Mike Repole

Horsebagger · Thu Sep 26, 2013 3:31 pm

Is it me, or has he been more quiet this year, than in past years? Both in terms of current entries/results as well as voicing his opinions publicly? I'd even suggest he was less involved in the various auctions this year as well.

What's up?

Somnambulist · Thu Sep 26, 2013 4:00 pm

I can't comment knowledgeably on his auction status, but my mom I always taught me if I had nothing nice to say, not to say it at all... unless I had something to back it up with.

It's hard mouthing off things like the BC publicly (merited or not) when the horses you might have running in it no one cares about.

Little Watermelon · Thu Sep 26, 2013 4:08 pm

I hope he hasn't soured on the sport; I could see it happening. He has put a lot of money into the sport; maybe the returns are not what he expected.

Rick1323 · Thu Sep 26, 2013 4:19 pm

Grow disenchanted with Racing? How could that ever happen?

Somnambulist · Thu Sep 26, 2013 4:22 pm

Rick1323 wrote:Grow disenchanted with Racing? How could that ever happen?

I'll use one example you cite frequently... breakdowns.

There's moot and not really relevant here, though. This guy is a lifelong fan, so I'm sure he got into this realizing what it might cost.. but sometimes when you into something fully, vs. just being active on the outside it's just not the same as what you expect. I've had more people than not tell me they love owning race horses, but a few that have done it and it wasn't for them.

Rick1323 · Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:19 pm

Somnambulist wrote:
Rick1323 wrote:Grow disenchanted with Racing? How could that ever happen?
I'll use one example you cite frequently... breakdowns.

There's moot and not really relevant here, though. This guy is a lifelong fan, so I'm sure he got into this realizing what it might cost.. but sometimes when you into something fully, vs. just being active on the outside it's just not the same as what you expect. I've had more people than not tell me they love owning race horses, but a few that have done it and it wasn't for them.

I was of course being sarcastic, but you may have hit on the reason. Seeing breakdowns as a fan is nothing like the feeling when one of your own goes down.

Lakeway · Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:23 pm

Rick1323 wrote:
Somnambulist wrote:
Rick1323 wrote:Grow disenchanted with Racing? How could that ever happen?
I'll use one example you cite frequently... breakdowns.

There's moot and not really relevant here, though. This guy is a lifelong fan, so I'm sure he got into this realizing what it might cost.. but sometimes when you into something fully, vs. just being active on the outside it's just not the same as what you expect. I've had more people than not tell me they love owning race horses, but a few that have done it and it wasn't for them.
I was of course being sarcastic, but you may have hit on the reason. Seeing breakdowns as a fan is nothing like the feeling when one of your own goes down.

I've been a fan from the first day I saw a race on TV - many, many years ago. I realized early that as much as I love the sport, I could never be involved as I'd be a wreck. I've had friends who had horses and none of them are still in the game due to breakdowns, mares dieing during foaling, etc... It's a tough game, no matter who you are...

ETA: Even as a fan I have to take a time out every now and then - ex. death of Pine Island, George Washington, etc...

Somnambulist · Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:04 pm

Rick1323 wrote:
Somnambulist wrote:
Rick1323 wrote:Grow disenchanted with Racing? How could that ever happen?
I'll use one example you cite frequently... breakdowns.

There's moot and not really relevant here, though. This guy is a lifelong fan, so I'm sure he got into this realizing what it might cost.. but sometimes when you into something fully, vs. just being active on the outside it's just not the same as what you expect. I've had more people than not tell me they love owning race horses, but a few that have done it and it wasn't for them.
I was of course being sarcastic, but you may have hit on the reason. Seeing breakdowns as a fan is nothing like the feeling when one of your own goes down.

Oops. Needless to say but your point went right over my head!

My Internet sarcasm detection skills are lacking...

JT Dancer · Fri Sep 27, 2013 6:45 am

Lakeway wrote: I've been a fan from the first day I saw a race on TV - many, many years ago. I realized early that as much as I love the sport, I could never be involved as I'd be a wreck. I've had friends who had horses and none of them are still in the game due to breakdowns, mares dieing during foaling, etc... It's a tough game, no matter who you are...

ETA: Even as a fan I have to take a time out every now and then - ex. death of Pine Island, George Washington, etc...

I am at that point now. This has been a rough year with a lot of breakdowns, and while I still check here, I have not been watching racing live, and I find I don't even have a desire to watch replays. It's a heartbreaking sport.

thinair · Fri Sep 27, 2013 9:27 am

I don't know how active Mike has been at the yearling sales this year, but he sure ran a lot of expensive 2YOs at Saratoga this Summer. Probably the main reason he seemed a little less prominent was because of Ken Ramsey. With Ramsey overwhelming the other owners at Saratoga, there was no reason for Mike to be as active in either claiming or dropping horses looking for wins, as no matter what he did, he wasn't going to win this year's Saratoga owners title.

