He's going in the 6F Mr. Prospector this Saturday rather than the 1 1/8 Hal's Hope according to DRF. Then hopefully the Donn Handicap. C'mon, big guy. We're rooting for you!
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Funny Cide to make 2006 debut in sprint
Funny Cide will run Saturday in the six-furlong Mr. Prospector - and not the 1 1/8-mile Hal's Hope.
By MIKE WELSCH
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Funny Cide hasn't won a race since October 2004 yet his name remains one of the most recognizable in the sport, still conjuring memories of his outstanding 3-year-old campaign, highlighted by victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
Now 6, and among the elder statesmen of the handicap division, Funny Cide will try to keep his name in the forefront beginning here Saturday when he launches his comeback in the six-furlong Mr. Prospector Handicap.
Funny Cide followed his much ballyhooed 3-year-old season by banking another $1 million at 4, a year that included a popular victory in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. He has started only four times since then and has not won a race, but trainer Barclay Tagg hopes his star will return as good as ever in 2006.
"Last year was a lost year for him, and we're lucky anything worse didn't happen," said Tagg, referring to a back injury Funny Cide may have first sustained during the Brooklyn Handicap. It sidelined him for the rest of the season after a poor performance in the Suburban.
"But he hasn't missed a lick in his training since getting down here in November, and it doesn't seem like he's lost a step in the morning," Tagg said. "I don't know if he's still a Grade 1 horse or not, but if everything goes well Saturday we'll give him a shot at the Donn and see what happens."
The Grade 1 Donn Handicap will be run here on Feb. 4.
Tagg had two options on Saturday for Funny Cide - the Mr. Prospector or the 1 1/8-mile Hal's Hope. The decision was easy.
"I didn't want to bring him back going a mile and one-eighth in the Hal's Hope because there are some hotshots in there who might make him overextend himself, and I didn't want to knock him out," said Tagg. "He's really not a six-furlong horse. I would really have preferred to start him at seven furlongs or a mile, but I wanted to get a competitive race under his belt, and whether he wins or loses, it shouldn't exhaust him."
Edgar Prado was aboard Funny Cide for a half-mile work in 46.40 seconds on Tuesday and will have the mount in the Mr. Prospector.
Funny Cide will carry 115 pounds, one fewer than co-highweights Friendly Island and Lord of the Game. Other prospective starters are Sir Greeley (114), Gaff (113), War Front (113), and possibly Storm Surge (113).
Funny Cide to race Saturday
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Chestnut Gal
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How does everybody expect him to do today? Barclay said he'd prefer 7 furlongs to 6 and Friendly Island's the highweight but I really think Funny Cide's at least the obvious class of the race whether or not that's enough. I hope he does well--I'd love to see him vying for champion older horse. Wouldn't it be amazing if he got up to that level again? He's got the talent in there somewhere.
What are expectations on him for the year? Have any of you seen him up close or talked with Robin or Barclay?
What are expectations on him for the year? Have any of you seen him up close or talked with Robin or Barclay?
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magic code
- Starters Handicap
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StrawberryFelidos
- Allowance Winner
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Hmm. He's only 6, but maybe it's time to move in next to Cigar & Co at the Horse Park. I'm sure they won't do that, though, until they've tried a lot more options. Turf? Rabbits? Carrots on a stick? 
Seriously, though, this was some pretty easy company and he couldn't even challenge- I don't want to see him back at the races unless he's ready to win.
On a side note, did anybody see how Nightmare Affair and Friendly Island looked? I've been following those two for years. Nightmare Affair just got back from an eight month layoff and didn't seem to quite have it all back together in this race, although he might not be right at this level, anyway- good in ungraded stakes, maybe not grade 3 caliber, but a nice horse.
Seriously, though, this was some pretty easy company and he couldn't even challenge- I don't want to see him back at the races unless he's ready to win.
On a side note, did anybody see how Nightmare Affair and Friendly Island looked? I've been following those two for years. Nightmare Affair just got back from an eight month layoff and didn't seem to quite have it all back together in this race, although he might not be right at this level, anyway- good in ungraded stakes, maybe not grade 3 caliber, but a nice horse.
StrawberryFelidos wrote: Turf? Rabbits? Carrots on a stick?
LMAO. Wow, that was harsh..and hysterical
I just got an image of a jockey riding Funny Cide complete with stick, string, and carrot.
Something's gotta be wrong, either in his head or his body and if it's the former, they're screwed and need to quit. If it's the latter, they clearly need to do some work somewhere. I know they outta go with the KY Horse Park on retirement but I got a weird feeling they won't. Not sure why. It almost makes too much sense.
PS. Dunno why I never thought to go to the KY Horse Park website but I did and caught up on Cigar. Wow it almost makes you cry to look at him that he turned out infertile. That's some physique. It's like he bought dapples in bulk and didn't have enough room for all of them. http://www.kyhorsepark.com/khp/champions/cigar.asp
Heidilady wrote: I know they outta go with the KY Horse Park on retirement but I got a weird feeling they won't. Not sure why. It almost makes too much sense.
Does the Museum up in Saratoga have a resident Thoroughbred, like the Derby museum does? If not, Funny would be just the horse for the job, him being a NY boy.
'course, I'd rather see him on the track...hopefully he's okay. They did say this was just a prep, and they weren't expecting much of him at six furlongs. Guess we'll see.