Pletcher on the radio

[HP]

Pletcher --

\"Pollard\'s Vision will not be on the lead, will probably be behind Smarty Jones and Lion Heart.\"

Asked about the pedigree -- Pletcher pointed out that the dam side has lots of stamina.

\"Limehouse was too close to Lion Heart in the Blue Grass because I told Santos not to let him slip away.\"

Said Sellers told him The Cliff\'s Edge doesn\'t like dirt in his face. Declared him the horse to beat.

HP

[holybull95]

Did he also say that one of the owner\'s of Pollard\'s Vision has one eye?  There\'s a story line for you....

[pgsheets]

I can\'t imagine any of them \'like\' dirt in the face,  although maybe that explains why some horses never make the lead...there\'s no dirt.

[HP]

Yes he did mention the one-eye owner.

He also said that he thought the momentum in the big field would be outside-in so the horses on the inside would get beat up more. He said he would try to get post 15 if he could with Pollard\'s Vision.

I think this was very important stuff. If you imagined who would go with Lion Heart early, Limehouse and Pollard\'s Vision were two candidates to do so. Here\'s the trainer saying he is not going to do that. So Lion Heart figures to have it a little easier (if you call holding off Smarty Jones easy). Unless Pletcher is playing poker...

Didn\'t sound that way to me. HP

[HP]

Pletcher\'s comments on Tapit were interesting and a stark contrast to what\'s been posted here.

He said he was impressed with Tapit because it looked like he geared up once on the turn, and the jockey reined him in, and then he made another run in the stretch, and he thought it was rare that a horse can gear up and down twice in a race like that and still win. Maybe what Pletcher saw on the turn explains what happened in the stretch, and Tapit might look better getting one smooth run... The likely short price is still pushing me away, but this was food for thought. HP

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

I think highly of Todd Pletcher. You may argue otherwise, but I think its fairly clear he\'s the best of the Lukas assistants.

I do have to say at a time of year when most trainers are trying to get a handle on their own horses, its hard to put much stock in what their opinions are pertaining to other horses. Maybe they can be less optimistic and more honest in that case, who knows.

Tapit certainly is a cause for concern. The figure may not be huge and he had some stretch problems but the trainer has been very good with horses, especially horses of quality.  That said I think he\'s a mortal 20% winner and get the feeling his surface of comfort is turf and that he\'s in a whole new ballgame with dirt horses, especially dirt horses going 10 marks in the American speed style. The other thing that keeps popping into my mind with Dickensen is that he\'d run his horses 3 times a year if it were just up to him. He\'s a spot picker and hes does his best when HE picks his spot. This time, the spot is picked for him and in regard to that you have to wonder if training a horse on turf or an all weather uphill is really the optimum regime for a 20 horse American speed field.  You add to that the bearing in issue and Tapit for me is a possible third of fourth place horse at this point. I think he fits were his figure places him. He also caught some horses at less than full capacity in the Wood. Its hard to leave that out of the equation.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

HP I\'ve watched 3 of Lion Hearts races and in each one he bears wide on the first turn even though theres no reason to. Its very odd, hes just a little wild on that first turn. The other thing to keep in mind is he really is a speed horse and if he\'s off half a step slow and is in shoulder to Shoulder with them on first turn what may portend? He could draw post 4 and go for the speed pop to clear by first turn, but thats not how it always goes at Churchill.

If Sinister were in this race I\'d be supremely confident, without someone challenging Rion Heart he has a one dimensional horses chance.

Remember the Disney movie \"The Ugliest Dachshund\"? Theres a point in the movie where the Great Dane is tearing wildly through the party catered by Japanese and they are so afraid of his large size and destruction they begin running and screaming \"RION...RION\" (Unable to pronounce Lion correctly) It was one of the finest pieces of anti P.C. 60\'s slapstick produced.

Also this in the DRF. Apparently the owners and trainers are THRILLED to have Pval back while the Jockey colony is less enthusiastic. Imagine that?

\"The horsemen have been very supportive,\" he said. \"I wish I could do 115 or 116, but I did 119. I\'ve taken off some weight and I want to do it right. I won\'t take it off in one day.

\"I came back feeling pretty good. I worked three this morning, and riding five is the perfect amount. Corey will have me on a lot of horses.\"

While rival jockeys criticized Valenzuela\'s reappearance, his return has been widely supported by owners and trainers.\":

http://www.drf.com/news/article/55048.html

Note Pval won with about 40% of his mounts on comeback day:



Post Edited (04-27-04 18:04)

[Tim25]

Watching the way Lion Heart went wide in on the first turn in the Blue Grasscould this be a sign that something is not right with him? He still ran a great race.

[miff]

I would not blame the horse. I have observed \"WIDE\" MIKEY SMITH for years.He continues to ride that way. Can\'t understand the genius trainers who keep using him.