As my dad says to me sometimes, what race were you watching?
 

Does he realize that Colonel John, while he was life or death to get to him, JUST STARTED RUNNING?

And now he is going to put Blinks on him, even better...

Why would that horse need blinkers??

Maybe he's looking to get that 1:06 3/5 speed back into him before the Derby!

He'll be able to tell his grandchildren that his horse was on the lead in the Kentucky Derby (before he backed up to 20th, beaten 75 lengths)

When was that quote about them putting blinkers on Bob Black Jack from?


...


I'd have to just assume April 1st.



They seriously must be joking.

from Bloodhorse.com, April 12:

Bob Black Jack will run in blinkers for the first time when he works April 14 in preparation for the May 3 Kentucky Derby, trainer James Kasparoff.[sic]

“The horse will work in a half-mile Monday in company with one of my horses,” said the 33-year-old Kasparoff, who has only four horses in his stable. “We’re going to try some blinkers on him just to make sure he’s not too aggressive with them. As long as he can get in the Derby, he’s going to go. I intend to take him as long as he qualifies in graded earnings.”

--Dunbar

Here's what happens a lot.

A horse is loose on a lead at the 1/16th pole and looks like a cinch to win - they get nabbed late by a closer.

The rider comes back and tells the trainer "boss, we didn't hold on because he lost his focus late"

The next thing you know - they want to add blinkers...which almost never helps in these situations.

Look at a horse like Texas Wildcatter - he looked home free in the stretch in the Gotham and Visionaire nabbed him late. He adds blinks for the Wood, doesn't relax well, and gets beat 50.

Bob Black Jack needs blinkers about as bad as Evening Attire needs sprint races on a bull ring.

The trainer should have been patting himself on the back for the good job he did getting this speed sprinter to rate off a pace and come about two jumps short of winning the Santa Anita Derby. He's going to lose all the great progress he made if he adds the blinkers in my opinion.

That's a good one DrugS! :D