Retirements 2023

[BaroqueAgain1]

Thanks for that. I wish Fandrool would show South African racing, since they seem to be breeding good horses.
I'm under the impression that quarantine protocols for SA horses are onerous, and discourages those horses from trying to race in Europe or the States. Makes it harder to follow their racing or get to know the horses.

[brunanas]

Thanks for that. I wish Fandrool would show South African racing, since they seem to be breeding good horses.
I'm under the impression that quarantine protocols for SA horses are onerous, and discourages those horses from trying to race in Europe or the States. Makes it harder to follow their racing or get to know the horses.

something tells me you'll appreciate these websites https://www.sportingpost.co.za/ and https://raceform.co.za/

[BaroqueAgain1]

Clicking on that 1st link taught me one thing: FanDrool does show racing from South Africa. I had seen the track name Turffontein a couple of times on Fandrool when I was really late to bed. Like, at 4 in the morning late. I hadn't realized it was a SA facility.
Thanks for the links.

[Flanders]

Thanks for that. I wish Fandrool would show South African racing, since they seem to be breeding good horses.
I'm under the impression that quarantine protocols for SA horses are onerous, and discourages those horses from trying to race in Europe or the States. Makes it harder to follow their racing or get to know the horses.

Unfortunately yes but its because of African Horse Sickness, which is not something to gamble with. The US requires a 60 day quarantine at one specific facility, I would assume other countries have similar requirements. I understand why trainers don't want to have an athletic animal sitting in a quarantine facility for 60 days. But its spread easily via pretty much invisible insects(midges, no see ums, mosquitos, etc.) and depending on the strain, causes 70% to 95% mortality rates. The long quarantine is a necessity, if it would get into a country it would be devastating to the equine population.

[BaroqueAgain1]

Thanks for that explanation. I did remember that those strict quarantine protocols were due to a serious health threat, but didn't recall the specifics.
Is African Horse Sickness a problem within the South African TB population? Do they have outbreaks at a track like Turffontein?

[Miss Woodford]

Thanks for that explanation. I did remember that those strict quarantine protocols were due to a serious health threat, but didn't recall the specifics.
Is African Horse Sickness a problem within the South African TB population? Do they have outbreaks at a track like Turffontein?

There is a vaccine for it, and since it does not spread equine-to-equine the prevalence in the environment can be managed somewhat by controlling the midges. Unfortunately when outbreaks in horses do occur there is no treatment so the infected horses are euthanized and exposed horses quarantined.

The related virus EEV may be more worrisome because while it is usually mild it is far more common in SA and has no vaccine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equine_encephalosis_virus

[SukiSatsuki]

Bleecker Street

https://bit.ly/3Z0j96Q

[brunanas]

Uberleben
https://twitter.com/LongBallToNoOne/sta ... qIGVg&s=19

[Mylute]

G1W Arklow (Arch) has been gelded and will become a stable pony. Connections say they tried to secure a stud deal, but: "It's very difficult to get turf contracts for stallions. It's almost impossible to sell these high-achieving turf horses."
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... table-pony

What a waste.

[SukiSatsuki]

G1W Arklow (Arch) has been gelded and will become a stable pony. Connections say they tried to secure a stud deal, but: "It's very difficult to get turf contracts for stallions. It's almost impossible to sell these high-achieving turf horses."
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... table-pony

What a waste.

I’m not shocked to be honest. What I am shocked about is that no one overseas bought him!

[peeptoad1]

Why is it a waste? I read that article yesterday and, as fan of Arklow his entire career, I was impressed that someone actually did right by him in gelding him, and finding him another career "if he wants it". That seems like as square a deal as any I've seen regarding horses.

[brunanas]

waste because he was an extremely durable horse with a good but not too common pedigree and that's the type of horse that should earn a spot on the breeding shed, not a descendant of Into Mischief that made 3 starts.

[SukiSatsuki]

Why is it a waste? I read that article yesterday and, as fan of Arklow his entire career, I was impressed that someone actually did right by him in gelding him, and finding him another career "if he wants it". That seems like as square a deal as any I've seen regarding horses.

Because American horses don’t have durable horses at stud besides a few exceptions.

[HB1994]

waste because he was an extremely durable horse with a good but not too common pedigree and that's the type of horse that should earn a spot on the breeding shed, not a descendant of Into Mischief that made 3 starts.

This x1000.

[MissNMecke]

It's a shame when horses like Arklow that have paid their racing dues and have talent to boot are not given a chance at stud. Even when ones like Arklow do get the opportunity, they are rarely given very many mares and those they do get are usually low-level allowance or claiming ones. I understand that people want to go with the fashionable pedigrees (The Tapits, Curlins, and Into Mischiefs), since US racing has turned more toward breed to sell, not race. But we will and probably already have missed out on some stallions that would have been fantastic sires despite mediocre pedigrees.
Look at what Sunday Silence did in Japan! He would have never gotten the chance to show what he could produce had he stayed on US soil.

[peeptoad1]

Ah, yes. I see. Still a good deal for Arklow.

[brunanas]

Ivar (BRZ) has been retired and will enter stud at Haras Carampangue in Argentina.
https://www.turfdiario.com/el-crack-iva ... rampangue/

[Mylute]

Yes, exactly that. Arch was a well-regarded sire and he was his last decent intact son in training AFAIK. It's good that he gets to have a job at the track and a nice home.

He has a G2W 3/4 brother at stud in Peru, though.

[mariasmon]

Arklow being gelded saves a bunch of horses being bred that the market won't want. Just because we think he'd be good for the breed, doesn't mean anyone would want to breed decent mares to him or buy his offspring.

In a perfect world, Arklow would be the kind of stallion people want to use and the types of offspring he might have sired would be the sort they want to race. But they're just not. Why bring a number of racehorses into the world that most people aren't going to want? How is that good for anyone? You can't force the TB market to change like that.

[brunanas]

yes, that is part of the issue — the fact that we can't make the market want to buy racing prospects over breeding prospects (not to mention how many horses intended to become valuable stallions one day just don't pan out and those who once spent high six-figures/seven-figures on them couldn't care less and just dump them in the claiming ranks and say "f*ck it") neither make the breeders want to breed durable runners, just commercial appealing horses even if their lineage clearly suggests they won't last in the track but are still valuable pedigree wise. what is happening with Arklow is a clear example of it. i agree in a way it saves his progeny from being "unwanted" though but it all circles back to what i mentioned. the industry unfortunately rather use the 50th son of Into Mischief to enter stud because it was unbeaten in 3 starts before his legs gave in over a horse with an "uncommon" pedigree that made 39 consistent starts.