I don't think it's as many as people think. Alot of the times (like right now in the male handicap division) the competition just gets weaker. First dude IMHO is no better than he was last year, there just is no lookin at lucky to run against.
what are some horses that defiantly got better as they got older? The best one i can remember is premium tap. The light switch just went off like the race before his breeders cup in which he finished 2nd and he was a different horse, not surprisingly being a son of pleasant tap. I wanted to say ghostzapper but i really think he always that good. the only races he lost were races he were injured in.
Obviously you have to include Lava man as well.
How many horses actually get alot better as they get older?
Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster
-
bdw0617
- Darley line
- Posts: 9206
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 10:19 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
How many horses actually get alot better as they get older?
"When the solution is simple, God is answering.”
- Einstein
- Einstein
-
kimberley mine
- Breeder's Cup Contender
- Posts: 1811
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 8:43 pm
I think quite a few do....but they almost always have some hint at ability early. I think it's actually quite rare to have a horse that is nothing at two, nothing at three, then explodes as an older horse.
If they are male and entire and have any stud value at all, they get retired by 3. With only a few exceptions, the ones who are come to mind are either mares, geldings, or entires with little stud value.
As far as recent big names that were best as older horses:
Blame
Zenyatta
English Channel (good 3yo, best running at 5)
Sky Conqueror
Purim (1st Gr-1 at 5)
Flashy Bull
Life at Ten
Azeri
Life Is Sweet (best at 4)
Einstein (BRZ)
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ)
Forever Together
Fleet Indian
Midnight Lute
Lava Man
So....aside from Blame and possibly Midnight Lute, you have mare, turf, turf, turf, unfashionable, mare, mare, mare, unfashionable AND turf, turf, mare, mare, gelding.
If they are male and entire and have any stud value at all, they get retired by 3. With only a few exceptions, the ones who are come to mind are either mares, geldings, or entires with little stud value.
As far as recent big names that were best as older horses:
Blame
Zenyatta
English Channel (good 3yo, best running at 5)
Sky Conqueror
Purim (1st Gr-1 at 5)
Flashy Bull
Life at Ten
Azeri
Life Is Sweet (best at 4)
Einstein (BRZ)
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ)
Forever Together
Fleet Indian
Midnight Lute
Lava Man
So....aside from Blame and possibly Midnight Lute, you have mare, turf, turf, turf, unfashionable, mare, mare, mare, unfashionable AND turf, turf, mare, mare, gelding.
-
bdw0617
- Darley line
- Posts: 9206
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 10:19 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
i have to argue against a few of those. i think life is sweet had everything to do with the trainer change and not the age. she was a freak at 2, so much so that she was the biggest wager i made at the breeders cup (at 8 to 1) at monmouth, just being run on the wrong surface.
forever together also was a grade 2 winner on dirt, then after runing sour a few races jonathan switched her to turf and the rest was history.
midnight lute always had ability but had breathing issues and coudln't stay healthy very long
really think english channel just caught a suspect breeders cup turf where the fav was bet into the ground even though he didn't like yielding turf.
blame definatly got better as he got older as did life at ten, azeri and einstein
forever together also was a grade 2 winner on dirt, then after runing sour a few races jonathan switched her to turf and the rest was history.
midnight lute always had ability but had breathing issues and coudln't stay healthy very long
really think english channel just caught a suspect breeders cup turf where the fav was bet into the ground even though he didn't like yielding turf.
blame definatly got better as he got older as did life at ten, azeri and einstein
"When the solution is simple, God is answering.”
- Einstein
- Einstein
How many of the 2 year olds get to prove they are better at 4? So many are retired at the end of their 3 year old campaign, defiantly or not.
Forego was so huge he had to grow into his frame. Geez, I stood next to him once. I'm 5'10", he was taller than me. That was a giraffe. He wasn't exactly lightly built, either. He had ability but had to grow into the bone structure. That's why he was gelded. He was also tough minded before he was gelded and stayed that way afterwards.
Zenyatta, Midnight Lute, Forever Together, all are tall. Einstein looks tall, although I don't see anything with his height anywhere. If they're big, or going to be, they need to grow into that frame before really being set down into serious speed training.
Forego was so huge he had to grow into his frame. Geez, I stood next to him once. I'm 5'10", he was taller than me. That was a giraffe. He wasn't exactly lightly built, either. He had ability but had to grow into the bone structure. That's why he was gelded. He was also tough minded before he was gelded and stayed that way afterwards.
Zenyatta, Midnight Lute, Forever Together, all are tall. Einstein looks tall, although I don't see anything with his height anywhere. If they're big, or going to be, they need to grow into that frame before really being set down into serious speed training.