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Originally Posted by tector
This was a rush job. Pletcher has essentially conceded that. If the horse is out because of it, presumably even you will concede it was not the wisest course. I am just saying it now.
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Mr. Pletcher, or his owner, hasn't learned from history.
Back a few years, a very nice colt named Repent looked like a top Derby contender until he came home gasping behind War Emblem's tour de force in the Illinois Derby. He had surgery for a bone chip, was out for several months. He was bred to be a natural 10f horse so his people decided to bring him back in the Travers against a razor-sharp Medaglia d'Oro. Well, Repent gave Md'O everything he wanted, fighting down to the finish to be a close second in the mud. That was it for Repent; he had given his all and he never raced again.
As I recall, the same agenda was followed for Bellamy Road following his defeat in the Derby. He had been emptied out running with a super-fast pace and needed recovery time. Again, they brought him back in the Travers! And again, he ran an honorable second to a horse with race fitness, Flower Alley, and never ran again.
One could argue that having that prep in a sprint race makes this case different from those of Repent and Bellamy Road;that may be, but a horse who is suspect in stamina (which those two weren't), needs more preparation for a such a challenge of his limits.