Quote:
Originally posted by cjmilkowski
... that FC determination. He dug in and held off a very good, experienced horse. I think people are underestimating him and he will be a factor in the championships this year.
One thing, they need to do is let this horse run from the gate. ... For some reason, that seems to be the strategy since he won the Preakness. I'm not sure why.
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First off, I can't figure out if it was Funny Cide's determination, or Evening Attire's recency at not being able to get to the wire in time. He's lost a handful of starts recently where he should have gotten there, but just didn't have the final kick to go past. I'll go with a combination of the two factors, Funny Cide's determination, and Evening Attire's lack of.
Second, I believe Santos gave a perfect ride in the Excelsior. He did not restrain Funny Cide, instead, he kept a comfortable, soft hold of the reins, which kept Funny Cide comfortable and relaxed. I definitely do think there have been races where the horse was restrained which prevented him from relaxing. The big thing to remember, Tagg was very vocal in not appreciating the ride in the Belmont where Funny Cide ended up on the lead, even though it was comfortable fractions, and Santos clearly did not want to be there, but rather ended up there. So since then, it's seemingly apparent they do not want this horse on the lead. The Excelsior, however, was a perfect blend, of not wanting the lead, but not upsetting the horse with too strong a restraint, either.
