Understanding Horse Performance Fluctuations: A Trainer's Perspective

Question
i have looked at horse form alot over recent years and there are couple of things that just don't add up to me, for one i seen a horses running well then take a serious dip in form which understand can happen for a number of reason but why would a trainer keep running horse week after week when there clearly is something wrong and the other is i seen horses run a good race then run a bad one then maybe run a couple of good races then a couple of stinkers a then win. is there any logical explanation for this

Answer
hi -- well i think a lot of times the horse runs a good race when everything goes good for him in the race. post position, how they break from the gate,  track cond makes a big difference in performance too. jockey change can make a big difference also. just because the horse runs a bad race doesn't mean there is a problem with the horse. some horses are sound and in great condition, but the track is not good for the horse and then they do not try to run. from a turf race back to a dirt race can be a good race for a horse. hope that helps you decide how to pick your self a winner. thanks ED HESS