richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chuckles:
>
> I will exit this thread to begin the study of
> todays last couple of races at Hawthorne, which I
> think is a combination horse track/ car racing
> track (Thanx TG for the comp. Anyone else
> playing?)
>
> I will exit by reiterating my original point:
> Phipps Stable probably doesn't put emphasis on the
> Derby or Triple Crown. If they did they might do
> all the things you have suggested and would
> probably make different stallion selections.
>
> They would probably try to find a different
> trainer specifically for their Derby crop. IMO
> Shug like Frankel in terms of racing animals
> lightly is not comfortable with the demands of the
> individual races and sequence of the TC series.

You won't get any argument from me that Shug isn't a great trainer. He was good before Supervets and he's good now, even if eclipsed statistically by guys that couldn't come near him before vetmagic. However, I'm sure that Shug and his employers want to win the Derby more than any other race and would do anything to win it, except cut corners. Through the years they've had some great horses, but somehow the Derby has eluded them.