Today he led through honest fractions and I thought he would wilt away in mid-stretch, possibly finishing fourth or so. However, when he got to the top of the stretch he just pulled away in a display that would've been impressive even if he was rested and prepped for this race.
Now, anyone who knows me knows that I believe the declining interest in Thoroughbred Racing can at-least partly be attributed to the disappearance of iron horses like Boom Towner, who create a loyal fanbase and bring in people who wouldn't normally be interested in the sport. However, as someone who cares about the sport, I can't say that I'm too pleased with seeing El Real Madrid run three times in 8 days.
Thoroughbred Racing has suffered numerous black-eyes over the past decade or so, making each individual's own self-interest secondary to the interests of the racing community as a whole.
There are approximately 1.6 to 2.2 breakdowns per 1,000 starters. Even with the invention of polytrack these numbers have not declined. Most inside the racing community know that even horses that are sparingly run and have virtually no conformation flaws can break down. However, the everday fan- the guy and girl that this sport so desperately needs- feels bitter resentment towards the sport when these truly unpredictable injuries happen. Imagine how betrayed the everday fan would feel if an otherwise healthy horse broke down because he was run three times in eight days. I'm sure that his trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. felt that the chances for injury were marginal, as I've seen him run horses twice in one week many times before; however, if one of these days a catastrophic injury befalls one of these horses that he likes to run so frequently, the entire racing community will have to deal with the public relations nightmare that will ensue.
Running horses very frequently is a calculated risk, but our sport cannot afford calculated risks right now.
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