The WAR HORSE Chronicles

[Miss Woodford]

The annual stories about the 14yo harness horses who will be sent off to their mandatory retirement are starting to pop up. Always great to read, these are the war horses on the other side who keep going week after week bringing home their relatively small paychecks.

"She's the definition of a professional" (Soapy Sap)
http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absoluten ... 6&zoneid=1

[Sparrow Castle]

The annual stories about the 14yo harness horses who will be sent off to their mandatory retirement are starting to pop up. Always great to read, these are the war horses on the other side who keep going week after week bringing home their relatively small paychecks.

"She's the definition of a professional" (Soapy Sap)
http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absoluten ... 6&zoneid=1

LOL, “We’ve lasted longer than most marriages.” What a sweet article. Thanks for posting it.

[Sparrow Castle]

Woohoo, celebration time!

New Horizon for a Racetrack Warrior

Last Wednesday, a 12-year-old gelding named Bartletts (Mr. Greeley) arrived at the Michalson Farm, its 180 acres contoured by the rolling hills east of Columbia, Missouri and turned to its purpose by the Michalson family–Greg, Gena, and their daughter, Marian. As the van turned off the highway and made its way along county road WW, Bartletts was surely stirred from the somnolence of his long journey by the unmistakable feel of horse country.

Like so many riders drawn to the challenge of the Retired Racehorse Project, Marian Michalson recently began her search for a horse to enter in the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover, to be held in early October at the Kentucky Horse Park. The RRP differs from programs oriented toward the rescue of horses that have fallen into perilous circumstances. It’s a program of renewal, rather than rescue. The typical approach is to find a sound, healthy 4- or 5-year-old close enough to the end of its racing career to qualify as an off-track Thoroughbred–in the parlance of racehorse retirement, an OTTB. This was exactly what Marian was looking for–until the photo of a 12-year-old racehorse with 23 wins in 111 starts popped up on her newsfeed.

Bartletts is far from the typical OTTB. He’s been raced in each of the last 11 years, including 10 races in 2017 as a 12-year-old.

More: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/new-horizon-for-a-racetrack-warrior

[WarBiscuit]

Woohoo, celebration time!

New Horizon for a Racetrack Warrior

Last Wednesday, a 12-year-old gelding named Bartletts (Mr. Greeley) arrived at the Michalson Farm, its 180 acres contoured by the rolling hills east of Columbia, Missouri and turned to its purpose by the Michalson family–Greg, Gena, and their daughter, Marian. As the van turned off the highway and made its way along county road WW, Bartletts was surely stirred from the somnolence of his long journey by the unmistakable feel of horse country.

Like so many riders drawn to the challenge of the Retired Racehorse Project, Marian Michalson recently began her search for a horse to enter in the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover, to be held in early October at the Kentucky Horse Park. The RRP differs from programs oriented toward the rescue of horses that have fallen into perilous circumstances. It’s a program of renewal, rather than rescue. The typical approach is to find a sound, healthy 4- or 5-year-old close enough to the end of its racing career to qualify as an off-track Thoroughbred–in the parlance of racehorse retirement, an OTTB. This was exactly what Marian was looking for–until the photo of a 12-year-old racehorse with 23 wins in 111 starts popped up on her newsfeed.

Bartletts is far from the typical OTTB. He’s been raced in each of the last 11 years, including 10 races in 2017 as a 12-year-old.

More: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/new-horizon-for-a-racetrack-warrior

Hallelujah, indeed! I've been waiting a long time for this news. I think Blindlucky reported back in June that a retirement was in the works, but he kept showing up at the races until just a few weeks ago. Happy retirement to Bartletts - a true War Horse!

Final racing stats for those interested - Bartletts (Mr. Greeley - Prior Park, by Silver Deputy). 111 - 23-19-14, $497,293.

WarBiscuit

[Miss Woodford]

The annual stories about the 14yo harness horses who will be sent off to their mandatory retirement are starting to pop up. Always great to read, these are the war horses on the other side who keep going week after week bringing home their relatively small paychecks.

