Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Actually it is economically feasible for the new owners.

However, they are just interested with accumulating as many potential stallions as they can to try to one up Coolmore in the only area where they have been deficent. (other than winning the Derby)

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

How many mares do you need?

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Just about anything is economically feasible for them

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I need about 8 more but I'm pretty poor

Originally Posted by ELA

Although I don't play anywhere near that level, what I find very disturbing (as many others do as well), is the cause/effect of how the marketplace has been completely distorted -- at various points on the spectrum. We have seen it in buying promising racehorses (Discreet Cat), and in the broodmare marketplace (Ashado), and the stallion marketplace (how many do we have to name here, LOL).

Unlike others, I admit that if I ended up with a promising superstar, although I have done very well for myself, my family, business, horses, personal investments, real estate, etc. -- not selling for some scary number would be a poor decision. Being a "sportsmen" becomes unfeasible. It's similar to the people who say if they ever won the lottery, they wouldn't quite their job. Easy to say, but being in the financial/estate/tax/etc. field, I can tell you it's different when you are actually wearing the shoes as opposed to dreaming or projecting about wearing the shoes.

The same with a top 3yo. Although I would enjoy the incredible ride and would love to race him as a 4yo -- it just becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible.

It's not just the marketplace, but the entire industry and sport that needs a "correction" so to speak.

Eric

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

well, if you are poor I hate to ask what that makes the rest of us.(me)
I was just curious what the ratio of mares to stallions were.

I think they retire horses to stud at 3 (sometimes 2) because if they go on to race at 4 they don't make the money they can as a stallion. He may prove less valuable every time he runs, risks getting beat or injured in the worse way.

a bird in the hand

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I need about 8 more but I'm pretty poor

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I understand what you are saying but overpaying for a horse then using the fact that you may have overpaid and dont want to lose value as a basis for early retirement is questionable.

As Eric says in his previous post, the majority of owners cannot turn down huge sums of money but the billionaires that talk about value and such are simply bad for the game in the long run.

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

Thanks for understanding wha I am saying. It is a challenge.

just to be clear. I was not being complmentary. I think it is a sham and agree that it is bad for racing.

Also, this is why I wonder why anyone would take a horse to a freshman sire that hasn't proven anything in the shed. How many drop from their initial offering and how many jump up like Storm Cat. Why take your horse to AGS when Distorted Humor (I think) is the one that produced AGS. Now that I have said this I am sure AGS will go on to be the leading sire of 2010.

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

Has anyone heard the actual price paid for AGS?

Rumour is $50million!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If that is true, it is becoming a joke.

He was worth a lot of money and you can be sure that winstar wouldn't have let him go for any less than his value and much more on top, so $50milllion might not be too far off.

You guys better hope that he or one of the others sires the Derby winner in 2011 or there will be trouble!!

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

Is anyone else completely shocked that WinStar sold a decent stallion prospect? They are know for keeping their horses and standing them as stallions after they are retired.

I'm guessing the Darley offer would have to have been around $35-40million for WinStar to accept the offer, i might be wrong but it must have been HUGE for them to say yes.

He would have retired at the end of this year if either operation had ownership of him.

I'm convinced they will get Curlin asap, too. They are desperate to get the leading first season sire in America and with Hard Spun, Street Sense, Any Given Saturday, and maybe Curlin that objective looks reachable and i hope for American breeding they do it, because if they don't they will begin try to purchase every single high class 3yo until they do get a top freshman.

Their domination of the sport (as far as money is concerned) in Britain is well documented. I'm pretty sure the same tactics will soon be evident in the US, too.

Originally Posted by Danzig

i'm thinking lane's end for curlin, as padua is part owner, and likes to deal with that farm--that's where paduas exchange rate went. but then again, vindication went to hill n dale, so who knows?

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Didn't they just move their entire operation to KY?

Originally Posted by Danzig

no way it's that high. smarty jones didn't even go for that much. then look at hard spun--word was about 18 million, and about twice that for street sense.

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

I wouldn't be so sure. Win Star were so excited to be standing him as a sire next year, they would not have accepted a bid unless it was sky high. I'd go as far as saying they wouldn't have accepted anything lower than twice his true value.

Don't forget, if Hard Spun wins a Gr1 before he retires, the price goes up another $15million, doesn't it?

I really wouldn't be surprised if it were close to $50million.

Win Star wouldn't get rid of a really good stallion prospect unless the offer couldn't be turned down

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

Has anyone heard the actual price paid for AGS?

Rumour is $50million!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If that is true, it is becoming a joke.

He was worth a lot of money and you can be sure that winstar wouldn't have let him go for any less than his value and much more on top, so $50milllion might not be too far off.

You guys better hope that he or one of the others sires the Derby winner in 2011 or there will be trouble!!

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

It's a risk, but it could turn out to be very profitable. If you plan to sell the resulting colt/filly as a foal or yearling it's almost certain that you will get more if it is by a freshman. In this game it's all about taking risks with stallions, freshman sires will always be in demand.

Over in Europe, everyone is banking on Hurricane Run to prove himself. I think his yearlings will sell very very well. It seems like every mare owner wants to go to him.