stamina is becoming like the dinosaur

[46zilzal]

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/finalturn/archive/2010/01/20/staying-around-by-erwin-wodarczak.aspx

My good friend Erwin, each year, and with diligence, awards what he calls the "Stayer of the Year," at his very informative and interactive website,
www.leftcoastracing.com

The Blood Horse has seen fit to recognize his well documented research in publishing his article which I have referenced here.

He and I both understand that stamina is disappearing from the breed. I was published with just about the same comments in Unbridled's K. Derby edition of the same magazine in 1990 and NOTHING has changed: more and more classics are being shortened and even the allowance and caliming ranks rarely offer long races. Often I hear the same stupid comments:"long races are boring." Well without them, (for all those ADHD sufferers) horsemen have NO idea where the sources of stamina will come from. It is a bit like NEVER actually finding out if a basketball player can shoot free throws and only basing his ability on the other skills and not this very fundamental one.

Last Summer I wrote to the trackman at Woodbine complimenting him for writing a 10 furlong maiden race on the main track and his response puzzled me:"Thanks for the support but few of the horsemen share your point of view."

Each year at Hastings we have the stamina series of runs each a bit longer until the final weeks they race 2 1/6 miles, Closing day at Fort Erie is the Tour de Fort at that same distance. The Jockey Club and Sunset handicaps used to be two miles and they were ANYTHING but boring. Thes longer contests are MUCH more rider dependent. The Ascot Gold Cup is 20, yes, 20 furlongs. Stamina is only alive and well, and MOSTLY OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD, on the turf.

Pity

[andymays]

Equinome Launches Genetic Test for ‘Speed Gene’ in Thoroughbred Horses

Equinome, a new Irish biotech company, today announced the launch of a breakthrough genetic test that can identify the optimum racing distance for individual Thoroughbred horses.

http://www.prlog.org/10496462-equinome-launches-genetic-test-for-speed-gene-in-thoroughbred-horses.html

Excerpt:

Jan 20, 2010 – Equinome, a new Irish biotech company, today announced the launch of a breakthrough genetic test that can identify the optimum racing distance for individual Thoroughbred horses. The identification of ‘The Speed Gene’ is the first known characterisation of a gene contributing to a specific athletic trait in Thoroughbred horses and has the potential to transform decision-making processes in the global bloodstock industry.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Hopefully I am not off topic- The Green Monkey, 16 million dollar champ at 2f auction races and cripple on the track, just became a daddy!
Yes, stamilna is not worth much nowadays, with Einstein stud fee at $7,500.00!

[andymays]

Hopefully I am not off topic- The Green Monkey, 16 million dollar champ at 2f auction races and cripple on the track, just became a daddy!
Yes, stamilna is not worth much nowadays, with Einstein stud fee at $7,500.00!

Hey, if he sires 160,000 foals and they each sell for................... :lol:

[cj]

This lack of stamina is also bringing the cheap horses and the good horses closer together in ability.

[46zilzal]

This lack of stamina is also bringing the cheap horses and the good horses closer together in ability.
True and add to that an early based energy profile on the track they run on allows ridiculous horses to win route races.

[kenwoodallpromos]

tracks that mix it up have Tbred running less than 5f; which will be the first Tbred track to go to Qtrs distances? :jump:
Are there (farm) trainers who specialize in training 2's to go 1-2f?

[Hank]

This lack of stamina is also bringing the cheap horses and the good horses closer together in ability.

Paradox or contradiction :confused:

[nearco]

Equinome Launches Genetic Test for ‘Speed Gene’ in Thoroughbred Horses

Equinome, a new Irish biotech company, today announced the launch of a breakthrough genetic test that can identify the optimum racing distance for individual Thoroughbred horses.

http://www.prlog.org/10496462-equinome-launches-genetic-test-for-speed-gene-in-thoroughbred-horses.html

Excerpt:

Jan 20, 2010 – Equinome, a new Irish biotech company, today announced the launch of a breakthrough genetic test that can identify the optimum racing distance for individual Thoroughbred horses. The identification of ‘The Speed Gene’ is the first known characterisation of a gene contributing to a specific athletic trait in Thoroughbred horses and has the potential to transform decision-making processes in the global bloodstock industry.

