Algorithms, Creative Cause both retire
 

@DRFGrening: Algorithms retired due to aggravatoin of splint bone injury that forced him to sidelines in February. Starlight/Pletcher colt was 3 for 3

@BH_DBiles: Creative Cause has been retired from racing and will stand at Airdrie Stud.

Shocking news I tell you, just shocking.

The top 3 finishers in the Preakness (I'll Have Another, Bodemeister, and Creative Cause) all NEVER ran another race after the Preakness.

The odds of that are crazy.

Not to mention, with those 3 out of the way, the Belmont winner Union Rags never ran again.

Not to mention, with him out of the way, Paynter established divisional supremacy by winning the Haskell. He's finished.

Is there anyone but Dullahan and Trinniberg still in training from the Kentucky derby field?

Crazy year...

This is especially true because none are trained by TP.

I count nine, which is a dreadfully low number considering we're talking about a race that was 5.5 months ago. Interestingly, seven of those nine finished worse than 9th (Daddy Nose Best, Optimizer, Alpha, Trinniberg, Prospective, Take Charge Indy, Daddy Long Legs).

Less and less preps and longer rest between races appears to really establish long-term foundation for these horses. :rolleyes:

I wonder what Tim Thornton has to say about this?

The odds aren't that crazy. It's been building to this each year.

Thanks Nick - I got curious about this after I posted and quickly researched the field:

I'll Have Another - Done
Bodemeister - Done
Dullahan - In Training; WON Pacific Classic (G1) 8/26/12; off the board Jamacia G1 (5th)
Went the Day Well - Injured in the Preakness, out rest of the year
Creative Cause - Done
Liason -? Not seen since the Travers
Union Rags - Done
Rousing Sermon - In Training; last start LaD 9/8/12 off the board (4th)
Hansen - Done
Daddy Nose Best - In Training; last start RP 9/30/12 off the board (6th)
El Padrino - Injured in Kentucky Derby, light jogging @ Winstar looking at Dec-Jan return
Optimizer - In Training; last start DEL 9/22/12 WON (G3)
Alpha - In Training; DH Win in Travers 8/25/12, last start PARX 9/22/12 off the board
Done Talking - ? Not seen since off the board finish at Mth 7/8/12
Sabercat - ? Not seen since Kentucky Derby
Gemologist - Done
Trinniberg - In Training; last start 9/22/12 2nd, Gallant Fox PARX
Prospective - In Training; last start RP 9/30/12 off the board (5th)
Take Charge Indy - Injured in the KD - Back in training, breezed 6F in 1:14.80 last week, supposedly pointing to the Fayette
Daddy Long Legs - In Training in Europe; last start Leo 9/8/12 (6th) Group 1

On the positive side at least the runners in the Juvie to the Derby numbers were solid...

It was 'building to this' after 18 of 19 starters from the 2011 Derby came back and ran this year?

In fact, a total of 31 horses made appearances in at least 1 of the 2011 Triple Crown races... 27 have run in 2012. Only Archarcharch (KD), Dance City (PS), Flashpoint (PS) and Prime Cut (BS) failed to come back to run in 2012.

Thanks for doing this, I was interested but did not have the time to it this afternoon.

I read last week that Flashpoint is being brought out of retirement.

This year has been very strange. Obviously Paynter nearly died and has an excuse if he never runs again, but Matz told me point blank that he disagreed with the retirement of Union Rags and it seems that several others were chewed up by the Pletcher juggernaut. I find it hard to believe that in this market there is a huge demand for most of these colts at stud.

definitely an odd year, thankfully. i'm not getting why some of the recent retirees weren't considered for next year. i wonder if next years bc site has something to do with it? the bc is a big goal for many, are they not as interested because of ca being chosen again? might be worth some research to see if west coast bc's have a higher instance of people skipping compared to other sites.

there might not be a huge demand. but is it still more profitable for an owner for many of these compared to staying in training, and the expenses of racing? i wonder how many mares covered/stud fee makes it the better choice as far as bottom line.

Curious why Creative Cause isn't standing in California, I thought I read somewhere that his owner was looking for a horse to stand stud when his stud, Swiss Yoleder, was done.

And I get he is a 'grade 1 winner on dirt by Giant's Causeway' so he is obviously over qualified to stand in California, just that it supposedly isn't about the cash with his owner.

This was in DRF a few weeks ago

http://www.drf.com/news/injuries-tak...year-old-stars

He would be better served in Indiana vs. California