WILL THERE BE A TRIPLE CROWN WINNER THIS YEAR?
MAYBE!
BUT AS OFTEN IS THE CASE IN THE KENTUCKY DERBY -- THE BEST HORSE DIDN'T WIN THE RACE!
THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!
DID YOU ALL SEE THE STRETCH RUN?
OH, MY GOD!
OH, MY GOD!
OH, MY GOD!
THE BEST HORSE GOT KNOCKED SIDEWAY SEVERAL TIMES.
THE BEST HORSE IN THIS YEAR'S KENTUCKY DERBY WAS FOREVER YOUNG -- THE ONCE UNDEFEATED JAPANESE HORSE.
Here is an excerpt from DRF writer David Grening:
Breaking from post 3, Hernandez was able to guide Mystik Dan to the rail immediately as Dornoch, in post 1, and Sierra Leone, in post 2, were slow away from the gate.
Hernandez stayed right on the rail throughout, racing eighth into the first turn, then found himself fourth down the backside sitting behind Track Phantom, Just Steel, and Fierceness, who were three across the track after a half-mile in 46.63 seconds and six furlongs in 1:11.31.
Sierra Leone, down the backside, was 17th, 12 1/4 lengths back and four to five wide.
Coming to the top of the stretch, Hernandez shot Mystik Dan inside of Track Phantom and turning for home he had gotten clear.
Mystik Dan came to the eighth pole with a two-length advantage while Sierra Leone, who rallied seven wide in the stretch, and Forever Young, who also was in the back of the pack, were running in tandem down the center of the track.
Sierra Leone, who has a tendency to lug in, did just that and bumped with Forever Young in midstretch.
Still, the two kept coming, but Mystik Dan kept going as well and got to the wire first.
Mystik Dan covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.34 and returned $39.22 for a $2 win bet.
He was given a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.
"On the second turn, everybody outside of Track Phantom started piling up, piling up, piling up, I had a nice little pocket," Hernandez said.
"Once Track Phantom moved off the rail just a half-a-step, we were able to get through there.
We might have taken out a little bit of the outside fence, but that's okay.
Once he cut the corner, he got a little separation on the closers that were forced to go around the horses that were tiring and he was able to hold them off."
Of Hernandez, McPeek said. "He's the difference in winning and losing today for sure."
Once he crossed the finish line, Hernandez said he wasn't completely sure he had won.
It took two minutes before an outrider informed him that he did, in fact, win.
"That was the longest two minutes in sports," Hernandez said.
"From fastest two minutes to the longest by far."
For Chad Brown, trainer of Sierra Leone, it wasn't nearly as long.
He watched the replay on the big board in the infield and even though he felt his horse got the better of the bob, Brown knew he was a few inches short before the numbers were posted.
"When you have a deep closer like that, sometimes you're going to have to go through some traffic and go wide," said Brown, who finished second in the Derby for the second time in six years.
"I'll have to look at the trip a little closer, but it doesn't really matter, he got beat a nose."
Sierra Leone, as he had done in previous victories in the Risen Star and Blue Grass stakes, did lean again and bumped with Forever Young, the undefeated winner of the U.A.E. Derby.
Tyler Gaffalione, the rider of Sierra Leone, felt that lugging in cost him the race.
"I had a hard time keeping him straight, and that definitely cost us," Gaffalione said.
"He gives you everything, very responsive, but he loses concentration."
Forever Young came the closest of any Japan-based horse to winning the Kentucky Derby.
His connections did not comment after the race other than to relay that the horse would be going back to Japan along with his countrymate, T O Password, who finished fifth, 4 3/4 lengths behind fourth-place finisher Catching Freedom.
Following T O Password in the order of finish were Resilience, Stronghold, Honor Marie, Endlessly, Dornoch, Track Phantom, West Saratoga, Domestic Product, Epic Ride, Fierceness, Society Man, Just Steel, Grand Mo the First, Catalytic, and Just a Touch.
