I've noticed the same thing too. I mean, even War Admiral, Seabiscuit, Native Dancer, perhaps the much more recent champ Seattle Slew, could run ciricles around the horses of today. I don't now if it's because the thoroughbreds of today are softer, or perhaps its because the thoroughbreds of "yesteryear" didn't have all the technology to train them and "ma-ma" them like the pool for the horses to swim in, or an automatic walker. The older champs were more rugged because they were trained the old fashioned way, with just a track and that's it. Also I think people's attitudes about horses has changed and now these horses are treated more like china dolls. Yes their legs are soft (so to speak) but they're not THAT soft! So I think the main problem is just how people today treat thorougbreds today as opposed to a few decades to a century ago, that has a large part to do with it. As for the quality of thoroughbreds, that's hard to say, because since the thoroughbreds are being "baby-fied" in training, they're not toughened up to be able to handle some of the strains that Native Dancer and Seabiscuit had. So I think it's not quite apples and oranges time situation but close.