The Tin Man · Fri Sep 27, 2013 11:18 am

Lakeway wrote: I've been a fan from the first day I saw a race on TV - many, many years ago. I realized early that as much as I love the sport, I could never be involved as I'd be a wreck. I've had friends who had horses and none of them are still in the game due to breakdowns, mares dieing during foaling, etc... It's a tough game, no matter who you are...

ETA: Even as a fan I have to take a time out every now and then - ex. death of Pine Island, George Washington, etc...

A friend of ours named a horse after my girlfriend ... Miss Robyn ...

Well ... from day one, my girlfriend grew VERY close to Miss Robyn and they clicked BIG TIME on a personal level. She knew her voice and would wake up from sleeping when she heard it and come to greet her. They would kiss and nuzzle and bond for about 30 minutes. Miss Robyn and the real Robyn just soaking in the love and the connection they had. Miss Robyn would never bite or nip no matter how much you kissed her face ... They both just soaked it in ... a very special and strong bond ...

EVERY time she raced we would be on pins and needles ... wanting her to win and excited to see her run ... But mainly just praying for a safe run and for her to be ok. Crossing our fingers and saying a little prayer each time for this special girl. And each time she'd run her little heart out and usually be right there competing for the win. Well ... It only took her 6th race until our hopes and prayers went unanswered ... She was racing on the lead as usual ... running her little heart out again ... and then it happened ... a slight, barely discernible bobble and then that ungodly, foreboding hobble out of the pack as everyone passed her and she backed out. Jockey standing there supporting her and our hearts in our stomach ... Freaking out and tears flowing ... our baby ... the sweetest horse we've ever know was in great peril ... of course it proved fatal ... She died June 14th ... Just a touch over 3 years old ...

She had SOOOOOO much promise and died SOOOOO young. Such a sweet, wonderful beautiful horse inside and out ... This sport can be SO cruel, Getting attached to them is SOOOOO tough. Gave me a new perspective on being an owner. Don't know if I could do it now. Certainly never want to lose a loved one like that again.

Problem is that I love SO many of them. None to the extent of Miss Robyn of course ... not sure if I could ever allow myself to love a racehorse that much again. Just couldn't bear the pain of losing it again. It's gonna be hard enough if one I'm not so personally involved with dies. Sucks ... What a conundrum ...

Ownership ... Especially from those who get close to and love their horses passionately has to be a very strong breed. Not sure what I could do it or even want to now after losing Miss Robyn. But yeah ... In her brief, but bright career ... EVERY race was pins and needles just praying she'd come home safely. Made us nervous wrecks until she did ... Just wish that feeling hadn't been so prophetic.

dustino140 · Sat Sep 28, 2013 12:21 am

It looks like he's on pace to match his 2011/2012 numbers (61-for-262 in 2011; 64-for-219 in 2012; 42-for-158 YTD in 2013), but it's hard to believe that in 2009-10 the guy won 241 times from 1,063 starters.

Miss Woodford · Sat Sep 28, 2013 1:16 am

Little Watermelon wrote:I hope he hasn't soured on the sport; I could see it happening. He has put a lot of money into the sport; maybe the returns are not what he expected.

Well he put $62,500 into Caixa Eletronica and got over a million bucks in return, which was probably a lot more than was expected from an obscurely-bred 6yo who'd already run 40 times without breaking out of the claiming ranks. If ever there was a horse to make an owner "believe" in horse racing it's Caixa.

Flanders · Sat Sep 28, 2013 2:33 am

dustino140 wrote:It looks like he's on pace to match his 2011/2012 numbers (61-for-262 in 2011; 64-for-219 in 2012; 42-for-158 YTD in 2013), but it's hard to believe that in 2009-10 the guy won 241 times from 1,063 starters.

I looked at his numbers last night and saw the same thing. This year does look like it is the stables best in terms of money earned per start. If you look back at 2009, his stable had 691 starts and about $5340 in earnings per start. This year the stable has 158 starts and about $21,016 earnings per start.

In regards to his auction purchases, this year does have the lowest number of horses purchased. But I looked back to when he started buying as Repole Stables and one year he buys alot, then he doesn't for 2 years, then he buys alot, then he doesn't for 2 years. I included those below.

2013 Auction Purchases (6 total - 3 two-yos, 2 broodmares)
2012 Auction Purchases (7 total - 1 yearlings, 6 two-yos)
2011 Auction Purchases (14 total - 10 yearlings, 3 two-yos, 1 broodmare)
2010 Auction Purchases (9 total - 8 yearlings, 1 two-yo)
2009 Auction Purcahses (7 total - 7 yearlings)
2008 Auction Purchases (17 total - 16 yearlings, 1 two-yo)