Top 5 greatest training achievements in BC history

[VOL JACK]

Who is the one with Down syndrome?

[cakes44]

No wonder John Smoltz can't throw worth a crap anymore if this is what he's doing all the time.

[VOL JACK]

Speaking of Gator fans in tight jorts...where has Cajun been lately?

[CSC]

My choice would be Bob Baffert getting the much injured Midnight Lute to win the BC Sprint in 1:07:08 in his 2nd start of the year off of a 10th place finish in the Pat O'Brien.

[cakes44]

Just outside the top 5 IMO would be Frankel squeezing a 3rd out of Badge of Silver in the Mile off like a 9 month layoff.

[Sightseek]

I think William Livingston deserves a mention.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I think William Livingston deserves a mention.

the photographer?

[DaTruth]

Dickinson in 1996 with Da Hoss. He had one route to get to the BC; the Preston brothers' advisor had another, richer route. Dickinson's plan won out. There would have been major egg on his face if Da Hoss had flopped at WO.

[cakes44]

I would also include Dallas Stewart overcoming his own inability as a trainer to get a win for Unbridled Elaine in 2001.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by cakes44

Just outside the top 5 IMO would be Frankel squeezing a 3rd out of Badge of Silver in the Mile off like a 9 month layoff.

Funny Frankel was 0-42 in BC before S Squirt won the sprint, he was an abysmal failure up until that point. I don't think I will ever forgive him for not having Milwaukee Brew healthy to run in the BC Classic in the 2003, I was waiting to bet him in that race and the way it would have unfolded with his affinity for Santa Anita, he more than likely would have had a great chance at winning at overlaid odds.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by cakes44

Just outside the top 5 IMO would be Frankel squeezing a 3rd out of Badge of Silver in the Mile off like a 9 month layoff.

Yeah ... you honestly can't do a true top 5 on something like this because you don't know what's going on with the horse day to day.

A horse like a Badge of Silver or Midnight Lute or Gilded Time or Da Hoss all had extreme talent ... it's hard to judge how great of a training job those all were unless you saw what was going on day to day and really knew what you're seeing.

Jorts...a Gator fan tradition.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

A horse like a Badge of Silver or Midnight Lute or Gilded Time or Da Hoss all had extreme talent ... it's hard to judge how great of a training job those all were unless you saw what was going on day to day and really knew what you're seeing.

Not all horses with extreme talent win BC races they are supposed to, talent is immaterial to me because let's face it you can't train a Clysdale to win a BC race no matter how many training titles you have won, you have to have talent to win. Getting them to perform at the big dance and timing it to perfection especially with horses that have experienced setbacks or some sort of adversity is good training and at times this can even be called a 'great training feat'.