Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Slew — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:14:10 GMT

Coldfacts consistently pours out his opinions and labels them as "facts". When the actual facts are presented to him, he might apologize for his error, but then he will continue using the same arguments and opinions as "facts" on every blog as though his errors were never pointed out to him. It seems to be a habit of laziness in research, and a self-indulgence in search of a soap box.

It's a good thing there are so many well-informed readers on these blogs. Great info...Karen.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Karen in Texas — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:08:52 GMT

Ranagulzion----Thanks. Seeing distortions of the truth is, as previously stated, annoying. When I see misrepresentations of facts within the biomedical realm, I simply cannot contain myself.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Ranagulzion — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:53:01 GMT

Karen in Texas,

I really like your postings. You're good.

Jersey Boy,

I didn't raise the Flo Jo issue and wouldn't like to go any further into that discussion, suffice it to say that Wikipedia as a source isn't gospel on a lot of their postings. That's a fact.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Karen in Texas — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:56:13 GMT

Jersey Boy----I understand your message and share your annoyance. Whether some bloggers search the Internet or use an old-fashioned dictionary, they need to look up the respective definitions of "fact" and "innuendo". Opinions based on innuendo alone are without merit.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

JerseyBoy — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:48:34 GMT

Karen in Texas:

I agree with your conclusion that we should be careful about stating “everybody knows”. I was just being cynical. I took the words from another blogger.

I was just trying to show my annoyance at people making statements about matters they are unfamiliar with when such statements have the potential to portray others in a poor light. Some seem to do so without even doing an internet search.

I attached that URL hoping to send a message.

Both of the matters covered would have gone differently if the people involved had simply searched the internet for 5 minutes.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Karen in Texas — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:42:00 GMT

Jersey Boy----I agree that some statements/remarks made by at least one blogger border on defamation, and I understand and appreciate your attempts to illuminate the truth by supplying links to factual information.

The Blogger stated on Feb.2 at 4:08 P.M. with regard to "cocktails", that "their compositions make them very potent"....Does that not imply that he has knowledge of the ingredients? The Blogger then states at 9:35 P.M., "I am in no position to tell the composition of any cocktails used by trainers." At the end of that entry he brings up the female world record holder for 100m & 200m, saying, "she turned up with wickedly defined muscles and a deep voice. Was she given a series of cocktails?" Is there any way that doesn't imply usage of anabolic steroids? (As stated by Ranagulzion on Feb.3, 1:46 P.M.) Does it not imply a compositional link between the "cocktails" used currently by the trainers he questions and the alleged use by the now deceased Florence G. Joyner? As for Flo-Jo, she is not able to defend herself at this point. However, if trainers are currently using enhancing substances regularly in hopes that they have cleared by raceday, then today's testing methods will probably create difficulty in that regard. It takes ~12-25 days for nandrolone to clear from plasma or urine, with 42 days the recommended time before testing. One dose of boldenone can be detected for up to six months.

Flo-Jo was found to have a cavernous angioma at autopsy. This undoubtedly contributed to her seizure disorder. The physical stresses of competition could have raised her blood pressure enough for her to have had a stroke, and the added vasopressor effects of steroids could have been devastating. We should be careful when stating what "everybody knows".

neurosurgery.ucla.edu/body.cfm

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Forbidden Apple — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:34:25 GMT

Householder,

Amazombie and The Factor are in trouble if Frumious enters against them.

Did anyone watch another Bonde horse named Izzy Rules burn up the track yesterday?

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

JerseyBoy — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:50:08 GMT

Ranagulzion:

This is what “every body knows” about Flo Jo.

It is always useful to cite your sources.

en.wikipedia.org/.../Flo_Jo

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Householder — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:50:27 GMT

Yes I think Pletcher vs. Baffert...the Triple Crown Record kind of speaks for itself.

Speaking of Baffert. We may just have The Factor throwing down against Amazombie in the San Carlos.

Ready, set, blast off!

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

the_wiz — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:10:35 GMT

El Padrino

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

longwaytomay — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:31:36 GMT

Coldfacts about Pluck,

Pluck first raced in MSW at Belmont and went off at odds of 4/1. He finished 3rd. His next race which was one month later was another MSW at Belmont where he was sent to gate as the less than 2/1 chalk.(Dray probably bet him heavily) He finished 1st. His next race was a stakes race at Monmouth one month later. He went off at 2.6 to 1 and finished 2nd. One month later he runs in another stakes race this time at Woodbine. Was the chalk again at 2.5 to 1 and finished 1st. Four races in four months. Two wins, one second, and a third place finish. He then got a two month break before the BC at Churchill. Was sent of at 6 to 1 and shocked the world. Total destruction of a horse if I ever saw it as only Todd Pletcher could do.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Ranagulzion — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:46:57 GMT

Coldfacts,

I see you're revelling in controversy however you need to be careful about innuendos that malign a trainer when you have no cold facts to put forward. your reference to Flo Jo is a case inpoint: everybody knows that she was on steroids except for the IAAF and the IOC.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

JerseyBoy — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:12:56 GMT

Some relevantfacts about Pluck.

