Phipps Forever

re: Phipps Forever

Mike Relva — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:45:06 GMT

Lunar Spook

I understand, thanks. Have a good day also.

re: Phipps Forever

lunar spook — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 20:25:16 GMT

MIKE RELVA- MY PRAYERS ARE WITH PAYNTER AS WE SPEAK , MY GLOATING IS GEARED TOWARD CHIEF PICCAWINNA , AS FOR HANSEN SORRY ABOUT HIS MISFORTUNE , JUST THOUGHT HE WAS OVE RATED , P.S- YOU HAVE A BLESSED DAY MY BROTHER !

re: Phipps Forever

Mike Relva — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:20:55 GMT

Lunar Spook

Be good if you could get past gloating over Hansen's misfortune for a moment, maybe you could throw some get well wishes another horses way that really needs it right now.

re: Phipps Forever

lunar spook — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 16:43:43 GMT

MIKE RELVA - CUT SHORT OR NOT , HIS CAREER WAS GOING DOWNHILL FASTER THAN STAY THIRSTY (AND TRUST ME THATS SAYING SOMETHING) OH BY THE WAY DID YOU NOTICE MY WOODWARD PICK FRIDAY ? I NAILED THE TRIFECTA BABY !

re: Phipps Forever

Mike Relva — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:09:36 GMT

Lunar Spook

Finishing 9th isn't finishing last. It's not his fault his career is cut short.

re: Phipps Forever

lunar spook — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:37:20 GMT

MY apologies to all , i didnt realize what a nerve i hit by stating that hansen has only one grade 1 win and was 9TH in the kentucky derby , let me make everyone happy the three greates horses of all time are as follows secretariat , man o war and hansen !!!!! hope paramount has a movie in the works soon , HANSEN: THE HORSE THE LEGEND !!!!!!!

re: Phipps Forever

Karen in Texas — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 21:08:22 GMT

lunar spook----"SHOULDA"--such a meaningful word--in so many ways. Very closely related to "COULDA" and "WOULDA", but none of them have anything to do with the actuality of an event.

re: Phipps Forever

Mike Relva — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 17:39:45 GMT

Lunar Spook

I'm also a fan of Union Rags, but give Hansen his due. Some of your posts I actually respect, the other individual is an attention seeker at best.

re: Phipps Forever

lunar spook — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:28:32 GMT

MIKE RELVA - SINCE YOU DIDNT ELABORATE ON THE SUBJECT YOUR REFERING TO , IM ASSUMING ITS HANSEN , IF SO , THIS HORSE HAS REGRESSED EVER SINCE HIS FLUKE WIN AS A 2 YEAR OLD IN A RACE UNION RAGS SHOULDA WON , YOU WOULD THINK BY ALL THE HOOPLA ON THIS SITE THAT FRANKEL HAD RETIRED , MY GOD ITS ONLY HANSEN A MEDIOCRE HORSE AT BEST !

re: Phipps Forever

Mike Relva — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 02:11:48 GMT

CASSANDRA/ LUNAR SPOOK

Why don't you two quit while you're behind..... please!

re: Phipps Forever

joe c. — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:09:43 GMT

I have a photo of the 1996 Riva Ridge Stakes winner's circle, and Penny Chenery is presenting Cynthia Phipps with the trophy; the winner was Gold something. I think her runners-Christmas Past, Versailles Treaty, Singh...-ran in the Phipps gold and purple carried by Bold Ruler. William Nack's Secretariat book has great stuff on Gladys Phipps love for Bold Ruler.

re: Phipps Forever

Dr Drunkinbum — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:27:36 GMT

Paula Higgins

It seems like the same story every year here now, illness, injury or breakdown with many of our stars. Something is going on. I don't have all of the answers but I suspect I have some of the answers. Eventhough we don't have the power as fans to change things we do have the right to question what is going on and hopefully to influence those that do have the power to change things. We can start with no raceday meds. Go Frankel !!!!

re: Phipps Forever

lunar spook — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:40:40 GMT

CHIEF NEVERPOSTSHISPICKS - i am getting my woodward picks together now , i will post them BEFORE the race , will you ? oh by the way you spell it COMMENTARY NOT COMENTARY !

re: Phipps Forever

lunar spook — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:36:50 GMT

LORI M. - he was a great story and a popular horse , it just didnt translate to the racetrack !

re: Phipps Forever

Paula Higgins — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 03:19:52 GMT

Dr Drunkinbum, you are so right about The Queen, and now The King. Frankel is very special. We have had some very good horses this year as well. It is too bad they have had so many injuries. We have got to start breeding for soundness.

re: Phipps Forever

Linda in Texas — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:45:36 GMT

Owlbet -

The Phipp's Conservatory was built by Henry Phipps in 1893 and given to the people of The City of Pittsburgh.

The generosity of a few built many wonderful buildings. Mr. Phipps among them and thoughtful in addition, stipulated that it be open on Sunday so workers could visit on their day off.

Lunar Spook - I resent the nutcase description of Hansen as he is truly magnificent. If he were a big

dark bay, i wouldn't think anymore

or less of him. This is a

sad way for something as beautiful

as he is when he runs to be suddenly sidelined en route perhaps to retirement. I would love to watch him race the length of a huge open pasture whenever the feeling struck him. Just like i witnessed about 2 months ago in Hamilton County,TX near Hico where a beautiful light reddish almost mauve Paso Fino with his white mane flying and his long white tail streaming behind him was running at full gallop. Head held high and his legs high stepping. It took my breath away and i stopped alongside the road/ pasture just to marvel at him. He and many other horses have now been moved, the family that owns the beautiful ranch are all in their 90's and one is over 100, and in nursing homes. I believe the ranch is still in the family and run by couple of grand daughters in their 60's. But i think all the rescues or their horses have been moved elsewhere.

