Preakness - after thoughts

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by RUFFIAN-333

As he ran for the finish line to me he look like he was tired

Compare that to the derby race that was longer and more grueling
19 challengers and he ran away from them at the wire

Wishful thinking that we might see another Triple Crown
But reality seems To suggest he will not get the distance

HOPE IM WRONG

Mike Smith said he was a tired horse after the race , , , BUT HE STILL PUT DOWN ALL COMERS. That's a real race horse and he's had real campaign lately. . . he does not like to lose, obviously. He could have spit the bit earlier when challenged vigorously by Good Magic but he didn't. He's is excellent hands with Mike and Bobby. It will a grand event in 3 weeks!!! And I'd like to make a prediction but it's way too early.

BTW - I am so tired of hearing that this horse or that horse can't make the distance. It's been proved many times that "being able to get the distance" is a human analysis that the horses that get the distance don't even care about and they do it. AMAZING!

[moses]

Originally Posted by DonGuido

Mike Smith said he was a tired horse after the race , , , BUT HE STILL PUT DOWN ALL COMERS. That's a real race horse and he's had real campaign lately. . . he does not like to lose, obviously. He could have spit the bit earlier when challenged vigorously by Good Magic but he didn't. He's is excellent hands with Mike and Bobby. It will a grand event in 3 weeks!!! And I'd like to make a prediction but it's way too early.

BTW - I am so tired of hearing that this horse or that horse can't make the distance. It's been proved many times that "being able to get the distance" is a human analysis that the horses that get the distance don't even care about and they do it. AMAZING!

Certain horses are definitely not built to be distance runners. That probably doesn’t apply to any horse that has won both the Derby and the Preakness, but I think it’s fair to say a horse that’s never won a race over 5 furlongs probably doesn’t have a good chance to win the Belmont. I think all anyone is ever saying when they say a horse can’t get the distance is that there’s another horse out there who is better suited for the distance.

We’ll see. No one has beaten Justify yet. Hopefully he comes out of the Preakness doing well, gets some rest, and we can see what he’s made of in 3 weeks.

[JolyB]

The Justify we saw in the Preakness was not as sharp as the Justify we saw in the Derby. The taxing effort of the Derby probably took a lot out of him and the two week turnaround was not as much time as would have been optimal. I think that he ran a superb race yesterday, possible getting the final furlong on guts alone.

That's one of the many reasons that the Triple Crown series is just plain hard. A horse has to be made of iron to keep coming back and doing the same thing three times in a five week stretch. Only the truly exceptional need apply.

I'm hoping that Justify is such a horse and will be rooting that he is able to recoup his Derby form in three weeks. The horse that won the Derby should have no trouble beating any other three year old we have seen this year at the mile and one-half distance. The one who ran in the Preakness is in danger of getting caught down the long Belmont stretch. Other trainers will have seen this possible chink in the armor and may be making plans to be in Elmont on June 9. Should make for a heck of a race.

[cruzan200246]

If it wasn't for the wet condition he probably would have lost. Let's see how he perform on dry dirt

[Plenilune]

Originally Posted by JolyB

The Justify we saw in the Preakness was not as sharp as the Justify we saw in the Derby. The taxing effort of the Derby probably took a lot out of him and the two week turnaround was not as much time as would have been optimal. I think that he ran a superb race yesterday, possible getting the final furlong on guts alone.

The one who ran in the Preakness is in danger of getting caught down the long Belmont stretch. Other trainers will have seen this possible chink in the armor and may be making plans to be in Elmont on June 9. Should make for a heck of a race.

This! Yes. Mike said coming up to the finish he was kind of green and looking around. I think he was a tired puppy. Interesting to see the photos of him jumping over some tracks in the mud before the first turn. Mike said after that he was slipping around a bit until he settled in the back stretch.

I pray that Belmont Day will be DRY. I'm so sick of rain. While I'd be thrilled to see him take the TC I am not confident it's going to happen this year. Fingers crossed that it does but if it doesn't I will just look forward to his races the rest of the year.

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by Plenilune

This! Yes. Mike said coming up to the finish he was kind of green and looking around. I think he was a tired puppy. Interesting to see the photos of him jumping over some tracks in the mud before the first turn. Mike said after that he was slipping around a bit until he settled in the back stretch.

I pray that Belmont Day will be DRY. I'm so sick of rain. While I'd be thrilled to see him take the TC I am not confident it's going to happen this year. Fingers crossed that it does but if it doesn't I will just look forward to his races the rest of the year.

Well, me being the die hard cockeyed optimist I've always been and will be until I die, I'm all in with Justify in the race against all comers, bring'em on. Distance - shimstance . . . hey honestly tell me one thing he's done wrong compared to the rest. He's a winner that's al he knows. Has anyone gotten "the distance"?

He's put them all down so far in different ways (easy, tough, slop, dry) and if he's 100% or even 90%, he'll do it again, rain, sleet, or heat. Need I say more, not really! You can tell I like to go out on a limb. Nobody better in the stirrups and not body better in the barn.

Now after all that, I'll bite my nails just like all the rest of you who see the Triple Crown on the horizon.