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I think a lot of us said attitude DID play an important role, but not the out of control attitude that has the edge...

They are what they are it's how you relate to their behavior.If you don't mind the ones that nip okay cause I see no reason to hit them for it. Just watch your exposed body parts.As long as they are not in your personal space and there is respect on both sides you should get along fine.Now saying that a horse who I loved dearly cowkicked me so bad I was out colder than a trout. Was he to blame? No, he was feeling good and I wasn't paying enough attention to his body langage.God love and keep you my Twanger.

To me which ever thoroughbred has a higher spirit has the advantage. Comparing it to real life whoever is more ambitous usually succeeds while shyer people sometimes won't succeed at their jobs.

Attitude does not mean being temperamental of gentle.

Attitude is about disposition towards or to do something. It can be negative or possitive but it is not a synomim of bad temper.

How can attitude not play a role in talent? It's all about attitude: horses and people.

A horse can have attitude and spirit, it's just that the same horse can have good manners as well.  If they've been trained well, they know what their job is and can concentrate on the job, not washing out, misbehaving and other things that take their mind off their task.  If the barn is a calm place, then a horse can save his energy for the track.  Horses can learn that their energy and attitude doesn't have to be directed towards humans (biting and kicking) but the energy can be channeled into racing.  I wonder if the real problem is these young horses being stalled 23 hours per day when horses are psychologically bent towards being active and moving around most of the day.  Bad manners from being cooped up in a barn stall would be the same as cooping up your 2 year old child in the bathroom for 23 hours a day and expect them to behave like civilized human beings.

I have pondered this myself, but I don't think it has a lot of bering on how well they race.  The greats cover the spectrum from laid back horses to spirited ones. When I say laid back, I mean adapt to their training routine more readily than others. Like Cigar to John Henry. The only time I ever saw Cigar act up in the slightest is when he lost his first race in the Pacific Classic after his long winning streak.  They had a little trouble getting him in the gate that day. He always seemed so calm, but you could tell he was ready to race. I am not a horseman by any means, but I have been around them for many years. The thing I question is, is a spirited horse more or less intelligent?  Is a horse that adapts to his racing career more intelligent? By this I mean easier to train.

Horses are individuals, some want to be left alone and let you know it, others thrive on attention and will do what they can to get it.

They are high strung, yes, but that is because we feed them what they can and will eat and we keep them charge up on energy so yes they will explode know and then, but "Great" horses know when to turn it on and when to relax.

Bad tempered horses are "man made", it can in 99% of them be traced back to the way they are or have been treated by handlers.

Pain is another reason why horses act up and seam uncontrolleble and can many times be misstaken for bad temper or attitude.

Northern Dancer was the most wild young horse that I know of. All the horse people wanted to geld him but his breeder said no. No doubt that a fiery horse will be a good hose if he is sound and well trained