Act One (1999): how good was he?

[Jorge]

Act One (1999): how good was he against the Classic generation of his year?

Thanks for your comments.

[Mahubah]

He was a Group 1 winner at two and three and ran second in the Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby). Not too shabby.

[Ruffian]

Good racehorse, owned by the Late Gerald Leigh. Syndicated for a PRETTY PENNY before retiring to Shadwell, I don't like him, but thats a personal opinion. Gotta wait until the sales to get the real nitty gritty, yay or nay!

[Jorge]

Dear Ruffian,

Thanks for your comments. Please feel free to share your candid opinion on him. Are concerened about the fact that he had so few starts and had to be retired?

Thanks again for your comments.

Blessings,

[Ruffian]

The starts number isn't/wasn't a problem(he wasn't raced as to not hurt his rep) The main problem with him is 1. What horses did he beat? when you look at the records it is clear that the horses he beat(with the exception of Landseer) you've never heard about before or since(for the most part), when he DID meet a good horse, he lost(prix du jockey club- 2nd, also his last start) in Sulamani- whom you can class a 'strange' horse, he does well- then fails, he goes like the weather!
You can't take anything AWAY from Act One, he did well, but not at all on an international scale, which I believe is the only way that a Gr.1 winner should be able to prove themselves- or if they DO only race/win in one country they should stand there as a stallion, but he did get a good amount of mares when retiring though- and is by In The Wings- sire of the great Singspiel(who I LOVE, btw ) but In the Wings has really only sired Singspiel who is from a GREAT sire producing family.
We'll have to wait and see, he probably will sire a couple good horses- but really I think if he was only given 'average' mares(i.e. winners, but no Black type) he wouldn't sire anything.
But lol- he is a horse and they sometimes prove me wrong! lol

Ruffian,

P.S. my little belle is really roany now! She's gonna look a picture as a 2yo!!!

[Colinsb]

I think Act One has the makings of a good sire, not a great one, a good one.
As for his race record Ruffian, you're right about the lack of 'known' horses, I live over here in the UK and looking at the horses I recognised were Black Sam Bellamy, Sulamani and Landseer, with a vague recollection of Castle Gandolfo, Simeon and Khalkevi. But he had 5 wins and a 2nd from 6 races and the adage over here is 'you can only beat what you're up against', it wasn't his fault better horses didn't run against him but that's French racing. All the big guns ran in better races in England and Ireland instead.

[Ruffian]

LOL colin, I know too much of how the british look at things! I understand you can only beat what your up against BUT- it is a short trip, and a monumental one if successful- across the seas- to England,Ireland, or the rest of the world. IF HE HAD BEEN GOOD ENOUGH they WOULD HAVE MADE THE TRIP!!! I hate greys too, so that doesn't help him any- lol.

[saintlyCZ]

As I'm neither from France nor from England, you can think my opinion isn't so realistic, but... Well, I don't want to boast, but sometimes it gives me a kind of - let's say spacing. I'm not influenced by impression horse makes on the track - and it can sometimes really confuse your mind, I know it from our tracks and horses . So, what to say about Act One... he was my favourite horses, which doesn't mean I'm unrealistic fan of him It only means I followed his career carefully.
I don't agree with Ruffian in class of his rivals. Yes, there weren't many good, but I'm used to use more criteria than this. Well, he defeated Rouvres, which wasn't exactly high class for me, but at least good horse. Also Martaline isn't unknown, as well as Without Connexion. And among horses he defeated is also Ballingarry. Please don't change my words, I don't say any of them is a star!
I think it isn't needed to comment Landseer, very very good horse, and Sulamani - I don't know his exact results, but I consider him to be very good and quite consistent horse. Also top horse, which is an important fact for me! In spite of fact he could loose some times...
Also, I'm not used to judge horses' efforts overall. When there are four poor efforts and three very well, or even top, I judge the horse by his best efforts - which shows his best abbilities - and not by his poor efforts. And that's exactly the case of Act One. In Prix Lupin, although he defeated almost nobody, he ran 1m2f11oyds in 2m 9.50s, which is great result for me, and more - he ran this time on soft ground!
And Prix du Jockey Club? I've already written about Sulamani, who won also in VERY FAST time 2:25 (note in racing post:(fast by 4.00s)!!!) and defeated Act One only by one and a half legth...

I think this facts are expressive enough.
And one more note - I'm used to judge horses also by their action, by style they ran (I don't mean running style - whether horse runs all the way or he has good finish and so on!). As Secretariat is the perfect model in this judgement, I must say Act One was one of those horses that CAN run. Very impressive in each picture, very flashy, racy colt with beautiful action of front legs - and it really isn't the domain of many horses... Act One was one of the best I've ever seen. (Note: this is only my personal perception, and it only helps me, it really ISN'T my main criteria in judging class of horses! )
That's all I can say I think

[Mahubah]

Welcome back, Saintly. Glad to see you around.