Thoroughbred Racing 2018

[scooter]

I have had jumping horses my whole life. Just because Justify has a little filling in his ankle and has been removed from active training, does not mean that he is retired. That type of thing usually resoves itself with a couple of weeks of rest and a 'sweat' applied under a support bandage. Now, maybe they might choose to retire him and send him to stud now because it's the most profitable moment and he's undefeated.

 

[Vagabond]

Justify is being retired.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jul/25/justify-retires-triple-crown-winner-bob-baffer

He is not the first Triple Crown winner not to race again after the Belmont Stakes. Count Fleet didn't either.

 

[skipaway]

Had a great laugh at this Barbara Livingston tweet.

What a Small World

 

[scooter]

I was there the day Affirmed won the triple crown at Belmont. Alydar, who in any other year would have been the triple crown winner, had the last laugh as a very successful breeding stallion, much more than Affirmed. Sadly he died in very suspicious circumstances at the breeding farm at Calumet. The owner was in a lot of trouble/debt financially and the stallion shattered his led in his stall over night, eventually having to be put down. Several people were indicted for insurance fraud.

 

[sk8pics]

Alydar had nothing to be ashamed of in that Triple Crown series. It was sad the way he died.

@skipaway Barbara Livingston is hilarious, besides being a great photographer. I've met her a few times at Old Friends.

And, Sunday I am meeting Justify. It's hard to believe that he will be the second triple crown winner I've met. From the pictures I've seen, it looks like he's mellowed some. At least I hope so, LOL!

 

[sk8pics]

Quite the interesting Travers over the weekend...

Justify is very handsome and he is HUGE. He did not seem very happy, though, or it could have been he was tired or sulky because he wasn't outside in his paddock. Or maybe they gave him a light sedative. He hung his head a lot, but then he also picked it up and swiveled his ears around at us. We were in groups of 50 to each line up and get our picture with him. A friend of mine in a later group said he tried to grab his groom, LOL. I will see him again in October and will be curious to see how he looks then. He reminded me of Curlin, actually. A very big and beautiful horse. But he doesn't yet have the presence and charisma of American Pharoah. Hopefully he will settle down and be happy with his new life.

 

[skipaway]

Justify is very handsome and he is HUGE. He did not seem very happy, though, or it could have been he was tired or sulky because he wasn't outside in his paddock. Or maybe they gave him a light sedative. .

sk8pics,
Is sedating a horse common practice for fan days?

 

[sk8pics]

sk8pics,
Is sedating a horse common practice for fan days?

Not necessarily. But Justify has an apparently well-earned rep fir biting and he is newly off the track. On the other hand, he let it all hang out a couple of times so maybe he was bored.

 

[skipaway]

Barbara Livingston is an Amazing Photographer

This happened yesterday during the last strides in the Gallant Bob Stakes at Belmont.
Whereshetoldmetogo apparently was upset Firenze Fire was winning.
Barbara Livingston is always in the right place at the right time.

 

[sk8pics]

Barbara is a cool person, too. I bought one of her books at Old Friends once, and she signed it and drew a little figure of a horse. Not bad either! I also helped her once get pictures, by crinkling the bag of carrots I had, so the horse would pick his head up and prick his ears at us.

 

[sk8pics]

Well, not racing per se, but the Thoroughbred Makeover is this weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park. This is where trainers re-train off the track thoroughbreds (OTTBs) for other careers. The star contender (well, IMO anyway) is Cozmic One, first son of the great Zenyatta. Coz was not a good racer but he appears to be quite good at jumping, and is entered in 2 disciplines. Trained by Isabella De Sousa, whose family is in the business. She's around 17 but has won some of the events over the past couple of years. I actually met her at Old Friends a month or two ago. Typical teen, Coz seems to love her. I'll be going to some of the events, but I think you can also stream them.

 

[sk8pics]

So, Cozmic One came in 5th in the show jumpers division, out of something like 160 horses, and he and his rider were the top scoring Junior rider. He looked awesome. And, I got to meet him on Thursday and pet him for a long long time, as Isabela was braiding his mane and she told me to keep petting him while she did that. And her dad took a picture of Coz and me. It was very cool and so nice of them. They are a nice family, kind to their animals and to the fans.