Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Linny
They have been reasonably successful in Europe but they have a "season" where we don't. Apart from some minor regional stuff on PolyTrack, there is not racing over the winter. The season goes from April to October. In April a Euro horse coming up to the big races has been away for a few months followed by legging up and possibly a start before the Guineas, the first Classic. Many of the horses in the Guineas are making their seasonal debut. They are all at the same disadvantage in terms of lack of racing and all make the classics in about the same manner.
Here we begin the 4 month run-up to the Derby on Jan 1st. By the time we get to the Derby our colts have several races often tough "character builders" in advance of the big day.
While you can win British classics "off the farm" it has not worked here in the modern era.
|
Yep. But at the same time, when the Dubai horses came over here to run in the Derby, didn't they all have a couple of prep races? They weren't exactly coming to Churchill Downs "off the farm".
I think other factors are more at play here for their horrendous failure.