Anyone coming to their senses in 2yo sales?

[tbrace]

As the time is here for starting 2yo's toward the in training sales, does

anyone hear of any significant changes on the parts of

trainers/pinhookers regarding training and breezes?

Is anyone going to slow down those poor babies, and go back to the way


"breezes" used to be?

Enough of BC3, H/D, etc. and their 9 and change works.

Aren't buyers wising up to fact that these horses don't hold up?

[winds]

As with the yearling sales, I guess if the owners want to be able to show off their new big bucks purchase they have to be either huge and look like an older horse at 1 yr. or be so fast their legs eventually fall apart, but look at what he did at the sale................

It's getting so they are becoming fashion shows, and you see what the models look like now don't you, tall and skin and bone yuk!

I don't like to see blazing fast works, maybe just a gallop or an open gallop, but I stay as far away from the fastest 2 yr olds at the sales.

winds

[dray33]

Thanks for bringing up the subject tbrace...

Tipping my hat to "Everything old is new again"... I am going to go to Fasig-Tipton Calder with a very interesting consignment. Hopefully, we will get some press behind it too, but here is whats going to happen... you heard the details here first:

We have purchased a full contingent... 8 yearlings to consign for the '08 Calder Sale. We are going to attempt a grand experiment. Here is the breakdown: 4 of these horses were purchased to go through the program exactly as we have in the past (successfully). Hoby will pick out and buy young precocious yearlings that he feels can handle the stress of the sales. We will raise them and breeze them as in the past.

4 horses were purchased SPECIFICALLY to slow-breeze (what we are calling "Zephyr Breezing"). Chosen by John Kimmel and Kenny McPeek, they will run down the stretch, sans whip, at a nice, comfortable gallop. These are well bred horses, chosen for athletic ability, pedigree and potential, regardless of Sire and precocious-ness. Prepped by Niall.

The list:

ZEPHYR:
Smarty Jones/Must Be A Lady '06 F
Candy Ride/Pelicus Affair '06 F
More Than Ready/Since Time Began '06 F
Menifee/Champagne Forever '06 C

HOBY:
El Corredor/Red Satin Slippers '06 C
Unbridled's Song/Double Sunrise '06 C
Forestry/Tamara Princess '06 C
More Than Ready/Victory Trick '06 C

Each group cost about the same, in total. We cannot be accused of trying this out of sour grapes, as if we can't find a way to make money in the 2YO market. Rather, our horses get to the track and beat the averages, we are profitable, year after year . Our horses have gone on to win, and win big... including (so far) from the first 3 years (8 horses) 2 stakes winners (Diplomat Lady and The Leopard)... and at least 4 winners.

I know this is a risk, but I can't get out of my head: people spend SO MUCH money on yearlings, why wouldn't they spend good money on a well bred, athletic horse that they can actually see MOVE, get all the action. One that is ready, right away, to go on with training? How else could we get a Menifee to the 2YO market? Or any horse from the Pleasant Colony line? Don't these sires/horses deserve a look-see? Shouldn't we be aiming to produce champions?

It IS a risk, I understand, but I will be quite thrilled to race any of these horses, should they not make reserve. Any questions, please contact me... and please come visit us at the barn at Calder.

[Roguelet]

dray33: Nothing would make me happier than to see the "market" start to shift its practices toward what is actually best for the horse long term, and it's got to start somewhere. I applaud you, wish you all the luck in the world, and really hope that karma comes around to reward you for this in the end.

[Green Hills]

Good Luck my friend...it's obvious from past successes that you are definitely on the right track.

[dray33]

Thanks... I remain cautiously optimistic. That's why it was really important to set criteria for the Zephyr horses. First, they had to be horses I would LOVE to own and race, so even if the market ignored them, I would be rewarded with a nice race horse, and Second, they had to be what we considered to be unlike the current "typical" offerings of 2 year-old sales (sires, distance, precociousness). The move to one day breeze show is a good one, and it will certainly help, but it stops us from running two horses in company down the lane... which we would have done and alternated opposite days. Instead, we will gallop them down the lane alone.

I hope that this will attract good horsemen that understand what we are doing. We're giving an added six months of development to a quality yearling, and letting the public see the horses in action... and I am hoping the market responds. If they do, there is so much upside, for the buyers AND pinhookers. Can you imagine a 2 year-old sale where the El Prados, A.P. Indys and Langfuhrs line up next to the Yes Its Trues, Forestrys and FuPegs?

Could be interesting.

[Green Hills]

Very interesting...

P.S. and as you know...I'm a big fan of Menifee...

[BenB]

The second group will be as they breeze in GB and these sales starts to makes waves. So now these sales provide the industry with precocious 2 yr olds as well as late maturing ones 3 yr olds for the classics and group races.
Breezing in GB is without whips without clocking, just showing stride and action.

Lots of luck in this special enviroment maybe the market (owners trainers investors)will open their eyes.

[winds]

I sure hope that it works for you. I wish I had a client that wanted a 2 yr old, I'd come and look. I like that you picked out horses you wouldn't mind racing, when I breed it's with that idea in mind. I breed to produce a racehorse, something that if it doesn't sell, I won't mind at all racing.

I'll tell you what, which ever ones you keep and do race, I hope they become champions. Then you can tell the press what you did and why and tell everyone look at what you missed out on................

winds

[dray33]

I'll tell you what, which ever ones you keep and do race, I hope they become champions. Then you can tell the press what you did and why and tell everyone look at what you missed out on...

Thanks winds. Thats a great way to look at it, and it means that the success/failure of this "experiment" could take longer than just the sale to become evident.

[Maven]

Good luck, Dray. We'll have about 7 going in as pinhooks and we never work them too hard. Like you, we race what doesn't sell so what's in the horse's best interest, is also in ours.

[tbrace]

Good luck, Drey. I think it will work and I think it is the wave of the future.

Some horses can do fast works and be fine at the sale and after, but, many can't.

The reason I brought it up (again, old-new, etc.) is that I have recently had conversations with two large racing groups who said that they want nothing to do with the two year old sales anymore.

As one agent said "You can't keep them together after the sale".

These folks are moving to buying their racing prospects off the track, as late two year olds or early 3 year olds.

Both groups said that they would love to go back to the two year old sales if horses actually lightly breezed, and weren't forced into 10 and change works.

You are on the right track, I believe, with your experiment. Well done.

[dray33]

And I'm afraid the industry might not be able to withstand many more high profile examples of two-year olds that are pushed too hard and burn-out, or can't make it past the stall. Some horses go through the process fine... others can't. It would be ideal to offer a profitable alternative to pinhookers who have a horse that needs a little more time.

[dray33]

Good luck to you, maven. Let's try and say hello at the Calder Sale.

[Morningside]

Maven, who's your consignor?