One Stripe in Motion on US track

A glance at the result of Saturday's Rogers Woodbine Mile Stakes at Woodbine racecourse in Canada shows South Africa's runner in the race finished in fifth place, exactly midfield, five lengths behind the winner.

- Mike Moon

To some, that might indicate a moderate effort by One Stripe, SA's latest great hope on the international stage.

As much as hard facts are a good thing, they are not everything. Context is important, too, especially in horse racing.

When viewing the video of the race, we see a far from ordinary performance by One Stripe.

Ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey John Velasquez, the colt breaks well from No 3 stall and is poised to adopt a good racing position.

But, as the field races uphill and into a turn, he is forced to check his stride, shifts inwards, slows, is pushed outwards and ends up travelling discombobulated and almost last of the nine.