Anyone ever bid and then regret it?

[Mac]

I really messed this one up. The fillies I wanted (Saturday and Monday) went way beyond my reach. But I hung around and marked quality yearlings in the catalog and hung out evaluating them with some new acquaintances including a nice trainer I've been recommended to for training in case I venture into Louisiana with some stock. Then we see a yearling that looks pretty nice, a Yes Its True. Trainer likes her and people around there tell me he'd know a good horse. Dam is a stakes winner; okay amount of graded blacktype in second and third dam. Nice sires on bottom side such as Private Terms and Forli. I ask to see vet information and there are two minor issues. No need to go into at this point. For some reason, I BID on her, and I get her. Not a lot of money, but what was I DOING? I am seeking more classic distance pedigrees for my eventual racing and breed to race goals, and want fillies that are pedigreed in that direction. So, as I am standing there wondering why I bid on her, someone comes up and says "I didn't bid because I thought she would sell so hi. What a nice filly..." I was TOO stupid to get his name and number. I go seek a second vet opinion. He is difficult to understand, says the x-rays indicate her problems could be minor or perhaps not minor. The nice trainer wanders by to check on me and I ask him if he'd be interested in training her. I am shaken by the vet's guardedness. Trainer seems to think the problems are more minor and won't impact her racing. But still I am thinking "all that money" and I wasn't looking for a nice sprinter type who might have vet problems. It wasn't a fortune, around $8k, but my lack of discipline has me upset. Well, next morning, I run into another trainer, a guy who doesn't have a large barn, average win percentage, and we are talking. He hears my story, wants to see the filly, likes her, and offers to buy half if I'll let him train her, and he say's he won't charge me boarding fees until she is ready for training. At this point, very appealing because I want to cut my losses due to her obscure vetting and so I can regain some money for investing in the horses I am more interested in. But I have to ask the first trainer. He is very nice, says "go ahead if you are worried how she vetted...we'll train another one" so he lets me off the hook and I agree to sell 1/2 to the second trainer. He takes her away. Then a pretty respected indvidual came by and said he'd been the under-bidder, and he was kicking himself for not outbidding me. Then I think "I'll sell her to him!" Instead, I told him thanks and got on my plane. I Argggg.

[springboro]

That's a very nice purchase, but a definite sprinter! Should be precocious too. Don't kick yourself too much.

[Mac]

thanks for your kind response, Springboro. I just think the filly deserved to be bought by someone who'd put more thought into it and understood the vet issues better. The second trainer was kind enough to want to take a risk on her and invest some money so I guess I am grateful for that.

[Derring]

Mac:

Here's hoping that she's so good on the track that she changes your whole breeding program!

[Rokeby Forever]

This one won't be "The one that got away." Best of luck!

[Mac]

thanks Derring and Rok. Perhaps I learned my lesson and the filly will have a chance to race regardless....

[bdw0617]

Sales are "Sales" for a reason. They are designed to make you throw caution to the wind.

good luck

[madelyn]

Hm. Let's see. You got a nice $8K filly with a $35K stud fee, a decent page and just minor issues, sold half of her the day you bought her and you are having regrets? Let's say she doesn't fit your long term goals.. but you get her working really well, maybe gets a decent 2nd or 3rd first time out, and you get a nice backside offer.. and you sell.. or the trainer buys you out.. there just doesn't seem to be anything really scary about the deal.

[Mac]

thanks all. I am calmer now with a good night's sleep and feel better...hopefully she'll mature out of the vet issues and have a nice career for herself.

[winds]

If you had 2 trainers with good reputations tell you she's ok, and one is willing to put up money for 1/2 of her, she has minor problems. Who knows she may be the one to pay for your "better" mares and you can go on with your breeding/racing plans.

Sounds like God had a hand in this purchase so enjoy the gift.

winds

[majxmom]

I remember Shelley Riley coming home to Pleasanton from Keeneland with a rather coarse colt by Lear Fan that she only had to give $7500 for-- Casual Lies only ran second in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Preakness. We all thought the underbidders wanted to kill themselves by then.

[ageecee]

What are the 2 vet issues?

[Mac]

Majxmom, thanks and I dearly hope this filly outraces her vet issues and her price. I have not raced any horses yet because I started out by breeding a couple of old mares and my oldest foal is a weanling. The only other yearling that I bought was a filly out of Arch that died of colic while at the training farm, so I haven't had a good experience with yearlings so far.

To answer your question, Ageecee, vet issues were in comprehensible jargon that were translated to me as cysts that were not that large and not near the joints in both her front ankles, BUT then the second opinion I got from a vet says that they were "bigger" than what was first told me, but not exactly large, and not at the joint but somewhat closer than he'd like to see for racing...says they either grow out of it or they don't. No other remedy, including surgery.

[Monmouth Matt]

It's a funny game, and you may end up with a great horse story about how you were trying to "get out" of your $8k purchase who ended up earning $250k at the track, and foaled runners after. That's what keeps us all in the game! You never know. Good Luck.

[ct2346]

Mac -

There are lots of ways to participate and even though THIS one is a sprinter, stick to your guns for the next one. Not all of them need to be breeding prospects. Would recommend that you head back there in November and aim for the breeding stock that you really want. There will undoubtedly be representatives from that Blush with Pride line that you seek.

You got a horse, sold a horse, met two trainers, bargained for RNAs, all in a few days. I would say your trip was pretty successful.

Good luck.