CincyHorseplayer
04-01-2009, 03:07 AM
Updated: March 31, 2009, 10:49 PM ET
Pletcher's ire
http://a.espncdn.com/i/columnists/Plonk_Jeremy_35.jpg (http://search.espn.go.com/jeremy-plonk/) By Jeremy Plonk
Special to ESPN.com
Archive (http://search.espn.go.com/jeremy-plonk/)
Short memories and short fuses are a dangerous combination. Let me remind Todd Pletcher of that in the wake of his public angst after Saturday's Florida Derby loss by Dunkirk.
Two winters ago, Pletcher could not even train horses at Gulfstream Park, forced to sit out a 45-day suspension for a conviction that resulted from his horse Tales of Glory being found to have had been administered a nerve-blocking agent (mepivacaine). America's prince of the shed row, honored multiple times with the Eclipse Award for excellence, could not hold a stopwatch, scoop oats or even come to the track in the afternoon as a fan.
Pletcher was banned for wrong-doing, whether you contend Tales of Glory got mepivacaine in his system for any array of noble or immoral reasons.
Fast forward two years to this past Saturday and Pletcher appeared back in the high life with a leading Kentucky Derby contender, Dunkirk, who went postward in the Florida Derby as the slight favorite over Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Quality Road. After Dunkirk rallied from far back, actually put a head in front and then failed to finish the deal, Pletcher did not salute the winner, who set a track record. Instead, he cried about the track's rapid-playing condition to ESPN's Jeannine Edwards.
Read the rest at the following link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/triplecrown09/columns/story?columnist=plonk_jeremy&id=4032110
This is about as clear cut a take as you get on this IMO.
Pletcher's ire
http://a.espncdn.com/i/columnists/Plonk_Jeremy_35.jpg (http://search.espn.go.com/jeremy-plonk/) By Jeremy Plonk
Special to ESPN.com
Archive (http://search.espn.go.com/jeremy-plonk/)
Short memories and short fuses are a dangerous combination. Let me remind Todd Pletcher of that in the wake of his public angst after Saturday's Florida Derby loss by Dunkirk.
Two winters ago, Pletcher could not even train horses at Gulfstream Park, forced to sit out a 45-day suspension for a conviction that resulted from his horse Tales of Glory being found to have had been administered a nerve-blocking agent (mepivacaine). America's prince of the shed row, honored multiple times with the Eclipse Award for excellence, could not hold a stopwatch, scoop oats or even come to the track in the afternoon as a fan.
Pletcher was banned for wrong-doing, whether you contend Tales of Glory got mepivacaine in his system for any array of noble or immoral reasons.
Fast forward two years to this past Saturday and Pletcher appeared back in the high life with a leading Kentucky Derby contender, Dunkirk, who went postward in the Florida Derby as the slight favorite over Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Quality Road. After Dunkirk rallied from far back, actually put a head in front and then failed to finish the deal, Pletcher did not salute the winner, who set a track record. Instead, he cried about the track's rapid-playing condition to ESPN's Jeannine Edwards.
Read the rest at the following link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/triplecrown09/columns/story?columnist=plonk_jeremy&id=4032110
This is about as clear cut a take as you get on this IMO.