Eight Belles form

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Perhaps she didn't change leads in the stretch in any of her 2yo races because something was bothering her a little and it might not have felt good. She was a mediocre 2yo.

You say she changed leads right on cue in all of her 3yo races - perhaps because nothing was bothering her in those races and she was more apt to fully extend herself.

That is certainly a possibility. I don't know much about Jones and his reputation. I always thought it was ok. In the 21st century you pretty much have to question everything I guess. I hope that is not the case here. My only defense is that she was indeed making steady improvements through her 2 year old season tossing the 11/30 race. Mediocre compared to what?? I would say a 2 yr old filly running high 70s Beyers is up there on the scale...far from a grade 1 stakes 2 year old filly...but well up on the charts. AS far as the lead change thing...I would hope to think it's just a case of training or her figuring it out. I refer you to Lawyer Ron as a 2 year old who had a similar type problem often at age 2...not as regularly as Eight Belles but many races he didn't change. Then all of a sudden switched with regularity and his numbers spiked astronimically very late 2 yr old or early 3 yr old year. Much of this was attributed to him moving to dirt from running on grass and poly at 2.