Breeders Cup Week!

Time to focus on the Cup! And this will fit right in with what I am trying to do in summarizing what we know about frequency of speed work as it relate to race appropriate fracture resistance (FR).

The guinea pig this week will be Todd Plecher of whom I'd noted last post the contradiction in his training style between giving three weeks off from speed work post race to give unseen mini fractures time to heal and Plecher's high injury rate. As to the latter immediately coming to mind are both Dunkirk and Rags to Riches both of whom crossed the finish lines in their last races with serious fractures that luckily held together averting yet another catastrophe for the sport.

And so, this week, pay particular attention to Quality Road. And, given the 4f work for QR yesterday for a 1.25 mile BC Classic race can we also look at what Plecher does in terms of performance. My instinct is to wonder what a trainer might possibly be thinking to breeze 4f instead of say 7f or a mile wanting to get a performance in the BC Classic 6 days later. Let us reserve judgment and see how QR does. My initial guess would be: other then well.

That is performance, however. Will also closely watch the injury situation. Plecher 4 weeks ago said he would train QR for distance. Plecher's conception of training "for distance" differs markedly from my own. Again, reserve judgement. This will be a good test of the theory that what Plecher does is ridiculous.

Training: have been playing around with working every 36 hours to give a little additional rest. Thinking this would permit longer, more strenuous w/os, and horses might be more energetic work to work. Results so far, if I discount my suddenly extremely lazy horse, have been good.

Thurs. 10/28: 3.5 miles continuous in :14s and 15s with several short full speed bursts. Count this as speed work.

Fri. 10/29: Off

Sat: 10/30: 4 miles slow galloping riderless + 3 time walk trot up and down the hill.

Sun: 10:31 Off.

Mon. 11/1: Arrive and there's pink on a hoof. Oh Oh. Eye goes up the leg and Rod has a chunk of flesh size of a silver dollar missing just above his right knee. Good news is its superficial and mostly the skin peeled back. Almost zero injury into the muscle. Decide to go riderless and skip tack work to avoid excess pressure at the injury site: 4 miles continuous with several short full speed bursts. The work was fast and slow as Rod now pulls himself up unless force to gallop. This requires yours truly sprinting back and forth across the paddock. Need to get back in shape for that.