Paynter back in clinic; Colitis diagnosed..

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

The nonsense with Paynter has been going on before he ever raced. At least Baffert didn't say Silver Charm, who was even better than Point Given.

Silver Charm and Free House had serious guts and talent. The more I've looked back at that Triple Crown season, the more impressed I am with the two of them. Not that I don't appreciate Touch Gold, but I do wonder what would've happened if Silver Charm had seen him coming that day. He was the most deserving of Baffert's chances really, and I'm a fan of the underrated "fish" Real Quiet. Charm deserved that win.

It's hard to think they'd have taken a Triple Crown winner down had Real Quiet gotten his nose in front of Victory Gallop (kind of like leaving up Goldikova when she clearly caused a mess). Talk about letting the air out of the balloon. The place would've exploded with enthusiasm and then turned into a mass of confusion. A real mess. He would've deserved the take down though. Maybe the best for everybody that it ended that way rather than have the controversy?