Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker
Been stewing about this for a while, and now that his 2nd Triple Crowner crossed the wire in hand, it seems somewhat okay to anoint greatness when there is actual greatness.
Baffert owns American thoroughbred racing right now.
If you think of the great horses in the past few years, they have all been under his tutelage: American Pharoah, Arrogate, Justify.
And then you have Hoppertunity. Abel Tasman. He owned the day.
Get out of the gate. Run hard. Win.
Until it gets beat, it is really getting hard to bet against.
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I started a thread last year at saratoga, maybe belmont summer about the chad brown affect in NY. Lets face it there are 3 major sources of quality horses right now, NY, Ky midwest and California.
I think in terms of training and the paces of the races go from west to east. if you look at dirt results, per capita of quality stock, it goes from west to east.
Baffert gets by FAR the best stock out west, trains the best, and has the best team behind him. Jimmy Barnes is a top trainer if he was out on his own. He has Martin and Drayden doing all the dirty work and them gives the horses to the preeminant rider of the time in the afternoon.
They then ship east, where they get softer paces and not quite as aggressive races and I just think it easier.
This is pure speculation on my part, but its not just Baffert shipping and winning back east, Miller, Oneil, Callihan, Hollendorfer all have had success.
