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preakness | Information Blog

preakness | Information Blog — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:25:49 GMT

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re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

SnowWalker — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:42:45 GMT

I almost don't even want to see Big Brown win the Preakness (let alone the whole Triple Crown) when I hear things like "will not race at 4 years of age". I hope he shoots blanks! ;)

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Mike — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:40:05 GMT

You all make very emotional arguments, and as a fan myself I truly appreciate your love of the sport, but realistically there is no way you can blame Mr. Iavarone and IEAH for striking a deal and retiring Big Brown after this season. Perhaps, in hindsight Mr. Iavarone would have rather not said anything about the stud deal (as it fell through today), but working towards one is no crime. While it would be great to see Big Brown continue racing through his 4 year old year, if you were his owner, I'm pretty confident you too would make the decision to take 40-50 million dollars for his stud rights as a 3 year old. Keep in mind, as well, that Mr. Iavarone is a Wall Street guy and he sets up his stable as a hedgefund. He invested (About) 3 million to purchase Big Brown and now is going to sell his rights for 40-50 million. Looks like a good investment to me. I'd join their stable any day.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Daniel R. Brooks — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:22:22 GMT

If you bet the farm in the Derby,you got well.Same game,parley it for another big score.A Rose and a Black Eyed Susan for a well deserving owner,trainer, and consumate jockey.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Dale H — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:23:57 GMT

On Saturday I will be attending my 23rd Preakness and for the first time I will not be rooting for the Derby winner. Given this week's announcement, a win by Big Brown would only serve to bolster the critics' arguments that owners are out for the big buck. At least they could have had the decency to wait until after the Belmont. Obviously what is good for racing and its fans is far, far down on their list of concerns if, in fact, it was even on their list.Ok....Someone give me the odds: Big Brown sweeps the Triple Crown and his connections announce his immediate retirement - for the good of the horse, of course.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Carlo — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:15:55 GMT

What has ever happened to horse racing? As youngsters we never even knew about breeding plans nor did we care.We simply thrilled at the fact our equine heros were crossing the finish line.

Gone are the days of Affirmed,Seattle Slew and Alysheba.Days when you were sure a horse would run at 4 and maybe even at 5.

The people who own Big Brown are ruining our sport.Yes it's OUR sport...the fans. How can we support Big Brown and his bid for the triple crown knowing it is only a means to an end.

Greedy people indeed have found out this horse racing thing is a good way to make money but forget the race part ;let's hustle the poor horse off to the breeding shed and start raking in the hay!

In recent times champs like Smarty Jones,Street Sense and Hard Spun were all pushed into an early retirement.Kudos to the owners of Curlin for keeping their horse around.They know there are still thrills to be had on the racetrack,a few more records to be set,higher mountains to climb.

Horse racing is a sport about dreams and people who love money are trying to to take the dream away.

Poor Big Brown will do what his owners want him to do but as for me, I will be rooting for the gelding Tres Borrachos to run past the wire first!

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

dizzy tizzy — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:38:28 GMT

agreed with the retirement thing, regardless of how confident dutrow is with brown's feet, I am not. That horse is an accident waiting to happen, and I hope to God for the sport that he makes it through the Triple Crown without getting injured. I expect he won't run Haskell or Travers even.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

staunch steve — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:56:40 GMT

Why did they wait so long to announce the stud plans and retirement of Big Brown? I half expected these clowns to announce that the horse would go straight from the winners circle at Churchill Downs to ths stud farm and that his stud rights were sold as he crossed the wire.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Paula Weglarz — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:03:50 GMT

This is part of what is wrong with the sport - it's not a sport anymore, it's a big money industry, where people try to profit and run.

Yes, people like Jess Jackson, who kind of barnstormed in and made some unsightly allegations regarding bloodstock agents, etc., may raise some eyebrows, too, but Jess Jackson also felt he had a duty to share Curlin and this great horse with the racing public for another year, and not capitalizing on the horse's success after his 3 year old year.

IEAH leaves a bad taste in my mouth - in fact, a lot of people in the "industry" do. I understand their investments, but I also understand that our sport (not the industry) needs to grow new fans, and in light of recent media disasters (not specifically the actual demise of Eight Belles, but the extreme insane overreaction to the incident) and there's no way to grow this sport if we don't have horses to follow with some consistency and people we actually like and for whom we can cheer. IEAH is certainly not one of those stables.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Cesar — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:30:43 GMT

Some times is better to keep your mouth shut. It shows how much does these people care about the sport.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Andrea_Bay — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:24:52 GMT

Why do we call it horse racing again? Seems to me that it's "horse breeding." Personally I think that one of the main reasons we have more unsound, unhealthy horses is because these colts & fillies are reproducing before they have a chance to finish growing and developing. A filly that is the equivalent of a 14-16 year old girl should not be having babies. And the same goes for the colts, they actually mature slower than the fillies which means they're probably more like 12-14 year old boys when they start breeding. Are the genes really ready to create new, healthy, strong life? I'd like to see some studies done on that front. Keep them racing it's better for them and for the sport.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Max — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:13:27 GMT

I agree with comments about NOT

announcing any stud plans until after the Triple Crown races are over. I'm sad to read BigBrown will not race as a 4yr old. Racing isn't for the beauty & prestige of the horse but for the all mighty dollar. Sometimes I think owners that do this will one day only hurt themselves. Big Brown is too special to stop him -

he'll have many many years as a stallion. What a shame to do this.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

April — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:03:39 GMT

I cannot believe that the sport of horseracing has a superstar horse and the owners are so willing to end his career early. I think it is great that Curlin is still racing and he should be since he is in his prime. The sport needs more horses like him and not to just be retired to stud at age 3. That is not letting the horse reach its full potential and the sport needs that especially now after the Eight Belles tragedy. LET THEM RACE AFTER AGE 3!!!

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

gail — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:02:52 GMT

Not to mention, a more deserving trainer.

re: Preakness Draw: In the 'Zone'

Dave Johnson — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:59:04 GMT

You "do not" do what Michael Iavarone did to promote the sport.

This sport is dying "literally" when "Stud" plans are publicized after each Kentucky Derby.

Keep doing it and you will see fewer "new" fans joining the sport and more race tracks closing.

Fans want something to follow.

They do not want to see owners closing the door in their face.

Horse racing has seen a "75 year old racetrack close down recently ("Bay Meadows").

"Hollywood Park" (which is owned by the same people that owned Bay Meadows) is next.

The next places to close will be racetracks in the east (ex: Aqueduct).

This sport is hemorrhaging and the "Stud/Stallion" breeding business is "literally" killing it.

The cost put on a Kentucky Derby winner is "ruining the sport". These Kentucky Derby winners are estimated at 30-40 million after winning the race and the owners are too smart and/or greedy to have their horse race until late into their 4 year old season and give the fans something to follow.

New fans are how you keep "any" sport alive. You don't have a following, things start going south...in a hurry.

Horse racing is deteriorating slowly but the alarming part is it's happening steadily.

Folowing a horse creates new fan interest, but the horse owners and breeders will find out in the long run, that they slit their own throats.

Best Regards,

Dave Johnson