Yup. Bake cookies. That makes sense.
Seriously… It’s nice to be a goodwill ambassador/see him win/make some money but in the last 5 outings, how often has that happened? Sure, everyone gets beaten from time to time. He’s not improving… Seeing this horse get beaten time after time doesn’t conjure up “goodwill” feelings though.
He can still get the adoration… just not any humiliation…
When y’all own your own KD & Preakness winning gelding, y’all can make yer own decision when to retire him.
Kudos to FC’s connections for sharing him with his fans. I loved watching him and meeting his people when they came to Suffolk and I’m sure his outing at FL was even more exciting for his NY following. It’s good for the sport, and so far, it doesn’t seem to be hurting FC either. 'Don’t think he can read the condition book.
[QUOTE=Barnfairy;2545483]
'Don’t think he can read the condition book.[/QUOTE]
Only Beautiful Jim Key from 1904 could read and write. Made his owner a fortune and entertained a lot of folks at the World’s Fair. High strung (in case people forgot, he’s not the most mellow of horses) Funny Cide doesn’t need no stink’n books, he just loves to breeze against the youngsters.
Can anyone explain for a horse that folks seemingly want to retire so badly, he puts in some of the fastest workouts - his last timed workout was even faster then Invasor on the same track, minutes appart, same distance.
Folks he’s not doing goat racing at the county fair next to the century old hot dogs and dunking booth or put in the man-vs-horse contest. He’s not doing $1,000 appearance fees for the grand opening of the local Sam’s Club or pitching cars for some Kia dealership.
I look at it like this: I’d rather see him running in a race then appearing in some unrecognized dressage show reduced in his “second career” to having do half-halts before a judge or paraded out daily in front of fat tourists at some retirement home, forced to pose for them.
[QUOTE=Pronzini;2544484]
I’m at Hollywood Park every weekend. If you think that’s a pit, I need to introduce you to Stockton. :)[/QUOTE]
Been there, seen it. 
Also remember Victorville. :eek: But when comparing Hollypark to SA – and, although we didn’t include Del Mar, to DM, too --Hollypark is, well, a pit. But then, so is Los Alamitos.
Sure, it may be a nicer pit than most pits, but for a track that holds Grade I’s and held a Breeders Cup … well, that old gray mare ain’t what she used to be.
As for Funny Cide, I tend to think that if his owners and trainers thought the horse was no longer happy and competitive at his job, they’d find him another one. Including one baking cookies. But apparently, they – who know the horse better than anyone on a bulletin board – don’t think that’s the case.
Perhaps now that he is retired he will bake those cookies I mentioned 
Another positive for Finger Lakes Track is tomorrow with the $150k New York Derby, the 8th race on the 9-race program:
Belmont jockeys to ride in New York Derby
Democrat and Chronicle
FARMINGTON NY— Funny Cide is long gone but some racing stars are scheduled to ride at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack in Saturday’s $150,000 New York Derby.
Edgar Prado, Fernando Jara and Alan Garcia are among the Belmont Park-based jockeys named to ride in the second leg of the Big Apple Triple.
Channing Hill will ride Chief’s Lake for trainer Steve Asmussen as the gelding continues his bid for the $250,000 Big Apple Triple bonus. Chief’s Lake won the Mike Lee Handicap on June 26 at Belmont Park. The final leg of the series is the Albany Handicap at Saratoga in late August.
Prado will be aboard French Transition, a colt highly regarded by his connections. Trained by Carlos Martin, French Transition ran in the Grade I Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland as a 2-year-old and in a Grade 2 stake at Santa Anita earlier this spring.
Jara, who was aboard Invasor in winning the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic, will ride Good Prospect. Garcia is riding Dr. V’s Magic, who was third in the Mike Lee. Garcia piloted Funny Cide to victory in the $100,000 Wadsworth Memorial Handicap on July 4.
