Something Bill Pressey pointed out over at his ThoroEdgeblog this week has been rattling around my brain as sounding awfully familiar. Billnoted that, on his LouisvilleCourier blog, Hansen’s ownercasually mentioned that the morning of the Gotham, trainer Mike Maker galloped the near-whiteBreeders’ Cup Juvenile champion six furlongs—and how that relaxed him better. Weall saw how well that strategy worked, as the colt rated just off the pacebefore roaring down the stretch to win by three lengths.
Being an earnest historian of the sport, I particularlyenjoy learning how ideas about training and racing have evolved over the years,so in the midst of researching something entirely different this evening, I ranacross this fascinating tidbit about the great Troubadour. The day before the running of the 1886 SuburbanHandicap—a race he would win by four lengths after having never been headed—Troubadour’s trainer J.W. Rogers workedthe dark bay horse one mile (eight furlongs) over the Sheepshead Bay course in2:07 3/4. As Walter Vosburgh tells the story in his Racing in America,1866-1924 (available scanned in its entirety via the KentuckianaDigital Library), p. 134, Troubadour's trainer later said:
I know people criticized my working him the day before therace, but sometimes when a horse has had his last work several days before therace he is apt to stiffen up his muscles when it comes to the day of the race.But when he has it just before the race he comes out all unlimbered and fit torun.
I’ll definitely remember that, and Hansen’s recent experience,the next time I question a trainer “blowing out” a starter close to race time. Some times the old ways still work, don't they?
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder