And NOW??

[JIDGE]

I never said he wasn't a good horse but calling him one of the best ever is ridiculous.

It is a matter of opinion. I've seen his last three races in person. I started rubbing horses in '73. I opened the Lexington yearling catalog today and I raced against some of these yearlings' 4th. dams. I even found two I trained. For the owner, Confederate is a once in a lifetime horse. For the rest of us, I truly believe he's one of the best 3 yr. olds ever. He's got that extra gear that few horses have, and he does it all with ease.

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

It is a matter of opinion. I've seen his last three races in person. I started rubbing horses in '73. I opened the Lexington yearling catalog today and I raced against some of these yearlings' 4th. dams. I even found two I trained. For the owner, Confederate is a once in a lifetime horse. For the rest of us, I truly believe he's one of the best 3 yr. olds ever. He's got that extra gear that few horses have, and he does it all with ease.

You're entitled to your opinion. Personally, I don't see it. Also, I know Brett Pelling and he is a A1 douchebag so maybe my opinion is biased.

[JIDGE]

You're entitled to your opinion. Personally, I don't see it. Also, I know Brett Pelling and he is a A1 douchebag so maybe my opinion is biased.

Fair enough. I'm just basing it on what I see in the horse. I realize Pelling is not a fan favorite. I was racing in Ca. when he came over with his father.

[winky]

seems many on this forum are just here to knock the sport...

and the powers that be.

Confederate not managed well....?

he is still racing super and made $2 mill  or close...

Gural just wishes to make a profit.....Ya think?

without Jeff NO MEADOWLANDS...get it?

Maybe some of these guys should show us how its done...

Put up your $10-20 Million and get your colors on and start training

and driving.

instead of griping about how lousy the Sport is..

so what are you doing to help?

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

Fair enough. I'm just basing it on what I see in the horse. I realize Pelling is not a fan favorite. I was racing in Ca. when he came over with his father.

Brian was the ringleader. Ended up getting a lifetime ban. His asshole son used to walk around the paddock at The Meadowlands saying that he would be winning twice as many races if he didn't have so many lazy Americans working for him. Fuck him.

[JIDGE]

Brian was the ringleader. Ended up getting a lifetime ban. His asshole son used to walk around the paddock at The Meadowlands saying that he would be winning twice as many races if he didn't have so many lazy Americans working for him. Fuck him.

I get it.

[White Rabbit]

easy rabbit on the goat talk
he is the best 3 yr old in 2023 , agreed

I was being sarcastic,
Fuggs keeps pumping this well manage horse who dodges some dances & dismiss his loss in a full competitive field going for a million as  nothing,

[TimTimTimbo]

The comparisons that span half a century are ridiculous. You just can't make those. I could say that Bret or Most Happy Fella or Niatross were no Dan Patch. But it would be ridiculous. You just can't make valid assesments across that span.

Sorry not every year can be a 1993 where there were 5 or 6 potential HOY talents racing every week.

Not sure if you were there live and in person. I sure was and some contact to his people. Who Did Niatross beat. Very week crew that year. It happens. Niatross was a legendary pacer, generational. Fact is he caught a weak crew and overcame his connections. But it doesn't matter.

SBSW - fast, ultra tough. Really raced nothing special over long sections of his campaign.

Bottom line - when Confederate is comfortable, in hand and wrapped up in last halfs in 53 and change and last quarters sub 26, he could pace with anything that ever wore a harness in the modern era.

100 percent Agree with this

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

I get it.

I claimed a horse off of him for 25K at The Meadowlands. I put him in a 30K the next week and won. The next day, I noticed the left front tendon was a little filled and when I jogged him the following day, he was a little off. I worked on it the best I could and dropped of a win in 30k into a 25K. I finished 4th and Brett claimed him back. When I saw Brett in the paddock, I told him to be careful with that tendon and he just looked at me and said he didn't need my help. Under my breath, I said fuck you and walked away. The next week he put the horse in a 40K. I guess he wanted to embarrass me. The horse raced great finishing third and NEVER RACED AGAIN, as the tendon let go. I saw Brett in the paddock a few weeks later and said hello and he just walked right by me like I was invisible. Once again..FUCK HIM. 

