The Bullish Luck decision

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

What's a little frustrating on a personal level is that the few people who do actually care about this don't post much anymore.

Tony Cruz makes a great heavy but even I can admit that he was a fantastic jock and a very good trainer. (Trying very hard to behave here).

What do you say about a horse like Russian Pearl though? How do you sit back and see a horse run into the ground and not speak your mind?

... or the great Silent Witness and i know No Chance, I won't argue this again but, but..... even after Mr. Cruz agreed he should be retired to suggest he spend his remaining days in some freak show in the middle of Sha Tin instead of the serenity of Living Legends..... it boggles the mind.

In his first start in Hong Kong, after they changed his name, he was a 99/1 shot. The track notes for that day say he stood flat footed at the gate. He was last. Three starts later he got his first win, beating the local hero Cape of Good Hope.

The following year, he was entered in the HK Cup. Rakti, Powerscourt, Fields of Omagh, Dance in the Mood, Soldier Hollow..... tough crowd. He was 2nd to Alexander Goldrun, leaving the rest behind. Still, he could never get the kind of press, respect, or adoration of his famous stablemate Silent Witness.

He lived in his shadow, like the younger, not-quite-as-good-sibling that some of us can relate to. It wasn't till 2005 in the Champions Mile when he did the unthinkable..... he beat him. Tears were shed, the era ended, the curtain came down and Silent Witness was deemed mortal afterall. ... and who did this? Who dared to beat the cultural icon, the local treasure, the gem of Sha Tin? Who dared to smack all of Hong Kong in the face with the icy hand of reality? And why? Why did it have to end when the glorious moment should have lasted forever? The winning streak was no more and this horse was now the quasi-villian. This horse, honest as they come and with heart to spare... this horse who was only trying his best.....

It's not so much that there was anger directed toward Bullish Luck for beating the great Witness... it's more that there was a collective gasp which was an inappropriate way to end the era.

Other races, other memories, other wins, other travels..... to Japan, to Dubai, to Japan again where the throngs now followed him clad in red shirts, cheering wildly when he won the Yasuda Kinen, chanting for their Hong Kong Raider..... to Dubai again where he was 3rd in the DWC... his first start on dirt.

Dark days too. Being snubbed by the JRA and not invited back to defend his Yasuda Kinen title, the whispers, the innuendo, the questions..... He's done. He's toast. He didn't fire. Will he ever fire again. What's wrong with him? He's lost it.

The virus. The surgery. The waiting and finally the return. Always the return.

One legend wins while another retires.....

http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/r...eno=7&venue=ST

I'm always in favor of sending any horse anywhere.

Him though..... 9 years old, Horse of the Year, globetrotter..... I'm a hyporcrite.

If ANY horse deserves that "he's done enough" line it's him.

So this was the decision I've been waiting for. Maybe I'm the only one... not sure.

Come home safe, Bullish Luck, and maybe, maaaaaaybe, you'll get to go to Living Legends too.

You are taking this way too hard!

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

You are taking this way too hard!

So you're saying I'm getting a teeeeny bit emotional here?

It's just he's been hurt, and hurt, and hurt and Cruz has other nice boys he could send over.

If anything happens to him I'll pick up you and CSC and fly to HK and you two can hold him down while i kick him.

Chris was already booked to ride Darjina which is why Brett got the call on him.

Okay, must go and try to calm down.

At least he's not running him in the World Cup again.....

Hope he does well and gets to go to Living Legends eventually.

[my miss storm cat]

http://www.hkjc.com/english/news/news_2008031818450.htm

[my miss storm cat]

BL and Floral Peg arrived..... Bullish Luck has a fever.

FEEL BETTER!

[my miss storm cat]

He's better.

Was it fair to send him if Tony doesn't think he can win?


“If both horses got draw well, I think Bullish Luck may able to run intoa place despite his age, but Floral Pegasus will have a winning chance.”

[my miss storm cat]

http://www.hkjc.com/english/news/news_2008032618490.htm

* * *

Cody Mo (BL fans know who this is) is in Dubai.....