Mine That Bird vs. Rachael Alexandra

[ruffian]

The "bad" thing about MTB being a gelding, and being a racehorse is that is all he can do unless he's lucky enough to be retired to someplace for show like the Kentucky Horse Park. So his owners may choose to race him until he breaks down or wears out, and then just gets dropped lower and lower until he's in $1,000 claiming races or sold to Europe for horse meat. One gelding - can't think who it is right now - ended up over there butchered and everybody was all up in arms, for about a day.

Mares and stallions can be retired to breeding, and if they're good or well bred, will be done racing by the time they're 3-5.

Thanks CRponies!!

 

[Margo_C-T]

I am not at ALL 'into' horseracing, for reasons mostly relating to the horses' overall well-being, but I LOVE what I can see of MTB. He is a 'typical' gelding--level-headed, sensible, and with this horse, a kind eye and calm demeanor--yet when he is 'called to action', he's clearly 'got it'! I can only HOPE(and since they are fellow New Mexicans, I have faith!)that the owners will do better by this great horse than to let him slowly 'sink' to ignominy, and instead, perhaps send him to the KY Horse Park for a comfortable retirement. Heck, I'd love to see him being USED as a 'real' horse...I'd about bet money(and I am NOT a bettor) that he'd make a very decent trail/pleasure riding horse, once 'let down' from the race track...to me, he sends off vibes that he has the 'right' kind of mind. Most of all, I hope he can stay sound until and through a reasonable retirement.

With a 5-6"(hand + an inch to hand and a half)height differential between MTB and the reportedly big filly, at 16.2 HH, I think it even more astonishing how close he ran to her...considering what everyone thinks of HER quality and ability....that translates into a possibly quite significant stride differential.

I like that a filly 'ran with the boys' and beat them)although I had to wonder, what's with that LIP CHAIN, on a filly?), but I admit, I am partial to that NICE gelding!

Margo

 

[~Lisa~]

The "bad" thing about MTB being a gelding, and being a racehorse is that is all he can do unless he's lucky enough to be retired to someplace for show like the Kentucky Horse Park. So his owners may choose to race him until he breaks down or wears out, and then just gets dropped lower and lower until he's in $1,000 claiming races or sold to Europe for horse meat. One gelding - can't think who it is right now - ended up over there butchered and everybody was all up in arms, for about a day.
Mares and stallions can be retired to breeding, and if they're good or well bred, will be done racing by the time they're 3-5.

Thanks CRponies!!

While this is a chance I agree if you look at it the other way around all those mares and stallions breeding and breeding all to try and get that one special foal will allow many more horses to make that horrible long one way trip into Canada or Mexico

 

[Just Us N Texas]

Mine That Bird is obviously a mudder, and Rachel Alexandra isn't. The track was obviously to his liking. Now with a dry track, I'd like to see what would happen. I admire that filly immensely, and who knows what "coulda, woulda" happened if, if, if. Both are obviously great horses! Saturday she came to the finish line first, and that is all that counts for that particular race.

I would rather not see the filly race against the boys, as I saw Winning Colors, and some other great fillies in their racing and broodmare careers, and neither produced that "great horse". As a matter of fact, they didn't produce runners of any consequence.

Nonetheless, it is great to see her break that 85 year old record!

 

[Westwood Farms]

Ferdinand ended up as meat, and he was an awesome horse.....

Now, that was an incredible race, thanks for posting the link. I missed it the first go around!

 

[crponies]

Just Us In Texas, while the track was sloppy for the Derby, it was really dry for the Preakness. In fact, it was drier than usual because they were expecting rain and didn't water it down from my reading. This actually proved a lot of people wrong about Bird as they thought he needed mud to do well. He still came in second on that dry track. I really like both Rachel and Bird and really hope for them both to appear in the Belmont.

Despite all my interest in these Triple Crown races, I am really not a big fan of horse racing either. I know many horses love to run, but I think too often the horse's best interest is put aside in the interest of making a profit when it comes to horse racing (and many other areas of the horse industry).

 

[Just Us N Texas]

It may have been listed as a dry track ealier in the day, but it was raining, because all the connections opted to use the inside paddock instead of the outside paddock because of the rain. Calvin Borel used all 5 pairs of his goggles, and the horses running behind were muddy. Calvin said Rachel Alexandra kept having the track break from under her, and she had some trouble getting her footing. I did not get to watch the race Saturday, but as an avid race fan, I have looked at every picture, read the form, and watched every video I could find on the race. I not only have an interest in the "big" races, but all races down to the $5,000.00 claimers. There are certainly more of those than the big money earners.