Re: WEC Qualities Surfacing in Competition

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-11-05 09:39:59 EST, ccrespo@nigma.com writes:

<< 2) iIf they are racing at maximum effort over two years, racing 4-6
 races a year and their horses are still sound,  then why would they 
 get hurt by only doing one or two races in lieu of 8-12?
  >>

This is where you have made your mis-assumption.  Most of these horses are not
racing at maximum effort over at least the last year--they have made their
records earlier (that is how they got on the long list in the first place) and
the selectors have to be assured that they are on track to peak for the WEC.
Please read my earlier post about Darla Westlake and Sharon Westergard letting
the crazy ladies go ahead of them on my Sunriver ride.  Both women had more
than enough horse to "take" these two bimbos, but had the good sense not to
try to hurt their horses since there were bigger fish to fry.  Believe me,
that willingness to do the smart thing was not lost on the selector who was
there, either--he saw how crazy the bimbos were, and what shape their horses
were in afterward.  (If you recall from my earlier post, one bimbo's horse was
pulled with a MAJOR case of thumps and overall metabolic problems, and the
other barely met her pulse criterion before her hour was up.)  Have seen
nominees under the current system "do the wise thing" time and time
again--they don't NEED to beat each other up, because they already HAVE
outstanding records that prove that they can race when it counts.  

Heidi