Cruel?

[JimL]

At Beulah Park, Feb 11, the 7th race has a 15 year old gelding entered. This horse has a lifetime record of 106 starts, 30 wins 25 places 24 shows. Not to shabby! This is the kind of horse I would like to claim, put it in my back field, buy it some top shelf oats, and a goat to play with! I would tell him thanks for the memories every day! What is really sad is the horse looks like it has a good shot.

[cj]

Maybe the horse loves to race, some do I think. Judging by his record, he's probably one. Cruel would be if he stunk and was kept in training IMO.

CJ

[Tom]

We had a horse at FL a few years back - Sagely - trained by Eddy Perdue. He ran - and won!- his last race at age 15, becase that is the mandatory retirement age in NY. That last win was number 50! He just loved to run.
WE have had a lot of 15 yos run here-Silver Fir was another quite
successful.
I really believe Zippy Chippy loves to run, too, although not win <G>. Every time I go to see him at the ballpark, where he does win, he looks as if he were having a ball-really alert, excited, seems to be happy.
I havve seen 3-4 yos who look a lot wrose than some of the older ones. It's all in the trainer and how he treats them.

[JustRalph]

Originally posted by JimL
At Beulah Park, Feb 11, the 7th race has a 15 year old gelding entered. This horse has a lifetime record of 106 starts, 30 wins 25 places 24 shows. Not to shabby! This is the kind of horse I would like to claim, put it in my back field, buy it some top shelf oats, and a goat to play with! I would tell him thanks for the memories every day! What is really sad is the horse looks like it has a good shot.

Whats the claiming price? I could donate a little, PA could have a mascot!

Beulah Park, man that brings up memories. Me and the old man spent a few afternoons out there. Its a dump. At least it was ten years ago. I was there for a concert. I learned to drive a car in the Beulah parking lot. The old man would let me drive his car around the parking lot after the races. I was about 12.

[Zaf]

15 wow. What is the oldest horse to ever run in a parimutuel race?

ZAFONIC

[GameTheory]

You bet he likes to run -- he may know what the alternative is for 15 year old geldings racing at Beulah park. Not necessarily will it be "put out to pasture"....

[BillW]

My database (relatively small - 60k horses) shows one 14 YO running at PEN this year ... SMILE BE HAPPY. A hand full of 13YO's at the smaller tracks also (PEN, MNR etc.) By his name, he sounds like he knows the possible alternative. :)

Bill

[ceejay]

Originally posted by JimL
At Beulah Park, Feb 11, the 7th race has a 15 year old gelding entered. This horse has a lifetime record of 106 starts, 30 wins 25 places 24 shows. Not to shabby! This is the kind of horse I would like to claim, put it in my back field, buy it some top shelf oats, and a goat to play with! I would tell him thanks for the memories every day! What is really sad is the horse looks like it has a good shot.

I have a friend that actually did that with an 11 yo gelding that had been claimed away from him. Claimed the horse to retire him.

[takeout]

Originally posted by zafonic
15 wow. What is the oldest horse to ever run in a parimutuel race?

ZAFONIC
That's a good question. The oldest one I ever saw was Lexington Park. He ran his last race at CT in '84 and was 17. His lifetime record was 209 47-35-29. I remember looking at the pps and thinking that was the most bizarre thing I had ever seen - running a horse at that age.

[Zaf]

I have never noticed any horse older than 14. I thought 14 was a mandatory retirement age. Anyone have a database on how these old bangers do. That would be interesting.

ZAFONIC

[cj]

Its been some time since I followed harness, but I think 14 is their retirement age. I've never heard of one for t-breds.

CJ

[ranchwest]

I recall years ago seeing horses in the 12 to 14 year old range that did pretty well. They'd run for a cheap tag, not be claimed, then run in starter races for a year and win frequently.

It was interesting in the winter because some would grow a long, thick coat in the cold months.

[PurplePower]

Rules of Racing in Texas say that a horse may not run in a parimutuel race in Texas after they are 12 unless they have won at least one race in the past 12 months. So, as long as a runner wins a race every 12 months, they could conceiveably keep on racing. All three Class I tracks in Texas state in their condition books that they will not accept entries on runners over 12 and do not make exception for runner that won a race in its 12th year.

[JustRalph]

Originally posted by takeout
That's a good question. The oldest one I ever saw was Lexington Park. He ran his last race at CT in '84 and was 17. His lifetime record was 209 47-35-29. I remember looking at the pps and thinking that was the most bizarre thing I had ever seen - running a horse at that age.

he was in the money more than 50%......pretty damn good for an old claimer. I would love to know what his lifetime earnings were.

[takeout]

JustRalph,

His lifetime earnings were $357,861. I don't know much about him but some of the Maryland players may remember him well. I would love to have his lifetime pps just out of curiosity.

PurplePower,

How can the condition books override the Rules of Racing? I don't get it.

