The Green Monkey won't start at Saratoga after all

[Glimmerglass]

I think the folks at Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds [Ocala, FL] are looking to get into a quasi PT Barnum sideshow attraction:

“Here, ye, here, ye … come one, come all to see the most expensive race horse ever … just come right up it will only cost ya $25”

Hartley and De Renzo plan to build The Green Monkey his own barn at the farm, and they are considering allowing special tours of the farm that will allow visitors to see The Green Monkey.

But if he does well in the shed then he moves up the chain to Ashford Stud.

BloodHorse 2-11-08 “The Green Monkey Retired”

[JER]

Those two should build him a barn and more – the Green Monkey made them very rich.

Considering TGM was never going to win back his purchase price, it’s a wonder they even bothered to send him to the track. Holy Roman Emperor was retired before his three year-old campaign started, amid rumors that he wasn’t performing to expectations.

[Glimmerglass]

Actually the rest of the quotes from that BloodHorse article are amusing as well and worth sharing:

“To me, he was an incredible, incredible horse,” De Renzo said. “He had the feeling of a champion; he thinks he’s a champion. He was a tremendously fast horse, as we all know.”

“I think people would like to see him,” De Renzo said. “He’s a pretty special horse. His price was the most expensive in history, and he is a part of Thoroughbred history.”

Yep - “special because he’s special”. A wonderful bit of circular logic there!

Seriously folks this is something out of the 19thCentury traveling sideshow. “You too can see the man who was paid an astounding and unbelievable one million dollars just to do nothing for a year … ooooh … ahhhhh …”

[Glimmerglass]

My wife made this remark to me when I said The Green Monkey was retired and might be on display for tourists: “isn’t that what they’re doing with Wildfire on that tv show?”

[Linny]

@miss_critic;3000505

HaHaHaHa. You should also get a pony ride on him so you can feel 16 million between your legs!

I simply dont know how to respond to this post. THAT is a first.;):eek::winkgrin:

[ravenclaw]

[QUOTE=Texarkana;3000432]
How about they pay you $100 and give you a week’s time share at their condo in Barbados?[/QUOTE]
:lol:

My first thought when I heard he was retired: “And he’s going to stud WHY?”

I’m sure Pletcher is glad to be rid of him.

[Texarkana]

[QUOTE=ravenclaw;3001140]
:lol:

My first thought when I heard he was retired: “And he’s going to stud WHY?”

I’m sure Pletcher is glad to be rid of him.[/QUOTE]

Even with cash in hand, a tropical vacation, and $16 million between my legs (:winkgrin:), you still probably couldn’t get me to breed to him. :lol:

As far as other great sires with ho-hum race records (Storm Cat, et. al.)-- at least they BROKE THEIR MAIDEN!!!

I guarantee I can go claim me a Forestry colt with a more impressive race record for peanuts.

[harvestmoon]

Poor Monkey. It’s not his fault someone paid $16 million for him.

But, seriously, how is he any different from other horses currently at stud? Horses with very meager race resumes? People apparently breed to these horses, so why not Monkey?

[ravenclaw]

[QUOTE=harvestmoon;3001497]
People apparently breed to these horses, so why not Monkey? ;)[/QUOTE]
Yeah, there were people who bet on him…I think he went off as the favorite in all of his races. So I’m sure people will breed to him. I’m really curious to know what his stud fee will be. Any guesses? I don’t know how stud fees are determined, but I wouldn’t think they could charge any more than $5,000. If that much.

[JER]

I’m hoping TGM gets a race named after him, preferably on the card for Calder Extreme Day. Call it The Green Monkey Stakes, open it only to horses that cost $1 million + who haven’t broken their maiden.

If enough bribes were paid (this is a race that’s all about money, so it’s fair game), it could be run as a Gr. 1 and then at least one horse would be able to justify his price.

[summerhorse]

[QUOTE=ravenclaw;3001140]
:lol:

My first thought when I heard he was retired: “And he’s going to stud WHY?”

I’m sure Pletcher is glad to be rid of him.[/QUOTE]

Yeah really. On the other hand I’ve seen horses at stud with even LESS to recommend them. A least he is pretty (hunters?) and well bred (hey miracles sometimes happen, he may pass on THOSE genes instead of the ones he ran on…) I am thinking the fee needs to be pretty cheap to get much action. On the other hand I’ve seen a lot of foals by stallions who are really really overpriced so maybe they can make a killing again. Somehow I doubt he’ll ever get to KY, he might get to India or Korea though… 8-D

But seriously if EVER a horse has earned the right (from these people) to a long happy unproductive retirement this one has…

[summerhorse]

[QUOTE=JER;3000547]
Those two should build him a barn and more – the Green Monkey made them very rich.

Considering TGM was never going to win back his purchase price, it’s a wonder they even bothered to send him to the track. Holy Roman Emperor was retired before his three year-old campaign started, amid rumors that he wasn’t performing to expectations.[/QUOTE]

HRE was ONLY retired because George Washington flopped in the stud barn. They needed him to take George’s place so he went to work doing something he MAY be successful at and missed the chance to become possibly a great racehorse.

[summerhorse]

[QUOTE=Texarkana;3000297]
Methinks we’ll be seeing him standing in the midwest or on a plane to South America in the not-so-distant future… (2010?) Being overpriced isn’t enough to cut it even in Florida.

And since when is 4 days before the sheds open “too late” to cover any mares?[/QUOTE]

LOL no kidding…

[ravenclaw]

[QUOTE=summerhorse;3001936]
At least he is pretty (hunters?)[/QUOTE]
He is a pretty, fancy-looking horse so maybe he could do well as a sport horse sire. But didn’t someone earlier on this thread say that TGM is a jerk to deal with? Maybe he will mellow now that he is at the farm. Or maybe not.

[harvestmoon]

[QUOTE=ravenclaw;3001988]
He is a pretty, fancy-looking horse so maybe he could do well as a sport horse sire. But didn’t someone earlier on this thread say that TGM is a jerk to deal with? Maybe he will mellow now that he is at the farm. Or maybe not. :D[/QUOTE]

I don’t know, he looks pretty sweet here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockandracehorses/216359550/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockandracehorses/216359549/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockandracehorses/216350731/

'Course, photos can be deceiving.

[harvestmoon]

[QUOTE=ravenclaw;3001565]
Yeah, there were people who bet on him…I think he went off as the favorite in all of his races. So I’m sure people will breed to him. I’m really curious to know what his stud fee will be. Any guesses? I don’t know how stud fees are determined, but I wouldn’t think they could charge any more than $5,000. If that much.[/QUOTE]

I’m not an expert, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be over $5,000. Who knows, he just might produce some amazing babies.

[JER]

Well, he is a sabino. Don’t they pay more for that in racing?

[Texarkana]

[QUOTE=harvestmoon;3002008]
I’m not an expert, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be over $5,000. Who knows, he just might produce some amazing babies. ;)[/QUOTE]

For less than $5K you can have your mare covered by any number of well-bred G1 winners. Heck, you can even breed to Kentucky Derby winners for under $5K. For example, Go For Gin stands for only $4K. The Green Monkey didn’t even break his maiden!! And his pedigree isn’t anything spectacular.

I’m not saying he’s not cute. But cute and overpriced aren’t the first things I look for in a stallion.

[Texarkana]

[QUOTE=JER;3002067]
Well, he is a sabino. Don’t they pay more for that in racing?[/QUOTE]

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

So far that’s the most impressive thing on his resume!

[harvestmoon]

[QUOTE=Texarkana;3002069]
For less than $5K you can have your mare covered by any number of well-bred G1 winners. Heck, you can even breed to Kentucky Derby winners for under $5K. For example, Go For Gin stands for only $4K. The Green Monkey didn’t even break his maiden!! And his pedigree isn’t anything spectacular.

I’m not saying he’s not cute. But cute and overpriced aren’t the first things I look for in a stallion.[/QUOTE]

Which is, like I said, why I doubt his stud fee would be over $5,000.