DRF WKND (Hersch): Not Unusual for Filly Champs to Struggle

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

The more a jock asks a horse, the harder they're going to run. The harder a horse runs, the more it's going to take out of them.

That misses the point. If a horse tries to run as hard as they can and the jock won't let them, that takes plenty of energy. Rachel doesn't need to be asked for more to try to give it. How many horses have we seen get rank in a race, a jockey's tugging hard to keep them back, and by the time they're ready to go they're too worn out from trying to bust loose? It happens frequently.

[Travis Stone]

One of the most overrated things in horse racing is that horses who win "under wraps" or win "without urging" or are "ridden out" are putting a meaningful amount of energy in reserve for next time.

An exception would be Rachel Alexandra in the FG Oaks, she was noticeably slowing down to a gallop. That stretch drive versus her stretch drive yesterday are two different things.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

That misses the point. If a horse tries to run as hard as they can and the jock won't let them, that takes plenty of energy. Rachel doesn't need to be asked for more to try to give it. How many horses have we seen get rank in a race, a jockey's tugging hard to keep them back, and by the time they're ready to go they're too worn out from trying to bust loose? It happens frequently.

When a horse is rank, that is totally different. If you have a horse throwing their head in the air and the jock is fighting them, that is not a good thing at all. That will tire a horse out. That is a totally different situation than a jock gearing a horse down the final 1/16th of a mile.

[chucklestheclown]

Who would argue that?

[chucklestheclown]

I am thinking of claiming a gelding at Philly and renaming him "Bobbittdidit" and giving him to PETA immediately after his first win