I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to change a winning formula.
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/breeders-cup/stevens-ride-runhappy-breeders-cup-dirt-mile/
They are seriously trying to drum up some business for this horse as a sire, what with all the ads etc. A G1 win at a Mile bumps him up.
On the one hand you could leave well enough alone. On the other you could roll the dice. I could see arguments for both approaches.
I would agree and I wonder if they’re in a bit of a “scary” place with the layoff he’s had to bring him back and find out he’s lost his shine completely. As of now, I would say no, he can still stand on mostly last year’s performance. But a few more off the board runs and his value, IMO, drops.
And I could do a happy dance that the ads will be done 
I agree about the advertising his future stud career, but what is up with a 10 month layoff? Wohlers says Prado was holding him back. What race was she watching? She needs to go back to the furniture sales floor.
http://www.kentucky.com/sports/horses/alicia-wincze-hughes-blog/article105451261.html
And, of course, a jockey change is in order.
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/breeders-cup/stevens-ride-runhappy-breeders-cup-dirt-mile/
He was injured. That’s why he was off for 10 months. Wasn’t by choice, they’d been trying to run him in mile races all year but he had some issues come up.
[QUOTE=Shammy Davis;8874373]
I agree about the advertising his future stud career, but what is up with a 10 month layoff? [/QUOTE]
He was injured. That’s why he was off for 10 months. Wasn’t by choice, they’d been trying to run him in mile races all year (the Met Mile was a big early season goal) but he had some issues come up.
I have been reading the articles on his injury and then subsequent roadblocks to coming back.
10 months is a fair time to be away from the track… could be this last weekend tightened him up or showed that he’s lost his shine. Only time will tell which one it is. Glad it’s above my pay scale to decide whether to race and risk the reputation or retire on the laurels he’s already won…
I don’t see the big deal. Super Saver and Bella Jolie both won races over a mile so he wasn’t bred to be a sprinter. Also, last year he won the grade I 7f Malibu Stakes by 3-1/2 lengths pulling away (with Gary Stephens), so I can see why they thought he could go a mile with training.
This Ack Ack Handicap performance was terrible, but I agree with Where’sMyWhite, “could be this last weekend tightened him up or showed that he’s lost his shine. Only time will tell which one it is.”
I’m not willing to say he can’t go a mile yet since his second try was off a 10 month layoff so he probably needed the race. If he runs backward in the Breeders’ Cup then I’ll agree that he’s just a sprinter but like PeteyPie said, he actually isn’t bred to be a sprinter (his sire won the Kentucky Derby so there is stamina close up in the pedigree). I think the connections are getting a lot more flack than they deserve for the decision, to be honest.
Forgive my ignorance, but does Laura Wohlers train for other people. Not familiar with her at all until Runhappy came on the scene.
Yes, I think she’s the stable manager too, but I’m probably wrong.
Nothing on the “official” Twitter since the race other than praising Tom’s Ready. Wonder what’s next.
She is on Equibase.
[QUOTE=dogdays;8875883]
Forgive my ignorance, but does Laura Wohlers train for other people. Not familiar with her at all until Runhappy came on the scene.[/QUOTE]
I think she’s Mack’s personal trainer/sister-in-law/stable manager/mattress store (company?) manager.
Run happy has been retired to Claiborne Farm, and will stand for $25,000.
I think a reasonable fee and a good decision. IMO, his last few races he said he was done being a racehorse.
His career is always going to haunt me. I understand retiring him but I really wish he would have had another year with a different trainer to make up for this one.
[QUOTE=gotpaints;8933053]
His career is always going to haunt me. I understand retiring him but I really wish he would have had another year with a different trainer to make up for this one.[/QUOTE]
Yes, she cannot read a condition book. Her stats are awful - 12% win and 30% in the money.
I saw him win the King’s Bishop on Travers day 2015. Gorgeous horse with obvious talent despite poor management. I wish he’d had the opportunity to run with better connections 
He’s looked miserable in his last few workouts and the way he fizzled out in the Dirt Mile was sad. Claiborne will keep him happy and healthy.
Since there are people here who are much more knowledgeable in the industry than I. 
Why, oh why is Claiborne advertising the snot out of Runhappy almost a year after he retired. Commercial after commercial (and new ones)… ran drug free, lasix free, champion, stall #1 at Claiborne.
Stall 1 at Claiborne I personally almost feel an insult to the greats that have been housed over the years in Stall 1.
Is it that big a deal that he was drug/lasix free? Was he really that good a horse with that strong a pedigree or is Claiborne advertising the snot out of him to try to get mares in his book (and for this year, really late to breed and they’re still advertising much more, IMO, than other stallions).
Am I selling Runhappy short or what am I missing?
Yes. The drug/lasix free thing might be a big deal since racing is under a lot of pressure to clean up the drug scene. I don’t know if Lasix will ever go away, but most jurisdictions disallow race day medication other than Lasix. It is moving in that direction. As for his pedigree, I’m not ready for a nap so I’ll ignore the breeding side of your question.
