Re: We Can Bring the Heat (461 Views)
Posted by:
Chuckles_the_Clown2 (IP Logged)
Date: November 11, 2004 09:56AM
Michael D. wrote:
> i hear you SC...... the biggest loser here is a guy like
> pletcher. his family comes from the quarterhorse game, and todd
> had developed a brilliant eye for top class thoroughbreds. he
> finds well bred horses, winds them up, and finds one of the
> best young jocks in the history of the game (JR). the guy seems
> to have a great game plan. because of the lack of a solid
> industry wide drug testing policy, however, many in the game
> question whether he is a great trainer, or he wins because he
> has a great vet. i have no idea what goes on in the pletcher
> barn, and can't guarantee anybody why he has had so much
> success, but my guess is that the guy is a terrific trainer who
> hires a great jock. i will never know for sure, however, until
> the industry takes a stand.
I'm guessing BOTH. Pletcher is a good trainer, but he's gassing too. Remember Left Bank's huge efforts a couple years ago. Since then he's been gangbusters. Huge efforts and horses going south after them. He's one of the usual suspects. Its a competitive game with huge dollars at stake. It still takes a decent horseman and a decent horse to pull this off juice or no juice. (Not as many of the latter are winning big races though)