Fierceness, the 3-1 favorite under John Velazquez, got the forward position his connections were hoping for and didn't have much of an excuse for his 15th-place finish, 24 1/4 lengths behind the winner.
"The only thing that I didn't like was he was keen," Velazquez said.
"I had to help him the first two jumps and then I tried to grab him, [Epic Ride] came to him on the outside and he got pretty keen on the first turn.
I tried to settle the best I could, came to the five-sixteenths pole, and he didn't put up a fight."
McPeek, who had been winless with nine previous Derby starters, has now won all three Triple Crown races – taking the 2002 Belmont with Sarava, and the 2020 Preakness with the filly Swiss Skydiver.
McPeek on Saturday ruled out Thorpedo Anna from running back in the Preakness, and he will monitor Mystik Dan's condition before committing him to the Preakness on May 18 at Pimlico.
"Somebody told me years ago, no fast moves, never make a decision until you absolutely positively have to," he said.
As of Sunday, it was uncertain if any of the horses who ran in the Kentucky Derby would run back in the Preakness.
Trainer Chad Brown said runner-up Sierra Leone would ship to Saratoga on Monday to prepare for the Belmont.
Brown said Sierra Leone came out of the Derby more tired than he had in his previous races this year, victories in the Risen Star at Fair Grounds and the Blue Grass at Keeneland.
Sierra Leone, under Tyler Gaffalione, had to rally from 17th position and Forever Young, who was also way back early on, exchanged several bumps in the stretch as Sierra Leone continued his habit of lugging in during the stretch of his races.
It appeared Gaffalione was trying to move Forever Young off him with his left hand but Brown said Gaffalione was trying to make room to use his left-handed crop.
"What Tyler was attempting to do was make room for his left stick which the horse really respects and keeps him straight and [he] was looking for a pathway to use his left stick," Brown said.
"With the bumping and the tight duel between the two horses, it disarmed him with the stick, all he had was a rein to pull on and it really hurt his momentum."
There was no stewards' inquiry into the bumping incident and jockey Rusei Sakai on Forever Young did not claim foul.
"I didn't feel a foul was committed - to me - and I understand what [Gaffalione] was attempting to do and I understand what the other horse was attempting to do," Brown said.
"In my mind I think they know they don't want him to use his stick."
Hiroshi Ando, the stable manager for the owners of Forever Young, said Sakai did not think the bumping warranted lodging an objection.
"I spoke to the jockey after the race, he didn’t plan to claim [foul] because both horses were fighting together," Ando said.
"We wanted to win, we couldn't make history, but we're really proud of our horse."
Forever Young, who suffered his first career defeat from six starts in the Kentucky Derby, was scheduled to ship back to Japan on Tuesday along with T O Password, another Japan-based runner who finished fifth.
[End of excerpt]
Oh, MY GOD! -- I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I AM READING ABOUT TRAINER CHAD BROWN'S COMMENTS.
HE SEEMS TO PUT BLAMES ON THE JAPANESE HORSE FOREVER YOUNG FOR CAUSING HIS HORSE SIERRA LEONE'S CHANCE TO WIN THE DERBY.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
UNBELIEVABLE!
IF THERE IS ANY BLAME IT'S HIS HORSE SIERRA LEONE WHO DID ALL THE BUMPING!
UNBELIEVABLE!
As for Forever Young, he bobbled at the break slightly and causing him to be 2nd to last out of the gate with his stable mate T O Password, who finished fifth, was last out of the gate -- and not only that, T O Password, he, too, seemed to bobble at the break as well.
Yes, that is right: The two Japanese horses were last and next to last right out of the gate.
The two Japanese horses raced near the back of the field when crossing the wire for the first time with T O Password had only one horse beaten and Forever Young had only four horses beaten at that point.
