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Originally Posted by Kasept
Rarely have I seen such inane reaction to an off performance. I suppose it's because we get so few starts from the classic-campaigning runners, but some of what's been written is so outlandish that it's hard to believe.
People claim they're fans of racing... Well if they are, then they should be well aware that horses lose. They have off performances and toss clunkers. They run through issues like spiked fevers and stay on schedule for races and get beat because they aren't 100% that day.
No one recalls Holy Bull being beaten 24 lengths in the Fountain of Youth? Afleet Alex' Rebel? Real Quiet's Golden Gate Derby? Obviously not because the same ridiculous comments that are sprinkled throughout this thread, and the laughable 'oh my gosh' thread, were said about those 3 year olds, Croll, Ritchey and Baffert at the time.
It could be that we've been conditioned to think that an off effort means a soon-to-be-discovered hidden problem and immediate retirement because connections don't work through issues anymore. And while everyone is entitled to offer their opinion on the topic, some degree of reasonable and rational reaction coupled with a dash of historical perspective is highly suggested.
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As GPK noted, and as I've personally witnessed in horses shipping down to Tampa from DEL and PHA, sometimes they just don't take to the surface there the first time they run. With that, and the fever, and not getting the lead, there's more than enough reason for a poor performance.
On the other hand, I understand why people are shocked, and I'm not going to call anyone's opinion ridiculous. As I'm sure I've heard you say on your show, Steve, the great ones overcome adversity.
So maybe War Pass isn't as good as some of the champions to which he's been compared. We hear overblown comparisons every year. Or maybe he is a great horse who'll have one clunker to darken his PPs. Or maybe he's just a very good horse who can still win the Kentucky Derby. There's still plenty of time before the Derby to find out.