Definition of "Sporting"...

Ogygian · #1 05-21-2009, 08:35 AM

As I listened to the replay this morning I could only shake my head in total disgust and dismay and what I was hearing. If I hear one more person use the term "sporting" and Jess Jackson in the same sentence I may lose it. Let me put this out there...what he did with Curlin was NOT "sporting", what he did with Rachel was NOT "sporting", it was flat out GREED. He can shovel the sh.. as much as he wants, I'm not buying it. He bought her for one reason and one reason only, to run her in the Preakness and if she won to breed her to Curlin. Don't give me this "He did the sporting thing", BULLSH.., I heard he did it "for the moms" or the whole "boys vs girls".
I am going out on limb here...She will not run in the Belmont (no reason to) and she will come up with a mysterious injury that will force her to retire early. ( I hope that doesn't happen, but I have a gut feeling thats were this is headed). The standard "she came out exhausted" for now, then something will pop up down the road. It's all about the breeding now, he got what he wanted, why risk a injury.
Here is my feeling on "Sporting"...Evening Attire, Lava Man going to Old Friends, Funny Cide being a lead pony, Mary Lou saying she would step aside to let RA in, the softball player that hit a home run and blew her kneee out rounding first and couldn't run the bases, the other teams players helped her around.
Those are all examples of "sporting" in my eyes...Not this crap.

Antitrust32 · #2 05-21-2009, 08:43 AM

Jess Jackson is more sporting than the other big owners.

Why did Darley have to retire Bernardini? Do they need the stud money?

Jackson is like the only guy who runs his horses and I will be VERY surprised if she is not running at 4.

Sightseek · #3 05-21-2009, 08:46 AM

Taking a shot, when you could be proven wrong, I consider sporting.

Doing the same old thing like the Mosses with Zenyatta, not sporting.

Trying new things like Turf or running in the Classic when you're not terribly fond of the surface, but understand that the fans want to see it - sporting.

Scratching because of being highweighted like Frankel - not sporting.

Just because someone monetarily benefits from sporting actions doesn't make it any less sporting in my eyes.

Sightseek · #4 05-21-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

Jess Jackson is more sporting than the other big owners.

Why did Darley have to retire Bernardini? Do they need the stud money?

Jackson is like the only guy who runs his horses and I will be VERY surprised if she is not running at 4.

Agree - Bernardini, Hard Spun and Street Sense all being retired is very unsporty!

Sightseek · #5 05-21-2009, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I agree that Curlin running at 4 was not sporting, he had to run him. But, after he bought Rachel Alexandra, she was being bred to Curlin regardless of what she did last Saturday. He has said he wants to win Horse of the Year with her. I believe it.

I don't know if sporting is the right word, but his purchase, and decision to run her left us with a very memorable race. I'd rather have a guy like Jackson, who will run his horse in a spot like the Preakness, because in my opinion we have far too many connections dodging each other. Don't we want and more importantly need the best running against each other if this sport is going to take the next step? Was it sporting of Mary Lou to retire a perfectly sound Birdstone at 3 because he had a chip in his ankle?

While he had to run him at 4, the way he campaigned him I feel was very sporting. It would have been very easy to run him completely on dirt, 5-6 weeks apart and still lock up the Horse of the Year.

Bobby Fischer · #6 05-21-2009, 08:52 AM

you guys are ruining the saintly image I have of these owners

Ogygian · #7 05-21-2009, 08:55 AM

I forgot another example of "sporting"...Steve giving out outstanding handicapping advice, posting his "Plays" for all to see and being happy when others hit, even though it may have reduced his own winnings. Now thats "sporting".

Danzig · #8 05-21-2009, 08:56 AM

jess jackson isn't my favorite person...but i don't care why he bought rachel. i wanted to see her take on colts, and she did. his motives mean nothing to me at this point. at least he did what her original owners would not, test her. it certainly hasn't hurt-that along with mine that bird/calvin in the derby has done a lot for racing and p.r. in the last few weeks.

the only thing bothering me at this point is the call by some to retire rachel. i wish they'd stfu already. we get a good horse, and people want her gone. we need less of that thinking, not more.

SniperSB23 · #9 05-21-2009, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Agree - Bernardini, Hard Spun and Street Sense all being retired is very unsporty!

At least those three made some sense. What the hell did they retire Henny Hughes for? McLaughlin was going to run him in the Met Mile and then see if he could stretch out from there. Could have added to his value a ton.

Linny · #10 05-21-2009, 10:26 AM

He bought the filly for $10m and paid $100k to nominate her. He won about $660k on Saturday. How is that GREED? He could have bought her and won the Acorn or Mother Goose or CCAOaks. He chose to put HIS filly in a spot where she would be challenged. Is that not the point of racing at the highest level? Is that not why we complain when connections duck the tough spots?

He may crave the attention and the spotlight but he is paying very good money for it.

randallscott35 · #11 05-21-2009, 10:29 AM

It's a word choice as Dahoss said....When someone supplements and wants to run and belongs there, like she did, then I hope they get paid. I want to see horses run, not screw. He didn't have to run Curlin in the Classic and he did. I'm glad Curlin got Horse of the Year.

