Top Ten lists - then and now
Quote from Grit on July 10, 2025, 6:00 AMIt's early, the cream still hasn't risen to the top. Â If nothing else, I validated my theory on yearlings/two year olds. Â #1 horses from the early top ten lists - Rose Run Bobbie, Millie Girl, Steady Volo (both Amy and Anthony 0n 12/30). March 30th - no Jailbird Jog, Super Mind still hadn't made a top ten list. Â Top ten lists are great, weekly updates are a lot of fun, training videos are amazing. Â
Shhhhhh!!!! Quiet. Â Fly under the radar, do your WORK, STAY HEALTHY. Â Slow and steady wins the race. Â Now I'm the guy that believes the two year old season is about building the foundation for the three year old season. Â Unfortunately that theory doesn't exist anymore. Â Maybe THAT'S the sports biggest problem.Â
It's early, the cream still hasn't risen to the top. Â If nothing else, I validated my theory on yearlings/two year olds. Â #1 horses from the early top ten lists - Rose Run Bobbie, Millie Girl, Steady Volo (both Amy and Anthony 0n 12/30). March 30th - no Jailbird Jog, Super Mind still hadn't made a top ten list. Â Top ten lists are great, weekly updates are a lot of fun, training videos are amazing. Â
Shhhhhh!!!! Quiet. Â Fly under the radar, do your WORK, STAY HEALTHY. Â Slow and steady wins the race. Â Now I'm the guy that believes the two year old season is about building the foundation for the three year old season. Â Unfortunately that theory doesn't exist anymore. Â Maybe THAT'S the sports biggest problem.Â
Quote from Bgtolex25 on July 10, 2025, 7:59 AM2 year old stake season ramps the interest in yearling sales, so it is understandable for the hype on 2 year old racing. Â But is it necessarily the best way to develop a horse for multiple years of racing? Â Maybe some do what you are mentioning, but probably they were no where near the Next Gen or Sire Stakes eligibility list.
2 year old stake season ramps the interest in yearling sales, so it is understandable for the hype on 2 year old racing. Â But is it necessarily the best way to develop a horse for multiple years of racing? Â Maybe some do what you are mentioning, but probably they were no where near the Next Gen or Sire Stakes eligibility list.
Quote from Purple Aura on July 10, 2025, 11:35 AMExcellent points SC!!! Who was the last Stable horse to have a solid two year old campaign followed by at least and equal or better 3yo season? Maybe Yes? That's quite awhile now. Anthony trains them like athletes, I'm fine with that. But recently our " athletes " have been Todd Marinovich. It will be interesting to see how hard he is with Jailbird and the NJ pacer who appear to be our best two athletes.Â
Excellent points SC!!! Who was the last Stable horse to have a solid two year old campaign followed by at least and equal or better 3yo season? Maybe Yes? That's quite awhile now. Anthony trains them like athletes, I'm fine with that. But recently our " athletes " have been Todd Marinovich. It will be interesting to see how hard he is with Jailbird and the NJ pacer who appear to be our best two athletes.Â
Quote from Bearcookie56 on July 10, 2025, 2:37 PMI posted on another forum, that I thought we should aim horses to their three year old seasons , with maybe only a couple of starts at two, I was if course laughed out of there.. people just donât have the patience to wait around, we want instant gratification..but just look at Memento Mori, too hard ,too fast?
I posted on another forum, that I thought we should aim horses to their three year old seasons , with maybe only a couple of starts at two, I was if course laughed out of there.. people just donât have the patience to wait around, we want instant gratification..but just look at Memento Mori, too hard ,too fast?
Quote from Purple Aura on July 10, 2025, 5:02 PMQuote from Bearcookie56 on July 10, 2025, 2:37 PMI posted on another forum, that I thought we should aim horses to their three year old seasons , with maybe only a couple of starts at two, I was if course laughed out of there.. people just donât have the patience to wait around, we want instant gratification..but just look at Memento Mori, too hard ,too fast?
 I understand your point Bear. I thought Mori was babied his few starts at Lexington. Scotty was really easy on him. That patience paid off. Maybe the too hard part was training down? I don't know. Mori isn't the biggest horse either.Â
 They race for nice money at two. When you buy a yearling it's hard to completely ignore that two year old season. I don't know what the answer is. I do know I usually sell near the end of the two year old season or that winter. Figuring they won't come back as good. My goal is to stay close to even and enjoy the racing and the people I met. I've done a decent job of that. Not perfect, but decent.
