34 Derby/Oaks runners from 18 trainers..

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by hi_im_god

i don't think i ever realized the volume these large barns have.

the name trainers have to be acting more as fleet managers for most of their stock, not actual mechanics. i guess when you hire them, you're buying their expertise on the abilities of the people they've hired to handle your horse (outside of the top tier runners, of course).

that's a great way to describe it. anyone hiring pletcher or baffert, or some of the others, has to realize he's a ceo of a company-not the actual trainer. all the hands' on training is handed off to assistants. they show up to throw a saddle on the horses on race days when it's called for.