Basic Trainee

In the course of my current research project, I got interested in the career of Basic Trainee. He ran in all three of the Triple Crown races in 1998; I was even there for that Derby, but I don't remember this at all. I do remember the horse winning the Ocala Breeders' Sales race, and I remember liking him as a longshot in the Wood Memorial, where he was 4th.

The Triple Crown business was bad. He was last in the Derby, beaten 72 3/4; 8th by 24 in the Preakness; last in the Belmont, beaten 58 1/2.

The only graded stakes earnings he had (and actually, his only graded stakes race) going into the Derby was from the 4th in that Wood Memorial, but the Derby field didn't necessarily fill up in those days, and didn't in 1998, so he was able to run. I hate the reflexive entry of all horses with the requisite graded stakes earnings that can make it into the starting game for the Derby, but in a way it does protect the other horses from the really bad entrants.

Not surprisingly, Basic Trainee was away for 15 months after the Belmont. He had some success as an older horse, finding himself as a 4f horse, particularly at Charles Town. He even won a couple of stakes in that segment.

At one point, his stamina seemed to be o.k., as the Ocala race was 1 1/16, and the Wood Memorial 1 1/8. It's hard to see that the problem in the Triple Crown was just the length of the races, or even the combination of the class level and the distances. Clearly there was something, or some things, wrong with the horse. But it's interesting that he was able to revive going so short. That also doesn't fit with a Majestic Light.