re: Classics for Sale - by Evan Hammonds

Jockeygirl — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:18:52 GMT

Such a shame we didn't get to see more of UR this year

re: Classics for Sale - by Evan Hammonds

JoyJackson21 — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:15:08 GMT

The story of I'll Have Another is definitely the perfect story to use in the Keeneland September Sales's marketing efforts. I'll Have Another has an incredibly impressive winning record, and is a fabulously talented champion horse of the first caliber. IHA went for the entremely mind-bogglingly low price of $11,000 at Keeneland, due to a lot of silliness and prejudice about IHA's supposed lack of perfection in conformity, and the disinterest in America in breeding for stamina, which I'll Have Another has an abundance of in his background. Another contributing factor in the lowness of IHA's price was probably IHA was sold on the next to last day of the Keeneland sales, and attendance had dissipated as it was late in the day as well.

The comparison of I'll Have Another's story to that of Seattle Slew's has great, great merit. Seattle Slew was another horse who was greatly overlooked when first on the market, and evolved into a great Triple Crown champion.

There is little doubt I'll Have Another would have won the Belmont Stakes if he had not been forced into retirement by a tendon injury. I'll Have Another, too, would have been a Triple Crown champion. The Japanese breeding interests who just purchased I'll Have Another made a very wise, intelligent decision to acquire him, and should expect, at the very least, a very lucrative $500,000,000 plus profit from I'll Have Another's efforts as a sire.

It's really a shame the American breeding community did not recognize what a magnificent opportunity they had right before them on the table in IHA. I'll Have Another would have made an impressive sire, and that half billion dollar plus profit could have stayed in the United States. The U.S. breeders also would have benefited as well by adding much needed swiftness in combination to stamina to their blood lines in I'll Have Another's progeny. Just imagine if you were able to breed for IHA's competitive spirit, heart, tenacity and will-to-win as well the normal want-list we breed for in thoroughbreads. Wow, what superior horses they would be! IHA's progeny would have been taking down Classic Grade 1 competition wins left and right for many generations to come. We in the States need to breed much more for stamina to make the thoroughbred bloodlines heartier. That would allow for stronger horses, and more superior competitions in the Classic Grade 1 races of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, which require horses that compete and win in them to possess great stamina. I'll Have Another was a great opportunity to strengthen the U.S. bloodlines. I'll Have Another will no doubt be an incredible Sunday Silence-type acquisition for Shigeyuki Okada and Big Red Farm in Japan. They are to be congratulated on their fine business acumen and superior breeding acquistion in IHA.

The thought to many that they, too, can find a fabulously flawless diamond-in-the-rough like I'll Have Another will be a great draw for new investors to the sport of horse racing, and there will be many in the audience, especially at the Keeneland September Sales, with IHA's story & history whirling in their minds. I hope they do find their diamond in the rough, because great rags-to-riches stories like I'll Have Another's and Seattle Slew's is the stuff of dreams and of racing legends come true.