If a trainer uses Beyer numbers (or any other numbers) other than timing in works, he is not doing his job because he is not around the horse enough WATCHING the animal. Im sorry, but any trainer worth his fee has got to know what he is dealing with. And if he cant figure a horse out, the humane thing to do is give the animal up to another trainer who can spend time with the horse and can read the animal's needs... Enough so that the trainer has enough guts to say to an owner, "In my opinion, this animal has no business running, I dont care how much money you spent on the horse..." and then explain the reasoning followed by suggestions on second opinions. But of course if the trainer asked the owner to purchase the animal then, well then, you have a bit of a quandry stating the above, which is a huge part of the problem.

The trainers who quote the Rags and all (and almost all of them do...) I would rather hear what the horse has done AS SEEN BY THE TRAINER IN PERSON in the past 1 or 2 months to warrant dropping out or entering a race. What the hell is wrong with "I have not a clue why the horse did not run well. We will watch a while, and give it another shot... or the animal does not have the inclination to run, and I dont know how to get the animal to run..."

WTH happened to horsemanship? This is supposed to be done by people that know the animals. Do you have to take a training course on reading thoros and Rags and such to get a trainers license...? I hope not.

Heck. A race might look like a walk in the park on video, but may have been hell on the horse, or vice versa. Trainers should not need numbers to tell them this.

Then again, I might be reading this all wrong because the press may just quote the numbers, not what the trainer has actually said about the condition of the horse as seen by the trainer. All the two preps v. 3 preps, the trainer should know the horse and adjust accordingly.