For those who didn’t catch the Finger Lakes run by Funny Cide in the Wadsworth for the final race of his career someone has finally ripped a copy and put it on youtube.com
(calracing.com doesn’t have rights to show already run Finger Lakes races so getting a copy of the replay was going to be very difficult)
Just a follow up to the New York Derby cited before to held at Finger Lakes - it was a rather large bit of a mess … “sorry about that old chap, we’ll be taking back the trophy and the check …”. Maybe they thought Berry Bound was Barry Bonds
Democrat & Chronicle 7-15-07 “Chief’s Lake wins the N.Y. Derby after Berry Bound is disqualified”
Excerpt
First, jockey Joe Rocco posed with his horse, Berry Bound, and the happy owners in the winner’s circle at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack.
Then he took part in the trophy presentation when Steeplechase Farm was presented with the ceremonial prize as New York Derby winner.
Then Rocco fumed.
Following the usual stakes-race pomp and circumstance, Berry Bound was disqualified and Chief’s Lake placed first.
The stewards ruled that two hard hip checks by Berry Bound on Chief’s Lake at the top of the stretch, then more bumping nearing the wire, were the reasons Rocco’s horse was able to hold on for the victory.
Chief’s Lake lost by a nose, with a head-bob deciding the outcome in the 35th annual race for New York-breds.
[quote]Belmont jockeys to ride in New York Derby
Democrat and Chronicle
FARMINGTON NY— Funny Cide is long gone but some racing stars are scheduled to ride at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack in Saturday’s $150,000 New York Derby.
Edgar Prado, Fernando Jara and Alan Garcia are among the Belmont Park-based jockeys named to ride in the second leg of the Big Apple Triple.
Channing Hill will ride Chief’s Lake for trainer Steve Asmussen as the gelding continues his bid for the $250,000 Big Apple Triple bonus. Chief’s Lake won the Mike Lee Handicap on June 26 at Belmont Park. The final leg of the series is the Albany Handicap at Saratoga in late August.
[/QUOTE]
Sticking this under the old thread of Funny Cide’s swan song race … and so warmly received by the fans of Western New York: DRF July 2, 2009
For the second time in three years, Finger Lakes has managed to lure a Kentucky Derby horse to western New York for the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap.
Sweetnorthernsaint, the beaten favorite in the 2006 Derby won by Barbaro, will try to follow in the footsteps of Funny Cide when he takes on nine older horses in Saturday’s $50,000 Wadsworth at 1 1/8 miles.
The Wadsworth (race 8) is the co-feature on a card that also includes the $50,000 Niagara, a six-furlong sprint restricted to New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.
Two years ago, 2003 Derby winner Funny Cide made the final start of his career when he captured the Wadsworth. On Saturday, Sweetnorthernsaint, runner-up in the 2006 Preakness after finishing seventh as the 5-1 favorite in that year’s Derby, will try to snap a six-race losing streak.
Support Finger Lakes if you can!
Not unsuprising is that Sweetnorthernsaint is the 5-2 ML favorite
Thanks for posting that, Glimmer- I’d somehow missed the news!
I liked the horse quite a bit in 2006 but he’d long ago fallen off of my radar. I’ll be there on Saturday to ‘catch up’.
The days of products being named after 9-yr old Funny Cide appeared to be over (including the ice cream and the beer) however his presence at the opening of Ellis Park for the 2009 meet spurned yet another product: Funny Cider, a non-alcoholic beverage
The gelding’s appearance at the track’s opening day coincided with the official rollout of Funny Cider. The drink is being produced by Evans Orchards, located in Georgetown, Ky., near the champion’s new home at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Funny Cide’s owner Jack Knowlton got the idea when the orchard served hot cider in December at a horse park event commemorating the Derby winner’s arrival.
“We’re just taking the game to a little different level than most people,” Knowlton said. “We enjoyed his success, so we’re going to share it and just have some fun.”
Funny Cide, the last gelding to win the Derby before Mine That Bird did it this year, hadn’t made a road trip since arriving at the horse park. It also marked the first time a Derby winner had been on the grounds at Ellis Park since Black Gold in 1927.
All profits from the cider sales will go to the horse park’s Hall of Champions.
As an aside Funny’s visit to Ellis July 11, 2009 brought out a reported 6,009 people.
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