Could part of the answer be that all trainers aren’t equal? Some do great because of the stock they get and some get the stock they get because they are great. I’m not saying either side of the argument is right or wrong because all of you make valid points. But in my mind, any expectation that the horses should perform at or near the same level with Yakteen as with Baffert is underestimating the abilities of Baffert. Or overestimating those of Yakteen. I don’t think with any other top level trainer, would you expect to see their horses improve with a switch to a lesser trainer. And I say Yakteen is lesser with all due respect because he is a more than capable horseman. He’s not Baffert though.
Find it interesting that Forte got a 100 Beyer in the Breeders’ Cup, a 98 in the Fountain of Youth, and a 95 in the Florida Derby but I don’t hear any talk of regression.
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The real horses of the year (1986-2020)
Manila, Java Gold, Alysheba, Sunday Silence, Go for Wand, In Excess, Paseana, Kotashaan, Holy Bull, Cigar, Alphabet Soup, Formal Gold, Skip Away, Artax, Tiznow, Point Given, Azeri, Candy Ride, Smarty Jones, Ghostzapper, Invasor, Curlin, Zenyatta, Zenyatta, Goldikova, Havre de Grace, Wise Dan, Wise Dan, California Chrome, American Pharoah, Arrogate, Gun Runner, Accelerate, Maximum Security, Gamine
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