While I think Neil Howard is an excellent horseman, I think Grasshopper has been mis-managed this year. After a very good effort against a really bad field at Fair Grounds in the Mineshaft, he ran well in the NO Cap but was just outmoved and narrowly missed.
Instead of looking at races like the Oaklawn Cap or Alysheba, he was sent to the Westchester, which is run at a distance that doesn't really seem to suit Grasshopper well as it is run at a fast early clip. He utterly lacked punch that day and then was brought back in eighteen days in the Pimlico Special over a sloppy track.
In the long run I don't think he's much horse and he may just be a Saratoga horse for course but now they're kind of on an island. You'd be kind of dumb to run him in the Stephen Foster if Curlin shows up, and there has to be some level of concern that he re-surfaces in the Whitney as well.
Maybe the turf is the future for this guy? Of course it is also worth mentioning that his full brother, Turf War, has been absolutely dreadful this year as well.
So, yes, Andy you were probably right about G-Hopper. As far as your other prognostication, Street Sense did get a rail trip in the BC Classic, he just lost to a better horse.
NT
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