- This topic has 22 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 6 months ago by
.
- Posts
- Total Posts 17716
WORKFORCE has been scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Saturdayevening after connections declared the turf course too firm.
The participation of the Investec Derby and Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner had been in doubt all week as trainer Sir Michael Stoute and Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Khalid Abdullah, voiced concerns about the firmness of the turf course.
The decision as to whether Workforce would run was left to the last moment by his connections who had been hoping that rain or watering would alter the ground sufficiently to allow him to line up.
Stoute, Grimthorpe and Workforce’s jockey Ryan Moore had been keen inspectors of the course throughout the week and Stoute had stated on Friday that "we have concern about the ground".
Before his withdrawal, Workforce had been in line to become the first horse to win the Derby, Arc and Turf but withhis absence Behkabad is now likely to start favourite for the race.
____________________________________________________________A very good decision from Michael Stoute who very nearly lost his horse after running on firm ground, it took a lot of patience, faith and ambition to get him back after the King George.
What this does tell us is that Workforce will be staying in training as a 4 year old.
Good news all round
- Total Posts 17716
Nothing like the Bolger case Andy, if he was withdrawn then re-entered it would have been a big issue but connections have said for a while their not happy about the ground.
I think its a farce.
This horse has been a storybook of excuses and media love towards his trainer.
Every single race their is either a problem or he cant run on ground or he isn’t ready or whatever.
Stinks….Hope the Yanks told him to F Off with his horse tbh. Moaning about the track and all this rubbish…the track is fine
The horse’s welfare is paramount, if Stoute was afraid the horse might get jarred up he was right not to run him. This is nothing like the Bolger/New Approach incident, btw I still believe Bolger did nothing untoward.
JohnJ
Don’t have too much time for Stoute but believe he did the right thing for the horse’s future.
He considers his horse big and heavy topped and "wanted to come back with a horse"
UK jockeys yesterday reported the turf to be slippery
The turf is officially fast tonight.
Rough Sailing sustained a fracture in the turf juvenile and has been destroyed tonight
- Total Posts 17716
SMS has always thought Workforce pretty special, and, – a couple of hiccups apart – nothing the horse has done suggests he’s wrong.
Far better they both have chance to vindicate that opinion throughout next year, than to risk everything on one race on unsuitable ground.Dont know if it was SMS or owner who decided not to run either way they were pefectly right to put welfare of horse before anything,if they keep him in training next year then there is no better man to get the most out of him and to ruin him now would be crazy.
- Total Posts 17716
WORKFORCE, who spent a week at Churchill Downs but did not run, could return to Louisville for next year’s Breeders’ Cup after it was revealed the Investec Derby and Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner would race on as a four-year-old.
By sanctioning the colt’s withdrawal from the Breeders’ Cup Turf on the day of the race rather than risk running Workforce on the firm ground, owner Khalid Abdullah placed the opportunity for more glory next year beforeprospects of immediate riches.
"He’s sizeable and scopey, and racing him on too-fast ground for him at this stage – this would have been only his fifth lifetime start – well, his future career is too important," Abdullah’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said.
Workforce will be the first Derby winner to stay in training since 2006 hero Sir Percy, and races such as the Arc and Breeders’ Cup Turf are sure to feature on the programme trainer Sir Michael Stoute will consider for him.
Grimthorpe added: "Workforce will stay in training. He won’t run again this year."
Dear Mr. Wilson.Do you mean to tell me that Goldicove was put at risk by Freddy Head?That Henry Cecil put glory befor his horse’s well being?That everyone else was irresponsible? That Brian Meehan did not care like Stoute did? Give me a break.If Stoute has a problem with that horse say so(Aidan admitted that RVW had bad feet) but no more of the BS.
Andy – Stoute did say exactly what the problem was, he considered the ground too firm for his horse. Goldikova is a different animal entirely so comparisions with her are not really valid.
With a four year old campaign beckoning and the likelihood that the ground on that particular track layout wouldn’t suit Workforce I think they were entirely right in their decision and I think they handled their obligation to keep the public informed more than adequately.
Whatever the reason(s) concerning Workforce’s withdrawal from the BC Turf, the decision was taken, rightly or wrongly and whether Joseph Public agrees with it or not.
It is good for flat racing that Workforce will race as a four year old ; hopefully he will train on and will contest the Coronation Cup, along with the King George and Arc for a second time. It would also allow the top three year olds to measure themselves against the previous year’s Derby and Arc winner.
Very few modern day Derby winners are kept in training. Among those that have done so: Mill Reef, Roberto Henbit and Teenoso, met with varying degrees of success and disappointment.
I look forward to Workforce taking on Frankel next season. Pffft, yeah right !
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
- Total Posts 17716
Andy – Stoute did say exactly what the problem was, he considered the ground too firm for his horse. Goldikova is a different animal entirely so comparisions with her are not really valid.
With a four year old campaign beckoning and the likelihood that the ground on that particular track layout wouldn’t suit Workforce I think they were entirely right in their decision and I think they handled their obligation to keep the public informed more than adequately.
Agreed Cormack, good point.
The public are meer bystanders, we’ve all got jobs to go back to at the end of the day after our few hours of entertainment and this is Stoutes job, he has to live with the consequences of his decisions and therefore has a liability to the duty and care of all his horses and it’s not only in his best interest to keep the horse sound but the owners.
He was the only European trainer or jockey for that matter that had a problem. Does that not cause pause? It’s not as if there was a mass exit from the track.Maybe his horse is different from all the others.If so tell us exactly what is the problem than none of the other horses seem to exhibit.What exactly was the risk which was confined to his horse?Sorry but I remain to be convinced.Would it have anything to do with a missing suitcase?
- Total Posts 17716
Andy
He’s a big, heavy-topped horse who’s probably already worth an 8 figure sum. The ground at Belmont was undoubtedly firmer than any he’d raced on in this country (the turf sprint was run 4 secs faster than the Chester course record, ffs.), and looked decidely uneven on the TV pictures. It had been clear for some time they had severe doubts about the surface (the trainer’s assistant said last Monday,"I’m extremely disappointed with the ground, I’m going to have a serious discussion with the boss. The horse is too valuable to risk."
) and everyone was kept informed every step of the way.
In contrast, Goldikova had already run twice on a similar surface and will probably be retired to stud anyway, and Dangerous Midge had much less to lose, and much more to gain, than Workforce did by running.
Content yourself that, next season, we’ll have one of the best middle-distance 3yo’s we’ve seen recently, able to compete in a whole series of top class races, whereas we could well have been left with nothing.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.