Interested to hear what you all are thinking about this guy, next time out. Assuming it\'s a dirt race and everything else looks positive ... will you just play him like nothing happened out west? Or, take a wait and see approach? Insist on a price that takes the chance of another gate adventure (but no scratch) into account?
He\'s run 3 big negatives this year, he\'s went back 3-5 pts off each one. His last race was one of those big numbers and he bore out too. In addition, he shipped to SA, had a melt down, and vanned back when he melted down while trying to board a plane. Very suspect to me, at 3-1 you can have him, at 8-1 his big tops may get my attention, tricky call. I am leaning against.
My brother is largely a visual handicapper. When he saw QR freak out at the gate at the BC, he said, \"Make sure I never, EVER bet this horse again.\" His premise is that once an experienced horse decides s/he hates the gate -- all done. Might still race, but will use all of his energy being nervous about the gate, and won\'t ever win again.
I\'m mostly a numbers guy. I\'d want to see some stats on horses that have been identified as bad actors at the gate -- Lit De Justice comes to mind as one who had gate woes but could win in spite of it.
My specific feeling on QR, though, matches my brother\'s. He and I are both about 5\'5\", so if you put us together, you have the proverbial 10 foot Pole that you shouldn\'t touch QR with.
There was something very suspect about that event--someone slipped the horse some bad mushrooms--the one that had the best chance to kill the Z-train IMO. I will bet the horse, although your brother\'s remarks are foreboding...
Bill