Around the clubhouse turn, Forever Young began to put a sustain run while running wide throughout and on the backstretch he really seemed to be moving very well to be midpack while still about 12 to 15 lengths behind the leading pack.
On the far turn, Forever Young was moving really well while still very wide about 6 to 7 wide.
Halfway on the far turn Sierra Leone was running 5 or 6 wide and he was only a length or two behind Forever Young as the two put in a furious run to the top of the stretch.
In the straight away approaching the 8th pole Forever Young was running in a straight line and gaining on the leader every stride with Sierra Leone was just a half-length back on to the outside of him.
The lone leader at that time was Mystik Dan, who seemed to be shortening his strides noticeably.
At the same time after Sierra Leone was fanning 5 or 6 wide turning for home and he was right at Forever Young's plank to the outside of Forever Young when the two were racing almost as a team with Sierra Leone lugging in and bumped Forever Young repeatedly as Forever Young got the worse of the receiving end.
Here is an excerpt of comments from Horse Racing Nation:
FOOTNOTE:
TG refers to Tyler Gaffalione
FY refers to Forever Young
SL refers to Sierra Leone
roy
2 minutes ago
LOL BULLLLSHHHHHIIII TG SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED.
INTERFERENCE IS INTERFERENCE REGARDLESS IF ITS YOUR FAULT OR NOT.
TG CLEARLY GRABBED THE HORSE.
HE DID NOT LOSE HIS BALANCE AND IF HE DID ITS BECAUSE HE WAS LEANING ON FOREVER YOUNG THE ENTIRE STRETCH.
#CHEATER
Whoa Dammit
39 minutes ago
Here is a video of the Japanese computer generated version of the Derby for kids, including plushie SL bashing into plushie FY several times.
I wish I could understand the accompanying race call.
Anyone who thinks the Japanese aren't upset about this is kidding themselves.
twitterDOTcom/failedtomenace/status/17872711301
Giovanni (a reply to Whoa Dammit)
20 minutes ago
PRICELESS!!
Flightline
an hour ago
For all the talk, worse case would have been if SL caused a horse to go down.
I wouldn't even let him race again until he works in front of stewards in company and doesn't lug in.
MaiyaDay (a reply to Flightline)
an hour ago
Now that he's proven a pattern of repeatedly lugging in, I feel like he needs some more training before he can run.
But I don't know if anyone will make Brown do it before running him back in the Belmont.
arkyspaman (a reply to MaiyaDay)
an hour ago
or is that a reaction to being tired.
His big wins in La. and Ky. were visually impressive, but the come home time was ordinary.
MaiyaDay (a reply to arkyspaman)
an hour ago
Maybe.
But the chart of his last four races all mention him coming inward, and two he bumped horses inside of him.
It's a pattern now. Needs to be corrected.
sceptre
2 hours ago edited
To begin with, permitting a 20 horse number field in a race of such prominence and prize money is an invitation for problems.
Then compounding this with an essentially live and let live attitude by the stewards sends the absolute wrong message to both participants and onlookers.
What I'm suggesting is that MORE rather than less scrutiny be the mandate for The Derby.
Doing so would foster a safer and fairer journey for horse and jockey alike.
arkyspaman
2 hours ago
Here it is.
The Japanese make a big deal out of wanting to compete here.
Well, they better learn how the game is played here.
All this "honor" crap plays so nicely on here for the BlueEQ's, Gio's and the Giddy's of the world.
Read: weepy globalist losers.
Memo to Japanese-Our race, our rules.
Better learn how to play.
"Honor" cost the numbskulls a cool half million.
Americanmussels (a reply to arkyspaman)
22 minutes ago
What are you harping on the Japanese connection? The were the injured party and they chose not to claim foul.
You act like it was the Japanese jockey's fault.
arkyspaman (a reply to Americanmussels)
11 minutes ago
Excuse me?
Why don't you read posts before vomiting all over them.
I have repeatedly said they should have filed an objection.
