I can see retiring Henny Hughes. Beyond not winning the sprint, what else does the horse have left to really prove. Especially since the sprint is one of those very very very unpredictable races.
Bernandini only really beat either Brother Derek, or Sinister Minister, I get the two of them confused since I think they are both overrated and Bluegrass Cat a couple of times, who was only marginally regarded until he had a good showing at the Derby.
Whats with this talk about Discreet Cat being better then all of them??
Yeah I’ve heard people talk about Discreet Cat in that way too since he beat Invasor. I bet Bernardini’s owners are retiring him before he gets beat several times over by these “better” horses and lowers his value at stud.
I don’t know how I feel about Discreet Cat yet, he’s undefeated and won the UAE Derby or whatever back in March, but I haven’t seen enough to decide if I consider him good . Invasor’s not unbeatably good, so I’m not sure that beating him is enough for instant awesomeness status.
Wonder what the odds are of Barbaro getting 3yo of the year now? I suppose it’ll be him, Bernardini, and Discreet Cat up for it?
The breeding manager and I were talking about Bernardini today and she put it quite simply…
“The only really good horse Bernardini beat was Barbaro, who didn’t even finish the race let alone run a 1/4 mile before he broke down.”
Though for some reason I never really liked Bernardini to begin with, he gets on my nerves for some reason. Maybe it’s the name…
Now Invasor…thats a horse to like, especially the story that comes along with him. But of course once again he is owned by DARLEY and they will retire him before he needs to, basically they said they are still thinking of retiring him but they really want to win the Dubai World Cup also.
Im glad other people think Bernardini isn’t all that special. I’m really not a fan. I definately believe that Barbaro deserves the 3 y/o honors. He beat everybody, Bernardini beat no one who wasn’t injured or washed up. Unfortunately the people that get to vote only ever focus on the last few months of the year. All the official thoroughbred industry people (including the DRF and Times) are saying that Bernardini has 3 y/o in the bag. grrr!
Invasor is apparently actually slated to run at least through part of the spring next year (they’re aiming for the big Dubai race in March or whatever). That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t retire him after that, but I imagine they’ll put him through another entire campaign if he stays healthy. I was happy to hear that, maybe the older brother’s better? (Ha…).
I read an article right after the BC speculating that they might run Bernardini another year since he lost and they wouldn’t want to go out on a losing note. Apparently they agreed with Jade and are scared of him getting beat more .
Well, regarding foreign racehorses…I can only really compare America and England. And I have never heard of a season like this in England, and can suggest a few reasons why:
No dirt. There are no dirt tracks in Europe. There are two artificial surface tracks in England, which are basically claiming tracks. Dirt seems to put more overall wear and tear on a horse than turf does.
Steeplechasing. In most of the US, steeplechasing is not really a big thing. In England, it is as popular as flat racing in the entire country. There is a huge demand for jumpers. In America, horses are bred with the thought of ‘If it can’t run on the flat, it’s useles’. In England, the thought is ‘If it can’t run on the flat, it had better learn how to jump’. The majority of claimers and non stud quality males are gelded and put over fences. This has two results: 1. A focus on soundness and longevity that simply is not there in the US. 2. A higher level of success for OTT Thoroughbreds in second careers, because jumping ability is bred into the lands, thus resulting in Thoroughbreds that turn a good hoof in showjumping and eventing. This, incidentally, is why England, Australia and New Zealand almost always do well in international three day eventing.
Point to pointing. Kind of relates to two, but the grass roots steeplechasing movement in England is strong, and true hunt racing has survived even the not enforcable ban…where horses have to have attended a certain number of meets to race. Before the ban, a good Thoroughbred field hunter could fetch as much as 10,000 sterling. Compare that to the prices of ‘surplus’ TBs in the US. The monetary incentive to breed horses that go on to second careers is there.
