The Minimum For Fracture Resistance?

Last post I noted the variation in works for Derby contenders on the same day. And of course, as a laughable side note, the very minute I post that Nick Zito never works over 4f the Blood Horse notes a 6f work for Zito's Anak Anakal. Oh well!


But, the point has been the variation in works, different approaches by different noted trainers toward the same goal, and the pestering question, what sort of approach do we take for injury prevention? Is it any "any of the above", or is one superior to another?

For discussion purposes, let's note some possible approaches to working for the Derby. Assume each of the below contenders races at over 1 mile once a month to Derby time. Here is the breezing schedule for four of them:

1. Frankel's :48 once a week.
2. Drysdale's 1:45 mile every 10 days with plenty of 2 minute licks and accelerations in between.
3. Mandella's 4-7f :12.5/f works every 10 days.
4. Pletcher's 5f in 1:02 for three weeks, then race, then 3 weeks of no works and start again.

Quite a contrast there if you look at it closely. I'll give my answer in advance that "none of the above" is truly effective for fracture resistance and give my reasons, and get to Burch and Carl Nafzger and Street Sense next posts.

Training: On a very cold Monday with yet more precipitation promised, we're off.