The Belmont Stakes trophy awaiting it’s recipient (Jason Moran)

Fellow TBA-er Frank had a post last week on patience that I really liked and had wanted to reference but had become too scattered (perhaps there’s a follow up post to be had about lack of attention span?).

The post talks about the lightly raced nature of this years TC horses in general but really speaks to the grind of the TC and the general lack of patience in bringing horses along.

I was so jazzed about last year’s prep season all the way through to the Belmont, but this year I can’t say the same. I still really like Pyro and am hoping to see him regroup, but this year was just so full of odd twists and turns of the not so great/total let down variety that I’m starting to the think that, like fellow TBA-er Teresa, that I might also be a little disenchanted with the grind of the Triple Crown. (note, she’s more disinterested than disenchanted).

Historically (read that with irony, I’ve followed exactly 2 seasons) I haven’t done so well on Derby prep/TC races with the exception of last year’s Derby and this year’s Wood. I really enjoy following spring/summer and fall at Belmont and, of course, Saratoga much more. At the very least, I FEEL like I’m in a position to make better calls because there’s more of an element of stability in following a local track.

But, I’m sure I won’t be able to resist the siren song of the trail next year, so would someone please tattoo the sentiments in this excellent piece by Steve Davidowitz on my forehead (backwards, so I can read it in the mirror). [DRF+ – requires subscription]

If we step back to objectively examine details that were staring us in the face, we just might learn valuable handicapping lessons. Lessons that I thought I had learned many years ago.

That sentiment does make me feel a bit a better… while it obviously takes patience to prevail, periodic introspection can’t hurt either.