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#1
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Try not to let it get you too down. This sport is filled with bitter disappointments and crushing defeats. But the beauty (or perhaps tragedy) of it is that it only takes one instance to fall back in love with it. I think what you’re seeing as disdain is really just a general lamentation about the state of the sport. Many owners would rather send a horse to stud than continue to race it. The general belief seems to be that the overall quality and competitiveness of races suffers as a result. |
#2
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__________________
Curlin and Hard Spun finish 1,2 in the 2007 BC Classic, demonstrating how competing in all three Triple Crown races ruins a horse for the rest of the year...see avatar photo from REUTERS/Lucas Jackson |
#3
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![]() But Wait, There's More Honor B.S.
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Gotta take what we can get nowadays. Quote:
At any rate, the horse might have been a living tribute to A.P. Indy’s stallion career which is peppered with horses of great promise that were only ever able to win at the top level in a single race (i.e., one-hit wonder). Quote:
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Hopefully he’ll impart some of that “late Autumn precocity” that his trainer was raving about… Quote:
And what’s the big deal of missing 6 months with most of it coming in the early part of the year? Outside of some inflated purse races scattered across the globe, what’s the hurry to get started back in the early part of the year in the older horse division? Quote:
And I’m sure most people would laugh at the horse as evidence of the theory of evolution after they took a gander at his 4 white socks… Quote:
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Since when was Honor Code some sort of revelation in the stud career of A.P. Indy? He basically rode a 2-race win streak over the course of a few months (skipping several important races) and ended his career with a whimper making no impression whatsoever on a 3yo Triple Crown winner over a classic distance. Ironically, A.P. Indy himself—given his pedigree and race record--could have perhaps laid claim to being the culmination of generations of breeding had he been sound enough to run (and win) on Derby Day and had come out as a 4yo. Oh...and two testicles would have helped, too. On the other hand, perhaps A.P. Indy is one of the prime examples of the negative generational update that currently plagues American racing given that he was retired early (because he was “too valuable”) and couldn’t quite overcome some pesky physical issues (reportedly his feet). Personally I would vote for Fusaichi Pegasus to claim that unwelcomed prize since he was a magnanimous flop as a stud and had a much more tailored racing campaign than A.P. Indy. Quote:
No, it isn’t. It’s getting tough to stomach some of this BS. How about “well before he was a classic winner”? Quote:
Does anyone like where this is headed? Quote:
How “uncanny” that it all came to pass… Quote:
Bonus points for Lane’s End’s own agent for killing two birds with one stone by orchestrating the horse’s stud deal before the colt ever set foot on a racetrack. Quote:
Not more stamina, not more seasons of racing, not more Grade 1 wins, not success on multiple surfaces or multiple distances, not success on an international stage. No ...it's more white on the legs and face that we want. Kind of like the progress of turf writers. More fluff, more puff, more BS. Quote:
Of course, they both paled in comparison to A.P. Indy as racehorses and more than likely will do the same regarding their stallion careers. But hey, they got a lot more white than A.P. Indy which is what most people in the industry will tell you is what they look for in top racing prospects. Of course, these guys are worried about breeding prospects, so the point is moot. Quote:
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He was also a half-brother to uber-horse Ghostzapper--who could handle any distance. Maybe this guy doesn’t have any further words of wisdom after all… Quote:
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Every bloated puff piece has to start somewhere. |
#4
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![]() Infinity pies
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#5
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![]() City Zip just had a horse win the Whitney and Hollywood Gold Cup, why highlight 8.5 furlong turf winners.
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#6
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On top of that, I doubt Farish wants to draw attention to Improbable lest he inadvertently boosts the horse's stallion profile. Improbable ironically is a Lane's End product (to use the parlance of our time) having been bred by a Lane's End affiliate and being by City Zip out of an A.P. Indy mare. Farish himself campaigned the second dam. But alas, Lane's End couldn't see the potential in Improbable and chucked him out as a weanling for $110K (Lane's End was the consignor). Now the horse is untouchable as a potential stallion replacement for City Zip at Lane's End because he's owned by arch rival Winstar Farm. |
#7
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The difference in handling for those horses is sort of interesting. I'm not sure if this qualifies as irony but maybe it's noteworthy that Improbable was another "derby contender" who finished a disappointing fourth in the big race. Instead of being retired to stud early as a one-shot Grade 1 winner, Improbable came back for a very strong 4YO campaign and has, I assume, drastically increased his stud value. This year so far, he's got two more Grade 1 wins, $610,000 in earnings, and a very good shot at another Grade 1 win and significant earnings at Breeders Cup. Of course, Improbable didn't have any injuries that I'm aware of and that changes things...but still interesting to me. |
#8
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I share that disdain, believe me. Racing has become primarily an avenue for breeding, sigh. In this case, though, even a minor tendon injury isn’t good. HAP’s owner stated outright that the colt would race next year - but what can you do? Fate decided it wasn’t to be. I have no interest in seeing them try and push the colt to make it back - he probably would never be the same, anyway. Some of the comments I’ve seen have been frankly horrifying. I get people being upset about premature retirements..but save that for when perfectly healthy horses like Bernardini are retired. That still ticks me off. Don’t be upset because owners want to care for the horse they love. |