It was an easy take down.
Why wait on the suspect stewards?
Please show me where I said it was the Japanese jockeys fault.
Tiger Roll (a reply to arkyspaman)
2 hours ago
Since the Japanese connections didn't lodge a complaint, I'm going to conclude that you're just a racist.
arkyspaman (a reply to Tiger Roll)
2 hours ago
Ah, yes.
The old unfounded accusation conversation stopper.
They should have.
It was an easy take down.
Tiger Roll (a reply to arkyspaman)
2 hours ago
Hardly unfounded.
Read your own posts.
arkyspaman (a reply to Tiger Roll)
2 hours ago
nah, that's what I have you here for.
Social conscience work is no doubt your forte.
How's that paying?
Tiger Roll (a reply to arkyspaman)
an hour ago
Pays pretty well since I can afford to travel to places like...Japan.
TheHomie 2.0 (a reply to Tiger Roll)
25 minutes ago
I love it there. Was there a few months back.
I cant get enough of SE Asia and glad I took a job that has me over there a lot.
arkyspaman (a reply to Tiger Roll)
an hour ago
yeah, right.??
Tiger Roll ((a reply to arkyspaman)
an hour ago
Prove me wrong.
arkyspaman
an hour ago
When one makes a claim, it behooves them to substantiate it, not the other way around.
As a middle aged sophisticate you should be aware of this.
laran (a reply to arkyspaman)
2 hours ago
According to our rules, SL should've been disqualified, at least in my opinion.
arkyspaman (a reply to laran)
2 hours ago
agreed 100%.
"Honor" and waiting for the stewards be damned.
File the objection.
It was an easy take down.
Bronzeprincess33 (a reply to arkyspaman)
15 minutes ago
He shouldn't have needed to object in the first place.
There should've been an inquiry.
TheHomie 2.0 (a reply to arkyspaman)
25 minutes ago
Thing is, these are not how things are done where the trainer and the jock are from.
As I stated below, they do not make races official for a good while after.
If the jocks want to complain, the procedure is different.
In addition, this would not require an objection, this should have been looked at regardless.
This is 100% on the stewards.
GiddyUp (a reply to arkyspaman)
2 hours ago
Did the incident cost Forever Young a placing?
Yes and by "our rules" SL should have been DQ'd and placed third.
That's how "our rules" are supposed to work.
arkyspaman (a reply to GiddyUp)
2 hours ago
you know better than that.
You're an old railbird.
That's why our jocks call foul.
I'll give our guests the benefit of the doubt and bet they don't let this happen again.
Pebbles (a reply to GiddyUp)
30 minutes ago
Never happens with these connections.
Its like when Pletcher got a pass in 2015 at Gulfstream Park with Itsaknockout interfering in the Fountain of Youth.
Pathetic.
GiddyUp (a reply to Pebbles)
23 minutes ago
We know they'd never take Pletcher or Chad Brown down in NY.
The NYRA stewards are the worst but this is Kentucky
arkyspaman (a reply to GiddyUp)
3 hours ago
you know better than that.
You're an old railbird.
That's why our jocks call foul.
I'll give our guests the benefit of the doubt and bet they don't let this happen again.
GiddyUp (a reply to arkyspaman)
3 hours ago
In my opinion the incident cost Forever Young a placing and I think it's pretty clear cut.
If he finished a length or 2 behind SL that makes it more debatable but the margin was so close SL had to come down.
Pebbles (a reply to GiddyUp)
38 minutes ago
When the stewards should leave well enough alone they take a horse down. 2019
When they should act and take a horde down they punt. 2024
Borden needs to go. She is awful. No clue how to run a crew.
arkyspaman (a reply to GiddyUp)
3 hours ago edited
once again.
agree 100% it was an easy take down.
File the objection.
We all know the game over here is rife with biases at least and outright corruption at worst in the stewards stand.
The Japanese know that now.
