Benny the Bull retired after injury

[PPerfectfan]

Benny the Bull retired after injury
By DAVID GRENING
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Benny the Bull, the leading sprinter in the nation, was found to have a chip in his right front ankle on Wednesday and has been retired from racing, his connections said.

Benny the Bull had worked six furlongs in 1:14.29 at Aqueduct on Monday, and on Tuesday trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said he was very much looking forward to running him in Saturday's Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga.

But on Wednesday, Dutrow noticed some filling in Benny the Bull's ankle, and subsequent X-rays revealed the chip, according to Michael Iavarone, the head of the group that owns majority interest in Benny the Bull. Iavarone said the chip could be easily removed surgically, but that the horse would not be able to make it back for this October's Breeders' Cup Sprint. Iavarone said plans were for the horse to be retired at year's end.

"There's ups and downs in this game, but I don't even view this as a down," said Iavarone, co-president of the International Equine Acquisitions Holdings Inc. Stable, which purchased Benny the Bull privately last summer. "The horse has retired without something terrible happening, and hopefully he'll live a happy and healthy life."

Iavarone said stallion plans are pending for Benny the Bull, a 5-year-old Florida-bred son of Lucky Lionel who won 9 of 17 starts and earned $2,221,630. Benny the Bull won his last five starts, including the Grade 1 De Francis at Laurel Park last year, the Sunshine Millions, Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, Grade 2 True North, and Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap this year.

[Bigsmc]

Spin it how they may, I don't expect to see blue hen mares lining up to breed to a son of Lucky Lionel.....

[cowgirlintexas]

Hate to hear that.. I looked forward to his return.

[Indian Charlie]

The way he ran in his last two starts combined with his very infrequent works, something was likely up with him to begin with.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

Spin it how they may, I don't expect to see blue hen mares lining up to breed to a son of Lucky Lionel.....

this is what is so irritating to me, automatic retirement of these horses. they said he was done at years' end anyway, so that's why they're retiring him now. my question is why? why the rush to send a son of the monster lucky lionel to stud?? this is by no means a career ending injury. ridiculous.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by Danzig

this is what is so irritating to me, automatic retirement of these horses. they said he was done at years' end anyway, so that's why they're retiring him now. my question is why? why the rush to send a son of the monster lucky lionel to stud?? this is by no means a career ending injury. ridiculous.

Normally I'd agree, but really, what's there to gain by bringing him back next year? He'll be six, so he might start slowing down, his value right now is likely as high as it's going to get, he's already got this year's Eclipse sewn up, and he's won just about every important sprint race except the Forego and BC Sprint, and those are both over a year away.

I also agree that these morons are dreaming if they think a son of Lucky Lionel is going to be some hot commodity at stud (same goes for Kip Deville), but I don't see the sense in bringing him back at six either.

[Danzig]

six isn't that old, really. and considering the dearth of top horses, he could win quite a few races next year. well....considering who the trainer is, maybe not quite a few. but the few he enters.

as for raising or lowering his value...i'd think he hasn't got much value anyway.
now watch him take off at stud.





yeah, right.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by Danzig

six isn't that old, really. and considering the dearth of top horses, he could win quite a few races next year. well....considering who the trainer is, maybe not quite a few. but the few he enters.

as for raising or lowering his value...i'd think he hasn't got much value anyway.
now watch him take off at stud.





yeah, right.

Like I said, what is there left to win? The Forego, which he ran second in with a 119 Beyer, and the BC Sprint, and he would be well into his six-year-old year when those races finally came around.

I don't think he has much value at stud either, but whatever value he does have is probably at its peak right now (it'll be even higher once he wins the Eclipse), so I don't quite see the point in bringing him back at six.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Normally I'd agree, but really, what's there to gain by bringing him back next year? He'll be six, so he might start slowing down, his value right now is likely as high as it's going to get, he's already got this year's Eclipse sewn up, and he's won just about every important sprint race except the Forego and BC Sprint, and those are both over a year away.

I also agree that these morons are dreaming if they think a son of Lucky Lionel is going to be some hot commodity at stud (same goes for Kip Deville), but I don't see the sense in bringing him back at six either.

He has it wrapped up? If a horse wins the Forgeo and Breeders Cup wont they have just as good if not better credentials then BtB? And thats not even counting the De Francis. The Dubai race is nice but it shouldnt count and the Sunshine Millions is a restricted race. He may be the leader now but he is far from a lock.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

He has it wrapped up? If a horse wins the Forgeo and Breeders Cup wont they have just as good if not better credentials then BtB? And thats not even counting the De Francis. The Dubai race is nice but it shouldnt count and the Sunshine Millions is a restricted race. He may be the leader now but he is far from a lock.

What horse in this sprint division is winning all three of those races? Hell, I couldn't even tell you who's pointing to the Forego, much less who's good enough to win it.

[stonegossard]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

He has it wrapped up? If a horse wins the Forgeo and Breeders Cup wont they have just as good if not better credentials then BtB? And thats not even counting the De Francis. The Dubai race is nice but it shouldnt count and the Sunshine Millions is a restricted race. He may be the leader now but he is far from a lock.

Didnt they get rid of the De Francis this year. I could have sworn I read that LRL got rid of most of their major stakes races this fall.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

He has it wrapped up? If a horse wins the Forgeo and Breeders Cup wont they have just as good if not better credentials then BtB? And thats not even counting the De Francis. The Dubai race is nice but it shouldnt count and the Sunshine Millions is a restricted race. He may be the leader now but he is far from a lock.

I'm with you- I don't think he has it at ALL wrapped up. I think Street Boss should get consideration, especially if he wins the Ancient Title and/or the BC.

I understand the retirement, because they THINK they can make more money at stud and perhaps he wouldn't come back from it 100%, but I think they're in for a big surprise on how many people want to breed to him at their asking price (I'll guess $25k).

Just to be clear, I actually like Benny a lot, and would have loved to have seen him this weekend.