Earlier I mentioned a column on ESPN.com by Bill Finley, which takes issue with trainer Carl Nafzger and owner James Tafel deciding that Street Sense will possibly skip the Belmont Stakes. Never mind that an official decision hasn't been made yet, how absurd is it for Finley to be giving long-distance training advice to Nafzger in a way reminiscent of Bill Frist diagnosing Terri Schiavo from afar:But what do they have to lose by running Street Sense in the Belmont? Nothing. Let him run in the Belmont and then give him his two months off before he returns in the Haskell. This one time, they can put the sport first and the horse a very close second. For Street Sense and the game, do the right thing.
Just over a year after the injury to Barbaro and your advice is put the welfare of the horse second to the "history" and "nostalga?" Being that you aren't in the barn every day to see his training and works, that's probably not a good idea.
Carl Nafzger is enough of a straight shooter that should Street Sense skip The Belmont, it's for a reason -- because he's not conditioned or ready -- not because his connections are ducking Curlin, the challenge, or because he's got a "deleterious obsession" with pampering his star; to suggest anything otherwise is unfair.
Not only that, but it's odd it to see him jump-up-and down on guys like Tafel and Nafzger for taking their time on this decision -- because that's all they're doing, taking their time -- and then play nice with Steve Asmussen and Jess Jackson, who can only be described as "prickly" and are at times hard to deal with.
There are three weeks between the Preakness and Belmont, with over a week to go. Welcome to Bizzaro World folks, where apparently you have to announce the day after the Preakness your intentions for The Belmont lest you be labeled a coward.
**Update: Alan at Left at the Gate has his own thoughts about Finley's column.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Long Distance Training Advice
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5 comments:
I don't think Finley was in any way suggesting Nafzger run an unsound or unfit horse. He's saying if he's fit and ready, why not run, isn't that what the game is all about? This incessant babying of horses is really making for a dull game. A game which could use some excitement right now. As for what reason Carl has for ducking the Belmont, how about not wanting to lose to Curlin in 2 thirds of the Triple crown? He'd have to beat him twice or more after that to have a shot at the title and maybe he thinks a mile and a half is not his best shot. I hope he runs, but I doubt he will. You don't need a press conference to explain why you're gonna enter.
Carl will do what Carl will do . . .I will await the news conference. Carl's touch with the press is a s subtle as his touch with a horse, nothing is wasted.
I completely agree with Finley. SS looks ready judging by his work - and if he had won the Preakness, he would obviously, obviously, go to the Belmont. If they don't now, they're chickens (with some reason, because I dont see SS beating Curlin ever again) or they're pamperers. The Triple Crown Series is unique and I really think some sort of obligation to the sport applies here. The rest of the year, they can do what they want.
I agree with Finley overall, but I felt oddly placated by Nafzger's comments in the Blood-Horse article explaining his defection. It seems Tafel and Nafzger do still believe in this horse and really want to go for what is, I agree, a more admirable goal: BC Juv/Derby/Travers/BC Classic wins. Maybe some would disagree that this is more significant than two classics, but I for one think a Juv/Derby/Classic winner would be one for the ages while a Derby/Belmont winner would be less memorable. Unfortunately it may very well be an either/or situation, for I can't see SS with a strong autumn campaign AND a Belmont win.
If Street Sense is healthy then why duck a rematch with Curlin and Hard Spun? The three of them in the Belmont would make for one of the more highly anticipated non-Triple Crown Belmont’s in years. Factor in the possibility of the super filly Rags To Riches the race only gets that much more interesting from every aspect. Of course the entire point is the welfare of the horse and we all get that but if he is healthy then why lay up and wait for the summer to wind him back up again? If not for a tremendous effort in the Preakness stretch by Curlin there would be no doubt that Street Sense would be running in the Belmont. Nafzger had said that Tafel so badly wanted to win the Triple Crown that when they lost at the wire it took a lot out of them and left them totally disappointed. Are we then to believe that if they did win in Baltimore that the Belmont would be contested no matter what the situation, whether Street Sense was 100% or less? Nafzger and Tafel are fine gentlemen and a credit to the sport. But why hold back now? Nafzger has already cut back his workload considerably and is only training the horses of Tafel and one other long time client. Tafel is what, 70, 80 years old? Do they believe another horse like this will come their way? The time is now, to run an excellent horse and give him his fair shot at not only being crowned a champion but becoming a legend. We the fans of thoroughbred racing yearn for and deserve to see it.
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