Flower Alley might be done...

...speculation that something was physically wrong with this horse earlier this year probably holds up as solid theory now after watching him pitch in the towel on the far turn Saturday....he was never a world beater to begin with but he is clearly not the same animal that pushed Saint Liam to the wire in last year's BC Classic...

I questioned the late satrt to his '06 campaign and the fact that Pletcher had to go find an easy spot at Monmouth to start off the year....just never had postive vibes about this horse this year, and I would go as far to say that I would be surprised if they were able to turn him around in time to make him a legitimate contender for the BC Classic this year......currently, he isn't even in the top 5 when talking about contenders for that race at this point...

I wouldn't be shocked if his retirement were announced soon - especially after another bad start in the near future....we've seen his best running...

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

...speculation that something was physically wrong with this horse earlier this year probably holds up as solid theory now after watching him pitch in the towel on the far turn Saturday....he was never a world beater to begin with but he is clearly not the same animal that pushed Saint Liam to the wire in last year's BC Classic...

I questioned the late satrt to his '06 campaign and the fact that Pletcher had to go find an easy spot at Monmouth to start off the year....just never had postive vibes about this horse this year, and I would go as far to say that I would be surprised if they were able to turn him around in time to make him a legitimate contender for the BC Classic this year......currently, he isn't even in the top 5 when talking about contenders for that race at this point...

I wouldn't be shocked if his retirement were announced soon - especially after another bad start in the near future....we've seen his best running...

Joel do you have any info on this? I have been awfully nervous about him since the race was over and haven't really heard an explanation. Any little birds whispering in your ear?

Nothing at all....just a gut feeling after watching the way he has been campaigned this year and seeing how poorly he travelled and performed Saturday...this is not a rumor going around and I don't want to start a rumor...this is just my opinion on the horse....he has some issues and they are obviously affecting his performance now...

Flower Alley looked awful during Derby week. But he did look good in the Salvatore Mile. Pletcher has this schedule mapped out ever since Dec of 2005. I doubt he had an injury then. I think the horse just ran a clunker and Pletcher didnt have him ready.

i enjoy reading this site but please do not speculate like this without information. it is not fair to the trainer because the betting public will get all over him for running a horse that was not sound. TP would never do that.

TP would have like to get a 2nd prep in and he was not able to. I would not count this horse out yet. He ran ok for 8F but was not totally fit for the race.

I believe it was made quite clear that it was just his opinion. If the "betting public" wants to make their own decision about where to put their money from someone else's opinions, then so be it. But I dont think there's anything wrong with what was said. I do agree, though, that TP wouldnt run him if he knew he was unsound...

[Gander]

How come Pletcher couldnt get that 2nd prep in him before the Whitney if he had this whole campaign planned out for the past 9 months?

Do you guys think there were physical problems that forced him to be out for those 8 months, before he beat Guns n Roses at Monmouth?

[slotdirt]

I don't think it's such a bad thing to say that perhaps Flower Alley just needed the race. I suspect that is the case, not injury. Besides, it wasn't like he was facing a bunch of chumps at 'Toga on Saturday. There's no shame in losing in your second start back in darn near a year to horses like Invasor and West Virginia.

[ArlJim78]

I don't believe its a knock on the trainer or that this is just a fitness issue.
What I am concerned about, and I believe others as well, is that it's something else physically that we just don't know about yet. He should not have given a performance like he did on Saturday if everything was OK, imo.
I'll bet that Pletcher was expecting more out of him even if he felt that he was a race behind Invasor in terms of fitness.

[Danzig]

i think pletcher mapped out a plan for a late summer/fall campaign to win hoy with the horse...problem is, flower alley can't read maps!
if the horse comes back ok from the race, continue on...tighten the screws and hope for the best. now, if he tosses another clunker..then ya quit on him.

Originally Posted by Danzig188

i think pletcher mapped out a plan for a late summer/fall campaign to win hoy with the horse...problem is, flower alley can't read maps!
if the horse comes back ok from the race, continue on...tighten the screws and hope for the best. now, if he tosses another clunker..then ya quit on him.

Looks like Flower Alley is ok physically. But they drew some blood and the should have the results on 8/8/06. I think they wont find anything. NEWS FLASH--Flower Alley ran a dull race the last couple of furlongs. He was not in shape, he needed this race. Pletcher is to blame for not having the horse ready. Plain and simple.

[hockey2315]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

NEWS FLASH--Flower Alley ran a dull race the last couple of furlongs. He was not in shape, he needed this race. Pletcher is to blame for not having the horse ready. Plain and simple.

Pletcher even said before the race that flower alley would need one before he'd be on top of his game. . . he's not to blame for anything. . . this race was just another step towards getting flower alley ready for the BC. . . i do think invasor is a better horse though