Good Perception on the BC

[Java Gold@TFT]

I don't always agre with Haskins but he basically nailed the BC this year.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/52837/countdown-to-the-cup-beyond-the-seaa-bird

Too much confusion, too many stars not running, too many horses running in the wrong race. Sanata Anita is a joke.

The BC will not see Sea The Stars or Rachel Alexandra or Fabulous Strike or Gio Ponti runinng on grass or many others who may have been entered but decided on bad races. How do you take the winner of the Woodbine Mile (a win and you're in race) and not run in the BC Mile but go back to the pseudo fillies tuf sprint?)

Bogus BC this year.

[tucker6]

some of the comments in that article define the word, "hyperbole". I like STS and RA very much, but it is a little soon to suggest they are the best we've seen worldwide since The Bid.

[Java Gold@TFT]

some of the comments in that article define the word, "hyperbole". I like STS and RA very much, but it is a little soon to suggest they are the best we've seen worldwide since The Bid.
Well, Sea The Stars will probably never run another race so evryone will have to go on his current record. I do think that Rachel will run again next year.

[WinterTriangle]

Gio Ponte appears to still be entered in BC :confused: :


http://www.racingandsports.com.au/racing/rsNewsArt.asp?NID=161335&story=BREEDERS_CUP:_Gio_Ponti_On_Track_For_Santa_A nita
"Monday, 5 October 2009: Turf star Gio Ponti remnians on track for the Breeders Cup despite his shock loss as favorite in Belmont's G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational on Saturday.

Trainer Christophe Clement said Gio Ponti, beaten into second by longshot Interpatation, had come out of the race in good order."


also in the article:
Fabulous Strike: not going
Kodiac Cowboy: not going
Pure Clan: going
Music Note: going
Cocoa Beach - going after Lady's Secret
Seventh Street - going
Sara Louise - going

[gm10]

Gio Ponte appears to still be entered in BC :confused: :


http://www.racingandsports.com.au/racing/rsNewsArt.asp?NID=161335&story=BREEDERS_CUP:_Gio_Ponti_On_Track_For_Santa_A nita
"Monday, 5 October 2009: Turf star Gio Ponti remnians on track for the Breeders Cup despite his shock loss as favorite in Belmont's G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational on Saturday.

Trainer Christophe Clement said Gio Ponti, beaten into second by longshot Interpatation, had come out of the race in good order."


also in the article:
Fabulous Strike: not going
Kodiac Cowboy: not going
Pure Clan: going
Music Note: going
Cocoa Beach - going after Lady's Secret
Seventh Street - going
Sara Louise - going

The only real big name not going is Rachel A at this point. STS could still make it. Fabulous Strike, Kodiak Cowboy ... good animals, but I don't think they will be missed all that much.

[joanied]

That was a good article from Haskin... I do hope the powers that be can see the writting on the wall...and how badly they screwed up running the BC at SA again this year...you can almost bet they are all cryin' in their beer...and I hope they choke on it.

I don't think we'll know exactly who is going to run whre until the last minute..which is especially bad for handicappers...I doubt any of us could, at this point, even guess at where some of the horses will run...and the next couple of weeks is going to be quite interesting.
About the only sure thing is that Rachel will not be there.

[Robert Fischer]

After reading the Java Gold post I expected a much different tone from Haskin. Haskin didn't take that tone at all. I actually thought Haskin wrote a decent article.
The most important things about the article is that Haskin wrote it in Bloodhorse(a prominent well-read source), and it keeps the pressure on the BC to bring in Sea The Stars.

If STS is going to retire, Tsui will have to leave a great experience on the table. He is being heavily courted by the gentlemen in the BC and in Dubai. Just 2 more races. We have a special triple crown this year with ARC, BCC, DWC, and this is a unique set of circumstance.

appearances can be deceiving, but I get the impression that Tsui enjoys the BIG RACES, and he wouldn't mind being an honored guest at the top of the racing world for a couple more events.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45878000/jpg/_45878856_kinane_owner_ap766.jpg

Sure, it's no surprise that Haskin can't make sense of a complex field, but his article was true in his key point that even the best field of the year will not be quite as special without both STS and RachelA.

