Re: Blue Grass-To SoCalMan (356 Views)
Date: April 15, 2005 03:55PM
SoCal,
I don't believe I ever said that any method was proven to be superior to another or better for all horses.
At most, I am operating on the assumption that all the great trainers of the last few decades concluded that a minimum of 3 preps worked well and that they were reasonably competent men.
On my own I can see that many horses did peak that way.
I also once saw a study (in a handicapping book) that suggested that the average horse ran his peak speed figure in his 4th race after a layoff.
It also always seemed logical to me that given the demands of the Derby a little extra seasoning would help a horse. The fields are big. Seasoning running between/inside horses, having dirt kicked in your face, dealing with crowds, dealing with a competitive pace etc... can't hurt.
So there was no reason I could think of to think it was a generally bad idea.
None of this proves a thing.
If you would like to classify this as a theory, OK, then I agree.
I have a "theory" that all else being equal I'd rather have a horse prepared traditionally. The key word is "equal". Under many conditions (especially odds) I would gladly buck that.
Post Edited (04-15-05 16:05)