The Eclipse Finalists

[The Indomitable DrugS]

They both won their Grade 1's in miserable weather conditions ... and neither trained 5 other Grade 1 winners.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

You can argue that RK helped Bafferts ROI numbers in Graded Stakes - and put them totally through the roof in Grade 1 stakes - but it also is a great training accomplishment to win such an important race with such a poorly thought of rat of a race horse.

Meyerhoff/Small must have thought RK had some ability for them to ship him from Maryland to FG for the New Orleans Handicap. What I can't figure out is why they never tried him on turf until he was sold. His dam Tough Broad won some grass stakes for those connections.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

They both won their Grade 1's in miserable weather conditions ... and neither trained 5 other Grade 1 winners.

We understand the love PG1985.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Uh, no. I never much have been a fan of Baffert as a trainer.

You've got to give the devil his due though ...

13-for-40 with an insane $4.42 ROI in Graded Stakes in '08 - and his numbers were just crazy in Grade 1 races in '09.

People forget that Pioneer of the Nile and Zensational improved a tremendous amount under him...albeit more likely because Mott sucks with 2yo's.

Throw in a 2yo champion in Lookin At Sucky.

And - getting Grade 1 stakes wins from the utterly sucky trio of Internallyflawless, Gabbys Golden Girl, and Richard's Kid is no small task.

Todd Pletcher led all trainers in Graded Stakes wins in 2009 .. and he rightfully wasn't even nominated because of how his horses underperformed. I wouldn't be shocked if Pletcher beat Sheppard for 4th.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Uh, no. I never much have been a fan of Baffert as a trainer.

You've got to give the devil his due though ...

13-for-40 with an insane $4.42 ROI in Graded Stakes in '08 - and his numbers were just crazy in Grade 1 races in '09.

People forget that Pioneer of the Nile and Zensational improved a tremendous amount under him...albeit more likely because Mott sucks with 2yo's.

Throw in a 2yo champion in Lookin At Sucky.

And - getting Grade 1 stakes wins from the utterly sucky trio of Internallyflawless, Gabbys Golden Girl, and Richard's Kid is no small task.

Todd Pletcher led all trainers in Graded Stakes wins in 2009 .. and he rightfully wasn't even nominated because of how his horses underperformed. I wouldn't be shocked if Pletcher beat Sheppard for 4th.

As we all know, the Breeder's Cup means far more than the entire year ( ) and look how his horses performed then...