A Tale of Two Trainers

[Fairmount1]

Did the protocols in place at Maryland make a difference?  You be the judge.  I think it is very clear.  Racing can take serious steps to make for a terrific game and make the playing field level if they would do this for all horses and trainers.  The wagering would explode if they would level the field.  But will they just let it go back to normal now that the Preakness is over? Some on here said the Baffert Express would continue.  It did not for a four race sample.  It will if they don\'t follow these protocols moving ahead.  I understand the conditions included placing the Baffert horses in a different barn.  

As a condition of acceptance of the entry, Baffert has provided his consent to the Maryland Jockey Club to allow for rigorous testing and monitoring in addition to that conducted by the Maryland Racing Commission (MRC).

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/triple-crown/baffert-maryland-jockey-club-reach-agreement-for-medina-spirit-to-run-in-preakness/


Bob Baffert, 4 horses at Pimlico last 2 days:

Black Eyed Susan, Beautiful Gift, 2.20-1 favorite.  7th, 21+ lengths behind

Sir Barton, Hozier, .60-1 favorite, 2nd by a head in 4 horse field.  Assertion:
 (had a lead and lost when a Baffert never loses in that position)

Preakness Stakes, Medina Spirit, 2.40-1 favorite.  3rd, 5+ lengths behind

Preakness Stakes, Concert Tour, 3.70-1 3rd choice.  9th, 34+ lengths behind

____________________________________

Bob Baffert, 4 horses Derby Day at CD:

Derby City Distaff, Gamine, .20-1, Favorite, Winner by 1 1/2 lengths.  Stumbled start, and didn\'t like the track Baffert said and told Johnny V beforehand not to win by too much.

Pat Day Mile, Defunded, 3.10-1, 3rd choice, 4th place beaten 4 3/4 lengths.  Monster effort 6w with Jackie and Dream Shake not relinquishing after blazing fractions.

American Turf, Du Jour, 5.60-1, 4th choice in 14 horse field.  Winner by 1 1/4 lengths.

Derby, Medina Spirit, 12.10-1, 6th choice in 19 horse field.  Winner by 1/2 length.

[Silver Charm]

Fairmount1 to be consistent please post Chad Browns Derby success. He won both grass Grade Ones Derby Day.Dometic Spending ran a 3 point New Top off a 5 month layoff. And now his record today.  

Then post Mike Makers record the last 2 days and how his Keeneland Meet went where it seemed to me he shipped a lot of chalk in from CDT that was up the Track in a lot of grass Stakes. Maybe he was pointing for Pimilico....

I agree with your original theory to an extent. So how does this work? When they are watching me, I\'m awful. And when they\'re not....look out.

BTW Chad in his TV Interview said he wanted to win for his Staff, Mr Klaravich and the Industry. Yes the Industry. No word on if he rode into the Paddock on a White Horse and wore a 10 gallon white hat.....sheesh

[Fairmount1]

Silver,

I actually started by looking at Maker\'s last two days really close.  I wanted to keep it simple for a message board without going too far with it.  But had thoughts of posting Maker\'s two days also.  It didn\'t fit with exactly where I was headed though so went away from that endeavor.      

Chad has seen some success this year but generally (and this is getting to assertion areas without posting some evidence), I don\'t believe his horses have been quite the same in 2021.  

As for Maker, no doubt he had quite a weekend.  I told friends privately to bet him in the turf race prior to the Preakness.  it was just too obvious.  He really got hammered late as JB noted making the wager not as worth while.  

I didn\'t see the Chad or Todd quotes but read they took a jab or two that seemed pointed at Baffert.  Dallas Stewart had a line on twitter also:  What\'s for dinner B B  Some have replied Crow. . . .

[T Severini]

Did you note the Jig Rombauer was putting on for the fans in the post parade?  It was quite the dance.

Wasn\'t much familiar with Mike McCarthy pre race and looked him up to find he had a pretty good resume of Graded Wins, including the Pegasus and Breeders Cup mile with a horse that beat Accellerate.

Rombauer ran a good race in the Bluegrass into soft fractions. He caught a bit more pace today.

