Nailing It Down: "How Soon Can We Go?"

How soon can we or should we go? Below, for analysis, a 2008 work schedule from a major trainer. 9/22-28 typifies normal off day work for this horse.

2/28: Race
3/29: Race
6/14 Race
7/12: Race
7/21: :51.5
7/28: 1.03
8/4: 1.03
8/11: 1.14.5
8/18: 1.25
8/25: :49
8/30: Race
9/8: :51.5
9/15: 1.02
9/22 :52
9/23 R
9/24 G
9/25 R
9/26 G
9/28: Race

What sticks out? I have preached, hypothesized, cajoled, urged that the number one requirement for success in horse racing is to keep them going. And, indeed, the above horse has maintained a 2008 schedule sans injury, turnout or other pauses. May we surmise, whatever this horse's natural ability, that each successive work/race improves this horse physically, mentally, and comparatively vis a vis inconsistently training/racing competition?

Can we imagine to Preston Burch a severe dose of culture shock when he is informed by Jess "Its all about the legacy" Jackson that the work tab above belongs to "Horse of the Century" Curlin. Let's take a look:

I'm impressed by the attention to detail as shown by the video even while I might prefer my horse Sunday morning turned out in a paddock instead of wedged in a plane on the way to Santa Anita.

Interestingly Curlin's work provides us a standard of comparison with respect to the questions how soon can we work post race, and how frequently we have to work to obtain race appropriate fracture resistance. Curlin has, after all, raced the entire year. I'll try to put it together next post.

Training:

Thurs. 9/25: Riderless intermittent slow galloping in the mud. Art 10 min. Rod 5 min.

Fri. 9/26: Each horse readjusts to rider weight after 4 days without rider by trotting 1/2 mile. then 10 min. intermittent fairly tough riderless gallop, they're into it, for each horse.

Sat. 9/27: One mile under tack for each horse. Art: trot-gallop, Rod: trot. Then fast riderless work on a drying track. Wanting to avoid overdo with the growth spurting 2 year old, I cut it short after 5 min. Hard work out mostly in :14s.

Sun. 9/28: Off after two consecutive days of tough workouts .