First of all, great timing on this post with the triple crown a couple of days away.
I have to chime in here because I was close to the connections and spent over a week with Afleet Alex at Lone Star in preparation for the 2004 BC Juvy.
On that particular Derby Day (2005), the rail was dead. That last dirt race prior to the Derby was the Humana Distaff in which Madcap Escapade was odds on and looked unbeatable, but she had a rail trip that cost her the race IMO. It looked like she was running in quick sand.
I'm not one to blame jockeys, but Jeremy thought it was his only option at that split second. There's no doubt in my mind that AA was the best that afternoon as well. After the Belmont, Tim Ritchey had plans to run AA in the Travers and he had a future on the lawn. A very special horse that I consider my all time favorite.
I agree with others, the racing gods have to be on your side.
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Good jockeys don't need instructions and bad ones don't follow them
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