Curlin

[JDank34]

Originally Posted by miraja2

I guess it just seems to me like you are underestimating the value of winning a TC race. These three races are - along with the BC - the biggest races in the sport. If the connections of their horse feel the horse is healthy and has a shot.....why not take it?
I guess what I am saying is that I don't think competing in the TC races ruined the career of horses like Point Given, Afleet Alex, Empire Maker, and Jazil......but if I am wrong and it did ruin the rest of their career......it was still worth it.

totally disagree. the Kentucky Derby is the biggest race for a 3 year old. I fyou are talking about making a stallion out of Curlin the Preakness is WAY down the list. KY Derby, BC, Met Mile and Travers are tops by far. Just the same for the fillies. Ask any breeder with a quality broodmare band and a quality racing age filly and see if he/she wants to win the KY Oaks or The Alabama...I am sure The Alabama is the answer. Just because the TC races recieve the TV exposure does not mean they make a stallion for commercial breeding, and are therefore The Preakness is not anywhere near one of the most important races for the ownership of Curlin.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by JDank34

totally disagree. the Kentucky Derby is the biggest race for a 3 year old. I fyou are talking about making a stallion out of Curlin the Preakness is WAY down the list. KY Derby, BC, Met Mile and Travers are tops by far. Just the same for the fillies. Ask any breeder with a quality broodmare band and a quality racing age filly and see if he/she wants to win the KY Oaks or The Alabama...I am sure The Alabama is the answer. Just because the TC races recieve the TV exposure does not mean they make a stallion for commercial breeding, and are therefore The Preakness is not anywhere near one of the most important races for the ownership of Curlin.

I'll take your word on that. I am certainly not an expert on the breeding side of the game. But if you asked most trainers, jockeys, owners, etc. if they would rather win a TC race or the Met Mile.....don't you think most of them would take the TC race? Maybe I am wrong, but I assume they would.
And again I come back to the point that if skipping the Preakness somehow ensured that Curlin would compete in - and win - a race like the Travers it might be a different story. But it doesn't ensure that at all. The Preakness vs. The Travers is not an either/or proposition. A horse could run in and win both.....or run in and win neither.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by JDank34

totally disagree. the Kentucky Derby is the biggest race for a 3 year old. I fyou are talking about making a stallion out of Curlin the Preakness is WAY down the list. KY Derby, BC, Met Mile and Travers are tops by far. Just the same for the fillies. Ask any breeder with a quality broodmare band and a quality racing age filly and see if he/she wants to win the KY Oaks or The Alabama...I am sure The Alabama is the answer. Just because the TC races recieve the TV exposure does not mean they make a stallion for commercial breeding, and are therefore The Preakness is not anywhere near one of the most important races for the ownership of Curlin.

two words for you and this argument.

afleet alex

[JDank34]

Originally Posted by Danzig

two words for you and this argument.

afleet alex

Danzig..I'm not sure what you mean?

[Danzig]

that alex got a lot of attention for his preakness effort, after a third in the derby....the icing on the cake was his belmont, and then off to stud. altho the derby is the big one, the other two are meaningful--IF the breeding is there as well. look at the derby winner from alex' year, giacomo. he got the roses, but not much attention from breeders. you have to have more than just the win, but the win for the right horse is a deal maker as well.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Alex was highly regarded well before his Preakness win. He was a grade 1 winner at 2 and a multiple stakes winner going long and short. He was going to be a hot commidity regardless of his Preakness win.

my point tho is that the preakness is not a 'nothing' race, nor is the derby a guarantee of attention from breeders. altho alex would no doubt have gotten interest, that interest only soared with his two classic wins.

[JDank34]

Originally Posted by Danzig

my point tho is that the preakness is not a 'nothing' race, nor is the derby a guarantee of attention from breeders. altho alex would no doubt have gotten interest, that interest only soared with his two classic wins.

who ever said The Preakness was a nothing race? My point was that there are MANY more G 1 races that are more desirable from a breeding standpoint. And while I am no Giacomo fan, your arguement about value is odd becaue they are very different in terms of pedigree, conformation, etc...

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by JDank34

who ever said The Preakness was a nothing race? My point was that there are MANY more G 1 races that are more desirable from a breeding standpoint. And while I am no Giacomo fan, your arguement about value is odd becaue they are very different in terms of pedigree, conformation, etc...

the horse who wins a grade one has to also be commercially viable, has to have the draw.
that's why i brought up giacomo. altho he won the top gr 1 for three year old colts, there was no hype about him from breeders, no phones ringing off the hook for him, because the interest wasn't there.
afleet alex was the opposite, precocious at two, winner of two of three classics at three. demand was high, just like it was for smarty, but not as much for birdstone.
then you have empire maker, who won the belmont-started at 100k.

it's a combination of the race(s) won and commercial appeal. if you have one without the other, good luck getting a big syndication deal.

as for the travers, hard to say that it means more--the top horses haven't been making it there lately. ten most wanted is already gone to new york, didn't do well enough to stay in kentucky.