Protocol followed, but was it enough?

[PaceAdvantage]

I think this one is a pretty good read:

Protocol followed, but was it enough? (http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.protocol25may25,0,1284320.story?coll=bal-sports-headlines)
When a racehorse breaks through the starting gate prematurely, as Barbaro did in the Preakness Stakes, it's often an indication that bad things will follow. Baltimore Sun (http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.protocol25may25,0,1284320.story?coll=bal-sports-headlines)

[JohnNUtah]

I knew when he broke thru my tickets were worthless. I was already worried from Bailey's comments earlier about him being keyed up and very nervous. I still can't believe the track vet did not check him out, altho I don't think he injured himself at all at that time. I think he was so keyed up, he just took a bad step right at the start of the race. Prado acted nervous in the post parade and warmup, I think he had a bad feeling about something too. BTW, he is a natural born horseman, in fact those were some classy jocks and trainers in that race. The sincere concern shown by many others involved in the race speaks highly of the class of the principals in our sport.

Now, if that tough fighter Barbaro will just stay healthy! I am still sad about missing what I expected to be the best US Turf horse in many years.

[cj]

Pretty amazing it was the first catastrophic injury this meet at Pimlico. I mean, they don't even have polytrack.

[Tom]

Baltimore Sun - my favorite newspaper! :jump:

Gate jumping is not always bad - I remember local Finger Lakes star Fio Rito broke thorugh the gate at Saratoga - a gate crew member held fast and stopped him in about 30 yards. They re-loaded and he then wired the GR1 Whitney, went on to win the GR1 Michigan Mile, and came back home to run everything in the ground at evey opportunity and become Finger Lakes horse of....all years, all time. Not bad a for a local boy.

[RXB]

Pretty amazing it was the first catastrophic injury this meet at Pimlico. I mean, they don't even have polytrack.

Not bad. One catastrophic breakdown in one month. Of course, Pimlico only races four days a week, and some of those races are on the (safer) grass. Turfway went four months this winter, racing five days a week, all on Poly, without a single catastrophic injury.

[toetoe]

Fio Rito, Winter's Tale, etc. Some hard knockers in NY in those days.

[RXB]

I remember Winter's Tale. Never heard of Fio Rito. What years did he race?

[Tom]

He was Finger Lakes based, not NYRA.
1981 was his big year.

http://www.nyracing.com/chart/stakes2a2005.asp?stakeid=493&track=S

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E0DB153BF935A2575BC0A9679482 60

[toetoe]

State Dinner and Silver Buck bring back memories from that time. Fio Rito invaded the big tracks many times, didn't he?

[mikekk]

If I remember correctly, Judge Angelucci (sp?) was another one. Late 90's at Santa Anita, G1 route (SA Derby?)

He broke thru the gate; they reloaded him; he wired the field.

I didn't rip up my tickets, but I remember muttering something about how I might as well. Glad I didn't.

Mikekk

[JohnNUtah]

Several years back I was playing QH's in Oklahoma and had a nice bet on Rare Bar when he burst thru the gate before a race. They reloaded him and he set a World Record for 440 yards and was 25-1! I nearly had cancelled my tickets when he broke thru the gate, thank goodness I sat tight-I was on the apron by the finish line or I might have cancelled.

What a racehorse he was.