[JustRalph]

over $1700 bucks a start. There are a bunch out there that wish they could average that. Thanks for the info.

[ranchwest]

Make sure you get those PPs on CD, printed it would be rather weighty with 209 starts! lol

[hurrikane]

what is this horses name. I can find him nowhere.
My db has no horses older than 12

[PurplePower]

Originally posted by takeout
.....PurplePower,
How can the condition books override the Rules of Racing? I don't get it. Rules of Racing are like Constitution then each track's can have some "By-laws" to more narrowly define a situation. For example, the rules say that first time starter must have two official works within 90 days of their first start, one of those within 45 days and be "approved by an official starter within 90 days of first start". Lone Star further defiines that rule to say that one of those two works must be from the starting gate. Sam Houston does not require that one of the works be from the starting gate, nor do the Rules of Racing. The Condition cannot "supercede" the rules of racing - in other words the condition book cannot say "Even though the Rules of Racing say a horse cannot start after 12 unless he has won in past twelve months, SHRP will accept entries for 13 year olds that finished second within the last year". Another area is maiden races. The Rules don't say a runner cannot enter after a specific age if still a maiden, but LS says no entries for maidens 5 and over, SHRP says no entries for maidens 6 and over - and Retama says maidens older than five must start for bottom maiden claiming price. So there you have it.
:cool:

[takeout]

Hurrikane,

If Lexington Park were still alive he would be 36 now. To have his entire racing career your database would probably have to go all the way back to the beginning of '67. His last race was 19 years ago.

PurplePower,

Thank you for the explanation. Many things about the racing business haven't made sense to me over the years and I'm starting to see why. I knew that nationally no one was on the same page but I always assumed that different tracks would have the same rules within the same state. Silly me.

[hurrikane]

yeah takeout. sorry for the confusion. I was talking about the horse running feb11 that started the thread.

[takeout]

Originally posted by hurrikane
yeah takeout. sorry for the confusion. I was talking about the horse running feb11 that started the thread.
Oh. His name is Northern Broadway. :)

[JimL]

Northern Broadway, rallied in the stretch and was only beaten three lengths. This means he will be back soon. When I think about it I was worried when John Henry, pranced on the track at 9 years old. John was not worried at all!

[ranchwest]

John Henry went back into training at 11 and was said to be looking great, but a minor injury caused so much concern for his trainer that he was permanently retired.

[Observer]

I think it's wonderful to see horses running competitively at these older ages. With so many of the more talented "stars" being retired at such young ages, usually three-years-old, it's great to see the old warriors, whether they're winning graded stakes, like John's Call or With Anticipation, or winning claiming races.

Typically, I would like to believe that a horse can't be running successfully at these older ages unless they're being treated fairly well and being taken care of properly. And as long as a horse gives me the impression he is well cared for, I don't really have a problem with him running, regardless of age.

[anotherdave]

Speaking of old horses, there is a 12 year old running in the 2nd race at Turf Paradise tomorrow. (Shine'N'Glo). Interesting thing is he has only raced 17 times in his life and has 7 wins and 4 seconds. This race is a 3000 claimer. His last two races were a 15000 Stk and a 27000 Stk both at TuP and both of which he won easily. Morning line today 9-2. Reason - his last race was May 1997!

AD

[Zaf]

Originally posted by anotherdave
Speaking of old horses, there is a 12 year old running in the 2nd race at Turf Paradise tomorrow. (Shine'N'Glo). Interesting thing is he has only raced 17 times in his life and has 7 wins and 4 seconds. This race is a 3000 claimer. His last two races were a 15000 Stk and a 27000 Stk both at TuP and both of which he won easily. Morning line today 9-2. Reason - his last race was May 1997!

AD

That is a very interesting layoff. Obviously his connections think that he is finished, placing him in a bottom claimer at TUP.

Just like when Andy Dufresne appeared in 3K claimers a month or 2 ago there. In three starts he has yet to pick up his feet. Hope Shine'n'Glo fairs a little better tomorrow !

ZAFONIC

[anotherdave]

Originally posted by zafonic
That is a very interesting layoff. Obviously his connections think that he is finished, placing him in a bottom claimer at TUP.

Just like when Andy Dufresne appeared in 3K claimers a month or 2 ago there. In three starts he has yet to pick up his feet. Hope Shine'n'Glo fairs a little better tomorrow !

ZAFONIC

Me too. I've decided to bet him if his odds are decent. I have never been afraid of a layoff, but almost 6 years is a new record for me.

AD

[Zaf]

Originally posted by anotherdave
Me too. I've decided to bet him if his odds are decent. I have never been afraid of a layoff, but almost 6 years is a new record for me.

AD

The public tends to pounce on these types , BUT I see there is a 8-5 ML and 9-5 ML in this field. You may get your price.

ZAFONIC

[Zaf]

Our Champion was a vet scratch today. Maybe he needs a little more time on the farm before his return. ;) . Wish him well.

ZAFONIC