Reply #27: Sid, the starter here in NY usually requires that foreigners

[Justpat]

to go school in the gate before the races. The foreign horses
are notoroiusly bad in the gate.

A guy named Bob Duncan used to be the head starter here and he
was incredible. He went to work with a really great horse
whisperer out west. He has worked with this guy off and on
for years learning how to do things better. He used to spend
all morning with a bad actor if that was what it took to gain
their trust and get their confidence up. The new guy is one of
his best assistants so I am assuming that they are still doing
things the same way.