Horse VS Trainer

[Java Gold]

In reading the post about Empire Maker being better than Funny Cide and vice versa it reminded me of Easy Goer VS Sunday Silence. I have come to learn that trainers play such an important role in the development of these young animals.

With Funny Cide & Empire Maker you had the very crafty Barclay Tagg a relative unknown to many at the time (unless you waited for Toga on the grass to hit a score) against the powerful stable of Bobby Frankel. How could a NY bred dare challenge the Blueblood breeding of Empire Maker. As we have all come to know Bobby Frankel clearly accepted that he did not train Empire Maker correctly and therefore went into the Derby that year with a suspect Empire Maker and with a bum foot.

Easy Goer & Shugs against the Bald Eagle and Sunday Silence.. another training blunder on Shugs as he was more in love with the bottle than he was at training Easy Goer to his fullest potential. So there sits the Bald Eagle just waiting to hook Easy Goer and we all know what happened in the end. The only similarity between Empire Maker and Easy Goer is that they were able to win the Belmont on pure breeding to get the grueling 1 1/2 miles.

My point is one that you must clearly know that your trainer in such high profile races are on top of their game. It was evident to me during the 80's at Siro's in Saratoga in the wee hours watching Shugs pound down the sauce that he was a trainer I had no problem with avoiding at the window.

Quite frankly I am shocked that the Phipps family retained him after all was said and done. We were robbed in my opinion of seeing a great horse in Easy Goer who raced on his pure talent with little handling from his trainer.

Today ex trainer Frank Labocetta of NYRA circuit was convicted on several drug related charges after he went head on into a van about 3 miles away from Saratoga last year. Cops found heroin in the vehicle and was also in his system. Sad ending to a trainer....get my point...

Now if you want to know about the late jockey Chris Antley in the 80's at Saratoga and his late night activity...ah well save that one for another time...but let me tell you I am amazed that the dude lived as long as he did for as much as he did.

Java Gold ...now thats a horse that was trained brilliantly!! Mack Miller!!