If Godolphin didnt have Discreet Cat

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Cardus

One-hundred percent wrong.

It's clear that Shake Mo is retiring Bernardini because he wants him to be the foundation sire of his push to win the American classics, particularly the Kentucky Derby, the greatest race in the world. (The other race he covets is the Melbourne Cup.)

Discreet Cat cannot hold that position.

In all due respect, Forestry has only been at stud long enough to have only a few crops at racing age (since 2000.) A.P. Indy has been around 7 seasons longer and I think it's unfair and premature at this time to say that a Forestry son couldn't be a foundation sire at SOME POINT. As it stands now, of the Sires currently standing in North America, Forestry ranks behind only Storm Cat (his sire) by Lifetime Percent Stakes winners from Starters and he's the sire of 24% Stakes Horses / 65% of which are Graded Stakes Horses. I wouldn't discount his influence just yet.

Originally Posted by Cardus

I should have written that it is much more likely for an A.P. Indy-sired horse than a Forestry-sired horse to be an influence on what appears to be Shake Mo's goal: to win the Derby. It's more than that, though.

That he has wanted to win the Derby "his way," or the "Godolphin way" is well known; those are the Shake's words. Now, that seems to mean more than simply preparing a horse in Dubai and shipping him to Churchill Downs. He wants to breed his Derby winner as well.

In an interview with reporters before leaving the Keeneland sale last month, he mentioned "everything" in terms of what he wants to accomplish from his racing operation. I read this impromptu interview on Bloodhorse; actually, it's very interesting. I'm wondering if anyone maintains access to that Q&A.

I also have read off-the-cuff comments from the Sheikh that imply that he wants his Preakness winner to give him his Derby winner. I have seen more than once the implication that he wants a "more American-type breeding" to accomplish this. What could be better than an A.P. indy to do this! I just hope he waits until 2008 to get started on this project.