Life is full of decisions. Big and small, each decision helps shape the path we travel down a day from now, a month from now, and even for years to come. Unlike humans, thoroughbred race horses have a majority of their decisions made for them. The path they ultimately lead is shaped by their connections. Today, the racing career of the talented sprinter, Trinniberg, took an unexpected detour when owner Shivananda Parbhoo announced that the son of Teuflesberg will bypass next week’s Derby Trial in favor of the 2012 Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately for the horse, as decisions go, this one was a real stinker.This is horse that has never been beyond seven furlongs and is bred to sprint. The last time Trinniberg ventured to Churchill Downs for a big race, he set a blistering pace in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint before packing it in to finish 7th by 13 ½ lengths. He should be so lucky in the Kentucky Derby.
Of course, he won’t be. This will be a sprinter running against the best three-year-olds in the nation at the demanding distance of 1 ¼ miles. Chances are he will not fair as well as his sire did when he finished 17th five years ago. The only thing Trinniberg will accomplish, other than adding to the early pace, is to allow his connections to live the Kentucky Derby experience. It really is a shame, because in his first two races of 2012, he was looking like one of the best young sprinters in the nation.
What will become of Trinniberg after he drops anchor somewhere during the run for the roses? You never know, sometimes horses can bounce back from this type of mismanagement with little to no ill effects, but … often they are not so lucky.
