Thor's Echo Sold to Sheikh Rashid

[Barbaro06]

Story at the Thoroughbred Times:

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2007/January/05/Sheikh-Rashid-buys-Sprint-winner-Thors-Echo.aspx

Interesting...retire Henny Hughes, your top sprinter, to stud, then pick up Thor's Echo, a gelding, who is on the rise after some wins in graded stakes (especially the BC Sprint where HH finished LAST). And there's no hurry to retire him 'cause he can't make babies. Nice deal.

[majxmom]

Blech! These guys already have all the money in the world. Now they just have to buy wins, since the breeding and raising in the desert hasn't worked out so well. Watch poor Thor decline in lovely Dubai.

[Rokeby Forever]

Retiring Henny Hughes is an International disgrace. Why is racing a horse an inconvenience to these Arabs...something a horse has to do between the time it's born and goes to stud?

[BJ]

Blech! These guys already have all the money in the world. Now they just have to buy wins, since the breeding and raising in the desert hasn't worked out so well. Watch poor Thor decline in lovely Dubai.

And disappear from the face of the earth~ This is an ugly day indeed! I hope they put a "buy back clause" in the deal!

[Barbaro06]

So far they have not have gotten it right with winning the Derby. But with the two other classics under the Maktoums' belts last year, winning the Derby may be within their reach. To me it doesn't make sense to keep the horse over there in the desert and then bring him over here for the Derby...the travel takes a lot out of the horse before such an important race. I don't think Bernardini or Jazil spent any time over in Dubai before racing here...correct me if I am wrong.

There had to be something more to the retirement of Henny Hughes...it was sudden and after a thrashing against the top competition. And then buy the horse who thrashed him. Strange.

[BJ]

There had to be something more to the retirement of Henny Hughes...it was sudden and after a thrashing against the top competition. And then buy the horse who thrashed him. Strange.

Oh great...thanks for that lovely thought

[Barbaro06]

Well it does seem odd to retire a horse that had a bad day and there is no talk of injury to him as the reason to retire him.

Then a few months down the road buy the horse that beat 'em.

Weird I tell you, weird!

[BJ]

Well it does seem odd to retire a horse that had a bad day and there is no talk of injury to him as the reason to retire him.

Then a few months down the road buy the horse that beat 'em.

Weird I tell you, weird!

This is giving me a very sick feeling in my stomach. I'm trying to believe he wants to match race them after training them together or something. I can't believe Thor's owners would do this. So much for really loving that horse!

[Rokeby Forever]

Henny Hughes wasn't "thrashed"...he simply hated Churchill, as many BC participants did that day.

How many times does the Sheikh race a horse, anyway? Does Lammtara bring back memories?

[nythoroughbredvz]

or, could it be that thor is the entree for hennys retirement party!

[BJ]

Henny Hughes wasn't "thrashed"...he simply hated Churchill, as many BC participants did that day.

How many times does the Sheikh race a horse, anyway? Does Lammtara bring back memories?

Per the PQ database, Lammtarra has been repurchased by the Sheik. Also, at least for the moment, Thor was purchased to run in the race he came ran second in last year.

After that...who knows. Perhaps the Sheik so adores his horses that he retires them and treats them all with the dignity they deserve. (Perhaps somewhere a bit cooler than the desert though...poor Thor is not used to such extreme temperatures. )

I guess it is up to US/and U.S. to keep track of him...one of our American treasures

[FOS]

hi BJ...hi guys

I can't believe Thor's owners would do this. So much for really loving that horse!

What's so bad...a dream has come true for Thor's Echo's recent owners (Suarez and Jaime). Their GELDING earned in excess of $2mil at the races, and they've had the opportunity to sell him for what we can only assume was a price they were pleased with.

Furthermore...Thor's Echo is arguably in very good hands (with the Maktoums)...and I see NO reason that he won't be very well cared for.

Am I missing something here?

Respectfully

[Rokeby Forever]

All I can say...I congratulate the Sheikh on doing a wonderful job of driving Tabor, Magnier, and Smith nuts! LOL!!!

[Galejade]

I think you are being pretty harsh on the Maktoums. They have been wonderful supporters of European racing injecting passion , cash and jobs into an industry which was in decline. They also keep horses in training , as a rule, much longer than magnier, Tabor and the coolmore mob ( george washington, galileo montjeu etc all to stud as 3 y0's). Owners do have rights you know and one of these must be when to retire a horse - especially if they are attempting to build up a stallion band. If they run true to form their Darley Stud operation in the UK really looks after the small breeder offering generous foal shares and payment options whilst keeping stallion fees very reasonable . I am sure that their decision to go into USA in a big way will prove of great long term benefit to the US Raing Industry.
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indica strains

[Rokeby Forever]

I don't see how running a horse in cherrypicked races only 4 or 5 times a year benefits American racing...maybe you can help me understand what you're saying.