Looks like the Hambletonian winner had just a couple more starts and it was announced that he is now retired and will be sent off to the breeding shed next year. Yawn.
As an owner/breeder I completely understand the need to protect the value of a horse (especially one with a breeding career) but as a race fan I am annoyed that a few "off" races causes a retreat and premature retirement. I am torn as there is no easy answer
In my opinion this horse is what I would call a "one race wonder". He was the right horse at the right time. He was the beneficiary of a great trip and a masterful drive in the Hambletonian. There is no doubt that he is a beautiful colt and boasts a great pedigree. However beauty is as beauty does. Moreover he is one of several "good" but far from great colts in this year's three year old group. I can't blame the owners for retiring him. He wasn't racing well. What was to be gained by continuing to see him get beat?
Muscle Massive won easily in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final and the Dancer Memorial. In both races, against decent fields, he showed the ability to brush to the top to the quarter and close. In the Hambletonian, against a very good field, he left from the six hole to get position, and showed very well down the stretch. He and Lucky Chucky left the field behind, and Muscle Massive had no business overtaking the latter in that race. He didn't sit in and sneak up the rail. Plenty of one race wonders have won historic stakes, but he isn't one of them.
Then you are free to breed to him. I think I would rather sit back and wait and see.
If you think that this year's crop of three year old trotters constitutes a "very good field", then I suppose I'm probably wasting my time answering you.
On too many occasions the Hambletonian field consists of one superstar and a field full of also rans; this year Lucky Chucky, Cassis, Holiday Road, Wishing Stone, Pilgrims Taj and Muscle Massive were all "good" colts who had a shot at winning it. I didn't say they were great, just good.
When it comes to Muscle Massive's potential and desirability as a stallion, we can look at the fact that Holiday Road will be standing in Ontario for $4,500. As well bred and good looking as he is, Holiday Road is no Muscle Massive in those areas. Also, the latter won the premier event for trotters in North America, and was the second leading money winner in this year's 3yo trotting class behind Lucky Chucky. As a son of Muscles Yankee out of a Pine Chip mare he will appeal to many breeders--that's all.
Yes I agree that Muscle Massive is a very good prospect for stud and he will appeal to many broodmare owners.
If you want my opinion on quality, one only has to look at the three year old pacing crop this year and you could say that it probably is one of the poorest crops on record. There are only two top three year olds, the rest do not count. Sportswriter could not win a race in the US so he dont count. Then there is only One More Laugh and Rocknroll Heaven who was a decent horse but not a great one. If only they would race a horse like Rocknroll Heaven another year or two then we might be able to say that he is a great horse. Rocknroll Heaven has only beaten his own age group and has never beaten a real horse yet. To go to stud now is crazy for the whole Industry except the owner who has to take the money on offer for stud. We have no real open horses left in this Country and that is why we are going backwards as an Industry fast. We have no heros to keep our interest in the game any longer.
Thomas, I agree with your take on the 3 year old pacers. I think Rocknroll Heaven would be a top colt in any year, but it's a long step down to One More Laugh, and a longer one down to the rest.
As for the open horses, Shark Gesture, Won the West, Foiled Again, and probably Hypnotic Blue Chip, were the only legitimate FFA pacers this year. Shark Gesture has been retired--I believe-- while Won The West and Foiled again are geldings, so I assume they will be back. Hypnotic Blue Chip is a complete horse, but I assume he can make more money racing than he can at stud. Add One More Laugh (gelding) to the equation and things don't look very promising next year either.
With the breeding business on shaky ground due to so much uncertainty over Sires Stake programs and racing in general, I would think the track might prove to be a better option for many owners when it comes to marginal stud prospects.
I can understand that his lack of exposure and racing results puts him at a disadvantage with breeders, but my opinion is that just makes Sportswriter a better value for those that use him. His 2-year old season is a little hard to dismiss since he established himself as the most successful freshman son of Artsplace - by a full 4 seconds. Perhaps it wasn't well communicated, but Casie Coleman took the blame for mistakenly creating the quarter crack problem that haunted him during his 3-year old campaignOriginally Posted by Thomas Johnson
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