Another Retirement, Pollard's Vision

[OTM Al]

Yeah, I know he wasn't grade 1 caliber but I really loved this guy. To do what he was able to without being able to see to his outside is amazing. 6-7-4 from 23 career starts ain't bad when one considers how many of those were stakes races. He got himself a Gr 2 and a couple Gr 3 wins in there which is pretty respectable and did it all while running anywhere there was a race for him, from Delaware to Hoosier to Philadelphia to the Spa itself. A real road warrior if there ever was one. I will miss him a lot

http://breeding.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=29425

[Bubbles]

Old warrior's about right, OTM Al. Not a G1 calibur-horse by any means, but he still carved out a very nice career with a few graded stakes victories. If he stuck in New York for a few more months, the way the handicap scene is playing out now, he could have tacked on a few more hundred thousand to his career earnings just by running in races like the Saratoga Breeder's Cup and the Cigar Mile. It's a shame to see him go.

[Valuist]

How many really legit Grade 1 male dirt horses are there now? With Ghostzapper gone, I'd say there's Afleet Alex, Saint Liam, Roses in May and I guess I'd include Commentator now. Maybe Rock Hard Ten also. That's about it. Pollards Vision really wasn't that far removed from that group.

[OTM Al]

Sad thing is he was one of the last good horses around that had run in last year's Derby. Just take a look at the carnage from last year's TC trail from the best I can find/remember....

Derby Entrants

Limehouse - Still running. Good enough for G1 with what's left
Song of the Sword - ? Was very ill earlier this year, but have lost track
Lion Heart - Retired
Action This Day - Never lived up to BC win, retired
Wimbledon - Injury after injury. Retired?
Friends Lake - Retired
Minister Eric - Still in training
Master David - Think he's running on grass now
St Averil - Kicking around in CA
Imperialism - Injuries. Don't think he's officially been retired yet
The Cliff's Edge - Retired
Borrego - Getting hammered at the window and on the track in CA
Birdstone - Retired
Read The Footnotes - Retired
Smarty Jones - Retired :(
Castledale (IRE) - Doing well miling on the grass
Pollard's Vision - Newest rest home resident
Tapit - Retired
Pro Prado - Think he's still kicking around in listed stakes
Quintons Gold Rush - Died

And the ones who didn't make it to Churchill

Eddington - Retired
Eurosilver - Seems to be on the comeback trail
Fire Slam - Cut back to sprints I believe
Gradepoint - I honestly don't remember this guy
Preachinatthebar - Still in training
Rock Hard Ten - Injuries plaguing 2005 campaign
Second Of June - Very fast, but recurring leg problems
Shaniko - Just won allowance at the Spa
Value Plus - Retired

So it looks as if out of his "TC generation", the only 4yo still kicking around that looks halfway decent is Limehouse. Take out pretty much the whole 4yo class and its now wonder the handicap division looks so light.

[Valuist]

The only other 3YO from last year that was off the list was Purge. He finally got a win as he destroyed an allowance field at Monmouth the other day. He may have got a pretty big figure in that race. Maybe he'll return to his '04 Peter Pan ways. If he does, he's definitely a player in the handicap division.

[plainolebill]

His splits were slower than the Haskell, he should have run big.

[Valuist]

Can't compare the 1m 70y fractions to the 1 1/8m Haskell. Different run-up to the teletimer so its like apples and oranges. They can be compared to the Lincroft Handicap in which the allowance race went about 4/5 slower to 6f but finished in a final time 1 3/5 faster (slow early-fast late). But Purge wasn't setting the pace so he didn't benefit from the slow early fractions,

[plainolebill]

I was comparing the times at the pace call - 6f - where Purge was leading in a pretty pokey 1:11.91.