August 2002, was a very tragic month for Plech.

It started well. Despite being a little "short winded" for much of his career on August 3rd Left Bank won the Whitney against Street Cry and Lido Palace. He won the race in Track Record time, having set a track record in his previous race. A week after the Whitney Left Bank became sick with some sort of internal disorder. One week he's running faster at the Spa than any horse ever has, but for Lawyer Ron, and the next week, he's deathly sick. They are strawberries, but one has to wonder how a horse can be on death's door so close to a level of performance that would require optimum health? Or maybe one wouldn't wonder? At any rate, the Whitney was Left Bank's last race and two months after running it, he was dead:

http://breeding.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=11936

These things can happen. Swale died 3 days after the Belmont from a heart attack, but they happen rarely right?

Two days after Left Banks surgery on August 10th, 2002, the Plech trained, undefeated Freedom's Daughter was put down suffering from another mysterious intestinal ailment. She had won a graded 2YO stakes just 2 weeks prior. Odd and rare how a horse can die so close to an effort that would require top physical form. It makes one wonder or does it?:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/articleindex/article.asp?id=10681

http://www.bloodhorse.com/articleindex/article.asp?id=10936

On August 17th, 2002 A week after Left Bank became ill and Freedom's Daughter Died, a 1 million, stakes placed, Dehere Colt trained by Plech came down with a strange malady, Plech described it in these terms:

"The complications were a result of the illness he had, which is yet to be determined exactly what it is," Pletcher said. "It's projected that it's clostridium or salmonella, or something like that. They've sent him to Cornell for an autopsy."

http://www.bloodhorse.com/articleindex/article.asp?id=11079

Clearly a very bad week for Plech. Was Allday there? If so, why was Plech so confused about the nature of the illnesses which simultaneously felled three of his stars? Wonder what those autopsies concluded? Wait, I forgot, other than one man the crowd here isn't very curious.

It could happen to anybody, even in threes, but if it was bad grain, why didn't it strike his whole stable? And other stables at the meet? Why just Plech's top level performers at their peak?

Just bad luck I guess.

Plech is lucky he has so many of the best horses and best personnel though. He got through it and it hasn't happened quite like that again. Probably because he learns from his mistakes. He's the best right?

lol

CtMC