Game Winner to Stud?

[bobphilo]

I have heard an ugly rumor that Juve victor Game Winner will be retired since with his pedigree and BC win he would already be earn more at stud than if he raced at 3 and even won the TC with it's 25 M bonus.

If true, this is a sad commentary on the sport. We have gotten used to top horses being retired after their 3YO season losing their army of fans to the sport. Then we had Justify not even completing his 3YO season. Now we may have Game Winner retiring after his baby season, disappointing even more potential fans and not even running in the Derby and TC races, which frankly are the only races most people even care about. Imagine any other sport surviving if all their top athletes retired as pre-teens. Yes the sport is increasingly becoming purely a breeding business but if the sport dies the business dies with it. They are killing the goose that laid the golden egg in the name of short term greed.

I don't know if the same rules still apply but in Germany the Jockey Club knew what they had to do to protect the survival of the sport and no horse could stand at stud unless they had raced at least 2 full seasons drug free.

[Andy Asaro]

He's one of the reasons Rosario is coming out here. Doubt there's any truth to that rumor.

[burnsy]

Could be "hoof issues":lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[GMB@BP]

Why Gary and Mary West do that? They raced West Coast this year and he was clearly worth more after the end of last year.

[dilanesp]

He can't retire. Baffert needs him to run interference at next year's Belmont.

[the little guy]

He probably sold his stud rights for after his 2019 campaign. Unless he was injured, which I doubt, he's not retiring before his 3YO season.

[bobphilo]

He probably sold his stud rights for after his 2019 campaign. Unless he was injured, which I doubt, he's not retiring before his 3YO season.

I sincerely hope so. It's just something I read on another board and likely just a rumor. The scary thing is that the way things are going in racing something like this may happen in future by owners just looking for a fast buck and that would be another nail in racing's coffin.
My main point is that the sport needs a strong central authority to protect it remaining a sport and not letting it become a strictly laissez-faire business.

[papillon]

I have heard an ugly rumor that Juve victor Game Winner will be retired since with his pedigree and BC win he would already be earn more at stud than if he raced at 3 and even won the TC with it's 25 M bonus.

If true, this is a sad commentary on the sport. We have gotten used to top horses being retired after their 3YO season losing their army of fans to the sport. Then we had Justify not even completing his 3YO season. Now we may have Game Winner retiring after his baby season, disappointing even more potential fans and not even running in the Derby and TC races, which frankly are the only races most people even care about. Imagine any other sport surviving if all their top athletes retired as pre-teens. Yes the sport is increasingly becoming purely a breeding business but if the sport dies the business dies with it. They are killing the goose that laid the golden egg in the name of short term greed.

I don't know if the same rules still apply but in Germany the Jockey Club knew what they had to do to protect the survival of the sport and no horse could stand at stud unless they had raced at least 2 full seasons drug free.

I saw that over there too. They said it was his breeding, but I'm not sure why a Candyride is all that impressive, even if AP Indy is his dam sire.

But the price floated is about what all top 2yo breeding rights sell for, he's right there with Nyquist.

Despite all of the hubbub about the rarity of a TC, the rarity of an undeafeated KY Derby winner is greater and based on a longer sample size. Nyquist is in rarefied air, he is one of only 3 horses in over a century to win the Derby on a 7 race win streak, most had less than 4. Additionally, only 2 horses have pulled off the BCJ-Derby double, this is becoming as rare as a TC. Again, Nyquist pulled it off. The odds are against Game Winner.

Also, he does not fit Baffert's Derby winner's profile. His Derby winners tend to start after the BCJ or race only 2 times or so as a 2 yo, going on the shelf by September. Game Winner already has logged a lot of furlongs for a Baffert Derby hopeful.

Lastly, doesn't the Derby have its own version of the Masochistic rule starting this year, with OCT testing starting 6mos out?

If 4 months makes a career, doesn't that mean Game Winner has had a career? 4 for 4 and all graded, which has to count more than Justify's MSW and Allw....just saying, becareful what you gush over.

Fillys and Geldings and cheap horses, those are only ones to care about now.

[the little guy]

I sincerely hope so. It's just something I read on another board and likely just a rumor. The scary thing is that the way things are going in racing something like this may happen in future by owners just looking for a fast buck and that would be another nail in racing's coffin.
My main point is that the sport needs a strong central authority to protect it remaining a sport and not letting it become a strictly laissez-faire business.

It's not something that is going to happen in the future.

Surely common sense still has some value.

[GMB@BP]

Also, he does not fit Baffert's Derby winner's profile. His Derby winners tend to start after the BCJ or race only 2 times or so as a 2 yo, going on the shelf by September. Game Winner already has logged a lot of furlongs for a Baffert Derby hopeful.



American Pharoah disagrees.

[SharpCat]

American Pharoah disagrees.

Silver Charm and Real Quiet disagree as well. In fact every Baffert Derby winner besides Justify ran at least 3 times as a 2yo.

[bobphilo]

It's not something that is going to happen in the future.

Surely common sense still has some value.

Greed and the seductive power of huge amounts of money earned quickly can overcome common sense. We see it increasingly in our political leaders.

[the little guy]

I tried.

[Threechimes]

Greed and the seductive power of huge amounts of money earned quickly can overcome common sense. We see it increasingly in our political leaders.



Lol!

We see it everyday in the fines and suspension's handed out . Why make this political?

No need to look further than the backstretch of most tracks and the racing office of most tracks .

[PaceAdvantage]

It's just something I read on another board and likely just a rumor.You mean there are still other horse racing boards left alive?