34 Derby/Oaks runners from 18 trainers..

[pointman]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

It could just be my perception but it seems like they both get a ton of precocious 2 year olds, which turn into stakes caliber 3 year olds.

When Pletcher is winning every MSW at Saratoga and Belmont, then the first level allowances at Gulfstream, Baffert is doing the same at Del Mar and Santa Anita.

No arguing that Pletcher has more horses, but they are spread out over a few states whereas it seems like Baffert almost has a monopoly on a certain type of horse in California. Again, could just be perception, but often times for people perception is reality.

I don't see how either is actually "good" for the game by having so many horses, but it is also hard to argue with their success, which is the rub.

This is exactly the reasoning I was using when I asked the question. Sure seems to me that Baffert gets more then his fair share of Derby caliber horses every year, which is the subject of this thread, regardless of the total number of stock each trainer has. I don't see any appreciable difference between them when it comes down to the high concentration of quality stock in the small number of trainers.

When it comes down to it, I don't blame Pletcher, Baffert or any other trainer who takes on a high number of quality horses. I blame the owners. The owners are the people who could change this by moving some or all of their stock to trainers who are capable of training high quality stock but are not getting the opportunity.

Frankly, why owners want their high quality horses in the same barn as a trainer who has several other horses of the same level is beyond me. At some point the trainer ultimately has to make a decision on one horse that negatively affects another horse which would not happen if they are in different barns. But until owners realize this and move their stock, I don't see how this problem will be solved.