Capping Question
 

Bel 1 - #7 Hedge Fund

Why would a horse who won easily for 15K at the track/distance come back 11 days later and be dropped to 10K? Do they want to get rid of the horse?

Thoughts?

Spyder

I've always loved the name of that horse.

This case is a particularly egregious example because he is very well bred as a Phipps homebred. He pretty much proved last year that he wasn't very fast when he lost to the eventual claimer Jamacian Kev at Aqueduct then burned a ton of money in a MSW eventually won by Daaher. After the Belmont meet in the fall it looks like the horse was privately purchased by David Jacobson and he broke his maiden for 16k on opening day at the Big A. Contessa's assistant claimed him out of that start and he has since been up and down the Contessa inner track claiming ladder.

To answer your question, this is a horse who was claimed for 16k, has been knocking hard since November and most importantly is running against OPEN company today. His last start was for 15k with a N2L restriction.

Just my guess, Contessa will send any trainer that claims this horse a thank you note.

NT

at that level 5 k does not mean much especially if the horse is winning or at least getting checks. they'll try to make as much as they can. taking a chance on him getting claimed. between the purse money and betting the 5,000 is nothing.

The first Hedge Fund (1994) was appropriately named, being by Seeking the Gold. This one (a 2003), have to go back to the second dam Get Lucky, by Mr. Prospector, to get a tie-in. Didn't know they could recycle names this quickly; used to be 15 years since last raced/sired something/foaled something and this is under 10 years.