None of the other outfits are going to make them aware of that.
They have their own future encounters with stewards to worry about.
GiddyUp (a reply to arkyspaman)
2 hours ago
Well now they get to feel my pain but at a much bigger level.
I've been screwed by the stewards many times throughout the years
Autumn Amber
4 hours ago
1. Sierra Leone slams into Forever Young almost toppling Ryusei Sakai 1:50/1:51
2. Tyler Gaffalione straight arm hits Ryusei 1:53
3. Tyler Gaffalione whips Forever Young at least four times 1:58/2:01
Forever Young would have had the race if not for Tyler Gaffalione.
Nothing against Mystik Dan or his rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. whom I believe was clueless as to what was happening next to him.
Tyler Gaffalione clearly interfered with Forever Youngs race and should be investigated - fined and/or perhaps banned from racing.
Shellshock
4 hours ago
Sierra Leone should have been quickly disqualified.
He bothered Forever Young all the way down the stretch and lugged in five or six paths while leaning on FY (Forever Young).
Chad Brown is pathetic for pulling that B-S that the bumping hurt his horse more that FY.
FY would have won the race. Brown is another entitled and spoiled trainer who thinks he and his horses can do no wrong.
If it was the other way around, he would have lodged an objection in a second.
DerbyDoc (a reply to Shellshock)
3 hours ago
Can you imagine the narrative today if it was Forever Young who prevented Sierra Leone from winning the Kentucky Derby with multiple fouls??
This spin by U.S. folk is comical and embarrassing
arkyspaman (a reply to DerbyDoc)
3 hours ago edited
What's comical and embarrassing is the Japanese laying down and taking a half million dollar hit up the old grand wazoo.
TheHomie 2.0 (a reply to arkyspaman)
an hour ago
Again, it is procedural differences. I am guessing the Japanese jock has never had to call an objection in his life.
The stewards internationally are a lot stricter than here, and by a very large margin.
If you have the time, check out the stewards notes of British racing.
If they think you gave a poor ride, or came out too soon, or your horse was ridden completely contrary to regular style, they come asking questions before the next race even goes off.
They also hand out suspensions before the day is over and post it all on their sites.
They even ask a trainer for an explanation if a horse performs terribly for no real reason.
DerbyDoc
4 hours ago
oh, and the video above doesn't tell the full story.
The fouls started on the turn for home and continued for 24 seconds.
If anyone hasn't seen I suggest you do so
arkyspaman (a reply to DerbyDoc)
3 hours ago
race riding.
They better get used to it.
And if it is this blatant, stand up for their rights.
Waiting on the stewards at CD is stupid.
laran (a reply to arkyspaman)
3 hours ago
Bumping another horse more than three times and grabbing another jockey is just "race riding"??!!
What a load of bovine excrement.
DerbyDoc (a reply to arkyspaman)
3 hours ago
A spokesman for trainer Yoshito Yahagi said:
"Claims of foul do not happen much in Japan. It is the stewards' call, not us"
In other words, they expected honesty and good sportsmanship on behalf of all, including the stewards.
Instead, they were cheated.
arkyspaman (a reply to DerbyDoc)
3 hours ago
Whatever you say, Doc.
Bet they don't let it happen again.
And I'll also wager the fans and press back home are not so magnanimous as you.
TheHomie 2.0 (a reply to arkyspaman)
an hour ago
You seem to be exonerating the stewards and putting blame elsewhere.
The jock should never have had to claim foul.
Giovanni (a reply to TheHomie 2.0)
an hour ago
He has clearly said in multiple posts -- if they want to race in the U.S. they need to come and play dirty -- because that's how "race riding" is done in the good ol' U.S. of A.
Peteski
4 hours ago
"LoSt My BaLaNce"
"ThAt'S rAcE rIdInG"
Tiger Roll (a reply to Peteski)
3 hours ago
I feel like I heard this same excuse out of Sonny Leon once...
