Barry Irwin Speaks Out

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

It seems pretty apparent Mr. Pletcher has forgotten how to train. He is invisible these days.

It is amazing. I was talking to a buddy of mine about this the other day. It wasn't that long ago that, possibly with the exception of Contessa, Pletcher had far more starters than any other trainer in New York at this time of year. This year, Barclay Tagg and Christophe Clement have more starters at Belmont than Pletcher, and Pletcher has very few wins (and of those I think almost half are maiden claimers or NW2L claimers). He almost has as many starters at Churchill and Arlington, which used to be his second and third string.

I always thought that the cold spell that he had at Saratoga last summer was not coincidental given its timing. Did his owners know something that we don't, as he no longer trains for Melnyk, has lost many Peachtree horses (to Clement and Jerkens), and even Team Valor gave its pricey Saarland filly Collegiate to Hennig.