Tips/Thoughts on Breeders' Cup tickets this year?

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by CSC

And not to mention I believe Jolypha finished 2nd in the Classic to AP Indy.

She was third behind him and Pleasant Tap. Now imagine that. She was a 3yo filly from France making her dirt debut and American debut at the same time and it came in the BC Classic. I don't remember what start number that was in her career but I know it wasn't more than her 8th. She beat some pretty good horses to finish third that day. That move took guts and was rewarded.

[King Glorious]

Some years ago in the NBA, the commissioner had to step in and reign in some of the practices of the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ted Stepien. Even though it was his team, the league stepped in for what was the good of the game. Look at this past offseason in the NFL and the commissioner stepped in on a team matter regarding Brett Favre and the Packers. Again, it was for the good of the game. League commissioners are given certain latitudes to make moves and decisions when they are deemed to be in the overall good of the game, even if it means taking some of the power away from an owner or player. Now, I realize that horse racing is totally different and it's hard to tell someone what to do with a living and breathing animal. Also, we don't have a league commissioner. I wouldn't pretend to know where exactly that line is but I do feel like there is a fine line out there between exercising your own personal rights and doing what's in the best interests of the game. Say Bernardini's owners had wanted to really make sure there was no competition for him and had convinced his brother not to enter Invasor? Is that their right? Absolutely. Would it be in the best interests or for the good of the game? No. I think that once you have horses at that level, you do have some level of obligation to the sport and to the fans that support you.

[Bigsmc]

King G,

Have you ever owned a horse?

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

King G,

Have you ever owned a horse?

I never have.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I never have.

wanna buy one?

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

wanna buy one?

Some really close friends own a few. Some of them are actually pretty good ones too. That's close enough for me. I would cause a trainer to have headaches. I know what I'm not cut out for.

[Bigsmc]

Once the bills come rolling in, it makes it difficult to feel "some level of obligation to the sport and to the fans that support you". The bad horses cost just as much as the good ones.

The sport and the fans that support you don't care when your horse can't break his maiden and has an endless string of vet bills.

It's a noble thought and you'd like to think owners would feel that way, but it just doesn't happen.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

Once the bills come rolling in, it makes it difficult to feel "some level of obligation to the sport and to the fans that support you". The bad horses cost just as much as the good ones.

The sport and the fans that support you don't care when your horse can't break his maiden and has an endless string of vet bills.

It's a noble thought and you'd like to think owners would feel that way, but it just doesn't happen.

Well, that's why I say that I don't know where that fine line would be. It would also surely have to be a different line for a guy that's been small time for years and comes up with a once in a lifetime horse as opposed to an operation like Darley or Coolmore. Let's face it. For many of the people that own these horses at this level, they aren't pinching pennies and the financial aspects of it aren't paramount in the decisions they make.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Well, that's why I say that I don't know where that fine line would be. It would also surely have to be a different line for a guy that's been small time for years and comes up with a once in a lifetime horse as opposed to an operation like Darley or Coolmore. Let's face it. For many of the people that own these horses at this level, they aren't pinching pennies and the financial aspects of it aren't paramount in the decisions they make.

The problem is, the bigger the outfit, the less they care about the good of the "game".