6/27/11

"Team Valor International and The Vinery’s Pluck, who won last year’s Breeder's Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs, will be returned to training June 28.

Pluck in the spring was diagnosed with bone bruising on his canon bones, which necessitated him being turned out in a grass paddock for two months. Radiographs reviewed June 27 by Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood & Riddle Veterinary Clinic near Lexington revealed that both bones had healed, Team Valor said in a release.

Bramlage advised trainer Graham Motion the 3-year-old More Than Ready colt bred by Team Valor could return to training. Team Valor said Pluck would jog on the Tapeta surface at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland."

URL attached:

www.horseracingnation.com/.../Pluck_Set_to_Resume_Training

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Mathieu — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:04:23 GMT

Forbidden Apple-

Izzy Rules is a streaking speedball and fillies/mares who fit that description often go straight up the ladder, particularly with this surface. However, the Sadler is the value. She will go off @ 6-8/1 due to her weak Beyers back East and has the talent to take this. The race key is if Excellent News is now a rocket speedball with the addition of blinkers in her last (a 20.8 1st quarter a a Stake.) If she is, IR will be gasping the additional 1/16th today.

La Sombre is far more vulnerable. The rail draw, missed training, a huge step up in class, and a tougher pace scenario make her a dicey play. I was on her last time and it was impressive but this is an entirely different setup. The Mitchell and Jones will present value. If Garcia gets a good break and takes advantage of the 24ft rail she will be a player but if she doesn't get early position I can see a shuffled trip @ 8/5.

I generally like both horses but see some large issues to overcome today.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Slew — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:30:35 GMT

2:24...Just because a trainer doesn't get cited for violations, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Exactly when did Life At Ten get her blood test? Velasquez and Veitch paid dearly for the incident...what about (according to Kentucky regulations) holding the trainer responsible? I really don't think people have gotten over that incident just yet.

AS far as Jonathan Sheppard, I respect his abilities as a trainer. While I don't get to see many steeplechase events in the USA, Sheppard's turf champions never cease to amaze me. And I will NEVER forget that magnificent run by Cloudy's Knight in the BC. I wish Mr. Sheppard nothing but the best, because he's always given us horses expertly trained to be the best and most brilliant runners.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Footlick — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:28:05 GMT

When East Germany was a World swimming power, the US women said they felt they were swimming against "men". East Germany was known for developing "enhancements" that weren't detected by the testing done at that time as well as transfusions where the blood was oxygenated. The famous Press sisters of the old USSR track teams disappeared when sex testing was added to the Olympics. "Cocktail-ing" has been around forever. I don't think we will ever know who does it and who doesn't. But it is probably very wide spread. After all, this is a sport where money won and races won rule. Everybody wants returns immediately. Puts alot of pressure on trainers. Is cocktail-ing illegal? As long as they test clean on raceday, I guess it is. Is it healthy for the horse? Who knows. Is it healthy for humans? Who knows. Will they continue to be used?

Probably.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Forbidden Apple — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:39:25 GMT

The destruction of Pluck might be a strong example of why Team Valor left the Pletcher regime. Soldat ran a winning race, but he was on the inside and never saw what was coming down the middle. The lightning bolt ColdFacts wrote about was clearly Pluck. Team Valor now has a trainer that is patient and puts the horse first.

Smoking Baby,

Prospective was just getting started at the end of the Pasco. His latest work was slow, but his works before the Pasco were good. Maybe his latest work was just a tune up. He has a distinct advantage over State of Play who is first time dirt. And I am not afraid of the turtle named Ecabroni at all.

If anyone is playing Santa Anita today, the 6th and 7th race double looks easy. Izzy Rules freaked in her last race and is trained by the red hot Jeff Bonde. La Sombre also freaked in her last race, 1:06 for 6f. Both horses should go wire to wire as favorites.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Mike Relva — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:26:18 GMT

JASON

Nice of you as always leaping to the defense of your pal. Too bad you've continually bashed another trainer, one that believes in doing what's right. Then again, I have to consider the source. lol

Will bet you none of "GODS" horses win the Derby. Why don't you step up to the plate and bet? Of course if you need time to mull it over with your racing strategist Dray it's ok.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

