Hasn't 11 Year Old Spooky Mulder Done Enough Mr Lake....

[Kasept]

Everyone who has been involved with Spooky Mulder adores him. It's not Lake's decision what to do with him. Ben Mondello has owned him for the most part and is his responsibility. He has always maintained that he would give Spooky a home when he shows that he's ready to retire. He's a horse that always seems to indicate that he wants to keep running.

[docicu3]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Everyone who has been involved with Spooky Mulder adores him. It's not Lake's decision what to do with him. Ben Mondello has owned him for the most part and is his responsibility. He has always maintained that he would give Spooky a home when he shows that he's ready to retire. He's a horse that always seems to indicate that he wants to keep running.

Do his last two look like a horse that wants to keep running. Doesn't the claiming price here basically say....."take this horse please" If you wanted this one for the stable Steve I have $500 bucks that would be happy to be part of finding this one a home....we'd need 14 others but it's a thought if you have others game. Please don't take this the wrong way I am not trying to make this your cause I just think his best days are long past and if he really was competitive at even close to his previous level I'd feel differently but even if he wins at a level like this does he really need to go out at a fraction of his game competing with horses he would have dusted over the last decade or so.....hate to see a champ be embarassed that's all.

Drugs, 2 back I'll give ya' but he rarely was out gamed during his hayday like he was in that race as he had the lead most of the way especially on a sloppy track which he was always money on in past days but then the drop or double drop to 20K and he really looked bad the last half of that race. I didn't think about the starter allowance angle which is valid but watch that last race and tell me if he looks like a horse who is enjoying the game at the moment, let alone be trotted out again 4 weeks later at a third of the last price.

[Kasept]

His race 2 back he was beaten a neck for $30k. Were people calling to retire him after the performance at LRL in January '08 when he 69 Beyered? That wasn't much different than the last effort. He went on to win three more after that last year.

I don't know what people expect owners/trainers to do with a horse like him. As Doug said, they may be trying to get him eligible for starters and may have a plan that if he runs badly and goes unclaimed they'll retire him.

From everything Pat Reynolds and Scott Lake have said, he's a particularly fun horse to have around the farm or barn. Very animated. No one associated with him would put him in a situation where he's 'embarassed'. He's a horse. He doesn't know how much money he's running for.

I'd love for Dee Tee and all of us as a group to get to own him. He's been one of my favorite horses for 6-7 years. I just doubt he's ready to be retired, and when looking into it last year, was told Mondello wanted to keep him long term.

[philcski]

Definitely one of my favorites as well, and while I watch every Lake move with a leery eye, I'm willing to give him a couple more shots before I say "no mas". As Drugs said, it's possible they're trying to slide him by to get him eligible for the $7.5k starter series.