What myths can be put to rest?

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Those six are great ones.

I guess I'd have to add....

If your riding the favorite, you can't go from 19th place to 3rd place without leaving the rail and ever having a straw in your path.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Soon this grand race will be handicapped like any other daily race, no things from past running to throw out.

[skippy3481]

While, I don't disagree that some of the myths were disspelled, I think in a field as big as this, that you trends are important to help exclude horses. On this derby, any horse that was off longer then 5 weeks got tossed.. I always thought the whole juvenile-derby deal had to do with the horses that typically win the juvenile(being earlier developers and bred for speed) then the ones who win the derby(typically later developing or ones that improved the most during their 3 year old year) Street sense was an atypical juvenile winner and a more typical derby winner. I guess my point is everyone has something that helps them eliminate horses, and just because it doesn't fit one year, doesn't mean its a bad trend.

Im starting to lean towards trainers with smaller barns. Naf man says let the horse take you where you need to go. Pletcher has 5 in. One man cannot be as personally attentive. Matz the year before. Pletcher had over 30 nominees. No way he can give personal attention. Pletcher obviously has a very good staff, but the days of the giant barn domination might be gone (Baffert, Lucas) for this one race that requires so much attention (and luck). Young horses that as two year olds need to be constantly reviewed. Naf man spent a lot of time on one very good animal. And if the animal had faltered and not shown him what he wanted to see, I feel fairly certain he would not have put him into the race. Why exactly did CQ take 8 weeks off? I dont think we got the real story. That could not have been the plan.

So the italicized piece is my major thought at this point, which is probably off thread, but there ya go.

[hi_im_god]

Originally Posted by skippy3481

While, I don't disagree that some of the myths were disspelled, I think in a field as big as this, that you trends are important to help exclude horses. On this derby, any horse that was off longer then 5 weeks got tossed.. I always thought the whole juvenile-derby deal had to do with the horses that typically win the juvenile(being earlier developers and bred for speed) then the ones who win the derby(typically later developing or ones that improved the most during their 3 year old year) Street sense was an atypical juvenile winner and a more typical derby winner. I guess my point is everyone has something that helps them eliminate horses, and just because it doesn't fit one year, doesn't mean its a bad trend.

"On this derby, any horse that was off longer then 5 weeks got tossed."

hard spun was off 6 weeks and wins the race if street sense has to break stride at any point.

[randallscott35]

Somer is busy somewhere with a Sharpie.

[Danzig]

well, the two prep thing i felt wasn't that big an angle...didn't have a huge gap between the last horse to do it and yesterday.
i guess it just goes to show you that the right trainer, for the right horse, who he understands, can do the right thing and win it. much like matz last year.
also goes to show, that a smaller-time trainer (meaning a real hands on horsemen) such as matz, tagg, nafzger, can win this over a huge operation that can't possibly have enough individual attention paid by the 'trainer'.

[Cajungator26]

Well... one thing I WILL watch for is the horses coming over last minute from Keeneland. Pletcher didn't have a real final work over Churchill's surface with any of his horses (besides Sam P., right?)

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by Danzig

well, the two prep thing i felt wasn't that big an angle...didn't have a huge gap between the last horse to do it and yesterday.
i guess it just goes to show you that the right trainer, for the right horse, who he understands, can do the right thing and win it. much like matz last year.
also goes to show, that a smaller-time trainer (meaning a real hands on horsemen) such as matz, tagg, nafzger, can win this over a huge operation that can't possibly have enough individual attention paid by the 'trainer'.

That's an excellent point Danzig. Megastables like Pletcher and Asmus don't just win b/c they have more horses in the race....Tagg and Servis and Matz and Nafzger....Couldn't be happier with these types of guys.