NTamm1215 · #12 05-21-2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ogygian

As I listened to the replay this morning I could only shake my head in total disgust and dismay and what I was hearing. If I hear one more person use the term "sporting" and Jess Jackson in the same sentence I may lose it. Let me put this out there...what he did with Curlin was NOT "sporting", what he did with Rachel was NOT "sporting", it was flat out GREED. He can shovel the sh.. as much as he wants, I'm not buying it. He bought her for one reason and one reason only, to run her in the Preakness and if she won to breed her to Curlin. Don't give me this "He did the sporting thing", BULLSH.., I heard he did it "for the moms" or the whole "boys vs girls".
I am going out on limb here...She will not run in the Belmont (no reason to) and she will come up with a mysterious injury that will force her to retire early. ( I hope that doesn't happen, but I have a gut feeling thats were this is headed). The standard "she came out exhausted" for now, then something will pop up down the road. It's all about the breeding now, he got what he wanted, why risk a injury.
Here is my feeling on "Sporting"...Evening Attire, Lava Man going to Old Friends, Funny Cide being a lead pony, Mary Lou saying she would step aside to let RA in, the softball player that hit a home run and blew her kneee out rounding first and couldn't run the bases, the other teams players helped her around.
Those are all examples of "sporting" in my eyes...Not this crap.

This post is amazingly ridiculous.

NT

Linny · #13 05-21-2009, 05:13 PM

The words "greed" and "greedy" are generically used for any wealthy person that the speaker does not like.

Handicappy · #14 05-21-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

At least those three made some sense. What the hell did they retire Henny Hughes for? McLaughlin was going to run him in the Met Mile and then see if he could stretch out from there. Could have added to his value a ton.

you are right. Instead he goes out with that dismal Breeders Cup Sprint.

Handicappy · #15 05-21-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

This post is amazingly ridiculous.

NT

It started out good but then faded in significance. However, I don't think RA will be retired. And I don't think she should run in the Belmont either. As a fan it would be exciting but when you watched her in the winners circle at the Preakness, she was dead tired. She should get a little breather. It is about the horse and there are bigger conquests on the horizon. I guarantee you that if she does run in the Belmont it will be because of Jackson and will be against the advise of her trainers. I am not a fan of Stevo but he is smart enough to know that that isn't a good spot for her.

ateamstupid · #16 05-21-2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linny

He bought the filly for $10m and paid $100k to nominate her. He won about $660k on Saturday. How is that GREED? He could have bought her and won the Acorn or Mother Goose or CCAOaks. He chose to put HIS filly in a spot where she would be challenged. Is that not the point of racing at the highest level? Is that not why we complain when connections duck the tough spots?

He may crave the attention and the spotlight but he is paying very good money for it.

Well said.

The original post is so ridiculous, I don't know where to start. So far he's minus-$9,572,000 on the Rachel Alexandra deal, gave us one of the great Preaknesses in recent memory, brought tremendous exposure and interest to racing, and this is ... greed?

Say what you will about Jackson, but don't just say anything. Jeez.

eajinabi · #17 05-21-2009, 06:09 PM

Lava Man - Gelding
Evening Attire - Gelding
Funny Cide - Gelding

Giving up your balls for the sport is what I call SPORTING

Cannon Shell · #18 05-21-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handicappy

you are right. Instead he goes out with that dismal Breeders Cup Sprint.

Perhaps the fact he was limping after the race may have had something to do with it?

Cannon Shell · #19 05-21-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Well said.

The original post is so ridiculous, I don't know where to start. So far he's minus-$9,572,000 on the Rachel Alexandra deal, gave us one of the great Preaknesses in recent memory, brought tremendous exposure and interest to racing, and this is ... greed?

Say what you will ab but don't just say anything. Jeez.

No actually he is not out anything as the horse as an asset is more valuable after winning the Preakness than before. Greed has nothing to do with his purchase. Ego is the only reason. The biggest problem that most people in the business have with Jackson is that he has hardly been successful in the business. The fact that he has enough money to buy ready made horses like Curlin or RA does not prove that he knows more than everyone else does as he asserts during his "lectures" on the business or breeding. Who is his best horse that wasnt bought after a 15 or 20 length win? The truth is that guys like this get involved to fulfill their egos. If Jess Jackson doesnt buy RA or Curlin he is just another fairly anonymous billionaire. Instead he gets an interview with Bob Costas on national tv and is called a great sportsman by the sheep who follow racing. I am not saying that any of this is a negative for the sport but lets call him what he is, an egotistical billionaire who loves the spotlight.

Linny · #20 05-21-2009, 09:06 PM

Clearly Jackson loves the spotlight and has the money to but stock that will keep him there.
IfsRA really worth$10M (or was she 2 weeks ago)? Realistically, she is by a young sire with no BMS record. Her family is solid but hardly glamourous. If Jackson chooses to race the offspring she produces, that slims the margin even more as a Curlin X Rachel Alexandra page would certainly draw a big price. Sure she's "priceless" now but had she not run in or won the Preakness, not exactly.

He is like many rich men (and women) who buy what they want whether a racehorse or work of art or a rare gem. They want it because they want something that is one of a kind. When Samuel Riddle was offered a million dollars for Man O' War (a rare sum in the 20's, certainly for a horse) he said (I paraphrase) "Many men have a million dollars, only I have Man O' War." That sums it up.