I strongly agree with the majority opinion here. When a horse has made a guy over $1 million, I think it is unconscionable that the guy would run the horse for a cheap claiming price. This horse has been very good to this guy. The least he can do is take care of this horse and make sure the horse has a long, healthy, and happy life.

Richi,

How much would you gather it costs to take care of a retired horse on a yearly basis?

I think the results should be posted in a new post. The original post with the picks should not be editd in any way.

It wouldn't be cheap. It would probably be about $200 a month or so. However, I'm sure you could get one of the rescue places to take the horse if you gave them a nice donation along with the horse. If a horse made me over $1 million, I could afford to make a $5,000 cash donation to a horse rescue place if they were going to take the horse.

But even if you were going to pay the $200 a month for the rest of the horse's life, I think a rich guy with a big stable that is spending $3,000 a month per horse in training, can afford to take care of a few horse for $200 each a month.

$200 a month wouldn't even cover rough board in my neck of the woods...$250 rough board (meaning the horse never comes inside) or minimum $500 month for a stall...and that wouldn't include farrier (if barefoot $40 a trim every 6 weeks) and vet visits (minimum care.. $150 for vaccinations, $35 x 2 teeth)

but you are right about the rescue places...usually a one time donation will cover the horse for life.

That means I was a little low and the number is closer to $300 a month.

Why does a horse in training cost $3,000 grand and a retired horse only $300?

Seems like a huge difference. I understand the horse in training would require more of a lot of stuff and more vet services, etc. But 10 times the cost?

When you pay your trainer $3,000 a month, that money is paying for a ton of different things. That money is paying the salaries of the trainer, assistant trainer, foreman, groom, exercise rider, hot walker, etc. That money pays for the feed, the hay, the bedding in the stall, workman's comp, etc.

If a horse is just running out in a pasture, you have practically none of those expenses.

By the way, the $3,000 a month does not cover the vet. The vet is usually an additional $600 a month or so.

I can't keep my horse @ HOME for $300 a month...and there are no labor costs when i do the work.

Kasept,
if you guys want to buy the horse, thats certainly your right. thats what is great about the claiming system in this country.
then you can do whatever you want with it(shoot it in the head for all I care).

but there are 2 things that I have a problem with.
1-the property rights thing that I mentioned in the first post.
2-"earned a retirement"-what the hell does that mean anyway?
if a horse wins x amount of dollars, then he gets to stop running?
so what about the horse in Puerto Rico that wins at a 80% rate but only has earned 200K b/c purses suck?
he has to keep running while a horse in the US that is still eligible for a n2x deserves retirement b/c he ran 2nd in the Delta Jackpot and has earnings of over 500K?
and who says a horse wants to stop running anyway?
how does winning make a horse deserving of isolation and boredom?
in case no one noticed, they took his nuts away.
what the hell is Shake You Down supposed to do now that is so much more fullfilling than racing?
you think hes going to the KY Horse Park for losers to go and have their picture taken with him?
not going to happen.



Repent

what a freaking nightmare.

losers on here like deepthroatwhatever taking shots at dixie.
thats like steve francis telling jason kidd how to play the point.

I think Oracle or whoever said it is right, that Cole dude had to enter him in that spot in hopes of this kind of reaction.
clever move.

i now hopes this horse breaks down immediately.

as for the whole anonymous thing, very few on here truly are. but those that are, more power to you. privacy rights are real.
Ive talked to a lot of you on instant messenger and I assume plenty of you have been to my myspace page.
what you see is what you get.



Repent

I hope YOU break down immediately.
Merry christmas.

lmao,
thats great.
wishing death upon another member of the forum.
has to be a violation of some sort.

no worries, I would not be telling the truth if I said I hope most of you live to see 2008.


Repent

It is not about property rights or amount of money or accolades earned. It is about respect. Respect for the efforts and accomplishments that this horse certainly has earned.

Proof of you being an idiot
1. Comparing Dixie to Jason Kidd
2. Thinking Cole cares about Derbt Trail
3. Wishing harm upon a horse

Without doubt, you could with 100% certainty, be considered an idiot.

and a classless one at that

yeah,
if you can assign that kind of emotion to a freaking animal.

I respect/disrespect a horse in terms of ability when handicapping, but that does not transfer to genuine respect away from the track.

again,
I dont get how a horse that earns x amount of money is any more deserving of boredom and isolation than a horse that has only earned .5x



Repent

I didnt suggest that Cole cares or is even aware of "Derbt Trail".

but its not unreasonable to imagine that he was hoping for someone to feel bad that SYD is running at this low of a level and, as a result, try to claim him with some publicity to follow.


and just so you know, I dont give 2 sh*ts what you consider me to be.
I dont post with the hopes that you or anyone else will appove of my words.
f*ck off dude.


Repent

For some, maybe it's like finding the mutt in the dawg pound.

Or, the lost dog on the street.

Either one in the wrong place at the wrong time, and just seeming like a good home is in order.

I'm sure Cole's strategy of making money in the horse business has anything to do with taking advantage of sentiment and bad publicity.

Have I touched a soft spot in describing you as your words depict you? As an idiot? I guess you DO have some emotion, except as with most self-centered, racist, sexist, possibly in the closet, types it is only anger that you express.

Repent, come on my friend, too much egg nog?