re: Kentucky Derby Ratings are huge. 21.8 million viewers.

Wait… who is the 4th? I can just think of country house, who was “sick” but never ran again, and rich strike who we now know was running on 2 bad tendons.

The Preakness was run before the derby in 2020, but the second place horse won the derby

Mandaloun wasn’t officially awarded the win until February of 2022, so that 100% doesn’t count . They wouldn’t allow him to enter as a 4 year old to complete his derby Preakness run. The sitting derby winner Medina Spirit did continue on to the Preakness.

I’ve explained the other 3.

Only watch the derby every year?

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And I was born in 1987. For the first 32 years of my life I saw only 1 derby winner skip the Preakness

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I was born in 86. Crazy that you were watching the Derby since birth.

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It’s bad for the average person like myself who will completely check out on horse racing now

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Who the shite cares about what the average person wants? Yes, the Preakness is less interesting. But you do what is best for the horse and there's literally nothing wrong with that. It is financially better for the owners, trainers, stables, and everyone involved with the horse for the horse to run in the Preakness. Nobody wants them to run more than them. But if they feel it puts the horse at risk then you do what's in the best interest of the horse. These horses are far from being immune to catastrophic injuries on the track.

Not really. Load management in basketball didn't use to be a thing and now it's commonplace with every NBA star (it doesn't help NBA players with injuries but that another debate). They are just more concerned with the long term health of the horse now.

Horse racing has drastically changed over the years, like many sports, and how trainers philosophically approach things. The top horses run far less and with more rest in between. Plenty of horses that won the Derby in the past have said they shouldn't have ran in the Preakness and only did so out of a sense of obligation, not what was the smarter thing to do. Mott obviously put what he felt was better for the horse over what clueless people with no investment in the sport or horse other than "I watch the Derby" want him to do.

All 3 have durability and soundness issues.it is a breeding issue. The commercially popular sires don’t produce super sound horses. Horses are bred to sell instead of race. People will pay more for flash in the pan brilliance than a horse that doesn’t need extensive rest and vet work between races.

I don’t see how you aren’t grasping this. 2 had actual physical issues. I’d bet money this horse gets joint injections (which degenerate the joint) before every race. Withdrawl time is generally 14 days to not test but it isn’t an exact science. Can’t go into any joints before the Preakness. I guarantee he’s creaky in the fetlocks and knees. Him not being 100% and getting hurt or beat badly is not a good thing.

You will witness 3, you fricktard. The actual reigning derby winner ran in 21. It was almost a year after that mandaloun was put up as the winner. Do you have severe comprehension issues? :loll:

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Great point. And now they fine the teams when it’s clearly bullshite

Hopefully they do the same in horse racing going forward

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The difference being it's not like Harden wanting to sit out just because he wants a breather. There are legitimate concerns for racing a horse on that quick of a turnaround that doesn't race on quick turnarounds. And with a lot bigger consequences than Harden pulling a hammy, a horse can legit die.

I'm a pretty big horse racing fan, I hate when a horse wins the Kentucky Derby and doesn't race in the Preakness. But the trainer deserves to be able to make the call on what is best for the horse. That should always be the #1 priority. You fine trainers for doing this (will never in a million years will this ever happen nor should it) and your sport is going to turn to crap and you won't have a Preakness going forward.

What I hate even more than not seeing them run in the Preakness though is people that are basically saying "I don't follow this sport and really only watch the Derby but I want them to do what I want them to do!!!" Got to love less than casual fans trying to police the sport.

No you aren’t. You keep insisting that Mandaloun as the derby winner should have run in the Preakness.

Maybe you should just stop watching. I’m sure your $20 bet won’t be missed.

Dude.

Into mischief’s are not sound. Please try to understand what I’m saying. He can’t get his joints injected this quick. Any unevenness in travel can cause a catastrophic breakdown in the overused limb. Is that what you want? Carnage?

I already told you why the other 2 skipped.

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Into mischief’s are not sound. Please try to understand what I’m saying. He can’t get his joints injected this quick. Any unevenness in travel can cause a catastrophic breakdown in the overused limb. Is that what you want? Carnage?

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The trainer, owner, and nobody else cares. If the money opportunity risk/benefit was on the side of running them they would. Period