This is the study that the test is based on.... http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0008645

[46zilzal]

tracks that mix it up have Tbred running less than 5f; which will be the first Tbred track to go to Qtrs distances? :jump:
Are there (farm) trainers who specialize in training 2's to go 1-2f?
Fort Erie cards many 2 furlong races and Calder has a 2 furlong STAKES RACE! I think it is the Safely Kept stakes. It is all about the break and there are few that change positions after the break

Take away the HUGE 2 year old stakes so that there will be some horse left. When I was in England, i saw COMPLETE FIELDS of 8 year old plus horses, often upwards of 22 in a race.

Let them mature, as stamina is NOT an aspect of precocity. It is like wine, it must be allowed to be expressed over time WITH PRACTICE. Look at the champion cross country runners and skiers. All the champions are over 25 to 30.

[cj]

It is the Rocket Man Stakes at Calder. They ran a starter allowance at Remington one night I was there at 3f.

[Cardus]

It is the Rocket Man Stakes at Calder. They ran a starter allowance at Remington one night I was there at 3f.

Make fun of the Rocket Man Stakes now, CJ.

Someday, it will be a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race... for the Breeders' Cup Quarter Mile Sprint.

After the second edition of the "Sprint-Sprint", there'll be a corresponding Eclipse Award for it... for which there'll be an east coast bias, no doubt.

[wisconsin]

Make fun of the Rocket Man Stakes now, CJ.

Someday, it will be a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race... for the Breeders' Cup Quarter Mile Sprint.

After the second edition of the "Sprint-Sprint", there'll be a corresponding Eclipse Award for it... for which there'll be an east coast bias, no doubt.

Will that race be before or right after the Breeder's Cup Going Green Sprint at 3 furlongs on the turf? I'm all about the Quarter Mile Sprint prep going 100 yards.

[bisket]

to increase the presance of stamina in the breed was one of the basic reasons poly was introduced in the states. i do hope its improved upon. i think the basic problem with how they went about introducing poly is they billed it as an alternative to dirt. which was a blatant lie. i still think it has a place at some short meets like say delmar and keenland, but the meat and potatoes should remain dirt as it is now.

[Cardus]

to increase the presance of stamina in the breed was one of the basic reasons poly was introduced in the states. i do hope its improved upon. i think the basic problem with how they went about introducing poly is they billed it as an alternative to dirt. which was a blatant lie. i still think it has a place at some short meets like say delmar and keenland, but the meat and potatoes should remain dirt as it is now.

Who said this?

[tucker6]

Who said this?
I don't know about the stamina claim before poly became widespread in CA, but that claim is being used to support plastic at this time in various track publications such as Delmar news.

[cj]

Are turf routers and marathon specialists suddenly becoming stallions in demand? Somehow, I doubt it.

[wisconsin]

Are turf routers and marathon specialists suddenly becoming stallions in demand? Somehow, I doubt it.

Considering most dirt marathon specialists are geldings running for alw5000s all over the midwest.

[WinterTriangle]

Let them mature, as stamina is NOT an aspect of precocity.


I'm a fan of starting them older. That means training about 6 mos before 3, no younger.

By the time they're 5, which is perfect, they are retired or lame here.

It cracks me up when people tell me a horse is "old" and come to find out they're 8-10. :rolleyes:

[joanied]

I agree with Winter Triangle...except for one thing...2 yr olds need to run...not necessarily in a race, but they must be allowed to run...gradually increasing distance and speed...with very long gallops...it is the way they develope strong bones, tendons, ligaments and muscle... a horse that is into his 3 yr old year, and has not had the opportunity to develope this way, is very probably going to break down.
As they get into their 3rd year, still developing, mind you, racing becomes a must...allowing them to mature into strong, well developed horses...and then they are most probably going to excell as 4 yr olds and older...
my conclusion is heavy training as 2 yr olds...looooong gallops, with short spurts of speed, which helps develope lung power and heart rate...3 yr olds, raced lightly at appropriate intervals...then a full race campaign as 4 yr olds and up.

Hope this makes sense:)