There was a magnificent black horse

that first got my attention as i traveled that State Highway going to Meridian often and did today, i strained to look but no horses visible.

For many of us, it is our loss also. Nothing more, nothing less. But especially Hansen's.

I hope he can be rehabilitated or salvaged for lack of better word to do something he will enjoy.

Thanks Steve. Weren't the races this past week end wonderful. And how appropriate that a record of a dead heat for the Traver's that was

134 years old was broken by a an unknown Golden Ticket and Alpha.

And Willy Beamin a claimer winning

his race. I loved it. 6 wins in a row. And he had just raced and won

3 days before that. Only at Saratoga.

Apologize for the length of this but sometimes i have to say something when i hear a comment that is mean spirited about a horse. He didn't make the choices,

they were made for him.

Thanks Steve.

re: Phipps Forever

Karen in Texas — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:12:56 GMT

Hansen's win in the BCJ due to luck? That's ridiculous--he was the only horse to win on the "peanut butter" rail for either day of the BC. He earned his win and apparently numerous turf writers thought so as well, since they voted him Eclipse 2y/o by a landslide. He has been, as Barry Irwin said, "a glorious horse." Dr. Hansen may have had unrealistic expectations based on his sudden success at breeding such a champion, but what if one of us had been so blessed? We should be able to forgive him for letting his feet get off the ground with his expressions of enthusiasm. So today we hear what some of us suspected all along--that the initial injury occurred probably before the West Virginia Derby. Hansen never looked like himself in that race to me. It's now become amazing that he finished as well as he did, and a godsend that he didn't break down.

re: Phipps Forever

ceil rock — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:06:01 GMT

Frankel is a son of Galileo, not Montjeu. I think Hansen would have such a wonderful miler. It's a shame his owner wouldn't let the trainer do his job with this horse. That is what makes owners like the Phipps family so successful. They have confidence in Shug, and let him make the decisions.

re: Phipps Forever

Lori M. — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:15:03 GMT

Dear Lunar Spook,

I was sorry to read you say twice or more about Hansen being overrated. Had you been railside for his races? If yes, then you would have felt the magic that was Hansen. I was the biggest Union Rags fan out there, but Hansen's victory in the BC was spectacular. Hubby and I have seen him 3 wins in person, each one thrilling. It's easy to call a horse overrated, and just a little more introspective and more gratifying to look and feel what he did for his fans - made them happy - ran like a racehorse - brought smiles to his fans, and looked darned good doing it. That cannot be overrated.

-L.

re: Phipps Forever

Davids — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 12:46:10 GMT

Steve, my recollection of these bygone days of racing was the wonderful sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is somewhat lacking in a few of the above comments.

Anyone, who thinks Hansen was 'lucky' to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile has a somewhat naive understanding of that race and racing in general.

If your 'favorite' is beaten, please follow the lead of the Phipps family and accept defeat with a smile on your face. It shows a lot of class.

re: Phipps Forever

CHIEF PICAWINNA — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 12:17:30 GMT

Lunar spooky thats good comentary after he is retired hindsight is 20/20 for everyone.

re: Phipps Forever

Owlbet — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 03:04:22 GMT

Did the Phipps family of thoroughbred racing lend their name to the Phipps Conservatory (a gorgeous greenhouse / gardens) of Pittsburgh, PA?

As usual Steve, a wonderful take-us-all-back-to-the-past blog. Thank you!

re: Phipps Forever

Tiz Herself — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 12:43:07 GMT

Agree with previous comments that hope heart and longevity, stamina can be bred back into our Thoroughbreds.

Am hopeful that more stallions from Europe, etc., will be brought in to North America to help with adding diversity and outcross for the bloodlines here. Such as Lonhro, All American, Hat Trick, even horses like Einstein, etc.

re: Phipps Forever

Cassandra.Says — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:50:58 GMT

Hansen in a nutshell:

Put together like a stalk of bananas; loved to run, nay, lusted to run; loved to use himself, embellishing his exercise gallops with striking forelegs; unfortunate in the extreme in his managers.

BTW, wasn't Dr. H. going to race him at four and five, while simultaneously he (other Hansen) was breeding mares? So just why is he retiring?

I think one of the Hansens is not up to any more racing, as he finds losses to be devastating personal humiliations. I don't believe he cares two hoots about the horse, or he wouldn't have let him start when he washed out so terribly in the Derby saddling ring; I'm sure the vets would have backed a scratch. He is ego-identified with the horse, and not the horse himself, but a fantasy of the horse, unbeaten champion at two and three.

He was a horse that needed to be in top professional hands for raising and breaking. That he was not gives us a third way we can lose a great horse.

re: Phipps Forever

Dr Drunkinbum — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 04:14:53 GMT

Age of Reason

King Frankel is even a bit of a partial antidote for Queen Zenyatta fever withdrawal for us Yanks. They are the real King and Queen and hopefully can have little princes and princesses. Maybe then we can all get along with the Queen being from America and the King being from England. They could do a much better job of running the world too I dare say. They bloody well could alright. Yah, you betcha. That's right. Yessiree Bob.