[Fairmount1]

A touch old but worth the read.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/10/30/michael-mccarthy-credits-todd-pletcher-for-his-road-to-the-breeders-cup/

[HP]

Chad Brown’s big winners aren’t testing positive every other day. Let me know when they nail Mike Maker. More spin here than a washing machine!

[HP]

SNL just had the last word!

[T Severini]

It\'s Horse Stuff

[Silver Charm]

McCarthey was Pletchers #1 Assistant for for a while. He actually took over for Pletcher when Pletcher was serving one of these Suspensions.

https://www.espn.com/horse-racing/news/story?id=2099581

Pletcher fought the suspension below for almost 2 years before serving his days. Wait a While had run 3rd in Breeders Cup race.  


https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/143796/pletcher-begins-serving-suspension

McCarthey learned under one of the best. Does that mean he is a rule breaker? No. It means he has handled a lot of very good horses over his career. Watched, observed and learned everything Pletcher did. Just like Chad with Frankel

[Silver Charm]

Brown yesterday: Again keep in mind he won both Grade 1 Grass races on Derby Day and was 2nd in the Kentucky Oaks

Preakness
Crowded Trade - 5th
Risk Taking - 8th

Dinner Party
Sacred Life - 4th
Kuramata-Ire - 8th and last

Gallorette
Great island - 3rd
Flighty Lady-Ire -4th

This last one was a 5 horse field so it was going to be hard run worse than 5th. Also the usual guys are riding. Ortiz and Castellano. Which means they are taking money

His one runner at Belmont yesterday-Lonesome Fugitive may have hit the Board. In an allowance race. Coincidentally (?) Shug had a pretty good day yesterday when maybe others felt the Police were watching. IDK

If there is one trend with Brown is the amazing transformation of Euro Shippers or Euro Transfers is not there anymore. Doesnt meant they wont win at first asking stateside but they are no longer becoming instant Grade 1 Stars.

[HP]

All good points. Maybe you can review Brad Cox next? I’m old enough to remember Pistol Pete but he didn’t have Derby runners. Talking about Chad Brown or the other usual suspects does not change anything about Bob Baffert’s ENDLESS string of test failures with top horses.

Many times TGJB will write about watching whether a guy’s horses are running early in the day. Pretty clear Brown’s horses weren’t in the game yesterday. None of this is new. Maybe the drug guys had a day off so the hay, oats and water guys could win. Yay! This isn’t handicapping, it’s drugcapping, and it’s been a drag for a long time. And with the Lasix mess we’re getting deeper into drugcapping every day.

[Silver Charm]

I agree with all of that.

The Brad Cox review goes something like this. Up Up and Away.....

[HP]

I’m sure we agree more than we disagree.

Maybe it’s Brooklyn, but nobody else tells stories like Baffert and if he insisted on telling groom pissing stories on my block someone would kick his ass. You mentioned Pletcher. I never heard him make up shit like Baffert. If Baffert is a magnet for this it’s his own fault. It was interesting to see the SNL thing because that’s how the general public sees it, not in terms of picograms but as a typical sleazy hustler peddling nonsense.

[confused]

Whoops.  Your general direction is fine, but you\'re a little off with Chad and Frankel.  Before he joined Frankel\'s barn, he worked for awhile with Stephen Allday, TAP\'s vet for some time.  I could be wrong, but I think he was referred to as the man in the White Mercedes.  Whenever the car showed up at a stable, winners ensued.
 
After Brown joined Frankel THAT barn got really good.  I think he taught more to Frankel than he learned from him.

[Silver Charm]

I\'m not Bafferts Press Agent but someone who knows gave me some insight into his operation. For everyone of these Concert Tours, Hoziers (the $500,000 types) that look like they are something.....there are another 4 or 5 he has for these same owner groups that never make it to the Track.  

Look for this crew there about 5 of them that are putting up $100,000 a piece. If a Nadal wins a few races and gets syndicated for $12,500,000 its like a 25-1 shot. Its a different form a gambling for people who have that kind of money.

Is there pressure on Baffert to produce? I guess. I mean right now there are not anymore Cal Breds in his barn. Pletcher might fool around with a Claim for Repole and have sort of a back door stable down here at GP. Baffert is more of churn and turn operation.

BTW the source who told me this had 2 Eclipse winners with Brown. He still uses Brown but he is now also Teaming up with Saffie Joseph......