Pioneer...
 

Not sure if this was asked yet or not...Did he stop, get hurt or just have nothing left? He looked as if he was going to make his move, then it looked like a bunch of bumping, then he just stopped.

Or how about hated dirt

from what I read, they said the horse was just tired and they never should have run him back without more time off.

Or he hated dirt because everything that was said was he was in great shape and couldn't be doing any better.

Those misleading dapples!! ;)

he never looked good in the Preakness. even going up the backstretch you could tell he wasnt going easy and the minute the jockey asked for anything he got nothing.

that may well be a part of it, but heard them say afterward that the whole great shape stuff before the preakness was a bunch of smokescreen b s, which alot of people bought into.

now... if he tanks in say the travers or haskell... then it's a certain he didn't like dirt.

he likes dirt fine, watch the race

As opposed to this bunch of smokescreen b s that you are buying into?

wait...he wasn't in good shape, so they lied and said he was, and ran him knowing he was in bad shape? that makes NO sense.

that scooting up to the front from Gomez caught up to him.

It helped in several races. In the Preakness another horse was prematurely asked for run from the gate and took the close stalking position that Gomez also wanted. Pioneer isn't good enough if he can't settle early while facing rivals who run on.

he isn't good enough to be close to a hotter pace and finish well.

That's what happens when reading Steve Haskin. Ten years ago the guy had a good eye and made some sense. Now he's too worried about stepping on any toes by calling out a horse that doesn't look that good. Needs to keep those ties to the trainers so he can write another vanilla book. He had the audacity after the Derby to say he mentioned Mine That Bird looking great before the Derby. He did, but he said the same thing about 15 others. When you heap praise on the entire field than go back to take credit, you have zero credit in my book....

they would lose credibility if they did so. if they said he still was suffering from an injury, why did they run him? i can understand the derby run-or lack thereof. and perhaps he was rushed back too soon after making an effort-however much an effort a horse makes in coming in second to last.
OR, maybe he doesn't want to run that far. he looked good when racing at FG up to that 1 1/16th.

maybe he's just slow...

Slow and hated dirt, now that is a combo

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2009 Kentucky Derby runner-up.

The Jon White curse theory ?

:tro: :tro: :tro: