2024 Three Year Olds

[Curtis]

Would rather see them turn him out for the rest of the year. Bone bruising often takes longer than the 60 days often quoted to fully heal. I would bring him back early next spring to have a great 4 yo season.

If he really has bone bruising, I agree. I’m not sure I’m buying what they’re selling though.

Me neither, Curtis. I just get so tired of all the drama surrounding these high profile horses, especially when the ownership gets heavily involved, publicly. I get that there's millions of dollars involved, and even more millions of dollars potentially down the road, but all the hemming and hawing......is the horse injured or not, is it sold or not, its it retired or not. It just gets so tiresome. And in these times, it's ALL about protecting a potential stallion's stud fee!

I remember all the crap that went on about Justify's retirement and possible breeding rights sale to Coolmore (or not). It just left such a bad taste in my mouth that it's really hard for me to be a fan of the poor horse, in spite of his accomplishment both on the track and at stud, and really marked the time that I came to detest WinStar Farm. I swear, any time I see Elliot Walden come on camera, I just want to gag!

I remember all those horses that Whittingham raced to 5 and 6 that probably could have been retired a year earlier. Didn’t hurt the horses but it cost them a year in the shed. I remember two; Matun and Riot in Paris, that were still racing at 7. The former had no breeding to interest Americans. He was off for nearly two years, popped big first time back and then bowed and was sold to be a stallion back in Argentina where he was bred. Matun sired the horse Mat Boy who won the Widener at Hialeah. Riot in Paris should have been plenty interesting to American breeders. Unfortunately, in the midst of showing he had lost a step at 7, he broke down working one morning. I don’t know if he ended up making it or not. I remember Charlie kept him around the barn for a good while as he was recuperating.

[Flanders]

If he really has bone bruising, I agree. I’m not sure I’m buying what they’re selling though.

Me neither, Curtis. I just get so tired of all the drama surrounding these high profile horses, especially when the ownership gets heavily involved, publicly. I get that there's millions of dollars involved, and even more millions of dollars potentially down the road, but all the hemming and hawing......is the horse injured or not, is it sold or not, its it retired or not. It just gets so tiresome. And in these times, it's ALL about protecting a potential stallion's stud fee!

I remember all the crap that went on about Justify's retirement and possible breeding rights sale to Coolmore (or not). It just left such a bad taste in my mouth that it's really hard for me to be a fan of the poor horse, in spite of his accomplishment both on the track and at stud, and really marked the time that I came to detest WinStar Farm. I swear, any time I see Elliot Walden come on camera, I just want to gag!

I remember all those horses that Whittingham raced to 5 and 6 that probably could have been retired a year earlier. Didn’t hurt the horses but it cost them a year in the shed. I remember two; Matun and Riot in Paris, that were still racing at 7. The former had no breeding to interest Americans. He was off for nearly two years, popped big first time back and then bowed and was sold to be a stallion back in Argentina where he was bred. Matun sired the horse Mat Boy who won the Widener at Hialeah. Riot in Paris should have been plenty interesting to American breeders. Unfortunately, in the midst of showing he had lost a step at 7, he broke down working one morning. I don’t know if he ended up making it or not. I remember Charlie kept him around the barn for a good while as he was recuperating.

When I saw Mat Boy, I recognized his name but for being a stallion. I had to look, my brain wasn't going to give up the info today. He is the sire of Festin!

[Justify]

Locked is back with Pletcher at Saratoga, could possibly work this coming or next week for first one back with an eye on a mid October/Early November return.

[Curtis]

Me neither, Curtis. I just get so tired of all the drama surrounding these high profile horses, especially when the ownership gets heavily involved, publicly. I get that there's millions of dollars involved, and even more millions of dollars potentially down the road, but all the hemming and hawing......is the horse injured or not, is it sold or not, its it retired or not. It just gets so tiresome. And in these times, it's ALL about protecting a potential stallion's stud fee!

I remember all the crap that went on about Justify's retirement and possible breeding rights sale to Coolmore (or not). It just left such a bad taste in my mouth that it's really hard for me to be a fan of the poor horse, in spite of his accomplishment both on the track and at stud, and really marked the time that I came to detest WinStar Farm. I swear, any time I see Elliot Walden come on camera, I just want to gag!

I remember all those horses that Whittingham raced to 5 and 6 that probably could have been retired a year earlier. Didn’t hurt the horses but it cost them a year in the shed. I remember two; Matun and Riot in Paris, that were still racing at 7. The former had no breeding to interest Americans. He was off for nearly two years, popped big first time back and then bowed and was sold to be a stallion back in Argentina where he was bred. Matun sired the horse Mat Boy who won the Widener at Hialeah. Riot in Paris should have been plenty interesting to American breeders. Unfortunately, in the midst of showing he had lost a step at 7, he broke down working one morning. I don’t know if he ended up making it or not. I remember Charlie kept him around the barn for a good while as he was recuperating.

When I saw Mat Boy, I recognized his name but for being a stallion. I had to look, my brain wasn't going to give up the info today. He is the sire of Festin!

If Matun were around now, he’d have got a chance at stud here. He was a 7-8.5f horse who could run on anything. Mat Boy had more scope and I think he may have won a second G1 in Florida. Festín was a really nice horse but a little pace dependent. He had that bit of a rivalry with Farma Way and Marquetry. If the pace was medium to solid, those two would beat him most every time. If the pace was too fast, like that race in NY where Farma Way grabbed the bit and ran away with Gary dueling with Jolie’s Halo, Festín would get them every time. If you look up Miguel Rivera on YouTube, you’ll run across the G1 1974 Century Handicap. Matun was in there. He doesn’t win it, it was won by Rivera’s mount Big Whippendeal, which was an interesting story itself.

[mahubah]

I remember all those horses that Whittingham raced to 5 and 6 that probably could have been retired a year earlier. Didn’t hurt the horses but it cost them a year in the shed. I remember two; Matun and Riot in Paris, that were still racing at 7. The former had no breeding to interest Americans. He was off for nearly two years, popped big first time back and then bowed and was sold to be a stallion back in Argentina where he was bred. Matun sired the horse Mat Boy who won the Widener at Hialeah. Riot in Paris should have been plenty interesting to American breeders. Unfortunately, in the midst of showing he had lost a step at 7, he broke down working one morning. I don’t know if he ended up making it or not. I remember Charlie kept him around the barn for a good while as he was recuperating.

When I saw Mat Boy, I recognized his name but for being a stallion. I had to look, my brain wasn't going to give up the info today. He is the sire of Festin!

If Matun were around now, he’d have got a chance at stud here. He was a 7-8.5f horse who could run on anything. Mat Boy had more scope and I think he may have won a second G1 in Florida. Festín was a really nice horse but a little pace dependent. He had that bit of a rivalry with Farma Way and Marquetry. If the pace was medium to solid, those two would beat him most every time. If the pace was too fast, like that race in NY where Farma Way grabbed the bit and ran away with Gary dueling with Jolie’s Halo, Festín would get them every time. If you look up Miguel Rivera on YouTube, you’ll run across the G1 1974 Century Handicap. Matun was in there. He doesn’t win it, it was won by Rivera’s mount Big Whippendeal, which was an interesting story itself.

Mat-Boy was the Argentine Horse of the Year and champion stayer in 1983 and won the 1984 Widener Handicap and Gulfstream Park Handicap, then both G1 races. He was rated at 119 lbs on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1984, putting him at 11 lbs below topweighted Slew o' Gold. His sire Matun was a very good juvenile in Argentina and took the 1972 GP Raul y Raul E. Chevalier (now a G1 race) before coming to the USA and winning the 1974 Lakeside Handicap (G2) and San Simeon Handicap (G3). He was rated at 116 lbs on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1975, 14 lbs below topweighted Forego. Mat-Boy was by far the best horse sired by Matun (who traced in male line to Teddy's son Aethelstan II) and ranked four times among Argentina's top ten sires; he also ranked five times among the top ten Argentine broodmare sires.

[Curtis]

When I saw Mat Boy, I recognized his name but for being a stallion. I had to look, my brain wasn't going to give up the info today. He is the sire of Festin!

If Matun were around now, he’d have got a chance at stud here. He was a 7-8.5f horse who could run on anything. Mat Boy had more scope and I think he may have won a second G1 in Florida. Festín was a really nice horse but a little pace dependent. He had that bit of a rivalry with Farma Way and Marquetry. If the pace was medium to solid, those two would beat him most every time. If the pace was too fast, like that race in NY where Farma Way grabbed the bit and ran away with Gary dueling with Jolie’s Halo, Festín would get them every time. If you look up Miguel Rivera on YouTube, you’ll run across the G1 1974 Century Handicap. Matun was in there. He doesn’t win it, it was won by Rivera’s mount Big Whippendeal, which was an interesting story itself.

Mat-Boy was the Argentine Horse of the Year and champion stayer in 1983 and won the 1984 Widener Handicap and Gulfstream Park Handicap, then both G1 races. He was rated at 119 lbs on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1984, putting him at 11 lbs below topweighted Slew o' Gold. His sire Matun was a very good juvenile in Argentina and took the 1972 GP Raul y Raul E. Chevalier (now a G1 race) before coming to the USA and winning the 1974 Lakeside Handicap (G2) and San Simeon Handicap (G3). He was rated at 116 lbs on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1975, 14 lbs below topweighted Forego. Mat-Boy was by far the best horse sired by Matun (who traced in male line to Teddy's son Aethelstan II) and ranked four times among Argentina's top ten sires; he also ranked five times among the top ten Argentine broodmare sires.

Thanks! If Matun were around now he’d run only 7-8f and culminate his year in the BC Dirt Mile. Another Argentine from that general era who was a GSW in CA was Redtop III. He also returned to SA and I think was a pretty successful stallion down there. Neither Matun or Redtop were owned in America by breeders, so the easiest way to cash out in them was to sell them back from whence they came. Neither won an American G1 either, and were successful before they were sold to Americans, so I’m sure that played a part.

[mahubah]

If Matun were around now, he’d have got a chance at stud here. He was a 7-8.5f horse who could run on anything. Mat Boy had more scope and I think he may have won a second G1 in Florida. Festín was a really nice horse but a little pace dependent. He had that bit of a rivalry with Farma Way and Marquetry. If the pace was medium to solid, those two would beat him most every time. If the pace was too fast, like that race in NY where Farma Way grabbed the bit and ran away with Gary dueling with Jolie’s Halo, Festín would get them every time. If you look up Miguel Rivera on YouTube, you’ll run across the G1 1974 Century Handicap. Matun was in there. He doesn’t win it, it was won by Rivera’s mount Big Whippendeal, which was an interesting story itself.

Mat-Boy was the Argentine Horse of the Year and champion stayer in 1983 and won the 1984 Widener Handicap and Gulfstream Park Handicap, then both G1 races. He was rated at 119 lbs on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1984, putting him at 11 lbs below topweighted Slew o' Gold. His sire Matun was a very good juvenile in Argentina and took the 1972 GP Raul y Raul E. Chevalier (now a G1 race) before coming to the USA and winning the 1974 Lakeside Handicap (G2) and San Simeon Handicap (G3). He was rated at 116 lbs on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1975, 14 lbs below topweighted Forego. Mat-Boy was by far the best horse sired by Matun (who traced in male line to Teddy's son Aethelstan II) and ranked four times among Argentina's top ten sires; he also ranked five times among the top ten Argentine broodmare sires.

Thanks! If Matun were around now he’d run only 7-8f and culminate his year in the BC Dirt Mile. Another Argentine from that general era who was a GSW in CA was Redtop III. He also returned to SA and I think was a pretty successful stallion down there. Neither Matun or Redtop were owned in America by breeders, so the easiest way to cash out in them was to sell them back from whence they came. Neither won an American G1 either, and were successful before they were sold to Americans, so I’m sure that played a part.

Redtop III took his biggest in in Argentina in the 1973 Gran Premio 25 de Mayo (now a G1 race) and won several other races that later held Group status in his native country. In the USA, he won the 1974 Del Mar Handicap (G2) and earned a rating of 115 lbs on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1974, 11 pounds below topweight London Company. (The American turf champion of 1974, the great mare Dahlia, was rated at 128 pounds atop the corresponding Free Handicap for American turf fillies and mares.) Sent back to Argentina in 1976, Redtop III sired a couple of Argentine Group 1 winners but overall was not a particularly successful sire, never rising above 12th on the Argentine general sire list and cracking the top ten among broodmare sires only once. He belonged to an Argentine branch of the Tourbillon male line, one of the last powerful lineages descended from Herod and now all but extinct.

[Mylute]

Carson's Run (Cupid) wins the G1 Saratoga Derby.

[Mylute]

3 y/o males stakes roundup:

Regalo (Maximus Mischief) won the Petramalo Mile S. at Colonial Downs over Awesome Ruta (Mendelssohn) and Hades (Awesome Slew).

Street Warrior (Barbardos) won the Minnesota Derby over Superstar Swank (Three Hour Nap) and Victorious Vanda (Race Day).

Dynamic Secret (Dynamic Impact) won the Muckleshoot Derby over Tougherthantherest (Take Charge Indy) and Whiskeyjack (Rise Up).

Keep Movin' On (Sir Prancealot) won the Ropert Dupret Derby over Baby Waylon (Clubhouse Ride) and Grogu (Get Stormy).

[Saban]

Mighty Message is finally entered in a race, sort of (He last raced on 6/9). MM is entered as an also eligible on 7/29 in an allowance (N2X) race at Ellis Park. He is entered if the race is moved from turf to to the main track (MTO). So, if the weather is bad, we may see Mighty Message race again.

Probably a good idea. If it is muddy enough to move the race, then MM might just find the kind of field he could be competitive in.

Racing is not just about the big horses like Mystik Dan, and other classic contenders to me. I also like to root for average or above average horses that catch my attention.

That race was not moved to the main track, so Mighty Message was scratched. So, now what?

One idea might be to try a smaller track, like Horseshoe Indianapolis. I noticed that some of their allowance races have purses of more than $45,000. A race like that would be nice to win, and MM might be competitive there. Well, I am sure that a trainer like Amoss will find the right spot for him.

Mighty Message is entered in a 9F allowance (N2X) 76K race at Ellis Park on 8/12. MM is the only 3 year old in the race. The rest are older and all but one is gelded. Three are in for tags (50K) which I think they needed to be to enter the race. So, is Mighty Message over matched or have his handlers found a good spot? We should find out on the 12th.

Mighty Message finished 4th, 5 lengths behind the winner yesterday. Some improvement though I don't think he was in with a particularly tough group of horses, considering that it was a N2X at Ellis Park. The first 2 horses were in for a 50K tag. They both have raced in a bunch of claiming races.

So, I don't think Mighty Message was over matched so much this time. Nothing to do now but to wait and see what happens next.

[Squeaky]

Pandagate takes the Albany Stakes for NY-breds by a length over Doc Sullivan. Made huge middle move around the turn from last to first to grab the lead then held off the gritty Doc Sullivan near the wire to win his second NY-bred stakes in a row. Saw his last two races live -so exciting!

[Essential Quality]

There was some stuff around City of Troy with his bit changes throughout the year and looking at Fierceness, they've also switched his bit around.

The Florida Derby/Kentucky Derby he wore a ring bit like he did as a 2 year old (unsure of the holy bull), the Jim Dandy and Travers it looks like he just has a normal D Ring Snaffle, with Johnny saying he tries to keep out of his mouth the last two and the performances he's put in, could he be a extremely soft mouthed horse who when people get on it he just backs up?

[Mylute]

Gelding August Rain (Sungold - Bitatude) won the G3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile in Alberta.
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... dian-derby

Colt E J Won the Cup (Omaha Beach - Firsthand Report) at Fanduel Sportsbook in Illinois.
https://paulickreport.com/news/thorough ... mike-smith

Gelding Sea Streak (Sea Wizard - High Noon Nellie) won the Charles Hesse III S. at Monmouth. He defeated older males.
https://www.drf.com/news/riding-pretty- ... rles-hesse

[Mylute]

Colt Gould's Gold (Goldencents - Goose Martini) won the Smarty Jones S. at Parx in Pennsylvania.
https://www.drf.com/news/goulds-gold-ca ... nes-stakes

Colt Buccherino (Bucchero - Bellimbusto) won the Salvatore M. DeBunda Sprint S. at Park in Pennsylvania.
https://www.ftboa.com/florida-bred-bucc ... stakes-win

Colt Valentine Candy (Justify - Taste Like Candy) won the Robert Hilton Memorial S. at Charles Town in West Virginia.
https://www.theracingbiz.com/2024/08/23 ... ct-stakes/

[CoronadosQuest]

Nysos was seen jogging at Del Mar on the 25th of August!

https://x.com/ErnieBPhoto93/status/1827921022194225478

[BaroqueAgain1]

oh my god two horses just went down in the stretch of the Saranac. Bad spill, and The Process was athletic enough to clear one of the fallen horses without going down himself. ugh

[CoronadosQuest]

oh my god two horses just went down in the stretch of the Saranac. Bad spill, and The Process was athletic enough to clear one of the fallen horses without going down himself. ugh

The Big Torpedo didnt make it sadly but Take Me To Church (IRE) is back at the barn with a few scrapes, and is reportedly okay.

[Slewfan2]

oh my god two horses just went down in the stretch of the Saranac. Bad spill, and The Process was athletic enough to clear one of the fallen horses without going down himself. ugh

The Big Torpedo didnt make it sadly but Take Me To Church (IRE) is back at the barn with a few scrapes, and is reportedly okay.

Oh no

[Diver52]

Muth returns Sunday in the Shared Belief at Del Mar. Imagination and Wynstock also entered.

[Curtis]

Muth returns Sunday in the Shared Belief at Del Mar. Imagination and Wynstock also entered.

The intrigue………can Wind Sock win away from Los Alamitos?