George William Smith wrote:Geowarrior, I'm still laughing. We might have a real dogfight at the back of the pack.
TJ....Unbridled Vicar wiped him out once early in the race, then down the backstretch he was in tight the whole way and the stewards photos showed him bouncing off the rail or at least getting paint on Borel's boots.
The stretch run from the head on was the trip from hell. First he saved ground with Pyro around that last turn, spotted a hole a slipped through it, and Pyro got blocked, but swung out clear just barely slicing through a hole [so Pyro is not chicken], then out and clear and whoosh....Blackberry Road though hit the wall of leaders and had no where to run....was going out made a move that way then [from the stewards video] then the horse outside of him came over so he went to go back inside but that where the wandering Visionaire was and was blocked for the last time when Pyro came over a bit and Z Fortune moved over and then it was over. He was 5th, but I've seen every race of his and this is the first time that I thought he knew what he was supposed to do [not being green in attitude though he runs straight.]
Watch the stretch run from the blood-horse and you can see some of his trouble if you don't watch Pyro and just watch him.
Of course, I might be seeing things that I want to see, but he looked mature today. I think there is also a good chance he got cut up pretty bad in the melee. Pyro ran a biggie and a great ride on him.
Hi George,
I see what you were talking about. I'm surprised there wasn't a claim against Unbridled Vicar for coming over on him and causing him to check. It looked like Blackberry also hit the fence (at that point) when he was forced to pull up when Vicar dropped over on him. Through the lane Borel really never asked him for a real run and didn't take the one opportunity, he did have, to bust through between horses. Instead Borel chose to steady him along behind horses. That ride, the eventful and unlucky trip certainly left something to be desired. This race was not a true indicator of his ability. Just hope he came out of that battle OK. TJ