I was fascinated to see PAPI CHULLO open at 7-2 odds
before his G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park
on Saturday. Why? It had nothing to do with any discourse,
here or there, about his "too-fast" last Beyer number, which
he may or may not have legitimized with his Fountain of
Youth performance. Or the new - were they glue-on? -
shoes he was fitted with before the race.

I was fascinated because PAPI CHULLO shipped in to
Hallendale from California a week before the race
AND WAS SORE EVERY SINGLE DAY AT HIS BARN
TO THE EXTENT THAT HE COULDN'T JOG! [Ask the
state veterinarian.] The poor colt had: "the worst week
ever!" Sore and lame every day.

Was that the owner who seemed to be looking after the
colt all week? Whatever the case, a caretaker of the colt
said: "Don't worry. He'll be all right when he [PAPI CHULLO]
gets the "pre-race," which means the standard pre-race
cocktail of legal Bute and anti-inflamatories [to mask the
soreness, etc.]. And it turned out that he was right.

Given his condition prior to the race, that PAPI CHULLO
ran a decent 4th in the Fountain of Youth Stakes is nothing
short of stunning. And telling about the game. Or should I
say - importantly - the game WITHIN the game. That is,
what happens behind closed doors at Americas racetracks.
The stuff that happens BETWEEN a horse's past performance
lines that the public at large doesn't see. You see
something like that, then read Dr. Harthill's letter to the
editor in this past Sunday's Daily Racing Form, and just
shake your head. How powerful and affecting are the
things these animals are fed or injected with? VERY
POWERFUL! [Jeez. And I'm just talking about standard
Bute and anti-inflamatories here! Dear dear dear.]

Trainer Jeff Mullins absolutely is right when he says:
"There are a lot of things people don't know, and
won't know."

JohnTChance