Much respect for Rich Strike’s owner and trainer. I hope this is in the news a lot so people will see that some trainers aren’t sleazy. 
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I was so hoping that the RS team would make this call. Kudos to all of them.
Now I’m rooting for the filly in the Preakness!
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Kind of sad they are not going, but on the other hand, if it is in the horse’s best interest…
So not triple crown this year.
The conventional wisdom that I’ve always heard is that both the track and the race itself (shorter distance than the Derby) favors early speed.
I think if you study the history of Triple Crown races, stalkers and late closers (as Rich Strike most brilliantly is) tend to falter in the Preakness and do better in the Derby and the Belmont.
If I were a betting woman, with Rich Strike out, I’d be looking hard at the Derby favorites who were fried by the fast early fractions in the Derby - Zandon and Epicenter. The track and conditions at Pimlico might suit them a lot better.
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I’m sad, but in addition to the welfare of the horse (which his connections know best), it would be better to have Kentucky and Belmont wins than to tire him out at the Preakness (if they don’t feel he has a good chance there), lose the second race, and hurt his chances in the third.
There have certainly been many great racehorses who never won the Triple Crown.
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And as a 2yo, first race was a poor result on the turf, next won by 17 lengths on the dirt at Churchill, 2 more on the dirt as a 2yo.
His 3 races as a 3yo before the Derby were all on synthetic.
Back to the dirt again, and zoom!
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A little more on Gold Strike, The $1700 owner ended up giving her away.
A Young Intern and a Small-Time Buyer Become Part of History | Secretariat.com
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Well, I was on the same property with the Derby winner today, even if I only saw the driveway, not the horse. Lol.
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They have a cop guarding the entrance?!
Yes. The cop said they hired off-duty officers as security guards to make sure only authorized people enter the property. Sadly, that did not include me. Lol.
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That’s impressive! Security definitely isn’t that tight at Pimlico but don’t tell anyone I said that.
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The cop said it was definitely a new arrangement since last week.
Personally, I wonder how long it will take them to use a little bit of the winnings to put up a pretty good gate at the entrance. Which is very, very common in Lexington. Lol.
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Gah that’s such a beautiful property re: Stonestreet.
I miss living in that neck of the woods!
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Stonestreet is very beautiful. They said they had about 80-85 mares on the property with around 80 foals this year. I think there are a couple of retired mares as well.
Photos and info about their mares here: (scroll down)
Thanks for posting. I somehow missed this video. What a game horse. He went where he was pointed and kept rolling despite the sometimes close quarters.
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Yeah if someone had yanked my head far right like that I wouldn’t have been looking for the finish!
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I just came across this video on Facebook of the winning jockey from the 1970 derby getting on Rich Strike for a minute for a little walk around on the training track. Pretty darn sweet.
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That is so sweet- and what a kind colt, racing fit, to just wander on around.
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