From the Lexington Herald-Leader:
Quote:
“There’s on the fence, and there’s on the fence,” Borel said at Churchill Downs on Wednesday. “You know, to me, if you can get right on it, there is traction there. But if you get a half a horse off of it, (the traction) is good and bad, and then they’ll start bobbling, and people don’t realize that."
Ah, all I can say to this is brilliant! I have always been a student of the rail, the shortest way around a racetrack as many old harness horsemen have been, but it never occurred to me till I read Calvin’s quote, how good he really is! I have often told my jocks save ground on the rail where possible and some times they would. Most of the time, their definition of “riding the rail” is one-or-two horses out from the wood and most of the time on a bad race track that part of the track is deemed inferior by most all riders and they head for the middle. Another excuse to ride wide and lose ground. Now Calvin’s riding inches from the rail where the harrows and floats are hard put to touch is a different story! It is quite possible that under such conditions, Borel has hit the nail on the head and knows a great secret. The dirt is firmer down there inches from the rail where few jocks trust to ride. My hat again goes off to the old boy and his genius!