I noticed during the Derby broadcast that Michael Tabor said the usual complimentary things about Pletcher. I also noted that Tabor did not mention Left Bank. Left Bank was always a quick horse, but he couldn't get out of his own way at 3. He was folding late in his races. At 4, which was in 2001, he became a multiple Grade I winner. At 5 he scorched the Whitney in very fast time. Shortly thereafter he was dead. They said he "colicked". I don't think they perform horse autopsies. I think you have to take the stables word for what transpired to end the life of the subject thoroughbred. Lundy of Claiborne still insists Alydar kicked his stall wall in the middle of the night to break his leg.

Pletcher went out on his own in 1997. Just four years later he was suddenly eclipsing his mentor and about every other trainer in the business. Steve Allday came into Pletcher's life during this training epiphany period. Obviously Pletcher with this particular vet make a very good team. The question that arises however is why? and how should the credit be allocated between the two? Pletcher was just another trainer before Allday. What kind of trainer will he be with pre race drug screening?





Pletcher has been out on his own since 1997. TGJB Wrote:
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> David-- I agree with a lot of that. It's very hard
> to make a determination with those that are not
> claiming trainers-- you don't get to see whether
> the horses move up when they get them or fall
> apart when they leave. I do remember one that
> moved up a lot when Pletcher got her-- the
> champion older mare from last year. If anyone can
> come up with a list of horses that moved in or out
> of Pletcher's barn I would be happy to post
> sheets.
>
> However-- sometimes an entire barn moves forward
> at the same time. Happened with Frankel in Spring
> 01 (Aptitude's 4yo year), and roughly around the
> same time Pletcher's started winning everything in
> sight (when Left Bank went crazy, and a couple of
> other horses died), though I wasn't paying as much
> attention to him. Word was that both trainers
> starting using Allday then.