'Rags' with hairline fracture; '08 possible

Originally Posted by ajphilly

I don't know that you can blame Smarty's injury on the Belmont. It wasn't until he resumed training in July that he bruised his foot and then was retired for injuries blamed on the general wear and tear of racing. The Belmont contributed to it as did every race he ran, but I don't recall that specific race ever being blamed for his retirement.

It was discussed some on the internet. I come out tending to blame the race. WHen he went around the final turn he bore out considerably and after the race was over his head was hanging down, not good signs. I think it's likely the damage was done here.

I tried to limit my list to only those horses actually injured in the race and who did not race again or were not the same. List was limited to those that won a TC race.

If were to add in those that were not said to be injured but went sour a short time after the Belmont, the list might grow considerably. There are a number of horses that might be candidates based on Avalyn Hunter's book but could not specifically point to the race itself. WOrth thining about.

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prudery: Sure it's possible that the series of races could have done the damage as well. In fact I think you would have to factor all that in to do a fair comparison.

It's a fair pt. I think if people are going to use Jazil as a data pt. then you might as well start to factor in the derby, and the whole series of races. that's why I tried to just list those were actual injuries were sustained at Belmont.

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

He did not bear out considerably around the final turn and I just watched the replay to make sure. I also find it sort of comical that you factor in that his head was hanging down after the race and actually are going to present this as a part of your arguement that this is how you know he was hurt in the race. Please. I don't suppose it's possible his head was hanging because he just ran a very courageous 12 furlongs running hard every step of the way? Nah, can't be that.

Birdstone was not hanging his head like that, but I guess he knew he won the race. Nor did Smarty ever hang his down like that that I can recall.

He did bear out as he rounds the turn, it seemed like a lot to me at the time. Did he not continue to bear out as the went down the stretch? How far off the pole do you make him? This was noticeable to me...

[Danzig]

had smarty suffered an injury in the belmont, he would never have been put back into training.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by easy goer

Birdstone was not hanging his head like that, but I guess he knew he won the race. Nor did Smarty ever hang his down like that that I can recall.

He did bear out as he rounds the turn, it seemed like a lot to me at the time. Did he not continue to bear out as the went down the stretch? How far off the pole do you make him? This was noticeable to me...

he didn't bear out. as for comparing him to birdstone, birdstone wasn't pressured from the word go, unlike smarty. smarty was a tired horse at the end of the race, but he wasn't injured. as much as he was worth, had there been a hint of injury, he'd have been retired immediately, rather than going back to his homebase, and then back into training.

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Watch the replay again. Are you a horse whisperer? How can you tell injuries by a horse hanging his head after a grueling race? Does your eye know better than a vet, because he went back into training after the race.

You cant tell. We have nothing else to go on. IT's just some evidence, there is nothing that can be proved. No one's going to hand us x rays etc. so that's all the evidence we have. Its not conclusive, others may form other conclusions.

As I recall he seemed to bear out in the stretch but maybe I am not remembering it well. IT's hardly crucial to the main argument is it?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by easy goer

You cant tell. We have nothing else to go on. IT's just some evidence, there is nothing that can be proved. No one's going to hand us x rays etc. so that's all the evidence we have. Its not conclusive, others may form other conclusions.

As I recall he seemed to bear out in the stretch but maybe I am not remembering it well. IT's hardly crucial to the main argument is it?

john servis, after the belmont:

"He's going to get three or four weeks just to rest up and then we'll get him ready and put him on a schedule and map out a plan for the Breeders' Cup. He came out of the race really good."