Jen wrote below:
"The return of the grey gladiator sparked nothing but controversy on Woodbine's website and Standardbred Canada.
What is the opinion here, I can't really gauge if you agree that this horse should have been brought back.
Sure he won, so now the owners can pay for whatever it is they needed to pay for (heat? groceries?), but this horse had a giant going-away party at Woodbine years ago, a scam put on by the owners.
I don't agree with giving them press again."
Since they have owned and been with the horse since he was three, I have little problem that they brought him back. He will make $70,000+ in limited starts this year. And he appears to love to do his work. I do not question their motivation. If they put him in a claimer I would feel differently of course. But he'll have a nice home for life with those people.
Here is a story on him from a couple of years ago. He looks like he wants no part of retirement.
Nice story on another tough horse - Dewycheatumnhowe in the New York Times. He might not win Horse of the Year, but I would bet that his trainer wins trainer of the year. Ray deserves it and I think it would be an injustice if the press does not give it to him. H/t Equidaily.
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4 comments:
How is the "retirement" party a scam?
He did go away... for a year.
I can name countless athletes that did the same thing... but scam isn't exactly the first word that pops into my head when they come back.
regards,
Louis
We seem to like to tell people what to do with their horses in our game. I don't know why that is, but as long that this champ does not go in a 5 claimer when he is 14, or he is physically infirm, I could care less that he retired and came back. he is probably better than 90% of the horses at Woodbine anyway. Good for him.
As long as they are sound and they treat him right I have no problem with him still racing. What happened to Shiaway St Pat was a disgrace (the Meadowlands rescued him out of a $2,500 claiming race).
For the record. Ray has already one the trainer of the year as well as the good guy award for 2008 in the United States.
The owners and all connections had nothing to do with organizing his retirement party or evening as you want to call it ...the idea was WEG's. He was and still is a crowd pleaser and has his fans that are still folowing him.
The trainer always kept him in shape jogging him with the other horses and especially the babies...hoping they would pick up some of his good habits. Where can you see a 12 yr. old still going and keeping within l.52-l.53 per start.....No he's isn't finished and get used to it the GREY is back.
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