Update on Creative Cause (and others)
DiscreetCat
Moderator
I was listening to a Vegas podcast last night featuring the well-respected California-based private clocker Toby Turrell, who has been @ Churchill the last week or so watching the horses train.
He prefaced his remarks about Creative Cause by saying that he had "been told" that Creative Cause left the track after training (i think yesterday) and was having some trouble breathing (making noise). Interestingly, that has absolutely nothing to do with the rumored foot issue, so that seemed a bit odd to say the least.
Beyond that however, he said that Creative Cause has looked as good as ever, even saying at one point that he had "been training like a tiger" or something akin to that. I think it's important to mention here that Toby has a much better frame of reference (with reagrd to Creative Cause) than does the DRF clocker MIke Welsch, as Toby has observed Creative Cause for several months now and knows what to expect from him in the mornings. So obviously good news there (aside from the alleged breathing problem).
Another noteworthy comment was when he surprisingly said that Union Rags "looked like a mess", which is in stark contrast to the rave reviews he's been getting from Mike Welsch this week. Of course, with Welsch being based in Florida, the "better frame of reference" shoe is on the other foot there. But still something to consider. He also mentioned something that makes a lot of sense (in a negative viewpoint), which is the fact that Matz suddenly put the tongue-tie on Union Rags the other day, which would seem odd if he had been training lights-out as sugested by Welsch and Company. Why mess around with something like that if there wasn't some time of issue? Especially just days before the Derby??? I suppose (?) you could make a similar case regarding Creative Cause's blinkers-off switch, but at least that happened a month ago and we now know that he runs just as well without them (or so it seems).
He also echoed Welsch's comments about Hansen not looking so hot this week. I think you can probably stick a fork in that one's chances. We shall see.
Good luck today, guys....
He prefaced his remarks about Creative Cause by saying that he had "been told" that Creative Cause left the track after training (i think yesterday) and was having some trouble breathing (making noise). Interestingly, that has absolutely nothing to do with the rumored foot issue, so that seemed a bit odd to say the least.
Beyond that however, he said that Creative Cause has looked as good as ever, even saying at one point that he had "been training like a tiger" or something akin to that. I think it's important to mention here that Toby has a much better frame of reference (with reagrd to Creative Cause) than does the DRF clocker MIke Welsch, as Toby has observed Creative Cause for several months now and knows what to expect from him in the mornings. So obviously good news there (aside from the alleged breathing problem).
Another noteworthy comment was when he surprisingly said that Union Rags "looked like a mess", which is in stark contrast to the rave reviews he's been getting from Mike Welsch this week. Of course, with Welsch being based in Florida, the "better frame of reference" shoe is on the other foot there. But still something to consider. He also mentioned something that makes a lot of sense (in a negative viewpoint), which is the fact that Matz suddenly put the tongue-tie on Union Rags the other day, which would seem odd if he had been training lights-out as sugested by Welsch and Company. Why mess around with something like that if there wasn't some time of issue? Especially just days before the Derby??? I suppose (?) you could make a similar case regarding Creative Cause's blinkers-off switch, but at least that happened a month ago and we now know that he runs just as well without them (or so it seems).
He also echoed Welsch's comments about Hansen not looking so hot this week. I think you can probably stick a fork in that one's chances. We shall see.
Good luck today, guys....