gvido

You only have to go back to last year for a fine example - Smarty Jones. He extended himself past the point his body could endure. When they went past the finish in the Belmont I said to the person standing next to me, "we may never see that horse again".

I'm afraid we may be about to see the same thing with Afleet Alex. He ran his race and was right there at the 8th pole. Yet, despite the fact that they came home in 53 & change (disgraceful) he couldn't do it. The horse was spent. The owner-trainer response? Run him back in two weeks.

It is indisputable that American horses are bred for speed and have been for years yet we ask them to run beyond their breeding. Why? Ego. To the owner, trainer, jockey & even horseplayer the horse is just a vehicle. The only people who really care about the horses are the grooms.