Rapid Redux

[ageecee]

[quote="Terrapin Flyer"][quote]why doesnt Laurel just write a starter race for horses that have started for 5K or less in the years from 2000-2012 for crying out loud.[/quote]

For the same reason they don't write non winners in 2012 right now. The same reason some tracks run straight 3yo races all year...to fill races. They aren't the only track that still has this condition in their book. They aren't the only track that stretches out eligibility in the races they write in the new year. In this day and age of 4 or 5 weeks between races life is tough for a racing secretary. Losing a year of horses eligible for a race in the new year is tough. Add the fact that 2 other tracks with weaker competition and comparible purses are less than 2 hours away its a battle to fill races in the winter and another with massive purses is 2 1/2 away. Rapid Redux or not this race would have been in the book.

1/2 of the field that is running against him have run for $5k only once in their careers, 2 of them in the final race of 2011. It's not like they put up a walkover for him, this is a salty bunch.[/quote]







Seriously 1/2 the field has only run for 5K once and you are saying this is a salty bunch. Please get real. They wrote this race for RR i doubt this race was in the condition book.

[Terrapin Flyer]

This race was in the book and there was a 5 1/2 in the book for todays entries. The fillies version goes on Fri long and Sat short. Just a heads up, the race comes back in the book on the 20th goin 1 1/8 and 7/8 on the 21st. If 1/2 the field have only run for the qualifying tag only once in their lives than I would say thats a tougher than usual nickle starter. Rather than assembling a bunch of horses that have been floundering at the bottom to come and run against him.

[Joltman]

can not understand why some one would retire a 5 YO gelding that has won 20, or is it now 21 races in a row and 20 in one year.

He is w/o a doubt sound and fit and under very good management

i realize his starter allowance designation has run out but ??????


griff

I'm with you Griff. Let him roll.

jm

[Mahubah]

Owner's made it pretty plain he doesn't want to drop the horse into claiming company and risk losing him to someone who might not care all that much about the horse's welfare. Since Rapid Redux doesn't have the talent to compete with any consistency in the middle to upper allowance ranks, let alone stakes company, the options are limited. I agree that retiring a healthy, sound racehorse who appears to be enjoying his work seems silly on one hand, but it makes sense from the perspective of an owner who loves the horse and wants to be absolutely sure that he has a good retirement when his racing days are over.

[griff]

Or enter him in another C5000 and maybe a bunch of friends drop claims on him.

griff

[Terrapin Flyer]

Another solid performance from a one hell of a gamer

[Joltman]

Tuff, gritty, awesome


jm

[Shammy Davis]

I thought I read somewhere that RR is getting a special Eclipse Award?

[wilf]

Tough horse indeed the like of which we probably will not see again. Watching the replay today I saw him run very game ,resolute and the time was pretty quick for a starter allowance. Funny how they changed the starter rules and wrote it to accomodate him as far as calendar eligibilty ,I have never seen that happen before but nobody is twisting the other trainer's arms to run against him or fill the race ,however there were scratches out of the race as usual. He looked very well in the paddock and even though the 2nd favourite took the race to him he never wavered! Remarkable and yes a special eclipse award to recognise his achievement is entirely proper. If he were mine I would have retired him after 10 wins ,my nerves could never handle the pressure . All good things come to an end and I for one hope he quits before the sequence ends. I mean really ,what else can we expect of him or should we anyway?