, what if his bad day the other day is now his best?

as for invasor losing to discreet cat, he never lost before, and he hasn't lost since--yet he's getting a whole lot of grief for that one time when he shipped in and sputtered. and now he's here, giving lie to the dreaded dubai jinx, and cleaning house.

hey, i have to say i hope they figure out what's wrong with flower alley. nothing i enjoy than watching good horses go toe to toe. but i'm leery about the continued high praise for a horse that has won once in a years time.