2:24 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:46:43 GMT

Coldfacts: I am a bit confused. I am far from a Todd Pletcher mark. I think he is an excellent trainer but I don't believe he does his best work preparing horses for the Triple Crown series. I prefer Baffert and others to Pletcher. However, I believe one of your posts states, or at the very least implies, that Pletcher routinely uses milkshakes to get young horses to perform at a higher level. I am aware of some medication violations with Pletcher, but your post seems to put him in the same light as a Rick Dutrow or Jeff Mullins, two trainers with a mountain of evidence against them who shouldn't be allowed to train anywhere. I don't believe your post is backed by the cold facts.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Smoking Baby — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:02:56 GMT

Forbidden Apple, I agree. Prospective should be double tough in tomorrow's Sam Davis Stakes.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Bellwether — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:37:22 GMT

THE 5.5 WAS ANOTHER ONE OF FRANKS BS PROMOES!!!...SHEPPARD OUGHT TO DUE SUM EM WITH HIM @ SIX HUNDRED GRAND!!!...DAMN $ON!!!...ty...

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

200 lb. Jockey — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:32:10 GMT

Jason,

Do you play Derby future bets?

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

KY VET — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:33:23 GMT

COLDCUTS HAS LOST HIS ITTY BITTY MIND! I cant even respond.......his only saving grace is that he is too poor to bet. Now he is making things up.

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

papillon — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:57:38 GMT

coldfacts thanks for replying--i agree that running their hearts out often ruins young horses (it ruins older ones too). but i'm a little confused because hansen didn't gut out a tough loss in the BCJ like your other examples, that was union rags.

hansen ran the first 6 furlongs of the holy bull in 1:09.11--and still finished in 1:36.91, 0.06 seconds faster than winslow homer WON it the year Jackson Bend was 2nd (jason shandler called winslow homer's holy bull win "a thing of beauty;" the front running speed of that race ran the first 6f in 1:09.66, slightly slower than hansen, but faded to fourth and fifth, repsectively).

gulfstream isn't santa anita, 1:09 at GP is FAST...it just doesn't seem likely to me that if hansen was hurting or had lost his fight and desire to run, that he would have done that to himself with no urging and no pace pressure at all. he didn't run like a horse that doesn't want to run anymore, he ran like a horse with a bee up his butt. =)

but i know what you'r saying and it is a possible explanation for the holy bull--we'll have a better understanding after the FOY, as long as it doesn't rain again--weather down here has gone crazy, rain this time of year is like snow in august for New York...

re: Sheppard Hoping to be Ever So Lucky

Coldfacts — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:35:52 GMT

Longwaytomay

You clearly missed the opening sentence of my cocktail post. For your benefit it is listed below:

“Cocktails are widely used for development, strengthening, conditioning and as race day boasters”

I am in no position to tell the composition of any cocktails used by trainers. Mr. Pletcher horses have a tendency to go MIA and I have equated this to side effects from concoctions used in the conditioning program. There are a number of other trainer whose horses disappear as well. I have never sought to determine exactly what the compositions these cocktails are. However, based on experienced in gained in another life, is safe to speculate that they include body building agents; agents that promote increase capability to produce higher quantities oxygenated blood; agent to extend muscle energy and delay the impact of the lactic acid system. The horses from some barns are always look more powerful than others. I wonder Why? A horse has three energy systems and most conditioning programs are used to bring them to optimum levels of efficiency while the horse is racing. The extent to which some conditioner will go to enhance these energy systems is unbelievable. Most vets are able to formulate these concoctions as are some trainers. The potency of cocktails will be greater when the stakes are higher.

A particular 2YO entered the 2010 BCJ Turf with two victories from four starts. There was nothing to suggest that he was capable of the performance he delivered in this race. He spotted the field about four to five lengths at the gate and he eventually won by a similar margin in hand. So devastating was his performance, Trevor Denman stated that it appeared he jumped into the race at the furlong pole. He was swung five to six wide at the top of the stretch after his bad start and finished like a human cannonball. Three weeks after his removal from the barn in which he won that race, he started in an Allowance race and finished 4th. His next race was four months later where he finished unplaced. He recently underwent surgery for complication.

Would it be unreasonable to blame his no show after his decisive victory in the BCJ Turf on the adverse effect of race day cocktails to which he was previously exposed? Could the series of cocktails that were administered to prepare him for the BCJ Turf be responsible for changing his status from Champion Turf 2YO to damage goods? I consider these legitimate questions and while the answers will be speculative, there is no speculation in what his owner saw. He saw a horse leaving the starting gates and witness part horse and part bird passing the finishing post as the colt sprouted wings in the stretch.

The world record holder for the women Track & Field 100 and 200 hundred meters was just an ordinary runner in the year preceding her records. During her record breaking year she turned up with wickedly defined muscles and a deep voice. I wonder what happened to so drastically change physique. Was she given a series of cocktails?