tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post2249573805221633335..comments2023-05-23T06:58:05.579-04:00Comments on Fugue for Tinhorns: So long, Eskendereya; hope you're bred to soundnessGlenn Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09760553404742644042noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-59541018582491871572010-05-11T14:55:56.564-04:002010-05-11T14:55:56.564-04:00Another flash in the pan goes off to stud. No won...Another flash in the pan goes off to stud. No wonder the fillies are carrying this sport right now.Sandra Warrennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-45316810173047159162010-05-08T19:33:55.710-04:002010-05-08T19:33:55.710-04:00Amen Glen, Amen.Amen Glen, Amen.T. N. Trosinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03608717013055763074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-4936440543386760882010-05-08T19:02:07.629-04:002010-05-08T19:02:07.629-04:00Breeding to Eskendereya w/b a huge gamble. What d...Breeding to Eskendereya w/b a huge gamble. What did he "really" do on the racetrack? Yes....a dominate victor in the Wood Memorial, but over a horse who flopped in THE DERBY and is now under going nuclear scans to determine why he is lame. Just how good is/was Awesome Act at his best?<br />Keep in mind the jury is still out on sons of Giant Causeway as stallions, and Giant Causeway himself has an AEI of just under 2.00 even though he's been bred to as solid a book of mares as any stallion in North America.<br />Can't imagine anyone breeding to this unproved, overhyped stallion at a stud fee over $20K. My guess is he'll be advertised at $30-40K.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-75145702968396874932010-05-08T14:45:54.272-04:002010-05-08T14:45:54.272-04:00There's could be more than a kernel of truth t...There's could be more than a kernel of truth to the financial situation playing a role in Eskendereya's early retirement. But honestly, what's his value now that he missed the Derby?<br /><br />Had he WON that race, and THEN been retired unsound, you'd have been able to bill him as a scintillating winner of his preps who went on to annex America's biggest race. As it is, he's a promising wanna-be. I can't imagine there's a third the value there now as there was before the Derby scratch. If Zayat were gonna sell him, then was the time, but they probably were well-aware that he wasn't fit to be sold.<br /><br />So really, even in a financial pinch -- and provided the injury is recoverable -- I think they'd be better off bringing the horse back and trying to prove he really WAS "that good," by winning a key race later this year, or preferably by racing on at age 4 and maybe being a Breeders' Cup winner.<br /><br />I know others won't necessarily be thinking this way. But right now, even if money were no object for me (and it clearly is) I'd not send a mare to Eskendereya unless they were in my mind potentially some sort of spectacular pedigree match AND she went to post almost as often as a harness horse.Glenn Cravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09760553404742644042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-11309849868604085482010-05-08T11:10:24.935-04:002010-05-08T11:10:24.935-04:00I think you are missing the point.... Yes, Knight ...I think you are missing the point.... Yes, Knight hit the nail on the head, that a little R&R and Esky probably could return later down the road. Would he be as dominant as his last two? Who knows.... Bigger picture is Zayat is in the throws of some serious financial woes... from a financial perspective, is it worth taking the risk that Esky will return and be worth more as a stallion prospect than he is at the moment??? That may not have been Mr. Zayat's decision to make as 5/3 bank may have been calling the shots. <br /><br />Do I like it? Heck no, but it's what happens when the prominent owners in the sport today are individuals like Zayat who have found themselves overextended at the bank, or IEAH who is in for a quick cash grab, treating horses as mutual funds. Gone are the days of Calumet (well, early Calumet, not JT Lundy Calumet) were breeding a solid race horse was a mission and a passion. It's more about what can a horse do quickly on the track to get others a return in the breeding shed than it is cementing a legacy as a RACE horse.<br /><br />Of course, just my two cents... OzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-66371034947370226382010-05-08T11:10:24.934-04:002010-05-08T11:10:24.934-04:00Agree with your point, but I'm not so sure tha...Agree with your point, but I'm not so sure that Empire Maker is a good comparison for Eskendereya.<br /><br />Empire Maker not only raced in and beyond the Triple Crown (winning the Belmont and finishing second in the Derby), but his retirement came because owner and trainer wanted to cash in on what was an even more overheated stud market. He wasn't retired due to injury, although it is anybody's guess if Bobby Frankel really meant that "never came within 10 lengths of his potential" bit or if the colt was maybe retired after his Dandy runner-up performance so Frankel could get away with overselling him. <br />I might be excused for suspecting the latter, not only because of Frankel's undeniable salesman talents, but also because for a sire in this fee range (started for 100K, i.e. top quality of broodmares) his progeny so far have been less than impressive, with only two of them earning more than 700K LT and only 8 earning more than 250K, which already includes 2 nondescript Japanese runners.malcerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02913127739083446726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-49998739004527842992010-05-08T03:14:07.835-04:002010-05-08T03:14:07.835-04:00I remember (vaguely - I was pretty young) Secretar...I remember (vaguely - I was pretty young) Secretariat losing in the Wood Memorial. What I don't remember is him coming up lame after. Obviously, he didn't. Nor did any of the "big" horses of my childhood NOT make it to the TC races to which they were pointed. <br /><br />Something has changed. I'm recently returned to racing as a fan and what I see now is that good horses, horses in contention, are breaking down right and left. Thoroughbred race horses have apparently become more fragile over however many generations have been produced since the 70's. Any ideas as to why? Could it really be Lasix? Bad breeding? Overbreeding? Other drugs? Why?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03197776128865243855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-59591874377342452612010-05-07T21:35:21.838-04:002010-05-07T21:35:21.838-04:00And yet another soft-tissue injury.
Those who are...And yet another <i>soft-tissue</i> injury.<br /><br />Those who are prematurely retiring their horses are looking like <i>Mr. Whipple</i> in the eyes of the American public.<br /><br />Why not apply a little R & R ?The_Knight_Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13497100877439699363noreply@blogger.com