Quote from Bearcookie56 on July 10, 2025, 2:37 PMI posted on another forum, that I thought we should aim horses to their three year old seasons , with maybe only a couple of starts at two, I was if course laughed out of there.. people just donât have the patience to wait around, we want instant gratification..but just look at Memento Mori, too hard ,too fast?
 I understand your point Bear. I thought Mori was babied his few starts at Lexington. Scotty was really easy on him. That patience paid off. Maybe the too hard part was training down? I don't know. Mori isn't the biggest horse either.Â
 They race for nice money at two. When you buy a yearling it's hard to completely ignore that two year old season. I don't know what the answer is. I do know I usually sell near the end of the two year old season or that winter. Figuring they won't come back as good. My goal is to stay close to even and enjoy the racing and the people I met. I've done a decent job of that. Not perfect, but decent.
Quote from Bgtolex25 on July 10, 2025, 7:35 PMQuote from Purple Aura on July 10, 2025, 5:02 PMQuote from Bearcookie56 on July 10, 2025, 2:37 PMI posted on another forum, that I thought we should aim horses to their three year old seasons , with maybe only a couple of starts at two, I was if course laughed out of there..
 I do know I usually sell near the end of the two year old season or that winter. Figuring they won't come back as good. My goal is to stay close to even and enjoy the racing and the people I met. I've done a decent job of that. Not perfect, but decent.
@purple-aura Iâve noticed your pattern and think it is wise given the past experiences with TheStable. Â And I believe that most get excited about the dream of a star. Â Before the babies hit the races everybody can dream the same dream. Â It takes a patient person to take the long play as @bearcookie56 suggests. Â Patience is not a dominant trait of AMac, and to be fair, not of many trainers and owners.
And I too donât believe Mori was raced too hard last year. Â The Breederâs Crown was a stretch, but I donât fault them for the decision. Â Maybe he is like that kid who matured early in middle school and dominated the sports scene. Â But others caught up in HS and college, and the early bloomer became a roll player. Â Who knows.
What we do know is that the standardbred matures fully at age range of 4-6 years depending on individual variances. Â So if you are racing them hard at 2, there likely will be a price to pay at some point. Â
Good discussion. Â Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the industry we all love.
Quote from Purple Aura on July 10, 2025, 5:02 PMQuote from Bearcookie56 on July 10, 2025, 2:37 PMI posted on another forum, that I thought we should aim horses to their three year old seasons , with maybe only a couple of starts at two, I was if course laughed out of there..
 I do know I usually sell near the end of the two year old season or that winter. Figuring they won't come back as good. My goal is to stay close to even and enjoy the racing and the people I met. I've done a decent job of that. Not perfect, but decent.
@purple-aura Iâve noticed your pattern and think it is wise given the past experiences with TheStable. Â And I believe that most get excited about the dream of a star. Â Before the babies hit the races everybody can dream the same dream. Â It takes a patient person to take the long play as @bearcookie56 suggests. Â Patience is not a dominant trait of AMac, and to be fair, not of many trainers and owners.
And I too donât believe Mori was raced too hard last year. Â The Breederâs Crown was a stretch, but I donât fault them for the decision. Â Maybe he is like that kid who matured early in middle school and dominated the sports scene. Â But others caught up in HS and college, and the early bloomer became a roll player. Â Who knows.
What we do know is that the standardbred matures fully at age range of 4-6 years depending on individual variances. Â So if you are racing them hard at 2, there likely will be a price to pay at some point. Â
Good discussion. Â Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the industry we all love.
Quote from pcmark15 on July 10, 2025, 8:05 PMIt wasn't all that long ago Geocentric was one of the top two year olds in NA then she fizzled badly in the Breeders Crown. As a three year old she was still a good horse by most peoples standards but was only a shadow of what she was, hitting the board in just six of her thirteen races. Now at four she's a broodmare.
It wasn't all that long ago Geocentric was one of the top two year olds in NA then she fizzled badly in the Breeders Crown. As a three year old she was still a good horse by most peoples standards but was only a shadow of what she was, hitting the board in just six of her thirteen races. Now at four she's a broodmare.