Why Discreet Cat and not Bernardini?

[Betsy]

I've always been confident that the Sheikh would run Bernardini next year, but Dan Illman's comments in his DRF blog got me thinking. He's assuming Bernardini will retire after this year and DC will be the Sheikhs' big horse next year (the Dubai World Cup and beyond). I'm not sure what he's basing that on, but various message boards are afire with the assumption that DC will run next year and Bernardini won't....or might not. Would the only reason for this be the fact that Bernardini would command a sizable stud fee next year whereas DC would still need to do some more on the racetrack? That the Sheikh would feel that Bernardini has nothing to gain (though this does not sound like the attitude of a sportsman, which we know he is)? If not, I can't think of any reason why Discreet Cat would race next year and not Bernardini, especially since the latter is a homebred and the Sheikh seems particularly proud of him. He's certainly getting a big kick following his races from Dubai.........

[Danzig]

discreet cat, and not bernardini, was the stables big 'star', which explains why he, and not bernardini, was in dubai this spring, and why he, and not bernardini ran in the uae derby, and then was sent to america. of course we all know that he was laid up all summer, while bernardini won the sheiks first classic.

as i've said elsewhere, not only is the sheik trying to win, he's trying to make darley a premiere farm. tops, not near the top....bernardini is his huge horse now, and the sheik isn't a dummy. he knows all about pedigree and marketability. bernardini has both. discreet cat has suffered setbacks, and is just now coming into form. i see a return to dubai for the colt for the world cup, and then a return to the u.s. and the bcc...the sheik has his horse for the bcc this year, bernardini...and now he has discreet cat for next year.

of course, if bernardini doesn't win this year at churchill, then maybe he brings him back. but i think that if the colt wins here, he's done.

the sheik completely rebuilt jonabell....it's his desire to have a top farm, he stands two classic sires, but now he'll stand a classic winner, by a classic winner and classic sire.
yeah, he's a sportsman, but no one needs look further than lammtarra to see he doesn't want to watch them all run...

I hope the rumor is just that. I did read that the Sheikh is looking to Bernardini to sire a Derby winner; he certainly has the American pedigree to accomplish that. Selfishly, I would like to see this brilliant animal run next year. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

[Danzig]

i think everyone wants to see him run. just not so sure it's going to happen...

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by Danzig188

discreet cat, and not bernardini, was the stables big 'star', which explains why he, and not bernardini, was in dubai this spring, and why he, and not bernardini ran in the uae derby, and then was sent to america. of course we all know that he was laid up all summer, while bernardini won the sheiks first classic.

as i've said elsewhere, not only is the sheik trying to win, he's trying to make darley a premiere farm. tops, not near the top....bernardini is his huge horse now, and the sheik isn't a dummy. he knows all about pedigree and marketability. bernardini has both. discreet cat has suffered setbacks, and is just now coming into form. i see a return to dubai for the colt for the world cup, and then a return to the u.s. and the bcc...the sheik has his horse for the bcc this year, bernardini...and now he has discreet cat for next year.

of course, if bernardini doesn't win this year at churchill, then maybe he brings him back. but i think that if the colt wins here, he's done.

the sheik completely rebuilt jonabell....it's his desire to have a top farm, he stands two classic sires, but now he'll stand a classic winner, by a classic winner and classic sire.
yeah, he's a sportsman, but no one needs look further than lammtarra to see he doesn't want to watch them all run...

Yes, but the Sheikh bought a ready made promising colt in Discreet Cat - he bred Bernardini. I have to think he favors homebreds. Also, Bernardini was extremely well thought of from the beginning, as Steve Haskin was finally allowed to tell that story in the Preakness issue of the Blood Horse. He just wasn't ready enough .........certainly not enough to be sent to Dubai.

I hope you're wrong -Lammtarra is just one example. I'm annoyed at myself - The BH had a chat with Tom a few weeks ago and I asked a couple of questions, none of which was whether future racing plans for the colt had been discussed. Of course, even Rick Mettee, Godolphin's assistant trainer, was quoted as saying that it's not been decided whether DC will run next year, so either they like being coy or it's truly up in the air for both.

[Danzig]

if you want bernie around next year, you better hope he loses at churchill.

I think they both race at 4....