Intense Holiday

[BenB]

TJ: Thanks a lot for explanation

Avelyn, this an quite interesting read:

http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Ve ... ail/693010

With all those 5 furlong bullets work in use, that are an contradiction in above,s article, it does not surprise me at all.

[Kari]

In the last part he seems to be off. Crossfiring is always an bad sign. No doubt about that. Thanks for the video.

Hi Ben,
You're welcome, glad you saw it...sometimes I see things:>) Though this was pretty visible, as it was when he ducked in toward the rail in the Louisiana Derby....he was totally out of sync. I find it strange that an outfit like this, pretty much ignored what Intense Holiday was telling them. If we could see it, why didn't they stop on him instead of going forward to the Belmont Stakes? Are these guys that crazed with making these races, that they would risk injury to such a nice horse. Here's the replay of his 2nd place finish in the Louisiana Derby, take note Commanding Curve ran 3rd in that race. Intense Holiday is number 1 breaking from the rail in the blue and gold silks, white bridle with a dropped noseband. Also note his action at about 1:27 (steadied slightly but his action was thrown way off when Smith reached up for him) and then his action at about 1:50 when ducking in under a left handed whip, while cross-firing. After observing these two incidents in a single race, that would have been enough to give him a couple months off in my book....whether they knew for sure what was bugging him or not. TJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kJKvNWhopI

Makes you wonder if any trainers, assistants, or jockeys ever go back and watch race replays. Yikes!

[TJ]

In the last part he seems to be off. Crossfiring is always an bad sign. No doubt about that. Thanks for the video.

Hi Ben,
You're welcome, glad you saw it...sometimes I see things:>) Though this was pretty visible, as it was when he ducked in toward the rail in the Louisiana Derby....he was totally out of sync. I find it strange that an outfit like this, pretty much ignored what Intense Holiday was telling them. If we could see it, why didn't they stop on him instead of going forward to the Belmont Stakes? Are these guys that crazed with making these races, that they would risk injury to such a nice horse. Here's the replay of his 2nd place finish in the Louisiana Derby, take note Commanding Curve ran 3rd in that race. Intense Holiday is number 1 breaking from the rail in the blue and gold silks, white bridle with a dropped noseband. Also note his action at about 1:27 (steadied slightly but his action was thrown way off when Smith reached up for him) and then his action at about 1:50 when ducking in under a left handed whip, while cross-firing. After observing these two incidents in a single race, that would have been enough to give him a couple months off in my book....whether they knew for sure what was bugging him or not. TJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kJKvNWhopI

Makes you wonder if any trainers, assistants, or jockeys ever go back and watch race replays. Yikes!

Hi Kari,
They couldn't miss it...but it's just the the urgency to make these races that clouds the judgement of many, as we see every year. So many nice 3YO's fall to this. Allowing 20 horses to run in the Derby certainly does nothing to remedy this. They should limit the Derby to a gate-ful....no more auxiliary gate and 20 horses. Less horses will allow for clearer thinking and proper placement of your horse....even time off when they see they aren't really holding up to the TC training/race grind. They push these horses to make the points to get in the Derby gate...they look the other way and try to convince themselves they didn't see what they just saw. The temptation is hard to resist, hopefully this urgency to make the TC races will develop into a nationwide conversation....but I won't hold my breath:>) TJ

[BenB]

There are far too many horses gooiing this way. With an nuclear scan, you are able to find an micro fracture, but you are not able to detect the composition of the bones.

That is only possible after necropsy. Altering the composition of the bones by an overuse of medication is much more an issue than anyone thinks.