17 Year Old Gelding entered at Ellis Park

CA Michael · Postby **CA Michael** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:56 pm

17-year-old entered in race
By MARTY McGEE (Daily Racing Form)

A racing rarity is scheduled to occur Wednesday at Ellis Park when Alpena Magic, a 17-year-old, runs in the third race.

Officials at Ellis said Monday that stewards have tentatively cleared Alpena Magic to race. Dan Bork, racing secretary at the Henderson, Ky., track, said he has discussed the unusual situation with steward Ron Herbstreit, who said the gelding still must pass muster, including a standard prerace veterinary examination, before starting in the 5 1/2-furlong race, which is for $4,000 conditioned-claiming horses.

"Obviously it caught our eye when we took the entry, but according to the reports we've gotten, the horse has been looking good on the racetrack and is sound," said Bork. Alpena Magic has had five recorded workouts at Ellis since late April.

Bork said he and Herbstreit were unaware of an age limit on horses to race in Kentucky. Generally, horses older than 15 are barred in many racing jurisdictions in North America.

Alpena Magic, by L'Enjoleur, was bred in Alabama by his owner, Kenneth J. Robinette. William R. Hicks is the trainer of Alpena Magic, who has not raced since finishing ninth and last at 98-1 in a bottom-level claiming sprint at Hoosier Park in Indiana on Nov. 19, 2005. Overall, Alpena Magic has won 16 of 154 starts, earning just over $200,000.

CA Michael · Postby **CA Michael** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:58 pm

And, Louis, he's linebred to PHALARIS.

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:44 pm

Either he's free of St Simon, or he's been drinking a lot of his own all these years.

Geowarrior put money into her Ellis Park account to claim him. He's about the right age for the Geowarrior Stable.

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:40 pm

No I didn't, but I bought Gear It Up, so now I know he will have a happy retirement. Of course I can't afford him, so it will be Kraft dinner for life, and if anyone knows how I can get him from Arapahoe Colorado to WA that would be very helpful, as I need to arrange this in about the next 10 days.

So go ahead Rokeby, tell me what an idiot I am. Tell me that it's a business and if I think they're pets I should put them in my garden, and how sentimental and stupid I am.

Mac · Postby **Mac** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:12 pm

I like you Geowarrior. I am also stupid enough to have bought old broodmares because I couldn't afford the younger quality ones, so now I will get to retire th old girls at my expense once they are past a sound breeding age and of course they will not be turned into Alpo. There might be Kraft dining in my future :oops:

About this old gelding...anyone know what is the oldest age a horse has raced at? I thought I saw somewhere that there had been an 18 year old a few years back...

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:39 pm

If you look at the claiming game standings, I'm the idiot!

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:10 pm

I didn't spend play money on Gear It Up, unlike the fantasy claimer game, because the trainer made sure to rip me off, and insulted me even more by thinking I didn't realise it, and I didn't expect to have to retire him now, I thought I'd have the summer at least to prepare. And now I'm petrified because I'm not ready, I don't know anything that I need to know.

magic code · Postby **magic code** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:15 pm

Geo, I'm on the west side of WA. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

And for the record: those people should be ashamed of themselves. Hope the horse is smarter than the people and walks all the way around.

Jolene · Postby **Jolene** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:58 am

geowarrior wrote:I didn't spend play money on Gear It Up, unlike the fantasy claimer game, because the trainer made sure to rip me off, and insulted me even more by thinking I didn't realise it, and I didn't expect to have to retire him now, I thought I'd have the summer at least to prepare. And now I'm petrified because I'm not ready, I don't know anything that I need to know.

I know that there are a couple nice full-care boarding facilities in your area, also, sometimes private breeders/owners will take in "one extra" who is injured or needs a break from the track. I know one young lady out your way who might be helpful in getting him started under (non-race) saddle, too, and I doubt she'd charge you hardly anything.

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:34 am

Thank you very much Jolene for that advice. I had been planning to email you to let you know that this had happened, but I have been spending so much time emailing the great rescue people and others who facilitated this that I haven't got to everyone yet. So sorry.

Anyone, If I haven't thanked you yet, an expression of gratitude will be coming soon. I'm really very grateful to everyone for their support and advice particularly since I was caught so much by surprise.

I'm so looking forward to being able to post pictures of Gear It Up when he finally arrives in Washington for you all to see.

And everyone - I do know the trainer gouged me, but I made the best assessment I could based on the welfare of the horse, and had been warned by rescue workers that this is common, so I made the decision with my eyes open. The trainer's motivation to sell was that Gear It Up has developed osselets and requires six months turnout. Having ascertained that his check was actually going to be sent he then offered to run the horse for me on Friday! When he needs a six month turnout? If I needed any convincing that I made the right decision, that was it.

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:35 am

Oh, and by the way, I'm so sorry I hijacked this thread.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:41 am

Refresh my aging memory.. is Gear It Up one of the horses you owned a bit of in your partnershp?

Osselets are not necessarily the kiss of death some folk believe. If they are green, they can be treated. The key is to get to them early, before they calcify and harden. You might have a horse you could return to the track later on... after all, he is only 3.

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:03 am

Yes, oh aging memory, Gear It Up (who is my avatar) is indeed one of my partnership horses. He was injured at Mountaineer last September (kicked by another horse and cut, and also developed an osselet), and was laid off for several months. When he came back he did not do well and plummeted through the claiming ranks. At the low levels he seemed to be coming back and also seemed to like the poly, but then he ran a bad race, and as he had not won any money for a very long while, the managing partner asked for a vote to give him away. I was the only one who voted against.

There was then a period of confusion as I had been told he'd been given to one trainer only to find he'd actually been sold to another. I contacted the second trainer offering to rehome the horse when he'd run through his conditions and was ready to retire. Meanwhile my herniated disc had recovered sufficiently to allow me to be given permission to relearn to ride and I planned to save financially and gain knowledge in riding and equine management in preparation for a retirement I thought was at least a year away.

But less than a week after I had called the trainer with my offer, he called wanting to sell the horse because of the osselet issue and would not take less than the amount he had paid my partnership (which of course I didn't know). As I believe I said earlier, I know he was gouging me, but I made a judgement call based on all the known variables. No doubt some will think me idiotic, others misguided, but I simply made the decision that reflected whatever state of exhaustion I was in at the time and seemed in the best interests of the horse.

I do realise, Madelyn that osselets are not the kiss of death unless they are interfering somehow with joint movement - and I have not yet seen the vet's report. However this is Gear It Up's second issue with osselets in less than a year. After the six month turnout were he to come back to racing I could not afford to race him myself, and I think I might find it difficult to pull together a partnership on a horse that has won once in its life and has had two long layoffs. I have to tell you though that it pained me to hear people say that Gear It Up has no heart, because I think that is far from the truth, and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to prove he is the good and brave racehorse I always thought he was. If he does race again it will be on the turf, he has enormous feet, and was never given a chance to try it.

If he does not race, he will still be loved and I will do my best to see that he has a happy life.

Supernova · Postby **Supernova** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:06 am

geowarrior wrote:If he does not race, he will still be loved and I will do my best to see that he has a happy life.

He's lucky to have such a great owner!

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:14 am

Geo,

Wow! Way to go! I know it must be scary and difficult, but you got support here, and I am very impressed and "proud of you", if that doesn't sound like a condescending thing to say to a teacher!
And for the record I think there are many more sentimental people in this industry than would ever admit to it.