More on Rocker
 

For anyone who's interested, I sniffed out these comments from Pletcher or we can move this to the esoteric section. :cool:

Todd Pletcher comments:

"It's disappointing for sure," said trainer Todd Pletcher, who guided the colt to three consecutive wins before the horse fizzled as the favourite when fourth in the Plate Trial three weeks ago.

"Any time a horse runs for the first time on a synthetic surface you never know how they are going to do; that's why we sent him (to the Trial). But he seems to be a horse that prefers dirt."

Harlem Rocker had a workout over the Polytrack surface last Saturday but the colt tired noticeably at the end of the five-furlong prep.

"He didn't finish as strongly as he should have and when you are getting ready for a 1 1/4 mile race like the Plate, that's not a good sign," said Pletcher.

In other words he's saying "I told you Frank we should go in the Preakness, but you didn't listen..."

Well, whats done is done. It sounds like he is a no-go for the Queen's Plate and that is at least the best decision they can make for him at this point.

I guess the next question is, is he a pure miler or can he stretch out to 1 1/4 on dirt? But if Pletcher thought he deserved a shot in the Preakness at 1 3/16ths, you have to think there's a chance he might go the Jim Danby/Travers route now.

I'll believe a Macho Uno can go ten furlongs when I see it. And I like the horse.

Could be the track but that's just so damn convenient an excuse and one that I didn't seem to get from watching the race. But until we get further proof, we'll have to go with what Pletcher tells us. Good thing we don't have to bet that way too.

I agree. As someone else pointed out, there could be distance concerns here as well as soundness issues given his sparse racing career that only started in February.

Harlem Rocker>>>>>>>>John Rocker

What? The John Rocker thing?

I took it as:


Northern-trained racehorse>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Southern-raised racist