Pletcher and his TC Comments

Originally Posted by eurobounce

I dont think Todd should get any grief about what he said. His answer was well thought out and makes sense. And you are right, Todd always looks good and acts in a very dignified way.

Oracle--do you think there should be an incentive? If so--what would it be?

I agree with you, no incentive. But I don't really think thats what Todd was getting at. reread his comments again, read between the lines, hes eluding to the spacing of the races and not coming out and saying it. Noone wants to be known as the guy who is knocking tradition. But I think thats what he was eluding to.

Originally Posted by oracle80

I agree with you, no incentive. But I don't really think thats what Todd was getting at. reread his comments again, read between the lines, hes eluding to the spacing of the races and not coming out and saying it. Noone wants to be known as the guy who is knocking tradition. But I think thats what he was eluding to.

I read it two ways - the first was the spacing and the second was if you keep the spacing as it is, then offer some sort of incentive to run my horse back in two weeks and then 3 weeks.

Originally Posted by eurobounce

I read it two ways - the first was the spacing and the second was if you keep the spacing as it is, then offer some sort of incentive to run my horse back in two weeks and then 3 weeks.

Well I mean hes right. Noone is ever gonna tell you that they like taht spacing. If you maybe offered a bonus to a horse who runs in all three as long as he WINS at leats one leg, maybe you geta few extra horses in the Preakness.

Originally Posted by oracle80

LOL!! Same number as Allen Jerkens, Richard mandella, etc.
But if you wanna take any bets about how many he ends up winning in his life, I'd say the over under will be 15. Hes 38 years old. Most guys dont win one until at least their 40's. Frankel won his only TC race in his 60's, Whittingham in his 70's, Woody Stephens in his 50's, Lukas in his 50's. Baffert and Zito in their 40's.

the guy is 38 and his hair is totally gray, does he dye his hair, is he that vain, why would he want to look like he is 55.

[Gander]

LOL! That was funny Sec. Maybe its the grind every day. Tough business to be in.

Originally Posted by oracle80

Well I mean hes right. Noone is ever gonna tell you that they like taht spacing. If you maybe offered a bonus to a horse who runs in all three as long as he WINS at leats one leg, maybe you geta few extra horses in the Preakness.

I am not a huge fan of the spacing and I am not a hug fan of tradition. I think tradition gets in the way of progress (at times). But they need to do something to encourage not only larger fields but more talented fields for the Belmont and Preakness. I think the simple answer is to raise the purse to $3mm and to make it 3 weeks before the Preakness and 4 weeks before the Belmont. That is 3 races in 7 weeks which is doable. Plus add in the extra 3 weeks of rest before the Derby and you are looking at well rested and more mature horses.

[Gander]

0 for 49, huh. With an average like that he couldnt play for the KC Royals minor league team.

Pletcher is incredibly sharp and is clearly a superior manager of details. The guy is a superstar trainer like it or not and despite his Derby record. As long as his barn does become unmanageable. I think there is a limit to the quality you can give individual horses thru assistants.

Assmussen is seemingly at every stakes race in every state.

[alysheba4]

Originally Posted by Gander

Oracle is a bully. We all know that. If you cant see it then go see your eye doctor or call 1-800-Contact.

speaking of eye doctors, i should wear my glasses while wagering...... nothing worse than confusing the 7 with the 1 or the 3 with the 9. you have a tri 6/4/7 that you think hit......when you see the replay its 6/4/1 fuuuuckkk

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by pgardn

Pletcher is incredibly sharp and is clearly a superior manager of details. The guy is a superstar trainer like it or not and despite his Derby record. As long as his barn does become unmanageable. I think there is a limit to the quality you can give individual horses thru assistants.

Assmussen is seemingly at every stakes race in every state.

Pat,
You hit the nail on the head.
If you go to Toga, you'll see that both Todd P and Keirahn M have 72. Both sides. Both of them have very deep stables.
Shug has 38, Linda Rice has 38, Jim Jerkens has 38. Same with Frank LaBocceta.
The stall space is very expensive, and if they don't produce...down the road they go.
Those big guys win their share, no question. But they have deeper resources available. More horses to sort through.
I like the trainers that connect with those that they've more carefully culled.
Just my opinion. More "hands on". Better attention.
You can always "dish the details" to your assistants.

As Kentness would say, "you don't know the pressure I'm under."

Sometimes, it does become unmanageable.
Just my two cents...
DTS