|
IMO, the result was either an outstanding training job by Baffert or he has tricks up his sleeve that other trainers don't have or both.
It's not like people suddenly came to the conclusion Authentic wasn't a 10F horse because of his race in the Haskell when he almost got caught. He hasn't been finishing especially well in any of his races longer than a mile and wasn't really bred to go that far. People have been speculating he was more of a middle distance miler for months.
IMO a reasonable argument can be made he didn't have an especially easy trip in the SA Derby and Baffert had him short of his best until now. In his defense, Baffert has been saying from the beginning even when Nadal and Charlatan were running that Authentic was his best horse. Maybe we should have listened to him.
I would never accuse anyone of anything without evidence, but both his horses showed up at the Derby cranked to hilt full of energy. One got scratched because of it and Authentic was still feisty after the race. That, plus the horse rebreaking after being collared are the hallmarks of training magic. Being a great trainer and doing something that gives you an advantage (which could in fact be legal) are not mutually exclusive. Both can be true.
__________________
"Unlearning is the highest form of learning"
|
