Why Lukas went downhill

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Linny

As for the JCGC, my point was that the margin of loss was a product of the early pace and JV knowing that he want a contender at the 3/8 pole. He wrapped up. I don't think he could have been within 4 lenths, Borrego ate him up. The point was that the margin itself was meaningless. He proved it by running very well in the BCC.

I also find it hard to believe that if Todd knew after the Whitney that something was seriously wrong with his "HOY candidate" that he'd run back in the Woodward. You do that sort of thing with the claiming stock you refer to not the horse that you think could still get you an Eclipse. I'm sure that Melnyk is trying to sell FA for stud and any subsequent poor efforts with no announced reason cuts the price. If they know he has a particular serious issue they'd say so (to own the excuse) and not run him back. You don't wiat til the price is cut again and again by poor efforts, then announce why he ran so bad.

I know most of the lesser horses (and many of the top horses) have issues to one degree or another. They all have something that's not right. lesser stock gets patched up and sent over. Horses with residual stud value are handled with kid gloves.

I agree, good points.

[SniperSB23]

The BC Classic last year was a dreadfully slow race with a bunch of terrible horses outside of Saint Liam. Saint Liam got stuck with a horrible post and wanted nothing to do with ten furlongs but the field was so terrible he won anyways. On many figures Flower Alley ran just as fast in the Whitney as the BC Classic, the figures just got adjusted up since they couldn't give that low of a figure to the BC Classic. The Woodward is the first race that Flower Alley didn't run his normal race and it appears that going all out in the Whitney and getting his butt kicked may have killed off his interest in racing.