Where's Paynter?

[Calzone Lord]

Before the match race between Sir Barton and Man O' War -- gossip of Sir Barton's physical problems and reasons for his layoff were all over. "The whole world knew" is what one reporter said.

A few months after Man O' War won that match-race ... ultimately his final career race ... this is what was reported in the DRF:

[Danzig]

yeah, i know i've read countless tales of trainers being less than forthcoming with info.
then there's trainers who do everything possible to fool with the media. ruffian had a stablemate-a black gelding-that would often be brought out to get pictures taken, so that the filly was left alone. her trainer didn't care to be bothered. i doubt he's the only one to ever parade a horse for photos who wasn't the actual horse they wanted to see. and whitely found it hilarious that they couldn't tell the difference between a filly and a gelding.

i think since info is so readily available now that people expect to know just what's up-but you really don't.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Before the match race between Sir Barton and Man O' War -- gossip of Sir Barton's physical problems and reasons for his layoff were all over. "The whole world knew" is what one reporter said.

A few months after Man O' War won that match-race ... ultimately his final career race ... this is what was reported in the DRF:

Yeah, that was the big reason they were really not thrilled about running him at 4. Having to top 140lbs with that tendon situation was just too sketchy.

[Calzone Lord]

That's an assumption -- the idea that he would have been handicapped into oblivion right away.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

That's an assumption -- the idea that he would have been handicapped into oblivion right away.

No it isn't. Riddle had his trainer Lou Feustel ask NY racing secretary Walter Vosburgh what he'd give MOW. Direct quote: “Lou, I can’t tell you exactly what weight I’d put on him next year, but I’ll say this much: I wouldn’t start him in his first out at a pound less than 140.” He also said, per Dorothy Ours' book on MOW, that he felt at age 4 a horse should carry much higher weights because “If a horse has gone through his two – and three year old races successfully, he must at four give somebody else a chance. The principle is that he has demonstrated his superiority, and his owner has reaped a sufficient pecuniary reward, and should be content to carry the penalties or send him to the stud…”

MOW raced at 138 at 3. The idea that he wouldn't have been asked to carry more is just not true. He had a reputation that almost got a walkover until Mrs. Jeffords stepped up, and based on how hard they had to work to get decent sized fields for him at 3, to get anybody on the track at 4 in races for older horses, he'd have to give a lot. Exterminator's connections made it clear, unless it was at 1 3/4 or farther, they weren't going to take him on in that race w/Sir Barton so public pressure might be the only thing to get them to cave the next year. I suppose they could've tried to run against unofficial 3yo/HOY Grey Lag who swapped wins w/Exterminator, but really? With that tendon and a high weights? Why bother?

[Calzone Lord]

Man O' War had just 114lbs assigned for the Suburban at age 3.

He might have got 140lbs in some slapdick handicap race against nobuddy -- but he would have been treated fine (for that time period) in a big race. Vosburgh was not one of the ones over the top impressed with Man O' War.

[Arletta]

"Mystery" solved.


http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-much-improved

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Arletta

"Mystery" solved.


http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-much-improved

call me sceptical