An Overlooked Training Job?

Had anybody spent the time, they easily could have ferreted out Mine That Bird. There's always the danger of becoming the idiot that spends way too much time on horse racing, which is where I was last week in taking a close look at the training, intending to take an equally close look at the intangibles, but stopping there with my Renee' Descartes post, and declining to review the videos, and consider the multiple factors that would affect the race.

But, it is all there for the asking, for anyone that did bother to check.

First, as Andy Beyer notes in his column, those New Mexico races are much more impressive than the PPs show. Mine That Bird suffered bad rides and competed gamely to the end. I suspect they also show a fast talented horse.

Then there is an intangible I occasionally look at very closely. Does anyone transport a horse 1500 miles without knowing something? They came all the way from Dubai to win. Do we think this crew came in for any reason other than to win?

But, it goes deeper, and it was there for all to see. Instead of being one of those insufferable quarter horse trainers/horse abusers, Bennie Woolley Jr., a fellow grouch, understands a thing or two about training a horse. This was a guy who detoured to Lone Star, spent the night and galloped his horse two miles. Shows some understanding and intent.

But, there's more, again for all to see. How many horses in this field did two miles/day on their slow gallop days? Jeff Mullins did a little of that. the other was Bennie Woolley Jr.(This shows in the Downey Profile Derby notes.) And, MTB, as the videos show, instead of just loping, which you see for most of them, carries a stout rider in those "slow" gallops at a pretty good clip.

The April 29 post here shows Mine That Bird to be in the middle of this field in terms of speed work for the year, and a little below average for recent speed work. If, however, you add the productive slow gallop work, you gain the understanding this trainer was the only trainer conducting race appropriate work with his horse. Add Calvin Borel to this mix, and the final mile breeze (how many of them breezed a mile as their final breeze?), and the focus sharpens up considerably.

There's MTB. How did the rest of them do relative to their training? See chart below for year to date and recent speed work volumes per the April 29 post. The missing #4 horse on both charts is I Want Revenge.

Please note that the last 4 or 5 horses were not persevered with. When you consider this, you will see for the remainder a fairly close correlation with training volume.

Horse--Rank (for #of works/speed events for the year)--comment

Mine That Bird 11th--possibly 1st if under the radar work factored in!
Pioneer Of The Nile 6th--Baffert said he trained soft. It showed.
Musket Man 9th --good trainer, good horse, good finish.
Papa Clem 2nd--oh had the last breeze been done a day earlier!
Chocolate Candy 1st why would they start far back with best trained horse?
Summer Bird 17th --One of those Birds.
Join In The Dance 8th
Regal Ransom unknown--will Sheik return? Different trainer, perhaps?
West Side Bernie 18th--game effort given his training.
General Quarters 16th--thankfully survived.
Dunkirk 7th--big horse had an excuse with the track.
Hold Me Back 15th typical Mott.
Advice 10th--a surprise to me.
Desert Party unknown
Mr. Hot Stuff 5th--refused to run, lol. Got one just like him.
Atomic Rain 14th
Nowhere To Hide unknown
Friesan Fire 13th-- Saez guessed wrong, the horse was fine, but congrats for protecting the horse! Learned a lesson a year ago, perhaps.
Flying Private 3rd--did his breathing lock up again?

Here is the rank per recent work(from 45 days out):

Mine That Bird--17th-add his productive slow days and he's near #1.
Pioneer Of The Nile 3rd
Musket Man 8th
Papa Clem 1st
Chocolate Candy 2nd
Summer Bird 15th
Joint In The Dance 14th
Regal Ransom unknown
West Side Bernie 18th
General Quarters 13th
Dunkirk 12th
Hold Me Back 16th
Advice 7th
Desert Party unknown
Mr. Hot Stuff 6th
Atomic Rain 16th
Nowhere To Hide unknown
Friesan Fire 11th
Flying Private 5th