Horse Racing Forum - USA Thoroughbred Races

Henny Hughes(USA) at Yushun Stallion Station (Feb 2014)
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/umaichi_news/e/25 ... e025e5c1de



Monterosso(GB) at Darley Japan (Feb 2014)
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/umaichi_news/e/32 ... 0e3bc7af8b



Empire Maker(USA) at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station (Feb 2014)



Johannesburg(USA) at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station (Feb 2014)



Charismatic(USA) at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station (Feb 2014)



Bago(FR) at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station (Feb 2014)



Novellist(IRE) at Shadai Stallion Station (Feb 2014)

Henny Hughes is picture-book pretty, Johannesburg has so much harness on his head that it's hard to tell what his head is shaped like, Empire Maker and Novelist are handsome, and you can tell they have real stallion presence, and Bago is....well, that is just a really unfortunate portrait of him. He can't be that homely?

Is it shadows or is Charismatic's head very oddly shaped?

He's showing his age, so there are hollows above his eyes, but it's hard to see the true shape of his head because the halter straps kind of obscure it.

Aww, I like Bago. I saw him at Belmont and he had such a lovely presence, very proud. His eye is very different looking.

Empire Maker is a beauty.

What is wrong with Charismatic's face? And such tiny nostrils!

Northport wrote:Is it shadows or is Charismatic's head very oddly shaped?

Sigh, sometimes I wish people could take their critic's hat off just for a little while. Charismatic was born in 1996, making him 18. Not very old for a horse, but not young anymore either. For me, seeing him is a tonic for my heart. I love that guy. I wish he had made a more successful stud, but really successful stallions are in the extreme minority. I also wish someone would bring him back to Kentucky where he could be pensioned, but long ago stopped believing that my wishes would ever come true.

Izvestia wrote:What is wrong with Charismatic's face? And such tiny nostrils!

Nothing wrong with his face. He's got more gray hairs and, as BaroqueAgain1 said, Charismatic is showing his age. Happens to all of us, human and long-lived animals.

Also, maybe I'm anthropomorphizing him, but he has a sad expression.

Charismatic in 2013


Charismatic in 2012

Charismatic may be showing his age, too
But I would guess that was mainly due to the shadows.
He still looks in great shape walking in JBBA Stallion Parade ring 2014.
(fast-forward to 18m30s to see Charismatic)
http://youtu.be/x6qo_KLVvnE?t=18m30s

I'm kind of ambivalent about bringing a stallion like Charismatic back to the States. Sure, it would be nice for our fans to see a memorable racehorse like him at Old Friends, but....he's been In Japan for a dozen years, and that stud farm is his home.
Alysheba was brought back to Kentucky when he was pensioned, after many years in Saudi Arabia, where he was treated very well. Everyone was so happy to have him at Old Friends, but was he? And how long did he live after he returned?
It's hard enough on young horses to ship around the world. If Charismatic is guaranteed a pampered retirement when he's pensioned, I'd rather we didn't uproot a senior stallion, moving him away from the farm he knows and the grooms he trusts, just so we can have him back on US soil.

Oasis Dream(GB) http://www.juddmonte.com/news/2013/2609 ... exton.aspx

Great pictures, tachyon! Thank you for sharing them.

Ridan_Remembered wrote:

Izvestia wrote:What is wrong with Charismatic's face? And such tiny nostrils!

Nothing wrong with his face. He's got more gray hairs and, as BaroqueAgain1 said, Charismatic is showing his age. Happens to all of us, human and long-lived animals.

Also, maybe I'm anthropomorphizing him, but he has a sad expression.

I actually think the part I was talking about is not above his eyes (which is normal), but on the insides, toward the middle. I've never seen it look like that, and I have a 34-year-old horse that doesn't have that. I wasn't insulting him, I was just curious. Some horses get head injuries that cause it to look like their skull is caved in, was hoping that wasn't the case.

With Charismatic he had always had an odd shaped face, not ugly I actually love his face, I see what you mean there is almost a ridge below each eye, I think they have always been there because he does have a more roman head, and now age is just catching up and showing more.. I do not believe he had any injuries because you would see it. All in all he looks great and I miss him tremendously.. I simply choked on my sweet tea when I realized how old he is! Time sure flies!

Tachyon, thank you so much for posting the additional photos of Charismatic. It's wonderful to see him looking so good. Here's a nice closeup of Charismatic's head.

Charismatic looks great if you watch the video (and Silver Charm is right before him). I think the lighting in the picture makes it look a little off.

Ridan_Remembered wrote:

Northport wrote:Is it shadows or is Charismatic's head very oddly shaped?

Sigh, sometimes I wish people could take their critic's hat off just for a little while. Charismatic was born in 1996, making him 18. Not very old for a horse, but not young anymore either. For me, seeing him is a tonic for my heart. I love that guy. I wish he had made a more successful stud, but really successful stallions are in the extreme minority. I also wish someone would bring him back to Kentucky where he could be pensioned, but long ago stopped believing that my wishes would ever come true.

I'm sure the horse isnt offended. Like BaroqueAgain said, it wouldn't be very fair to the horse to ship him across the world at this age from a place that has been his home for so long.

I think maybe Charismatic's crooked stripe might be throwing people off.

Also, Empire Maker is as handsome as ever.

DanLewis wrote:With Charismatic he had always had an odd shaped face, not ugly I actually love his face, I see what you mean there is almost a ridge below each eye, I think they have always been there because he does have a more roman head, and now age is just catching up and showing more.. I do not believe he had any injuries because you would see it. All in all he looks great and I miss him tremendously.. I simply choked on my sweet tea when I realized how old he is! Time sure flies!

Indeed...
I was lucky enough to be at Belmont Park on June 5, 1999.
It's already 15 years ago.
But I always keep this ''Post Parade Magazine'' at hand.
This official pp program for the 131st running of the Belmont Stakes is very precious to me, too.
And I also find an old headshot of Charismatic in this magazine.


front cover - Belmont Park ''Post Parade Magazine'', Saturday June 5, 1999


page 33


page 36 - 37


page 36 - 37

Hard Spun(USA) at Darley Japan　(Feb 2014)
for full-size images of Hard Spun http://uma-furusato.com/news/detail/_id_75950



Roses in May(USA) at Big Red Fram (Feb 2014)
https://www.facebook.com/BIGREDFARM/pos ... 2388049881

Roses has his hay and is content.