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Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann
Since you are a new guy, I can understand why you think this. But not that many years ago, two weeks out was a typical time for the last prep. Many horses prepped even later - the Bluegrass S was 10 days out and the Derby Trial really was a trial for the Derby, first on the Tuesday 4 days out, then on the previous Saturday, 7 days out. You go far enough back and the Derby and Preakness were on consecutive Saturdays.
Overseas, trainers still race their charges this way; the last qualifying race for the Melbourne Cup is on the Saturday before the Cup on the First Tuesday in November. Horses not infrequently run twice during the 5 days of Royal Ascot and run well - Baddam won both the big long distance handicaps (2.5 miles and 2.75 miles) a couple of years back. Just today, I saw a mare win a 2-mile hurdle race pulling away, after she won a similar race for mares only YESTERDAY.
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I don't see how any of this is relevant. This isn't the 70s and we're talking about American dirt horses. Horses DON'T run every week or two now. They are much more fragile animals. Atoned would have no shot in the derby anyways because he's slow and just not very good (although, he can win today against a pretty bad group). To say Atoned wouldn't have trouble coming back to run in the derby two weeks from now because Man O' War and Australian jumpers could do it is quite laughable.