[ELA]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I think that all of your variables are a factor. First off they have so many horses and owners that they only have to race horses when everything is perfect. If you have 5 horses for the same condition you just run the one that gives you the best chance of winning. That ability can make you very strong as a trainer. Same as a big claiming trainer who is likely to have more than one horse for each price. He can drop them and raise them with impunity because he already has a replacement if they get claimed.
Guys like Pletcher and Dutrow are spending a whole lot more on vets than most trainers because they dont care if the owners bitch or take the horses. That is not to say that all or any extra vet work will help. Slow horses are slow horses and the fact is that no vet work or vitamins will help. Believe me if you could "vet work" your way to the winners circle, we would all do it. Dont forget that these guys like Pletcher, Dutrow, etc more often than not have one of the best horses in the race, they rarely run real longshots which will help your %'s.
The fact that nothing ever changes when these guys get 30-60 day suspensions says a lot. If you havea lot of really good horses and a good program you will win, period.

Great post.

Eric