Meritocratic

The one bright spot in that sequence is worth noting. A third-place finish shows Meritocratic can at least get itself into contention, and at three years old there is still time for things to click. Young horses are still learning their job at this stage — learning to settle, to quicken when asked, to handle different tracks and different situations. A horse that has been placed once from six races hasn't given up, it just hasn't put it all together yet.

Meritocratic is trained by James Horton at Newmarket, one of the most competitive training centres in Britain. Horton's yard has sent out 20 winners already this season, which is a healthy return and suggests the operation knows how to place horses to give them a chance. The fact that Meritocratic raced just one day ago shows the team is keeping this horse active and working through its options. Sometimes the right race, the right day, and the right conditions are all that separates a winless horse from one that finally gets its head in front.