It has been written off and on in our times that our racing thoroughbred is a weakling and getting weaker by each generation. This is the popular excuse why our modern race horses cannot be trained hard or raced hard. The thoroughbred I knew in the 1970s, who I have personally witnessed was a tough [...]
Beyer had some interesting things to say about Bodemeister: http://www.drf.com/news/beyer-bafferts-training-could-help-bodemeister-buck-history I suppose the key paragraph would be: “He was flying leaving there,” Smith said. “He was two (lengths) in front leaving the gate.” Smith and trainer Bob Baffert had talked before the race about such a scenario, and Baffert had no reservations about letting [...]
(18×24 posters for $15.00, write dahart@centurytel.net) If (as inspired from Rudyard Kiplings 1909 poem) If you can keep your head when all around you Owners, grooms, punters lose theirs, blaming you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can [...]
I finally came to the logical conclusion that any publicity of our poor sport is probably better than none at all. It sure beats watching lawyers, doctors, police procedurals, serial killers, etc, etc. I was first peed of various what I viewed as unrealistic portraits, over-use of stereotypes, but decided, again, it is better to [...]
I love off tracks particularly when I have a mud horse and this running of the 2011 Belmont is no exception to how powerful the track’s surface can be in denoting an outcome. Most horses tend not to like sloppy heavy, muddy tracks. The good news is that in our modern times, most tracks if [...]
I am going to predict something here, I almost never do. A European horse, MASTER OF THE HOUNDS, will take it this year. Most of the time, horses that ship over here, a 12 hour plus plane ride are just too stressed to do well against our fresh horses, even if they are better prepped [...]
Ok, my Kentuck selections mostly bombed this year. So goes life and racing. Racing luck can never be under-valued and no one knows that better than jocks and trainers. We have a 14 horse field in this years Preakness. Again, I prefer the horses with the best chances to be those that have the most [...]
My, how time flies! Ky Derby time again. I got lucky last year and picked the winner. Let’s see if I can do it again? Since I am no longer a track denizen but have to rely on hunches and what I read at the DRF, I am at a disadvantage. What does it [...]
My research and personal experience shows exactly the opposite that today’s average thoroughbred track is far “softer” and better maintained than tracks back 50 or more years ago ever were and that would certainly also hold true for the natural terrain any horse would go over in the wild or farm. Just stands to reason [...]