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Trigger,
Which Yonkers? The one with the now gone passing lane? The one with the untimed start with another 50 yds (or whatever it was/is)?
These things affect pace/trip greatly. Add to it that horses 'just don't stop.'
my worthless 2c
I believe it was October of 2006 when the casino money starting exponentially raising the purses.
It seemed to be the style of racing needed to be done to win.
So no matter who went out and how slow they went on the front end, the horses just passed them and typically won.
I thought it was impressive that certain trainers saw that opportunity,had the horses trained (possibly juiced too), and the rivers executed the move successfully. Where as it was considered in the past almost a dead move unless it was a monster already with 2+ secs on them.
These horses were generally at the same level as the competition yet ready to roll with program.
I had no idea the passing lane was gone until you said, I bet them rarely and not regularly the last 20 years...
