What is this I am hearing that East coast trainers may start re-thinking about running in the Breeders’ Cup?  Can this be true? Have we lost our will to race, or this a sign of things to come?

Kiaran McLaughlin, who is an incredible trainer, claims that East coast conditioners just don’t have the experience with this surface. One of the “Good Guys” in racing, Larry Jones, is not sending 3-year-old superstar Proud Spell to California. What is this all about?

Take a look at Indian Blessing this past Saturday. She scratches out at Belmont and opts to run at Presque Isle Downs. The track just happens to have a synthetic surface. Do you think they are preparing their runner? You better believe so…. Bob Baffert wanted to keep her at sprint distances, and has not been a big fan of synthetic surfaces these past years. But he is about to adapt and overcome. You can’t win, unless you get in… Go get em’ Bob, show em’ how to do it.

If you can’t find a race at Woodbine, Presque Isle, Turfway Park, Keeneland, or heaven forbid going to California to prepare, shame on you…. How have the English runners been trying it for years? They conquered everything overseas, and then they throw their hat into the ring to try and do battle with the best in the world on dirt.

There will be 14 races held over two days on October 24-25th. If you think you have the goods, then show up and race. If not, then wait until they move the Breeders’ Cup to a track you like. C’mon, the game needs champions we can root for and enjoy. Not selective runners who only race on their home track. In the old days, horses would have thrown down on blacktop, broken glass, or wet bricks.

If we could ask: War Admiral, Seabiscuit, Man O’ War, Citation, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Foolish Pleasure, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Genuine Risk,  and hundred others if they would have ducked out because of the track surface, what would they have said? I agree, they would be ashamed…..