Quote from
NiekH on May 24, 2026, 7:46 AM
Quote from
Bgtolex25 on May 23, 2026, 10:28 PM
I used to try to keep my critical comments to private messaging or live person to person. Â But heck, it is only 6-12 of us anyway and most have heard it from me before.
In my critical opinion, AMac is being disingenuous in playing off the tying up to issues as impossible to predict and prevent. Â Do your own research on the issue, but exercise beyond the horseâs conditioning is the most common culprit. Â (Same with respiratory bleeding and the need for lasix by the way). Yes, there are other factors, but they pale against going too hard without the proper foundation. Â
As for Perfect Thought, one modest qualifier in 1:54 at the Meadows is not sufficient to send her in against Anthony Beatonâs Be Perfect Bg. Â In AMacâs own words from a video, âno reason to have her boiling over this early.â Â Then donât ask her to chase after a monster first time out! Â Compare how Dr. Moore prepped Beau Jangles. Â Two huge qualifiers in Florida in April against the likes of his 4 year old stablemate, Prince Hal Hanover.
I hope Niek is right about the work on this yearâs 2 year olds, because the last 2 seasons have been a nearly universal decline by those conditioned out of Northfield. Â Arrowhead Hanover is the exception and one can review how his training was different according to AMac (see May 2024 videos). Â Fingers crossed for Jailbird Jog, Degas, and Perfect Thought. Â The rest of the 3 year olds are minor stakes or condition/claimers and will be run through as commodities. Â The only other 4 year olds left from the 2024 class besides Arrowhead are Foxy Seaside and Gorgeous Package. Â The former peaked in her first start of he baby season. Â The latter is a shell of her best version.
Rant is over. Â Disagree if you choose, but know my heart is with the horses.
I tend to agree, horses need a strong foundation. Especially 2yo's, we dont call them babies for nothing. They are immature horses. They need time to develop and grow, mentally and physically. In Europe we have a stronger focus on racing at a later age, so the focus on a young 2yo for me was already a thing to get used to.
Maybe I'll go time a few sets of my horses over the last few years and this point in time to see if my feeling is correct. I am of the firm believe that if you want to reach a certain race speed you need to have been in that speed in training before. It is the same with human athletes in cycling, speed skating, athletics. You train for the performance you need to put out.Â
Sure you don't push yourself or your horse to the limit like in a race, but you get close. When you train for a marathon, you don't run the full 42.2 km / 26.2 mi in training. But you get close, you run 25km / 22 mi instead.Â
For measure I just looked up all the results of the horses I have had back home. If they raced at 2, they qualified mid to late June / early July to race in August. More often than not, the qualifier was faster than their first start.Â
Quote from
Bgtolex25 on May 23, 2026, 10:28 PM
I used to try to keep my critical comments to private messaging or live person to person. Â But heck, it is only 6-12 of us anyway and most have heard it from me before.
In my critical opinion, AMac is being disingenuous in playing off the tying up to issues as impossible to predict and prevent. Â Do your own research on the issue, but exercise beyond the horseâs conditioning is the most common culprit. Â (Same with respiratory bleeding and the need for lasix by the way). Yes, there are other factors, but they pale against going too hard without the proper foundation. Â
As for Perfect Thought, one modest qualifier in 1:54 at the Meadows is not sufficient to send her in against Anthony Beatonâs Be Perfect Bg. Â In AMacâs own words from a video, âno reason to have her boiling over this early.â Â Then donât ask her to chase after a monster first time out! Â Compare how Dr. Moore prepped Beau Jangles. Â Two huge qualifiers in Florida in April against the likes of his 4 year old stablemate, Prince Hal Hanover.
I hope Niek is right about the work on this yearâs 2 year olds, because the last 2 seasons have been a nearly universal decline by those conditioned out of Northfield. Â Arrowhead Hanover is the exception and one can review how his training was different according to AMac (see May 2024 videos). Â Fingers crossed for Jailbird Jog, Degas, and Perfect Thought. Â The rest of the 3 year olds are minor stakes or condition/claimers and will be run through as commodities. Â The only other 4 year olds left from the 2024 class besides Arrowhead are Foxy Seaside and Gorgeous Package. Â The former peaked in her first start of he baby season. Â The latter is a shell of her best version.
Rant is over. Â Disagree if you choose, but know my heart is with the horses.
I tend to agree, horses need a strong foundation. Especially 2yo's, we dont call them babies for nothing. They are immature horses. They need time to develop and grow, mentally and physically. In Europe we have a stronger focus on racing at a later age, so the focus on a young 2yo for me was already a thing to get used to.
Maybe I'll go time a few sets of my horses over the last few years and this point in time to see if my feeling is correct. I am of the firm believe that if you want to reach a certain race speed you need to have been in that speed in training before. It is the same with human athletes in cycling, speed skating, athletics. You train for the performance you need to put out.Â
Sure you don't push yourself or your horse to the limit like in a race, but you get close. When you train for a marathon, you don't run the full 42.2 km / 26.2 mi in training. But you get close, you run 25km / 22 mi instead.Â
For measure I just looked up all the results of the horses I have had back home. If they raced at 2, they qualified mid to late June / early July to race in August. More often than not, the qualifier was faster than their first start.Â
Bgtolex25 and Lonnie have reacted to this post.
