Tiz the Law retired
 

Not exactly shocking news.

I have not been following, why not that shocking?

why not shocking?

Because generally this is what happens to all top 3yos. I'm not saying they didn't intend to race at 4, but plans in this game mean very little.

He came back off from his last work. They got x-rays, found bone bruising. Consulted three different vets, all said he shouldn't race again.

Well, they did intend to race him, unless his worktab was created to induce a problem. His last work was very slow compared to almost every work he's had since entering training. The owners and Tagg got second and third opinions and the horse was at risk.

It would be nice to see more of these top 3yos run at 4 and 5 just to see if they keep developing and run speed figures like we saw in prior generations.

IMO, it's really tough to do accurate comparisons of horses on figures across generations (despite the idealistic views of some figure makers lol), but it's clearly impossible if 2yo and 3yo horses are very lightly raced and then retired well before their physical maturity and experience on the track will allow them to show their best.

Maybe we should start hoping there's a flurry of late developing geldings so we can finally see top horses in action at their peaks.

Unless I missed something he was kept in training a long time.

Forty years ago the vets would have said he needs six months off and then he can race again. I highly doubt they said he needs to be retired. Horses have had much more serious injuries and have come back after a year away.

Maybe owners 40 years ago were willing to pay for 6 months or a year off to pasture, rest and recover.

Bone bruises from impact are actually pretty serious, as well as painful, so a horse like Tiz wouldn't be given nerve blocks and kept racing (like many low level claimers are forced to do.)

The damage will be progressive, destructive to cartilage and blood supply, if not given the proper treatment, which is rest and recovery, as well as specific nutrients.


Explains it here:
https://ker.com/equinews/bone-bruise...uine-athletes/

Interestingly, much of the prevention and treatment in young horses includes better calcium intake.

Irony: I just remembered that Lasix works by increasing urination and promotes calcium excretion from the kidneys. Thus reduced bone mineral density. Surely a recipe not good for youngsters. Yay! We will learn the hard hard way I guess.