Declans Moon

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by lemoncrush

I don't think there's anything wrong with Ellis.

He's never been the sharpest tool in the shed.

Declan's Moon was gliding along while up near a very hot pace in the SA stake two starts back--he had Cheroot, who's a pretty useful Cal bred, seemingly put away. Declan's Moon (like all the other speed in that race) collapsed badly late. The race was won by horses closing from last and 2nd to last--who were pace aided.

Now---anyone who really understands horse racing---and has watched DM's last few races--they know that this horse only seems to want to run for about five or six fulongs max.

Coming off such a hot-paced route race---a trainer only has two viable options...if his horse is really healthy. They are A.) cut the horse back in distance to a sprint of six furlongs or less. OR, B.) give the healthy horse some time off...and hope something good comes of it.

Instead---the wizard puts blinkers on the horse (something that tends to sharpen speed--and doesn't help a horse finish any) and instead of cutting him back to a sprint distance--he keeps him going two-turns.

Now---what Ellis did is pretty damn crazy and totally goes against logic.

I will admit--once in a blue-moon you will see a trainer do something like this, that looks really crazy--and it will work out. However, the overwhelming majority of times, when trainers do something that seems that dumb, such results will occur.