Originally Posted by
str
Rick explains it pretty well.
So if it turns out that the pace is too hot, the track is playing to closers, or whatever the case might have been, and your horse is trying to stalk that pace sitting 3,4,5,6 but tightly bunched AND you are down on the fence with 13 horses to your right, moving forward when necessary is really your only option. If Irad felt the pace was too quick, he still didn't have many options because of the 1 post. If he takes back, where does it end? Probably when you are about 12th or so. That's not going to work for WA, so you end up just having to go with the flow.
If what you saw made you feel like the horse would have seemed more comfortable back some more in that one turn race, I can understand that but that 1 post dictated what Irad did. I mean, it's not like he used him hard to be where he was, but it was sit , but constantly be on alert to move. There was not a ton of relax in there but again, that's the devil in then 1 post out of a chute. They are all coming over on you.
I'm not at all making excuses as the horse was pretty quiet from the 3 and 1/2 pole to the wire. It just wasn't there. It usually is, at least since Rick took over.
So what we know is he was not the same that day. Now what? Well, if there was anything that helped lead to that flat effort, Rick will find it. And it could have been anything. A thousand different things, or, a few small things. No matter, if it can be found, Ricky will find it, rest assured.
We will never know for sure if 2 turns would have made a difference. I would bet not, but who knows?
I think you will see a different horse next out, whenever and wherever that is. Rick is not going to run him without having cleaned up whatever took place last week.
We will see how it goes.
That's my take Mr. GandT.
As always, nice to hear from you.