"What was wrong with the horse" has been the subject of some discussion. Vet reports are laundry lists of things the vet sees, subject to interpretation, and this horse had minor stuff. It's always tricky when you vet a lightly raced horse-- if a horse has shown he can take a regular turn and produce a healthy pattern over a period of time you can be more lenient. Meanwhile, Brass Hat can join my list of "had bought, turned down after vetting" that includes Glitter Woman, Magic Weisner, and Extra Heat (ouch). Having said that, neither Victory Gallop nor Da Hoss was a perfect specimen.

I use bloodstock agents (mostly Don Brauer) as a source for horses, but not to form opinions of what they are worth.

Everyone has their own standard of toughness when vetting-- I bought some horses for Louie Rousell years ago, he was brutally tough, and it made no difference since even the ones he bought broke down. Baffert's guy wanted a horse to run in the Derby, and didn't care about the money.



Post Edited (03-23-04 12:40)

TGJB