Snowflakes everywhere

[johnnym]

Instagrand done for the year.
Roadster done for the year
Good Magic done for the year I say maybe for good.
Justify retired
Elate may miss Breeders Cup.
I understand with many of you Takeout is the biggest issue.
But this babying of these horses that have thousands of years of instinct to run to be turned into equine sluts is just wrong.
Why the hell breed if they do not run.
Breeders Cup is really shaping up as a hell of exhibit of Allowance horses.
As I read on twitter this sport will soon be known as horse resting.

[Fairmount1]

Johnny,

I hear your frustration and this game has never been one for those that are seeking to regularly follow the stars.  Breeding, injury, etc have always been potential pitfalls for creating lasting Big Names on the racetrack.  But now add in the cat and mouse game that trainers play with either avoiding the Breeders Cup or training up to the BC big dance creates further consternation.  

Personally, I believe Instagrand and Roadster are both avoiding the BC due to the unique BC withdrawal rules OR to properly \"prepare\" (if you will) for the spring prep season (Ie, racing in Mid-March off a long winter break to gear up for the first Saturday of May.  You know after being \"out of training\" for a while so that all bets are off on the medication front).  I have laid out this theory with BB before with his most successful TC horses.  As for the Hollendorfer horse I don\'t have any research to prove this idea so it is more of a \"guess\" with him than BB.

I have no opinion on Good Magic\'s break but his Travers was not very good.  

Justify was worth too much money to not retire and I trust Bill Mott when it comes to Elate.  

I point this all out b/c you have to view these as individual cases from a handicapping perspective.  As a fan, I do agree you can see broad sweeping trends as the years go by.  Less foals, less starts, training up to the BC, avoiding the BC, etc.  And as I have stated many times, uniform rules that MATCH whatever the BC is doing would have profound effects on the game to the benefit of horse players. And you would see the training percentages level out to a certain degree.  

That still doesn\'t answer where all the breeders have gone though........19k foal crop this year is nowhere near the peak of 51k in 1986.  More purse money and more tracks than ever to run at, high end sales are booming if you believe the headlines.....but the breeders are disappearing.....a gambling game (or a business? or hobby?) at all levels of breeding, owning, training, wagering that never ceases to fascinate.

The BC will still be a fantastic event esp at CD where the atmosphere is probably the most \"festive\" and enthusiastic about racing of all the venues it has been while able to comfortably accommodate a crowd of 60k+/-.

[TGJB]

“Equine sluts”???

[Al Caught Up]

Memories of Lisa\'s Booby Trap at Saratoga

[johnnym]

Didn’t want to use stud for dramatic effect. You catch my drift I’m sure.
Either way it’s wrong and ruining this sport
No different then the new breed of NFL owner,they pass all these stupid rules to protect there investment not the game.
Result the nfl is a lousy product.

[wrongly1]

Jerry

Care to chime in on BC\'s testing.  Anything different this year?  In the BC propaganda I noticed mention of out of competition testing for EPO.  What\'s your confidence level on this testing or is this just lipstick on a pig.

I understand if you would prefer to abstain.

[TGJB]

We ain\'t gonna know til we know.

[P-Dub]

TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We ain\'t gonna know til we know.


Thanks Yogi.

[boardedup]

Sports in general are a microcosm of society.  You’re correct obviously. the well connected play by different sets of rules, the money is funneled upwards ever increasingly into fewer and fewer hands.  Shadowy men out of the limelight institute rules or laws that ultimately protect their peers financial interests at the detriment to everyone else.  The “testing” in racing, the obsurd way football is now officiated, more rules, more bureaucracy.  All in the name of maintaining the status quo at the top while killing the game for the common patron.  To my eye it corresponds pretty well with what is the world in 2018.

But hey, it’s not all bad, tomorrow’s the biggest race day in the commonwealth of PA, and both the grade 1’s look like pretty decent betting opportunities. I’m thinking the fav over Servis long shot exacta w/ Hofburg to fill out the tri...any thoughts?

[jbelfior]

Parx not the best track to wager serious money, however should be a fun day. The \"juices\" will be flowing.

The \"coming out of the Travers\" angle has had some success in the past. Going to use King Zachary who is well drawn, gets a few pounds, and hopefully has a new top in him today.


Good Luck,
Joe B.

[johnnym]

With 30% takeouts in tris and super I will be a spectator.
Good luck to all.

[boardedup]

I think DD’s are “only” a 20% take....  King Zachary did run a pretty solid number at the spa, worth a look for sure. Mott trying to replicate blinker success he had w/ Hofburg’s big sis is interesting to.

 But something about BB off the layoff somewhat out of sight for awhile and at Parx seems tough to ignore.  It does seem like there’s plenty entered that are prime jump up canidates.  The “potential” angle is likely the hill I’ll die on today, using the one and three w/ the two fav’s...

[johnnym]

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Good_Magic_retired_to_stud_at_Hill_n_Dale_Farms_123#

Such a joke.
Why bother getting in the business if the business is to race horses?

[Tavasco]

Agreed such a joke. But it is their reality. The story reads like an advertisement for a new model year automobile back when the hype of the new models in October was the adrenaline.

Skeptical me was never overly impressed with \"Good Magic\" a very nice horse who, it could be argued, was used up vs Justify.

As for stud, c/b hit or miss. But the first year s/b profitable.

[johnnym]

Tapwrit just got a text from his buddies
Of to the shed