Most Impressive in Defeat?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

He did cleverly add blinkers on Palace Malice in the Kentucky Derby, because the rider said he lost focus in deep stretch of the Blue Grass.

He did cleverly ride Chantal Sutherland on his rabbit Bishop Court Hill in the Jockey Club Gold Cup ... and proceeded to see her go out and duel stablemate Flower Alley head-to-head on a brutal pace, melting it down for Borrego to win like Damascus. Flower Alley way up the track.

It is hard to question him though. I'm sure we would have had another Woodbine incident if Stevens hit him once. Glad that tragedy was averted.

It is hard to believe that I have to defend Todd Pletcher as a competent trainer and I'm pretty sure he isnt infallible but I'd bet that there was a pretty valid reason why he didnt want Stevens to whip the horse. And we dont even know if that is what he said. Perhaps he said to Stevens that the horse doesnt like the whip as in the charts in his first race it says the horse was just shown the whip. Without knowing the circumstances or even what was said you seemed to have jumped to a conclusion.