Dick Jerardi's Wise Dan soapbox

[Scav]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

He didn't say anything about devaluing the horse, Lopresti did.

I know, I think he took it the wrong way from LoPresti. Devalue doesn't have to mean financial.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Scav

I know, I think he took it the wrong way from LoPresti. Devalue doesn't have to mean financial.

Racing was a better game when people didn't think that losses devalued their horses. Seriously, if Wise Dan was in the Whitney today and he lost, would it really devalue him?

[freddymo]

It is sad that this horse is following the same path as last year.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Racing was a better game when people didn't think that losses devalued their horses. Seriously, if Wise Dan was in the Whitney today and he lost, would it really devalue him?

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!

[PatCummings]

Originally Posted by Scav

I know, I think he took it the wrong way from LoPresti. Devalue doesn't have to mean financial.

de·val·ue [dee-val-yoo] verb, de·val·ued, de·val·u·ing.
verb (used with object)
1. to deprive of value; reduce the value of.
2. to fix a lower value on (a currency).

val·ue [val-yoo] noun, verb, val·ued, val·u·ing.
noun
1. relative worth, merit, or importance: the value of a college education; the value of a queen in chess.
2. monetary or material worth, as in commerce or trade: This piece of land has greatly increased in value.
3. the worth of something in terms of the amount of other things for which it can be exchanged or in terms of some medium of exchange.
4. equivalent worth or return in money, material, services, etc.: to give value for value received.
5. estimated or assigned worth; valuation: a painting with a current value of $500,000.

Even if you used definition #1 of "value" - to suggest it has nothing to do with financials - that's fine...you can't suggest that running and winning against lackluster competition in the Firecracker isn't devaluing in its own right.

And if Fink is that sick, surely it's a shame and I wish him nothing but the best...but why not even try to go a furlong longer than the Woodford and try him in his home town of Chicago for the Arlington Million?

As I've long held, Wise Dan can ONLY improve his legacy with big race performances (win or lose) - he's a likely Hall of Famer anyway, so why dull his form with blah races...if he just does the same old same old and just reconfirms what we already know (basically, Zenyatta's races outside of the Breeders' Cup Classic runs), he does nothing.

Can you gain respect and add to your legacy without winning? I gained more respect for Zenyatta in losing the BC Classic at CD.

For all those who say money is no issue...then what is the harm in trying the top company and a few new challenges?

I guess it's all in the way you look at life.

[letswastemoney]

If I was as old as Wise Dan's owner and owned the horse, I'd certainly run him in new spots and try to silence all the doubters with big route wins on dirt. There is only so much time on this earth. I wouldn't want to live with the regret of knowing I could have proved something but did not.