Longer races. The US Triple Crown, admittedly on dirt, is 1 1/8, 1 1/16, 1 1/4 with the races close together. It tests speed and the ability to come back after a short race. The English Triple Crown is the 2000 Guineas, one mile, the Epsom Derby, 1 1/2 miles and the St. Leger, 1 7/8 miles. It tests versatility and stamina within a race, demonstrating the different focus. The Melbourne Cup, in Australia, is two miles. US racing simply does not have those stamina test races.
The popularity of the sport. In the US, only the very biggest races are televised. As I grew up in the UK with FOUR network channels…claiming races were shown live on network television! Any day I got off school sick, I would end up curled in front of the television watching racing…which was sometimes on on two of the four channels. In my home town of about 15,000 there were four betting shops. Horse racing, in England, is extremely popular. So popular that the IRA once threatened to blow up the Grand National. Individual horses, with their longer careers, are followed for years, especially over the sticks. One of the best English steeplechasers of all time, Desert Orchid, never ran in the dangerous Grand National because his fan club asked his owners not to run him. No, I’m not making it up ;-). Nobody wants to tick off the fans and the bettors…especially as tax on betting on racing almost all goes to the racing industry. The Tote (automatic betting) sends ALL of its profits straight to the Jockey Club to be used for track improvements, purses, etc. Tick off the fans, and you tick off a major income source. Sadly, the American attitude to gambling is one of the things that has the greatest negative effect on the American racing industry and Thoroughbred breed.
In any case, I hope that helps explain why European TBs are sounder…but never have much of a chance in American races. American horses are faster, especially over the classic distances, and a horse not used to running on dirt can have problems…one top European horse was once run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He was clear, running well…
…then spooked at a shadow and lost the race. Oops.
Our steeplechase horses can run for 4-5 or even 6 years as well. The horse that won the real BC Steeplechase (drat, forget his name, McDynamo?) won for I think the 4th consecutive year and has now surpassed Lonesome Glory as the “best” SC of all time over here. Granted, no one follows SC racing here, which I think is something of a shame. They could have at least broadcast the race as filler on BC day.
I’ll agree with 'chasers being easier to take on to a 2nd career, I loved my off the SC track mare, she was super easy to retrain.
I agree. Well, I have nothing against Bernardini. He’s a nice colt and I like his sire but as everyone said, he didn’t do anything special. I’m sure he never would have won the Preakness if Barbaro wasn’t injured. Anyways, I think Bernardini is a good horse but not great. Barbaro is turly a champion whether it is in his racing career or his will to live. I’m looking forward to see some Barbaro babies on the track in a few years! GO BARBARO! Sorry, Bernardini. You’re a nice colt too.
Ok, I love Barbaro too, especially since he is a local horse to me, but do you think in general people have an over emotional attachment to the horse because of how he was injured, that makes him seem better then he was. Because, while in a match race, I would be pulling for the local boy, I think Bernadini is a great horse as well. When, Hubby and I placed money on the Preakness, we both had it split between the two, so I cant say for sure which one is better.
I think it’s easy to label Barbaro as “the ultimate champion” because he was undefeated (when uninjured). And, he did win the Derby and made it look easy, which is a feat in and of itself. However, I don’t think he stacks up against horses who proved themselves in more races (and, more importantly to me, proved themselves sound enough to stand up to more racing). Affirmed ran well into his 4yo season and did so successfully, Da Hoss came back from an injury to win in later years (though he was a gelding, so there wasn’t much incentive NOT to try for a comeback), etc. I respect and like Barbaro, and think he’ll make a nice sire (esp. looking forward to seeing how he does as a turf sire, since I think he showed equal - if not greater - promise on the grass), I don’t think he can really, truly be called “great” if that lumps him in with the likes of Triple Crown winners, horses like Cigar, Ouija Board (winner at 5 against top competition), etc.
Barbaro is a great horse but not…great. He raced only 8 times I think and didn’t win against too much of competition either. I just prefer him to Bernardini, although I think he’s a nice colt too. -shrugs-
. Invasor’s not unbeatably good, so I’m not sure that beating him is enough for instant awesomeness status.
I was happy to hear that, maybe the older brother’s better? (Ha…).
GO BARBARO! Sorry, Bernardini. You’re a nice colt too.