Clearly the Breeders' Cup changed the schedules for horses after 1984. Now horses 'debut' in late spring on their way to a campaign toward the Breeders' Cup. Pletcher and Frankel are examples of the 'new' trainers who cannot and will not run their horses too much for fear of losing.

Gone are the days when you went to Belmont in the fall to see the top horses run three Grade I races in a five week period in the Fall Triple Crown. Mineshaft would have run in all three, but the Marlboro Cup no longer exists. I shall take Old School over this any day.