Alex to Gainesway for 40K

[Intrinsic Worth]

The farm isn't open to tourists, so obviously the owners didn't care about the fans seeing him.

[Sysonby]

Is that a new policy? I know that the retirees are not shown but I saw quite a few of the Gainesway stallions last year and my group didn't describe ourselves as breeders or as anything, just set up an appointment.

[Intrinsic Worth]

Someone on another forum e-mailed them and was told they only allow breeders and owners to see their stallions. I went there about 6 years ago, but was with a bunch of execs that the owner knew.

[austique]

I'm a tad surprised he went there. I guess I hadn't really thought about Gainesway.

As for tours my brother toured the farm ages ago (early 1990's).

[FOS]

hi guys

I am confident that Afleet Alex will be cared for and maintained exceptionally well at Gainesway. That said...I sense that ultimately (and for a number of reasons) Team Alex had very few choices or directions to go with their sure-to-be-champion three-year-old colt Afleet Alex (as far as his stud career was concerned).

Gainesway (in its more recent history) is NOT a farm known to make much of a financial commitment to a stallion. I would also guess that if any dollars were transacted, Team Alex did not receive anything close to what they expected early-on (months ago).

Regardless...Alex has earned an opportunity and will get it. I expect it won't be what it might otherwise have been had a deal been made with some of the bigger players (in recent years)...some examples: Three Chimneys or Lanes End or Hill n Dale or Claiborne or WinStar & Taylor Made or Coolmore.

I'm not saying that all or any of those farms made a big play for Afleet Alex...but I am confident that any of those farms could have thrown the support and advertising and marketing behind him that would have likely offered him a bigger opportunity than Gainesway might. I suggest that because it seems that ever since new ownership and management (at Gainesway) came onto the scene (post John Gaines)...Gainesway seems to have taken more than a couple of steps backward and doesn't seem to push many chips on the table to play...

...but who knows...maybe Gainesway has purchased a big chunk of Alex and made a significant financial commitment to him...and maybe this signifies their reemergence as a big player (as Gainesway used to be).

Is Afleet Alex standing-at-Gainesway a case of Gainesway willing to step up to the table and go all-in with the cash...or...is this a case of Team Alex having few options (as the 2006 breeding season is fast approaching) and Gainesway simply standing him largely for the account of Team Alex?

Hmmm.

Respectfully

[HR LLC]

FOS,
Team Alex made a mistake by waiting this long to retire AA(in terms of getting top dollar for AA for stud duty). Do you think the mistake was inexperinced owners or the trainer telling them AA could come back?

[austique]

FOS,

Jess Jackson is now listed as part owner of the horse, so I'm not sure how much Gainesway put up.

[erins isle]

Whatever may happen to AA, I am sure he wil get a long and happy life at Gainesway Stud. Think about Stop the Music and Lyphard, who reached the age of 35 yo in happy retirement.
About the PR: when I informed about the old guys, I got a personal mail from the staff how why and when they went to the large studfarm in the sky.
I wish everyone was like Gainesway Stud.

[summerhorse]

Alex is a better horse than half (or more) of the current Claiborne stallion roster. So maybe they thought HE was out of their league or maybe Gainesway just made them the better deal. Has he been syndicated? $40,000 isn't too shabby a fee. They really did expect to race him this year so they weren't in a hurry to make a deal, I think they though if he got HOTY this year he'd be worth that much more.

[Sysonby]

To the extent that he supports AA, Jess Jackson's participation is a tremendous asset. He's bought a lot of fabulous mares over the last 2 years and he has one of the best broodmare bands in Kentucky.

[austique]

The horse hasn't been syndicated and no syndication plans are being worked on.

According to latest article, Cash is King wanted Afleet Alex to be the marquee horse at the farm and Gainesway offered them that. What is Cozzee? Chopped liver? I'm protesting! Nobody takes the spotlight away from Cozzene

[Heidilady]

What is Cozzee? Chopped liver? I'm protesting! Nobody takes the spotlight away from Cozzene

Haha, Cozzene rules

Yeah I got the impression from one of the articles on this that they really wanted to have him below Rock Hard Ten and Saint Liam's stud fee to maybe undercut them a bit. Not sure how well that'll work but hey, go for it, and I'd love Afleet Alex to be available for visitation so I'd like them to try that.

I too was a bit shocked at the farm choice but the fee was near what I'd guessed. Didn't someone here propose $25,000? Something like that...how goofy, they could've charged $50,000 if they'd wanted but they wanted him to look like a bargain.

So folks, just to renew a certain debate, would you go to Afleet Alex knowing what you do now or Unforgettable Max? Who's "worth it" so to speak?

[madelyn]

Cozzene is getting on in years, and they truly need an heir apparent. However, I would not have sent a mare to AA and his being at Gainesway makes it a firm double X for me (bad experience).

[FOS]

hi madelyn

If you would share it...what went wrong that earned Gainesway the dreaded "double x"...from you?

Respectfully

[summerhorse]

If I had the money I'd go with Alex, his talent was far superior and he had tremendous athletic ability and courage. I'd certainly look for a mare with a very good bottom line and broodmare sire of course.