That was a good solid effort.
You never know exactly what they’ll do that first time out.
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Collusion Illusion absolutely disappointed in the King Cotton Stakes at Oaklawn yesterday. I think he’s been screaming for about 8 months to retire him.
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I agree. Or at least drop him in class, but I don’t want to see him get claimed away.
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I honestly was hoping they would retire him a little earlier and try to turn him into a stud. I have a a soft spot for his naturally grumpy face and hope he can find a soft landing.
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It seems that this colt is MRH/Spendthrift owned.
https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/american-pharoah-colt-upsets-baffert-trio-in-san-vicente/
I think I got on board with MRH after this colt’s offerings closed. He could be an exciting one to watch.
The petty part of me is extra happy that he beat BB’s three entrants.
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Looks like they’re having to make the decision on whether to retire Collusion Illusion or not. I was doing some cursory research on stallions in Kentucky and I don’t think it would be too far of a stretch that he could find a place as a stallion. I think it would be interesting if they decide to try him at a longer distance but I hope they get a good offer so he can retire. The talent is clearly still there from his works but he doesn’t seem to like the actual racing anymore.
He is not Kentucky stallion material at this moment in time.
Their best bet would be somewhere like Florida, maybe California.
Things get sketchy for a stallion’s prospects when you drop to markets like PA, LA, TX, NM, OK, etc. Even sketchier when you consider the foreign countries that may be interested in a stallion prospect in that price range with that paper and resume.
if he could get a strong stakes win around 2 turns, that would help him out a bit. Sprinters can be a hard sell as stallion prospects.
I was looking at California’s current offerings for stallions as well, I hadn’t thought of Florida but it makes sense, they are one of the other big hubs for horse racing (horses in general). It’s astounding the drop in quality once you leave Kentucky. I think they should give him a shot at two turns. His pedigree has two turn success throughout it and he’s not really been tried at the distance, the one race he had was a DNF so I don’t think that counts.
It’s not that it’s bad to be a stallion in other states or countries. There are plenty of fabulous farms where the horses receive top notch care. But the mare populations are lousy, so the stallion isn’t going to be getting any help in that department. It’s totally up to him to keep himself employed, which is a big ask. Meanwhile, all that time spent getting low class horses to the stallion’s name further hurts his value, even if it isn’t entirely his fault. That’s when the horse ends up at risk, because for most farms, breeding is a business and there has to be some line drawn if a horse isn’t earning his keep.
There are plenty of stallions who become “big fish in small ponds” and dominate their regional market. Sometimes they even earn their way back into Kentucky. But that’s the equivalent of winning the lottery.
I meant stallion quality not farm quality, but I do worry about horses falling through the cracks when they don’t turn a profit. I think he could be well above what’s on offer in other states. I think if he could get some 2 turn wins maybe that would help him. Or not if he’s really completely done with racing.
I guess I hope he’s got 25000 eyes on what happens to him and that helps him find a soft landing.
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Yeah, I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape whatever happens so long as he doesn’t wind up in a developing country. And I suspect MRH will be very careful about that. I don’t think they want the PR headaches.
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I know very little about the business of horse racing, but when do you decide that the horse just isn’t a runner? Tap the Gavel has yet to find success despite running with different equipment and changing different surfaces (I think they even tried him on turf) and now is going to a different trainer with lower ranked races.
My OTTB loving heart would prefer that MRH geld and retire him to an org like New Vocations or CANTER sooner rather than later, but for those of you who are more knowledgeable, how many poor showings does it take to determine if it worth trying to still race a horse who is showing no talent? It just looks like his heart isn’t in it and he would much rather be someone’s new eventer or hunter getting stuffed silly with peppermints (ok ok - I’m just projecting my desires here) but what causes the retirement call and who makes it?
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A friend of mine owns a bit of TTG, and is disappointed of course. I am disappointed for her. Just hope he does eventually find either some success as a racehorse or a good home.
Wish I would win the lottery big. I would buy him, if MRH would agree, and try to do what you suggest the paragraph two. And if that did not work out, just keep him as a pasture ornament.
This is why if I win the lottery big I will be up to my ears in ex-racehorses.
Editing to add, I own a bit of Kanthari, who was diagnosed with kissing spine last year. After rehab he is galloping lightly again, but I doubt he will ever race and I am not so sure of any positive future for him. The latest report says he is doing better, but tends to “be a bit stiff when he first starts off at the jog”. A three-year old starting out stiff does not sound good.
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I believe the owner, in consultation with the trainer, makes the call. Most people don’t want their horses to be unhappy, and racing them is expensive.
I was kind of relieved to see a change in trainer, not to knock Mott at all, he definitely tried to give him every chance to succeed. Just seems that he probably needed to make room for a horse with more talent and I’m glad tappy will be avoiding claiming company for a little while longer. Seems he would have been moved to the claimers if he stayed with Mott. Possibly he can try a few more msw’s at Tampa bay and Monmouth and if nothing comes of it they can retire him. The training’s already paid for, I’m content to see him run out his 3 year old season a little longer. It seems MRH has bad luck with Tapits, unfortunately. 
I have a share in Tap the Gavel. He’s a good looking horse, but even before his first start, from watching the training videos and updates, I said to my husband “I don’t know if that one wants to be a race horse” and was astonished he finished 2nd the first time out. I’d much rather see him gelded and moved on to a second career as a sporthorse while he’s still young and in good condition, rather than continuing to run a horse who doesn’t seem to want to do it.
To me, it’s a much different case than Search Engine, who was looking like a winner in the works and just fizzling in the races. With him, I can see continuing to try because it seemed like the horse wanted it, he just needed some maturity and experience to figure out how to put the pieces together. I don’t think Tap the Gavel cares about putting the pieces together.
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Sacred Beauty was second by a nose and claimed out of her race.
A friend with shares in her told me they sold her because she wasn’t competitive. I didn’t look her up to corroborate my friend’s statements even thought it sounded odd. This makes more sense.