[White Rabbit]

Sylvia Hanover paced home in 25 n change wrapped up as well, with the 2nd best filly in NA on her back. They’re spotting Confederate to avoid any show down s or defeats. That way if he gets beat at the end of the season will get some BS excuse why. Conversation should be that Sylvia Hanover might be one of the great s 3 yr F of all time.She ain’t dodging anybody. For a tighter they raced her against Open mares and if Bob M would have been little aggressive sooner I think she would have won. Don’t see them doing that with Confedatross Hanover
Walner Payton trotterd home 25 n change wrapped up. There was another trotter and few other winners that got home 25 n change. So a lot of last 1/4 in 25 n change today. Confederate didn’t against a mild group. The horse chasing paced home 25 n change too

[White Rabbit]

After just watching Tattoo Artists. If they go absolutely insane and race Confedatross Hanover in the TVG FFA I stand corrected, I said in and earlier post he would get shredded, I retract that, he would get castrated by that group and his stud career out the window!

[JIDGE]

I claimed a horse off of him for 25K at The Meadowlands. I put him in a 30K the next week and won. The next day, I noticed the left front tendon was a little filled and when I jogged him the following day, he was a little off. I worked on it the best I could and dropped of a win in 30k into a 25K. I finished 4th and Brett claimed him back. When I saw Brett in the paddock, I told him to be careful with that tendon and he just looked at me and said he didn't need my help. Under my breath, I said fuck you and walked away. The next week he put the horse in a 40K. I guess he wanted to embarrass me. The horse raced great finishing third and NEVER RACED AGAIN, as the tendon let go. I saw Brett in the paddock a few weeks later and said hello and he just walked right by me like I was invisible. Once again..FUCK HIM.

I've heard similar accounts with Pelling. I've never had dealings with him so I can't speak from personal experience.  I must say it was big of you to mention the tendon to him -- his loss. I would have appreciated the gesture.

[wiseowl]

No other three years old in history has gone as fast as he has he is the best three year old this year after yesterday and after next week he will shine again.

[Fuguzzi]

A couple responses to my friends / foes......

To Mike Campbell - your aggressive rambling tone does not sound like that of a horseman.If you truly are so be it Your story about Brett Pelling, who btw is the greatest trainer of pacers I have ever lived to see, is either untrue or irrelevant. Compared to Brett, I was a nobody, but I played the claiming game pretty heavy and If you or I were in a claiming war, I would not want you coming up to me either to tell me something about the same horse, unless you were Stanley Dancer. If you haven't seen Confederate's rare gift of multiple electric gears last 3/16ths, then you are very biased or, I am sorry, don't really know what you are looking at. The horse has to be gifted exceptionally to rattle off last halfs sub 54 and last quarters sub 26 with virtual ease and open up daylight quickly. When he looks horses in the eye, they melt. Btw, your tone reminds me of Sen. Blutarsky.

To Brown jug - I respect your opinion and like what you post, but the flaw in saying that things like being boxed, shuffled, blind switched, in a bad flow etc, don't matter when assessing a horse's defeat are excuses, is that, as you know very well, in harness racing the best horse so often can get beat for just those reasons. These are not excuses, they are important factors. That's why they are printed in the program for our horses, unlike T-breds. In mamny ways, I believe Confederates DEFEAT in the NA Cup was one of his best performances. He tried to chase down a very good rival from a nearly impossible spot and paced tyhe last quarter a FULL SECOND FASTER than the winner. That almost never happens, We are not talking about 30 years ago and some horse pacing 29 vs a horse on the lead slowing down to 30. This was 26 Confederate vs 27 IMS. Nothing wrong with that defeat and since then he is unbeaten as you know.

[Fuguzzi]

I was being sarcastic,
Fuggs keeps pumping this well manage horse who dodges some dances & dismiss his loss in a full competitive field going for a million as  nothing,

You like to fight and lie. You are very tedious. Reprint where I dismissed his loss as "nothing". I have twisted myself in knots explaining it, not excusing it. In fact, I admire it. it is a fantastic performance. i know I am weird. Take SBSW, in many ways I feel his Meadowlands pace defeat was as great a performance as i have seen him put down. Same way i feel about Confederate in the NA Cup. Harness racing, my friends and we all know there are many reasons why the best horse does not win every time. that's what makes the game so special to me. I get the impression the loss bothers Timmy more than the owners or Brett. maybe he knows just how special the horse is ( yesterday post race interview ). Timmy "I have driven many great horses but this one is special". That's all.