Mage at 2-1?!

Probably just a coincidence and I know he got the trip but National Treasure back in Baffert’s barn and he wins the Preakness. He also dug in and showed that patented Baffert re break.

Honestly, I laid it all out there and still feel a little gross about Baffert winning.

Agreed, I realize the 4 made it tough but isn't Irad supposed to work out a better trip? Felt like any better and he still gets by....I was giving a race call to a friend who was on the road and couldn't watch and I said similar "think Blazing Sevens just poked in front but of course here NT comes back rebreaking with that Baffert juice" ...full disclosure I stood to make a good amount if Blazing Sevens wins and Irad just always seems to be on the wrong side of a trip for me depending on if I need him or don't...

Exacta was generous and I hit it pretty well but still just frustrating overall to me.

I had Blazing Seven’s on top today and it hurt seeing him not get up. A lot. Thought he had it.

However, whatever you think about Bob, there is almost zero chance National Treasure was juiced today. The absurdity at even the thought of bringing a horse less than 100% clean to his first Triple Crown race in two years is something even Bob’s pomposity couldn’t possibly fathom. A bad test for NT ends Bob. He knows that. There is no way that horse was juiced today.

The 49.5 half mile split allowed the re break. In this case it was just the trip. NT tripped out.

From a handicapping standpoint Mage is the bet back out of this race, no? Wish they would have moved early with Mage. Thought they would take that chance knowing how slow they’d go as opposed to waiting.

Fully agree that it’s almost zero chance that the winner was on anything for exactly the reasons you laid out.

Who said he was juiced?

I was told on this website that it was in my head when I opined that the horses that switched to Yakteen did not perform as well as they did in Baffert’s barn. They did not progress like a Baffert usually does.

Hard to argue with the results.

Same horse for months on end..

Is 98 higher or lower than 95?

You previously selected Doppelganger as some sort of proof that what I was saying was wrong because he won a grade 1. Well….National Treasure just won the Preakness so….

And Doppelgänger is an even better example of what I’m talking about. Look at his numbers with Baffert, then Yakteen and now with Brittany “28% for the year” Russell. He’s run better for Baffert and Russell. Why is that?

This isn’t a slight on Yakteen. He’s a very good horseman. Baffert and Brittany must have better dentists.

You're smarter than this.

You realize Doppelganger is a 4yo now, right? That horses mature, potentially improving as they mature. (Not to mention that middle distance one-turning is likely his best trip).

I know nothing I suggest will convince you that Baffert, and I guess Russell too, aren't taking edges.

Respectfully, you didn’t think Servis was taking an edge either. And I feel like we had this same song and dance as it pertained to him. Before that it was Marty Wolfson. Maybe your friendship with these trainers clouds your judgment a bit.

Yes, I fully understand horses mature. Which is why I found it so odd you didn’t think it was strange that the Baffert horses who had moved to Yakteen were not maturing like Baffert runners normally do.

Not the same horse, Steve. Rollo dealt with National Disaster. To Baffert's credit, he made an equipment change and likely changed something in his training. Perhaps he read Rollo's post or, as the greatest dirt trainer in history, realized that if NT was going to be anything, he needed to improve. It's hardly impossible Baffert uses an untested supplement etc., that makes horses faster and or uses therapeutic drugs that are more efficacious. Nobody is saying he "Ness'd" the horse.

This is a private forum. Most of us have been here for years and years. It's not Twitter. Nobody will be fired or suspended from their job for pointing out the bad stuff in the sport. Drugs have always been in the sport. Some trainers and vets use them more aggressively than others. When we see it, we should know it.

Am I naive in thinking that Baffert to Yakteen is just an administrative thing and Baffert was calling the shots as to how these horses were trained.