JERRY-WAS THE RAIL DEAD ON DERBY DAY?

[high roller]

From bloodhorse.com
 
\"Speaking of rides, Sweetnorthernsaint\'s trainer, Michael Trombetta, told Kent Desormeaux to keep off the rail after being informed by someone in the know that the rail was dead and the worst place to be, which one could ascertain by watching the winners of the previous races coming from the four- and five-path.\"

[TGJB]

That was me, though the story got a little screwed up in translation. Steve (Kasept) was hanging out with Trombetta over the weekend, and I left him a message Friday night to tell Trombetta to take a good look at the rail Saturday, because it looked like there was a dead one Friday (having now done the day, there was). I did not offer an opinion about how the rail was Saturday, since they hadn\'t run the races yet, so Haskin\'s comment about it being based on the winners in the pre-Derby races is wrong. Having watched those races I can\'t tell, and won\'t know until I do the day later today.

[miff]

Jerry,

I am fairly certain that you will find more than a few runners that ran along the inside and ran close to their norm. The 1st and last race winners were rail all the way and Sacred Light,Pussycat Doll,BGC all raced towards the inside in different races.Let us know when you check your figs.


On Friday all indications are dead rail.

Mike

[big18741]

I guess Trombetta never got the info.Or maybe he assumed the rail was fine after the 1st on Saturday.

His rider in the 2nd race Dominguez had every intention of shooting the rail before having to check and hit the brakes,and then steer his horse several paths wide around the pace setters.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

big18741 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I guess Trombetta never got the info.Or maybe he
> assumed the rail was fine after the 1st on
> Saturday.
>
> His rider in the 2nd race Dominguez had every
> intention of shooting the rail before having to
> check and hit the brakes,and then steer his horse
> several paths wide around the pace setters.
>
>

First, a path issue isn\'t always variable on a day to day basis. It can vary daily. It can also be chronic or anywhere in between.

We\'ll wait for Jerry\'s input, but once again, it certainly apppears to me at least that the rail was not ideal. In consideration of that, you also have to seperate the one and two turn races and consider the rail rides for those respective distances. To my eye, the rail issue was less pronounced on Derby Day, but I think it was still there. Its one reason why I\'ll insist Barbaro do it again before the coronation.

[TGJB]

I think someone posted about this, and/or there\'s something on the Bloodhorse site about it, but Steve left a note for trombetta, and Trombetta told Desourmeaux. Who apparently assured Trombetta he would stay off the rail.

From looking at the day it looks like it\'s academic, the rail was okay.

[Kasept]

Mike DID get the information and covered it with Kent. KD said if he did need to go inside he wouldn\'t stay there. Though the rail may not have been clinically dead, it was still the worst part of the track and he said if things had gone differently early, he\'d have been on a better path. The early trouble is what cost SNS the opportunity to hit the board..

He was climbing and bouncing the first 3/16ths and was struggling with the footing. Then came the rest of the assorted hazards through the turn including losing the bit. Kent said that he then finally settled, got a hold of the track and went into the long, sustained drive. How he got through inside Keyed Entry I\'ll never know, but he tired thereafter and KD said he just had lost too much position early and Saint had worked too hard making it up...

Though many were quick to attack Desormeaux for the ride, the more you watch the race, the more evident it is that the pair did well to get ANY run in... It\'s too bad, because he was ready. I had the opportunity to make \"the walk\" from the backstretch to the paddock with Mike, Donnie, Ernesto, Juan and co-owner Ted Theos, and I was on track when Saint came back to be unsaddled. It was an incredible thrill.

Saint should be a big star. He has a huge personality, talent, and will be around for several years.. He\'ll get more than of his share of important wins. But it was tough to take Saturday even knowing that a better start would likely have only been good enough for a share. Trombetta and Co. are as great a group as I\'ve ever been around on the backstretch.

And his other runner from Saturday (Fleet Valid) is one to follow. Breeder Eduardo Azpurua believes he has stakes ability. Ramon REALLY butchered that ride, and told Mike how sorry he was... The horse was 5 lengths best in that race.