The myth of the fragile tb

[jasperson]

In my Calder pp I got the races from Chile and noticed that a lot of the horses had more than 20 starts for the year. Several had 33 or more starts and in Sept that more in about 270 days and those horses are starting once every 8 days. Are not these horses the same breed the horsemen tell us they are to fragile to start oftener than once a month? There is not a shortage of horses it is just trainers and owners that are afraid to start them. It used be an adage to bet a horse coming back in 10 days or less, and now they tell us that todays tb is to fragile for that. I think that is just a myth.
Jack

[juanepstein]

check out the head on view of the stretch run valparaiso.

they use there horses as battering rams. you see so much zigging and zagging down the stretch from everyone that i think the stewards just put up the red flag and surrendered.

[cj]

The mythical bounce has done as much harm to racing as pretty much anything else I can think of off the top of my head.

[Tom Barrister]

Originally Posted by jasperson

In my Calder pp I got the races from Chile and noticed that a lot of the horses had more than 20 starts for the year. Several had 33 or more starts and in Sept that more in about 270 days and those horses are starting once every 8 days. Are not these horses the same breed the horsemen tell us they are to fragile to start oftener than once a month? There is not a shortage of horses it is just trainers and owners that are afraid to start them. It used be an adage to bet a horse coming back in 10 days or less, and now they tell us that todays tb is to fragile for that. I think that is just a myth.
Jack

Thoroughbreds in South America probably aren't bred/inbred for speed as incessantly as they are here in the States.

[jasperson]

Originally Posted by Tom Barrister

Thoroughbreds in South America probably aren't bred/inbred for speed as incessantly as they are here in the States.

The South American horses seem to do well in the US when imported. As far as I am conserned if a tb can't go a route of ground he is doing anything to improve the breed. Most races under 6f are raced with horses that are speed balls that you can't rate or are too sore or have breathing problems that they can't go a route of ground. As I said once before on this forum if we are breeding for speed then where is it? Today's tb is not any faster than the tb of 6o years are go. I will put any Swaps, Kelso, or Citation up against any of todays speed products and they will still be great horses.

[CBedo]

I was thinking about frailty this morning when watching Blinkers Off when Watchamaker kept talking about Rachel, and how she had "already run 7-8 times this year. What else do you want?" haha

[Imriledup]

Originally Posted by jasperson

In my Calder pp I got the races from Chile and noticed that a lot of the horses had more than 20 starts for the year. Several had 33 or more starts and in Sept that more in about 270 days and those horses are starting once every 8 days. Are not these horses the same breed the horsemen tell us they are to fragile to start oftener than once a month? There is not a shortage of horses it is just trainers and owners that are afraid to start them. It used be an adage to bet a horse coming back in 10 days or less, and now they tell us that todays tb is to fragile for that. I think that is just a myth.
Jack

Its probably the polytrack down there that makes it safer.

[andymays]

Originally Posted by Imriledup

Its probably the polytrack down there that makes it safer.

[Valuist]

Originally Posted by CBedo

I was thinking about frailty this morning when watching Blinkers Off when Watchamaker kept talking about Rachel, and how she had "already run 7-8 times this year. What else do you want?" haha

They also pointed out that the 3YO Rachel has already more career races than the 5YO Zenyatta.

[jasperson]

Originally Posted by Imriledup

Its probably the polytrack down there that makes it safer.

I am pretty sure all of their races are on turf

[Horseplayersbet.com]

Originally Posted by jasperson

I am pretty sure all of their races are on turf

It appears they at least sometimes put a lot of dirt on the grass in Chile

[yt=Chile Race]3Gx9NYOLSRk[/yt]

[Hanover1]

Down there its the myth of the positive......

[BlueShoe]

If any of you have ever seen old racing systems written 30,40,or 50 years ago,there was almost always a standard recency rule that went something like this;"no play on any horse that has not raced within the last 10 days,except that a horse that has raced 11-14 days ago may be played if it shows a workout within the last 5 days".If we applied those standards today sure wouldnt get much action would we?

[illinoisbred]

Originally Posted by BlueShoe

If any of you have ever seen old racing systems written 30,40,or 50 years ago,there was almost always a standard recency rule that went something like this;"no play on any horse that has not raced within the last 10 days,except that a horse that has raced 11-14 days ago may be played if it shows a workout within the last 5 days".If we applied those standards today sure wouldnt get much action would we?

Back in the early 60's my uncle made a substantial profit one summer at Arlington betting horses that ran back on 5 days rest with an in the money finish last out.In the early 80's my dad tracked how the Quirin systems [2 pt. edge on speed pts.,fresh horse,bid,but hung,and consistent angle] performed at 6 different tracks and played where they did well [back then always Aqueduct inner-tube].These methods were based on a return within 10 days.Me, personally, playing now, like 21-28 days since last race,particularily with 3 and 4 yr. olds.What's the answer, are horses more fragile now? Is there too much reliance on drugs?From a speed figure point of view,you do see a hell of a lot more jump out of their skin performances today then you ever saw in the 70,s or 80,s.