The Best Training Jobs

This would be judging by what's available, PPs, videos, reports, blogs, etc. This post will evaluate performance potential instead of injury prevention. It involves PPs for the year which indicate basic strength and body composition, and the crucial 45 days pre-race where the horse is honed to performance. The PPs for the year in terms of quality give the trainer something to build on in the last 45 days.

Here's my evaluation relatively speaking of the best jobs done by trainers in the order they impressed me, first to last:

COLONEL JOHN. Here's his line:

8 breezes/races since 3/13 most of them at sub :12 speed and most at 5f, done consistently every 6 days except for a post race layoff that lasted 8 days. Off day 1.5 mile galloping. This is as decent and logical modern training program as I've seen on the Derby trail. Nafzger last year comes close to this, and he actually had Street Sense doing more in terms of frequency and length. HOWEVER , the kinda-sorta Nafzger neglected speed training, an ommission Eoin Harty obviously takes note of. This is a strong horse that should be flying at the end. Concerns: flapping tongue and the deficiencies this may indicate, bass fisherman, has he trained his horse for the distance. It's close.

BIG BROWN: Way down in second place:

A little light for the year, but, he's catching up. Since 3/19 7 breeze/race mostly in :12s or faster all at 5f except the 3f today with 6 to 7 day spacing between. but a full 14 day layoff from breezing after the race. Some detraining there. It was a Palm Meadows so the quality of gallop outs is unknown. Off day galloping seems less consistent than with CJ and tends to be 1 mile. This horse looks stronger now than in the Florida Derby. Nice job BUT caveat, the training indicates this one might be short!

BOB BLACK JACK:

This horse is a leader in number of works/races for the year (though not number of furlongs which is a concern), shows 7 breeze/race since 3/15 ranging anywhere from 4f to 6f several at sub :12 speed with spacing about every 7 days. The race layoffs were 8 and 9 days. The off day schedule is unknown but it looks as if the horse consistently gallops 1.5 miles on off days. Previously I thought the horse might be physically over matched. On reevaluation this is a fit and fast animal that should on his training be very competitive.

EIGHT BELLES:

I know only what I saw on the video yesterday, which is that there's far more to Larry Jones training than what shows in the form. First there's the human equivalent to pumping iron since this filly carries 200 lbs. at speed. And, she handles it. This alone provides significant conditioning. The horses' form and strength shows superior training. The question, as with BB, has she been trained to go the distance. Doubtful.

That's it folks. I'm unable to ferret out any other training jobs that I consider superior. All the rest fall into adequate or below. I'll take a look at those tomorrow. Be forewarned Pyro and Tale of Ekati fans, throw them out.

Training:
Wed 4/30: 15 min riderless for both colts fairly easy. Tack work aborted when sprung shoe was discovered on Art, again.