He won one how long ago? He ran in an opt. claimer at Keeneland this spring and got crushed.

$100,000 optional claimer > $100,000 stake at Finger Lakes.

wanna buy a poster?:D joe remember at toga walking in and it was poster day..fc we both look at each other and said...ya got no shot..and laughed..

Where do you draw the line? Would the Mass Cap at Suffolk in the fall be beneath a Derby winner?

Just don't agree. This is no more offensive than a human sports star doing an American Express comercial in the waning years of his career.

The horse apparently isn't what he once was. The goal of his connections is to find a venue in which he can still win. What's the horse supposed to do? Act all dignified and sit on his laurels? Plus, people still love Funny Cide. Hell, I still love Funny Cide. If he came to Delaware or Philly, I'd probably go just to see him.

have to wonder how many derby winners over time would be toiling along like funny cide, had they not been rushed to the shed...and how many it would save future generations from, had they shown they didn't really have what it took to 'improve' the breed...

But, then, I stood in line a couple of hours just to watch Smarty work, so maybe I'm not the best example.

have to admit, in a way i agree with ateam, it somehow seems unfitting for him to go to finger lakes. that would be like seeing roger clemens finish his career with the arkansas travellers....
by the same token, it's far more gross imo what happened to ferdinand. but hopefully that won't happen in future, as any time a champ is sold overseas, it seems it's now only done with the proviso that he be returned if he is a failure.

have you NO shame?? :D

You're comparing a $250,000 G2 to a $100,000 ungraded stake at Finger Lakes?

He would be facing at least a few real handicap horses in the Mass 'Cap. LOOK AT WHO HE'S FACING IN HERE!!!

If they're not going to retire him, this is a good spot for him. THAT'S what's sad, that's it's actually the right spot for him.

i think they should take him to kentucky horse park, let his adoring fans go see him frolic in the sunshine.

[quote=ateamstupid]You're comparing a $250,000 G2 to a $100,000 ungraded stake at Finger Lakes?

He would be facing at least a few real handicap horses in the Mass 'Cap. LOOK AT WHO HE'S FACING IN HERE!!!



The Mass Cap is actually $500K this year but is ungraded. Being a few weeks before the Breeders Cup it may not attract anyone no matter what the purse

Other than the Mass Cap the racing at Suffolk is not much better than at Finger Lakes

gebbs power won the belmont didnt he...

you've made your points. move on. most people feel FC should run in a $100k stakes at FL. if you have anything new to add do so, otherwise why don't you detractors stop bashing FC with the same old tired arguments.

yes common sence really should not get in the way..........

I went to the Preakness and the Belmont that year. At the Belmont, just after the race, some reporter from a Philly tv station was in the crowd looking for Philly people to interview. Because I was wearing a Smarty bb cap (which I bought the day I went to see him work), the reporter comes up to me. At first, I was ready to slug her 'cause I was feeling just so bad, but one of my friends (actually, my boss at the time) ran interference for a few seconds so that I was able to gather my emotions. But the reporter was intent on talking to me because of the great visual with the bb cap and all, so she persists in interviewing me. I said something stupid about being used to falling just short for the championship because I was from Philly (and that's what Philly athletes do), and ended with some corny line about waiting 'till next year and living in hope. That night, on the late news (and early the next morning), the station ended the little fluff piece they did on the race with my comments. My fifteen minutes of fame.

[quote=Swale84]They are incorporating an added money bonus if the horse who wins previously has won a Graded race(s) in hopes of people going for the money and not the grade elsewhere. It will be a decent race for the Sweetnorthernsaint types who don't need graded wins for breeding purposes.

The horse has no balls.

I don't see the issue. If he's healthy run him, he's a race horse.
Doesn't diminish what he did 4 years ago.

oh please, like the horse gives a damn what's said about him.

i've always thought funny cide should run if he's both willing and able. but is he still both? there comes a time when enough truly is enough. has he reached that point? i have no idea.
my point however was that if their intent with racing this horse is so fans can see him, that is doable by retiring him to lexington where a lot of those fans can visit him- certainly would be more accessible there than at the track.