Nice that they have brought the Crown Prince over in time to train at CD, but if he doesn’t learn the change his lead I think he’s sunk.

Have to accept the change leads (in this case)  as, it is what it is, and it works for the colt. Especially as a long ball runner. 

Watched trainer video: my take is calm and collected. Especially when asked about pressure of Kdy. Paraphrase and how Dogs would feel + say: Hey my colt's in Kdy, think he's the best, here to win. That's a good thing. That's good pressure.

Not the only horse I ever saw not change on demand.

Like Alydar.

Alydar

Hey two, what's going on?

All things considered, the big question for Masa was whether or not Crown Pride would accept the Churchill main track surface.  The connections were encouraged by how he handled the Meydan surface.  That surface had been modeled to approach the composition of the Church main, according to reports when the dirt went back in Dubai.  Still, it is deeper and sandier than CD.

The colt seems to like the CD surface which pleases his handlers immensely.  If he was balky on the surface, then I would say he's sunk.  

As you know, the Derby is a different kind of cat.  To win or factor, everything has to go right, including racing luck and your day can be over if one or two things go wrong.

Have a good one.

Yo Steve-o, doing okay.

For me, it’s enough to exclude him from the win slot, but I’m not going too deep on my tickets anyway.

princeofdoc said...

I, personally, have been very impressed with the interviews, even the tactics, of the younger John Ortiz.  I w

I hope you saw my link to his very nice interview in trainer magazine? 

I posted it in my topic "Kit and Kaboodle" on April 27th a few days ago, before you started this trainer topic. (a very good topic in my opinion). 

f you haven't read it then you will very much enjoy reading it!   Very likeable and able, Oaklawn-based trainer. 

Now I'm very glad I posted the article, knowing there is a definite "fan" who will love reading it. 

I'm "guessing" he might still desire barns at OP next year, if so I will get his autograph for ya. I'm not much of an autograph collector myself, though I do admit to having one for Lukas when he did a Dawn At Oaklawn and I asked him to sign my ticket.   That one just seemed like a no-brainer.  :)   I did that recently for someone with Gary Stevens who was there a lot for FOX this year. 

Battaglia screwed him over.