Summer Bird, Zenyatta, Mine That Bird, Einstein, Gio Ponti, Richard's Kid, Rail Trip, Quality Road, Rip Van Winkle, Mastercraftsman, Macho Again, Colonel John, Awesome Gem, Parading, Bullsbay, Tiago
- and look out for another good Euro possibly from the ARC
Excellent field. Looks to be a TREMENDOUS betting race. But sure, it would be better if STS and Rachel were in. Robby Albarado's ride on Curlin, and Jackson's ego will deny us Rachel. Conservative thought from Tsui's advisors could deny us Sea The Stars.

[TurfRuler]

I think you are looking at a young man (Tsui) with a level head on his shoulder's, probably getting good advice about the breeding potential from his father. I don't believe that there will be any person or organization with thhe exception of his father who will influence him in the direction he should go concerning where and what STS should do next.

[Java Gold@TFT]

I basically read it as a good take. I have very little doubt that Sea The Stars is done with his career. When does the Euro breeding season begin and where might he be for the beginning of his stud career? I have no problem with it - just highly doubt that the BC or Dubai are really options as of today. And my point and Haskins as well is that due to the Pro-ride Gio Ponti is being pointed to the Classic instead of the Turf. IF the BC was at CD or Bel this year there is no way he would be considered for the Classic.


I also still believe that there is a snowballs chance that Zenyatta will run on Staurday. A couple of solid Euros, Summer Bird, the winner of the Goodwood, HGC, Pac Classic, Gio Ponti? They have protected the streak for this long and will not risk it with that field. She may still very well lose the Distaff with Careless Jewel, Music Note, Icon Project, Life Is Sweet and others lined up in the gate.

[macdiarmida]

I think there's a chance that Sea of Stars could still race, if only for a select few races, not the BC. The major sales were so bad this year (with no general economic recovery foreseen) that A.P. Indys (as a key example) either sold for cheap or didn't sell at all. The eventual owner syndicate would expect and have to justify a stud fee on the order of what like an A.P. Indy has been getting. Even though we wouldn't see STS yearlings for a couple years, the world economy could still stink by then and the horse biz could still be way down.

Of course, if there's any minor training injury during that time he should be retired. But STS seems to be quite a durable horse in this time of fragile horses.

If sold at year's end in syndication, maybe Tsui will get stuck with unsold shares. That's what happened to de Kwiatkowski and Danzig, and it wasn't a bad thing for either.

[Java Gold@TFT]

I think there's a chance that Sea of Stars could still race, if only for a select few races, not the BC. The major sales were so bad this year (with no general economic recovery foreseen) that A.P. Indys (as a key example) either sold for cheap or didn't sell at all. The eventual owner syndicate would expect and have to justify a stud fee on the order of what like an A.P. Indy has been getting. Even though we wouldn't see STS yearlings for a couple years, the world economy could still stink by then and the horse biz could still be way down.

Of course, if there's any minor training injury during that time he should be retired. But STS seems to be quite a durable horse in this time of fragile horses.

If sold at year's end in syndication, maybe Tsui will get stuck with unsold shares. That's what happened to de Kwiatkowski and Danzig, and it wasn't a bad thing for either.
My only question about STS's breeding value is how much comes from the dam instead of the top side. She may very well prove to be a Blue Hen in the future but breeders tend to go top heavy when looking at new stallions. I'm sure he will get some top mares but without looking at potential crosses I wonder waht kind of mares he could cover in England and Ireland. Wonder how Coolmore feels about him? Darley has been buying up Medaglio D'Oro and Bernardini yearlings this year - especially the fillies so I'm wondering what their long term plan is. After putting so much into Dubai Millenium they seem to have been searching for another saviour. The STS breeding plan next year will be interesting.