BC a depressing retirement party

[freshman]

So Street Sense is done, as is Hard Spun and English Channel. Octave is done. Discreet Cat quits. Bye to Corinthian.

Not to mention those that didn't make it to BC. After Market is retired.
Stormello.

How depressing, especially since almost all these horses planned BC as their last starts. And there will be others that announce soon, I'm sure.

I was pretty disillusioned by Bernardini's BC retirement in 2006, and the fact that SS and HS were set to go to stud after the 2007 BC as of months ago and regardless of their performance, soundness, etc. I know that BC comes at the end of the season, where it makes sense to retire horses. And it does seem like a good time to end an older horse's career. But the BC seems like the end of line for almost all the big contenders, whether plans were announced before or immediately after BC, and most of the others won't commit to another season.

Oh, well. Next year will fill my head with other, newer names.

[bbenn]

Simply too much money involved in the stud game. Takes the race fan's "heroes" off the track too soon, and prevents most mid to smaller players from ever conciveably making a profit or even breaking even.

[btcountess]

I'm most depressed about the retirement of Hard Spun. He was so fun to watch - always gave his best, solid and sturdy.

Too soon and too short - that describes the career of a TB these days.

[geowarrior]

btcountess I couldn't agree with you more. There are so many things Hard Spun could have done as a four year old.

I'm sure Tiago will be coming back and I expect him to keep improving. Awesome Gem is a gelding so he will be back. He always runs a good race, he might win one next year. Midnight Lute is coming back.

So it's not all bad.

[Toccet02]

I feel just the same way Freshman, and thought of starting a post like this last night but got lazy.
Why should the 3YO year be the end of the line? Only because of stud money. And I heard an owner say that it's best to retire "before they get injured".
So now we're just assuming that injury is inevitable? Why don't people breed for better, race longer, and bring competition back into the sport?
Yes, it's a sport, or used to be.
Now it seems like it's not just the fans that are gambling. Owners and trainers gamble on how much $$$ they can win, waiting for the easiest competition, then gamble on how long they should push it before retiring to avoid ruining their horses.
It really disgusts me.
I hope Curlin races next year, becomes a major champion (he kinda is already, one could argue), makes millions, and becomes an important stallion.
For $5,000!

[winds]

That's why it is important to get the tracks to start writing races for older horses with huge purses. But we can't forget the slowing down ex stakes horses too, and start getting some races written for them with better than average purses.

The young horses will have their time to make money, but we need to reward the owners of the older horses that keep on running.

winds

[EmeraldGal]

I am hoping that Curlin returns next season as well. Unfortunately there will be a lot of time for minds to be changed before the 2008 races.

I was just wondering how many of the old handicap races are still around that the old distance runners of yore participated in. Or even the shorter handicap races that used to see 5 and 6 year old stallion prospects still competing. It's been a long time since you would see a valued horse such as Citation still competing, rather than hurrying him to the breeding shed at 3 or 4.

[River Summit]

btcountess wrote: "I'm most depressed about the retirement of Hard Spun. He was so fun to watch - always gave his best, solid and sturdy."

I'm depressed about never seeing any of them race again, but for some reason, I feel most cheated about never seeing Hard Spun set foot on the track again. I have always thought he was a sound, hard knocker who had his best days ahead of him, but what really gets me is never having the opportunity to see him start on the grass.

Someone told me Jones worked him on the turf and he didn't like it, but I never believed it.

[ZZTOPPERS]

Retiring our most popular horses at 3 is what's killing the sport, plain and simple. We need fans, which is another word for bettors, and fans need stars to attract them. We can't develop stars when they're not around long enough for the public to learn about, get to know, then finally care about. My personal stance? I refuse to breed to one of the new 3yo stallions retired too soon. That's something I personally can do. Does that hurt me financially? Actually, no, because there are a lot of proven stallions in the same price ranges these new kids are coming out at that are performing on the racetrack and comercially good as well.

[geowarrior]

Well it's looking like Curlin is out of the game also. Not only that but our older heroes like Lava Man and Tin Man are out, Lava Man perhaps temporarily, Tin Man permanently. Funny Cide has gone too.