Giovanni (a reply to Peteski)
4 hours ago
?? ??
Jojo1964
5 hours ago
The Stewards made the right call...Sierra Leone would have got 2nd without contact.
The outside horse has the edge in any stretch battle.
DerbyDoc (a reply to Jojo1964)
4 hours ago
You are factually incorrect.
According to Kentucky Administrative Regulations (810 KAR 4:040.12.3) governing the race, put the bumps/leaning aside, if a jockey strikes another horse or jockey, it is a foul.
Period.
There is no debate.
Sierra Leone should have been demoted to 3rd.
Bronzeprincess33 (a reply to DerbyDoc)
an hour ago
I normally have zero respect for you and your opinions (do you admit you were wrong about Mystik Dan?), but you actually managed to get this one right.
GiddyUp (a reply to DerbyDoc)
4 hours ago
Doc-absolutely brutal beat for you with Forever Young. I've been there many times.
It's a sickening feeling, Taking nothing away from Mystic Dan, Forever Young probably ran the best race yesterday.
DerbyDoc (a reply to GiddyUp)
4 hours ago edited
Yes. It was my worst racing "bad beat" in my life.
But to be honest, that isn't what upsets me here.
It's just the blatant f up that took place on the world stage and I know it wouldn't have happened if the horse getting fouled was Fierceness or another U.S. based horse.
The after race narrative, or actually lack thereof on the part of U.S. racing media and fans is what disappointed me.
I'm ashamed for the industry here as a whole because we failed.
Flightline (a reply to DerbyDoc)
3 hours ago
The lack of transparency in Kentucky / CDI racing leaves much to be desired.
But I will give them kudos for a tremendous event and safe track.
On the non DQ, an American jock would have avoided SL and/or would have claimed foul.
And I kinda appreciate the Japanese saying hey it was a street fight.
But mostly happy that the winner saved the Derby and racing from yet another debacle.
GiddyUp (a reply to DerbyDoc)
4 hours ago
It could have been worse.
What happens if Sierra Leone had won and the decision was left in the hands of the stewards?
By rule SL should be DQ’d and placed third but who knows what happens
Giovanni (a reply to GiddyUp)
3 hours ago
"It could have been worse."
Sure could have! It's way more than just losing a bet.
He could have taken FY/his rider out permanently and/or caused a fatality -- or even to his own mount or both.
Right there in the stretch and at the wire in front of 157,000 people.
Wonder what the Stews would have had to say about all that prolonged and lengthy bumping & leaning then?
GiddyUp (a reply to Giovanni)
3 hours ago
Fortunately that didn't happen.
Gaffalione should absolutely be fined and suspended.
I won't be surprised if he loses the mount on SL either.
He probably deserves too
Pebbles (a reply to GiddyUp)
40 minutes ago
Well, I do not know if he loses the mount.
Sierra Leone is hard to control and that is the job of the trainer and exercise rider.
But it's pathetic that the stewards let the Coolmore types get away with it.
One day Sierra Leone will end up hurting someone.
Flightline (a reply to GiddyUp)
3 hours ago
I expect he will lose the mount, too.
But not sure stewards will suspend as that opens them to question as to why no inquiry.
This sounds dramatic to say and nothing against the horse, but SL is dangerous out there.
And say what you want, any other top trainer would have corrected this by now.
AS FOR FIERCENESS, WHAT A BONEHEAD RIDE BY JOHN VELAZQUEZ
I'm really disappointed in the way John Velazquez rode Fierceness in the Kentucky Derby this past weekend.
John Velazquez is a world-class jockey and yet he rode Fierceness like he was a rookie jockey by taking Fierceness right up to the very fast pace for a three-prong battle for the lead.
Unbelievable!
RACE-RIDING 101: Whenever there is a speed duel, you sit behind a speed duel -- or at least try to -- and wait and wait until that speed duel callapses and falls apart, and then you take over the lead -- NOT A ROCKET SCIENCE!
