The first disappointment of the 3 year old season

[Johar]

Fusaichi Samurai off the Derby Trail

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=26553

That's a shame.

[Sam]

Fusaichi Samurai off the Derby Trail

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=26553

That's a shame.

I need to go diggin ... I'm sure I called that the day after that 'scintillating' win of his

edit

I rule

OK, FuSam...... how good?

[LSB]

Not that any sort of injury is ever funny, but I have followed this colt's slender "career" with a great deal of skeptical amusement. Talk about spin--he was listed among the Derby favorites before he'd even made his first start. What were people thinking?

I wonder if he'll ever make it back to the races or whether he'll become another one of those "high potential" babies that goes directly to stud.

[George William Smith]

I did not believe it, but word from well-placed sources were that he was headed straight to stud as whispered in my ear over a month ago. Maybe the source was right.

[Sam]

I did not believe it, but word from well-placed sources were that he was headed straight to stud as whispered in my ear over a month ago. Maybe the source was right.

Black day, y'all. Black day. head shake

Let the madness begin ... who stands him and for how much?

[BenB]

Is the injury mentioned, the real thing what,s gooiing on with the horse,
or is there something different.
A muscle problem, can be solved, giving enough time, with good treatment, accupuncture for instance. So in a half a year or so, he can be returning to the track, if the owners wishing to do so.
Mostly seen by horses, with long backs and lacking power for effective
use of their long strides. The muscles are just too hard pressed on dooiing
their job. I think he was just a late maturing one, that needs to be prepared for the KY derby, and than gooiing down.

[henthorn]

If, in fact, he will be sent directly to the breeding shed, my thoughts are that his connections felt his racing ability was at best questionable. And that his chances of being syndicated for stallion duty would be more profitable if he were to discontinue his race training, and start stud with good pedigree and very limited positive racing career. I.e. a blank catalog page is better than a bad catalog page.

[Johar]

It would be sad, to say the least, if the horse is sent off to stud on the basis of his one win, his $4.5m price tag, and his pedigree. I admit that I thought he looked like an incredible prospect when he won that maiden. If indeed he is packed off to stud shortly, it's a sad day for racing. If he is well supported by the breeding industry without proving himself to any greater degree, it's an even sadder day for the breeding industry.

[LSB]

The only way I could imagine that he would be supported at stud (if he's retired now, that is) is if he's offered at a very low stud fee, giving breeders who might not otherwise be able to afford those bloodlines, a chance to tap into them.

The injury doesn't sound that bad, more like it just needs time. I'm really hoping he comes back and has the chance to prove himself.

[Joe]

I, for one, as a race player also and big player of maidens have not been a big supporter of Fu Peg. He had the best mares and some winners, but I almost kind of see him breeding himself, very brilliant and flaky. Considering his book of mares, he should be shooting cannon balls with runners, by my opinion.

I often find that the value in a stallion is not in his immediate results, although that is what drives the market. I really liked Alysheba and he was pretty much a bust at stud but 15 years down the line has become a very good broodmare sire, certainly worthwhile to the breed. Secretariat was somewhat the same. Sometimes a stallion is not doing well and somebody decides to try turf and here they all wil turf, wierd things.

I think I've found a very small percentage of good racehorses that were total busts in some breeding capacity. Some sires were awful until they discovered a nick that worked and produced great horses. so I feel almost all of good runners have value and it is up to the breeder's to find it.

I've always thought that a good risk/reward play was to get a young mare from a "Can't miss" stallion that missed and try her as a broodmare. I'm too small an operation to try that in most years, but I thought that might be a good play for value. I think that if a good looking and good-paper sire doesn't produce anything in his first few years and goes out of favor, he might be a good broodmare sire type, possibly and not a good stallion, per se.

[Flight]

Sam

Good pick up.

(Can't remember how to do the quote thingy)

Interesting that one of the "lessons" this forum has "taught" me is not to breed Mr P too close.

Or did they try too hard with a young horse that showed ability?

[madelyn]

For those of you who don't get to meander over to Churchill Downs to see the Derby horses in Person, I would like to remind you that FuPeg ran in pretty heavy bandages on the front legs, indicating a horse being "held together." He was not sound as a racehorse, I don't expect his offspring to be much different..

[LSB]

Great post, Joe.

[Johar]

Add Balletto to the list.....

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=52770&subsec=2

She was my early Oaks choice, now withdrawn after an "unspecified training setback".

[LSB]

Every year, something seems to happen to Sheik Mohammed's classic hopefuls when they go "home" to Dubai to train for the winter. More often than not, they end up being pulled off the Derby/Oaks trail.