LITF's Cancer

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

Originally Posted by sham

Here are the final results for Fog the racehorse:
14starts-11-1-0……………..Earnings - $978,099

R#............Type........................dist.... ........time.............Beyer
1...............msw.........................5.0... ........0_56_4..........103 ...(1st by 7.5)
2...............az juv.......................6.5...........1_13_2 TR......109 ...(1st by 14.75)
3...............mil dash....................6.0...........1_09_4...... ....102 ...(1st by 4.5)
4...............swale G2...................7.0...........1_22_1......... .105 ...(1st by 4.75)
5...............bayshore G3..............7.0...........1_21_1..........105 ...(1st by 4.25)
6...............goldenbrbc................6.0..... .....1_07_1 TR......110 ...(1st by 10)
7...............rivaridge G2...............7.0...........1_21_2...........10 7 ...(1st by 1.25)
8...............carryback G2.............6.0...........1_09_1...........116 ...(1st by 7.25)
9...............kingbish G1................7.0..........1_22_2...........10 5 ...(1st by 4.75)
10.............bm spd hdcp...............6.0..........1_08_0...........1 14 ...(1st by 7.75)
11.............bc sprint G1................6.0..........1_08_4............9 8 ...(7th by 6)
12.............gg sprint....................6.0..........1_09_0..... .......97 ...(2nd by 3)
13.............aristides G3.................6.0.........1_08_2............1 11 ...(1st by 1.25)
14.............smile G2.....................6.0..........1_10_2........ .....86 ...(9th by 8)

He won 10 races in a row and set two track records. His average run time to 6fl through his 10 race win streak was 1:08:2 which is SMOKING and is the fastest of any horse in my database. His average run time to 6fl for his last 4 races slowed to 1:09:4…perhaps an indication that the horse was ailing. The only real knock anyone could have on this horse is that his competition ran to the weak side. Fog crisscrossed the country multiple times from California to New York to Florida to run in the best 3yo sprint races available, and his racing schedule was announced weeks in advance. Perhaps some folks with good sprinters “ducked” Fog which led more than anything else to the weak competition.

The link below shows a graph of the three race running average of Fog’s Beyer speed figures. This clearly shows when Fog began to go out of form. We now know that cancer was the likely cause of this down turn.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...t/fog_3avg.jpg

I am amazed that Fog won the 6fl Aristides at Churchill Downs in his next to last start. We know the horse carried high weight and huge tumors that day and he won anyway in a brilliant time of 1:08:2. Perhaps the Good Lord granted him one final pain free race to showcase his talent. Perhaps Fog ran through much pain that day in one of the gutsiest performances in horse racing history. All in all, Fog was a special horse. I shall miss the fast little horse with the crooked blaze but will never forget him.

Thank you so much for that lovely write up sham. Awww, the wonderful memories of Lost in the Fog's races during that wonderful win streak...

[Danzig]

he was my favorite horse on the track last year. just knew that guy was going to win the bc sprint and prove himself the best. of course we know that didn't happen, and a lot of people really bashed him for his loss--his first loss.
and again, much like when afleet alex lost his race and we were told it was due to illness, the naysayers wouldn't be silenced, wouldn't give that guy the benefit of the doubt--and wouldn't give it to fog either after his loss. maybe people won't be quite so quick to judge a horse when they have an off day.
lost in the fog was as tough a horse as they come...he was a throwback to horses from years ago, travelled back and forth across the country and ran at how many different tracks?? certainly wasn't a pampered hot-house flower!!
hopefully he'll be appreciated for the game toughness he showed on and off the track. i know i enjoyed every one of his races.

The media is filled with posion pens these days, they get off on bashing horses and knocking trainers.
They also make sure they always have that clear path to the press box spread by sucking up to track management and the trainers they deem "important" and never writing anything that would upset them.

Indian Charlie(the gossip sheet) is correct when they say that horse racing journalism is at an all time low, its certainly as bad from top to bottom as I can possibly imagine.
Most of the people who cover it just don't get it, and never will.
They think because they bet and read the DRF that they have a full knowledge of the game. Ask one of them what basic physical problems are and what the effect would be on the horse and they look at you with a totally blank stare.
If more of them actually went by the barns or took the time to actually learn the side of the business unrelated to betting, they might be ok.
I heard some "genius" get on tv the day that Bluegrass Cat was retired and insinuate that he wasn't really hurt, that they just wanted to rush him off to stud. Yeah, ok, sure, they faked a broken leg and passed up running in other races to let him stand on the farm for months before he could even enter stud for no reason. No ****ing way should that moron ever have any type of public forum or press credentials. It embarasses everyone in the game to listen to some of the garbage that is written.

Originally Posted by Dixie Porter

If I type what I think of the pudits now, and going back 40 years, I will be BANNED from the site forever.

Well I gotta tell you, you'd have to go pretty low to beat the guy who insinuated that they "made up the fracture" with Bluegrass Cat on TV.
Anyone who would allow that guy to be on their show again ought to be shot.
Its pretty hard to fake a fracture you know?

[Buffymommy]

RIP you beautiful boy!