And yet, John Velazquez didn't do that!
He didn't even try to do that!
WHAT A BONEHEAD RIDE BY JOHN VELAZQUEZ!
I get it that Fierceness was a little keen to run but that's what happens when you take the horse to the plank of the other speed duel (Just Steel and Track Phantom), making Fierceness want to go up and compete, in which he did to make for a three-prong battle for the lead.
This is a classic speed duel race-riding tactic: You pull Fierceness back and stay behind Just Steel and Track Phantom for as long as you can and then you go and take over the lead at a certain point in the race -- i.e., when the pace collapses.
NOT A ROCKET SCIENCE!
Here is an excerpt:
[
In the Derby, Just Steel was part of a three-horse speed duel along with Track Phantom and Fierceness.
"We got roughed up leaving there, then we put up 22, 46.
That eliminates you right there in those races," Lukas said.
"I don't know if you can even fathom those fractions and keep going."
]
Fierceness, the 3-1 favorite under John Velazquez, got the forward position his connections were hoping for and didn't have much of an excuse for his 15th-place finish, 24 1/4 lengths behind the winner.
"The only thing that I didn't like was he was keen," Velazquez said.
"I had to help him the first two jumps and then I tried to grab him, [Epic Ride] came to him on the outside and he got pretty keen on the first turn.
I tried to settle the best I could, came to the five-sixteenths pole, and he didn't put up a fight."
"...... he got pretty keen on the first turn." [???]
First turn?
Why waited until the first turn?
Why not trying to pull him back when approaching the wire for the first time?
That would be a great thing to do and that's when he should've tried to pull Fierceness behind Just Steel and Track Phantom approaching the wire for the first time.
The way I saw it, Velazquez never tried to pull Fierceness back and stay behind Just Steel and Track Phantom at all.
That would have been the smart thing to do, and we all expect a world-class jockey like Velazquez to do just that -- but he didn't!
Everybody knows that -- and that a world-class jockey should know it as a second-hand thing.
IT'S NOT A ROCKET SCIENCE!
FIERCENESS WIll SKIP THE PREAKNESS AND WILL RUN IN THE BELMONT STAKES?
Really?
Are you kidding me?
Here is an excerpt:
Fierceness, who finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby as the favorite, was expected to ship to Saratoga and train toward a possible start in the Belmont Stakes.
As far the Derby was concerned, trainer Todd Pletcher said Fierceness hopped at the start, but he still felt John Velazquez got the horse into the desired spot, albeit a little wide, into the first turn.
"I thought he was able to get into his rhythm," Pletcher said.
"Johnny took a peek over his shoulder midway down the backside, which is usually a pretty good sign, but when he hit the go button, he went 20 yards and came off the bridle."
Pletcher said he did not see anything physically amiss with Fierceness.
As you can see, according to trainer Todd Fletcher, on Sunday May 5, 2024, said that the Belmont Stakes on June 8, "is a possible start."
Really?
What makes you think that Fierceness is a mile and a half horse?
Judging by the way Fierceness ran in the Derby and in his prior races and looking at his pedigree profile, I can make a good assumption that Fierceness is not a mile and a half horse. Period!
Fierceness has a much better chance to win the Preakness Stakes with the two-week turnaround than waiting for five weeks to run in the Belmont Stakes.
That five-week gab is not going to help him win the Belmont Stakes at all with Fierceness.
He is better off taking a shot in the Preakness Stakes with Fierceness in two weeks than buying more time to run in the Belmont Stakes and hoping to win the Belmont Stakes with that horse.
That is my opinion!
In the Belmont Stakes he'll most likely will face the Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, the Kentucky Derby second place finisher Sierra Leone and a whole host of newcomers of the likes of Muth and many others.
SEE YOU ALL IN TWO WEEKS IN THE PREAKNESS STAKES!
