Hangin' With Haskin : quality road

Breeders' Cup Wrap - Final Thoughts

Blood-Horse Staff — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:15:00 GMT

All the comments made about Quality Road being a rogue or crazy are way off base. Dr. Larry Bramlage called him a juvenile delinquent following his meltdown prior to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A juvenile, yes, in many ways, but being scared out of your wits does not make you a delinquent.

Quality Road was a frightened child afraid not of the dark or the boogeyman, but of a metal monster that closes in on his massive frame and constricts him. It’s called claustrophobia, and suffering from it does not make one crazy or a delinquent. Admittedly, this is not a trained medical diagnosis, but it’s pretty obvious having watched this horse all year what his problem is.

Continue reading this column or feel free to post your comments below.

Countdown to the Cup - Bird Bath

cdawahare — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:23:00 GMT

Whether he's splishin' and a'splashin' or movin' and a'groovin' or rockin' and a'rollin,' the sight of Summer Bird and his distinctive blue blinkers charging down the stretch is leaving racing fans reelin' with the feelin.'

And that feelin' is, this is one serious racehorse and the towering figure constantly at his side is one serious trainer.

It appears certain with each passing month that racing is witnessing the beginning of the Ice Age...

Continue reading this column or feel free to post your comments below.

Kentucky Derby Trail: Quality Performances

Blood-Horse Staff — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:00:00 GMT

There are three ways of looking at the Florida Derby (gr. I): the best horse won, the best horse finished second, and both horses ran sensational races and established themselves as major Kentucky Derby contenders. The consensus would have to be number three.

Read full column here.

Ky. Derby Trail: Rabbit Punch

Blood-Horse Staff — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:00:00 GMT

On several occasions over the past few years, Todd Pletcher has reached into his hat to pull out a rabbit, and in most cases the trick didn't go quite as planned. Despite some bad hare days, Pletcher has decided to try his luck at prestidigitation once again in Saturday's Florida Derby (gr. I).

Read the rest of the column here.

Ky Derby Trail: Road to the Roses

Blood-Horse Staff — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:57:00 GMT

The last Saturday in November is NYRA's farewell to grade I and grade II racing, with the running of the Cigar Mile (gr. I) and the grade II Remsen and Demoiselle Stakes for 2-year-olds. But last year, there was a buzz in the air that had nothing to do with any of those three races.

Read the entire column here.