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Originally Posted by Danzig188
as for RHT--he was probably better off missing the race.
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Back in 1972, Charlie Whittingham had a huge T.V. Lark colt for Bwamazon Farm that everybody thought would be a really hot classic contender. Out of Princequillo mare, bred to run all day. He had run second in the San Felipe H and then was second again in the Santa Anita Derby, closing late. Then he went up to Golden Gate and handily won the California Derby (then a G2-type prep, 2 weeks out from the Derby, like the Wood). But Charlie didn't take him to Kentucky. Said he was too immature, not ready for that kind of test. Didn't run in any of the classics. But by midsummer, he was in shape to win the Hollywood Gold Cup over older horses, the only 3yo other than Round Table to do so, in 1:58:1, which equalled the world record. Quack went on to win G1s at 4 and 5, despite the sort of iffy ankles huge horses often have.
We need a few more trainers like Charlie, willing to tell the owner "Yes, you have a good colt, but if I run him in the Derby before he's ready for that kind of race, he'll be done, and I don't do that to horses."