Who have we got left? Midnight Lute and Tiago, and on the second tier, Awesome Gem.

I hope to god at least one of those three and possibly two, turn out to be monster horses next year because it's looking pretty grim for the sport.

[bdw0617]

I have decided I was going to stop being a negative nancy about horse racing. I refuse to look at it in a negative light.

Look at the positives.... Look at all the great memories street sense and hard spun has given you? 2 Years of racing mind you. Corinthian has given you 3. After Market broke Lava Man's Win Streak in California and put in some brilliant performances as well.


Look at the up and coming horses to get excited about! War Pass (who I nailed 2 months ago on this very fourm thank you very much), Pyro, Z Humor, Indian Blessing, etc.

We have an "outsider" who is going to shape up to be a VERY special filly in smarty Deb. I can't wait to see how she turns out. will she try to tackle the bigger fillies down in california?

Midnight Lute very well might be the best horse in training right now, regardless of distance and can very well stretch out. he has the pedigree and running style to do so.

ginger Punch is coming back!

Any Given Saturday right now is alot of people's BC Classic Winner for next year (not mine)

Tiago has every right int he world to improve off his form this year and be a monster next year

Horses like Fairbanks, Student Council, Diamond Stripes give alto of creditablity to the Classic Division.

We have the breeders cup Turf sprint to look forward to next year.


I dont' know about you but I'm excited!!!!!

[Rokeby Forever]

How quickly we forgot about Majestic Warrior. Let's see what this horse can do when Mott has him fully cranked next year. Mott's got himself a barnful of talented babies that he hasn't pressed yet...it should be a banner year for him. Mott dominated Saratoga this year (like the good old days) - between his returning three year olds and the new Zayat two year olds, he should be next to unbeatable at the meet.

The Handicap Division promises to be worse than ever. BDW - if a stiff like Fairbanks adds "credibility" to the Handicap Division, it's truly at rock bottom. Maybe some South American can come up and dominate the sorry crew that's returning....or maybe Dutrow can claim something and turn it into Saint Liam.

[bdw0617]

I was trying to keep it to horses that ran on BC day hence the title of the thread, but yes, Majestic Warrior, other horses as well.

I am VERY high on Life is Sweet, full to Sweet Catomine.. she romped in her debut win on turf (what's up with Storm Cat and turf now?)

We have a full sister to Smarty Jones at the track. We have a half to street sense on the track.

We have Rags and Magnificance

Y ou have turf horses like nownownow, who was able to beat a decent group of european turfers. You have horses like Big Brown who I still think is the best 2YO turf horse in the country.

we have a new night time track that is going to have some big time racing, which should make things very interesting


Speaking of intesting, who in the world knows what's going to happen to racing in new york!

I'm so damn siked that HRTV is going to get Calder and Fair Grounds I can't wait!



You have horses like Etched, my derby pick Court Vision


Alot of fans are like my grandmother. it could be 85 degrees outside and literarly raining money outside and she would say "oh, so all we get are one's? Why can't we get 5's?"


Mott has a Tough filly on the turf that is a stakes winner already at 2.

and I'm leaving out the Baffert 4.5 million dollar baby, J Be K, Sargent Seattle, Better Talk now, Smokey Stover.. do I need to go on?

"The Handicap Division promises to be worse than ever. BDW "

I honestly think the polar opposite. I think next year's Handicap division will shape up, barring injuries to be pretty strong. not 1998 strong mind you, but stronger than we've seen the last couple of years.

Let's assume for a second curlin comes back. Off the top you have Any Given Saturday Diamond Stripes, Curlin and Tiago. That's 1/3rd of this years runners in the classic.

If Rags comes back to form, I don't think she came back to beat girls. She will take on the boys again if right before it's all said and done.

I have a horse crush on Zanjero. Go back and look at his races. I don't think I have ever seen a horse get that much disrespect in my life. He's won 2 grade 3's and ag rade 2 and is a by line everywhere. his last race he won in hand gearling down going away and did it beating some decent horses.