"She's the definition of a professional" (Soapy Sap)
http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absoluten ... 6&zoneid=1

LOL, “We’ve lasted longer than most marriages.” What a sweet article. Thanks for posting it.

Those sorts of stories seem to be more common with Standardbreds. Maybe because the bottom rungs of their racing don't require them to be up for a tag (there are claiming races but condition races are more common) so the horses often stay with their same owner/trainer for life. That, and they last much longer on the track. At little Scarborough Downs in Maine last month for example 12 local 14yos were sent off in a retirement ceremony. There are just a few 14yo TBs who raced in 2017 in the entire US, and none that I know of in flat races.

Standardbreds older than 14 can still compete in fairs or non-betting races, and this year 15yo Orchard Street was quite successful on the fair circuit.
"Mr. Longevity"
http://harnessracingfanzone.com/mr-longevity/

[Sparrow Castle]

The annual stories about the 14yo harness horses who will be sent off to their mandatory retirement are starting to pop up. Always great to read, these are the war horses on the other side who keep going week after week bringing home their relatively small paychecks.

"She's the definition of a professional" (Soapy Sap)
http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absoluten ... 6&zoneid=1

LOL, “We’ve lasted longer than most marriages.” What a sweet article. Thanks for posting it.

Those sorts of stories seem to be more common with Standardbreds. Maybe because the bottom rungs of their racing don't require them to be up for a tag (there are claiming races but condition races are more common) so the horses often stay with their same owner/trainer for life. That, and they last much longer on the track. At little Scarborough Downs in Maine last month for example 12 local 14yos were sent off in a retirement ceremony. There are just a few 14yo TBs who raced in 2017 in the entire US, and none that I know of in flat races.

Standardbreds older than 14 can still compete in fairs or non-betting races, and this year 15yo Orchard Street was quite successful on the fair circuit.
"Mr. Longevity"
http://harnessracingfanzone.com/mr-longevity/

Another nice story. Sounds like I'd fit better in the world of Standardbreds. I detest the claiming game. Really hard to lose one to a barn that's not up to our standards, which really just means good horsemanship and caring. Wish TBs had more condition-type races and fewer claiming at the mid and lower ends of the sport. I'd happily keep a horse for his/her whole race career!

[WarBiscuit]

Well, I was pretty sure that I had this guy safely removed from the active list more than a year ago, but lo and behold, here is 12yo g Iron Sway back to the races tomorrow, after not having run for more than a year. Lightly raced for his age (27 career starts) with 1 win and $11,250 in earnings, he'll head back to work at
Portland Meadows tomorrow in Race 5 - a low level claimer as the longshot. I'm guessing that he was bored with whatever he has been doing for the past year and needs a little excitement, although personally I may have picked a less stressful job for him at this point. At any rate, the best of luck to Iron Sway!

WarBiscuit

[Miss Woodford]

Also on the Standardbred side: The war horse of all war horses, Foiled Again got the 98th win of his career last night! NW8000L5 at Saratoga Harness is a long way from the Grand Circuit but he won without breaking a sweat.
http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absoluten ... zoneid=118
https://saratogacasino.com/race-replays/ Click race 8 on the 16th
The richest Standardbred in history now has a record of 29-7-3-2 in 2017 and a lifetime record of [b]302-98-65-43[b]. He'll continue his quest for 100 wins (or more) next year and will be making several meet-and-greet appearances along the way including Breyerfest 2018. If you have a chance to come out and see him in person make sure to do it. It's hard to compare him to any Thoroughbred, maybe Exterminator? Roseben? You'd have to go back a long long way, that's for sure.

[Starine]

Nice stories on those Standardbreds. I see a lot of them competing at the endurance rides and they do very well.

[honneerider]

Foiled Again has his own coffee named after him and sold as a benefit for New Vocations:
https://www.eriecoffeeroasters.com/prod ... dium-roast
He also has a Breyer horse in his honor