You miss English Channel? Well.. take his full brother! Sedgefield is a very good horse who got injuried in the Derby (ran 5th, better than Tiago or Any Given Saturday) and what is suprising to me is he is just as good if not better on dirt than he is on turf!

You throw in horses like Magna Graduate, Fairbanks, who at 5 will be salty enough to give any horse in the country a run for his money



You have a horse like Ravel, who is without a doubt, BACK

\

********* breaking news (literarly)******

Awesome Gem's being pointed towards the world cup!

http://www.drcnewswire.com/

As it is, the Dubai World cup is shaping up to be a hell of a race. So far you can count Aweseome Gem, Premium Tap, Midnight Lute


and shoot I forgot all about him. You guys are complaining in a year where more than HALF of the Classic field is coming back?

And I STILL haven't mentioned Brother Derek, who ran 6th (I think) IN 05 who is back in training now. Molengao, boboman...okay not really I just like saying his name.

"Maybe some South American can come up and dominate the sorry crew that's returning"

Remember the name Sentimiento Cat

[Rokeby Forever]

I'm not sold....these horses are the best around, that's all. Attrition has decimated racing in 2008.

What sells you on Any Given Saturday? His only Grade 1 win was the Haskell, and many of the best Distorted Humors didn't carry form from year to year - a lot of the better ones fizzled out after reaching a top level. If I'm looking for a "BIG" horse in 2008, it's Nobiz Like Shobiz on the turf. I think the sky's the limit with his being in the Tagg barn.

Forget Rags...that barn is an infirmary, not a recuperation facility.

BDW - you were so high and mighty on Maimonides. Why is he just an afterthought now?

[bdw0617]

I'm not sold....these horses are the best around, that's all. Attrition has decimated racing in 2008.

What sells you on Any Given Saturday? His only Grade 1 win was the Haskell, and many of the best Distorted Humors didn't carry form from year to year - a lot of the better ones fizzled out after reaching a top level. If I'm looking for a "BIG" horse in 2008, it's Nobiz Like Shobiz on the turf. I think the sky's the limit with his being in the Tagg barn.

BDW - you were so high and mighty on Maimonides. Not even a mention now, huh?

I did mention him, I said the 4.5 million dollar baffer 2YO, it's just I dont' know how to spell his name and everytime I have to it takes 5 mintues to look it up and I didn't feel like it.

And I wasn't "high on him" as a derby horse, i was high on him as a winning ticket! which I was correct on. Vindication has alot to prove to me before I start giving him derby horses. I ahven't seen one yet that wants anything more than 7F. but he's a nice horse.

I wasn't high on Any Given Saturday to win the Classic, but we'd all be so lucky to own a "dud" like any given saturday. a million dollar earning grade 1 winner.

you don't like Any Given Saturday because of pletcher. I don't like Any Given Saturday because...well.. I don't know. I just odn't. I don't think he's being fully used right. He's better than this.. on his day he's just as good as the best 3YO's if not just a notch below. lol, I guess we are both saying the same thing

forgot all about poor nobiz.


all I"m saying is there is alot to look forward. I've deiced to stop with the whole "woe is horse racing" arguement. I'm sick of it, and I think america is sick of it. Every time you turn on the TV and we get our 30 mintues in the sun, all you here is about how we are broke, about how every company is bleeding, while at the same time posting profits (err pimlico), saying how the horse racing economy is hurting but the median avg sales prices are all up,a nd saying how horse racing is unpopular but ratings keep climbing. it's like people just put on a we are doomed voice recorded message and don't take a look at what's going on around them.

Oak Tree posted some of the best earnings they have in a LONG time, yet not a peep. the only thing you hear coming out of Oak Tree is "the cushion track is too fast" or "lava man is out"

You have a jockey in the north east about to hit 6000 wins, yet the only thing people up there want to cry about is there is no more hard spun.

I was at the Breeders Cup. People went there looking for crap to complain about. Granted, it could have been better, but make due with what you got for crying out loud.

could there be changes? What sport/business couldln't. But I'm focusing on the positive instead of the negative, which is more positive then people realize.