Biggest Duds In Horse Racing

[sea biscuit]

Big ticket busts
   
 By Bill Finley
Special to ESPN.com
Archive

There wasn't an ounce of buzz when a horse named Ever Shifting made his debut last week at Aqueduct. On a typically nothing day at the Big A, he went off at a lukewarm 2-1 as the second choice in the maiden special weight race and ran like a slug, beating one horse while losing by 16 3/4 lengths. It was just one more example of how paying huge amounts of money for an unraced horse guarantees nothing.

Ever Shifting sold for $5.2 million in 2005 at a 2-year-old sale. (The winner of the race, Mass Charles, sold for $9,500 as a yearling a year earlier). Clearly, owner Sheikh Mohammed bought a lemon in this one, but Ever Shifting is far from alone in that department. Sometimes it seems that the more they pay for these horses the worse they are.

The 10 most expensive yearlings in 2005 sold for a combined $42.5 million. Their total return, in terms of money earned on the track? A grand sum of $172.

The worst of the worst has been Jalil. He sold for $9.7 million last year, ran once, in England, finished a distant sixth and didn't earn a cent. At least he made it to the races. Of the top 10, only two have so much as started. The other starter is Sahara Heat, who cost $3.4 million, but did make the $172 when finishing eighth in his lone start, a maiden race at Aqueduct. Just $3,399,828 to go before Sheik Mohammed breaks even on this one.

But Sahara Heat's struggles are nothing when compared to those of The Green Monkey, who is well on his way to becoming the biggest bust in horse racing history. He was sold for $16 million, the most ever paid for a horse at auction, last February as a 2-year-old to Coolmore and has yet to make it to the races. After a series of pedestrian workouts, he was sent to the farm with a muscle injury. Maybe he will someday amount to something, but, so far, it's not looking good for the hideously named son of Forestry.

Of course, big ticket busts are nothing new. The most notorious is Snaafi Dancer, who sold for $10.2 million in 1983 as a yearling. Snaafi Dancer never raced and was infertile. Seattle Dancer was only slightly better. He sold for $13.1 million in 1985, still a record for a yearling. He made about $150,000 on the track and currently stands at stud in Germany, where his stud fee is all of $10,600.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/columns/story?columnist=finley_bill&id=2695709

[LVGaryD]

Good Humor Man has to rank right up there. Kickin' s.o.b. 

[Wilderness]

From a Stan Bergstein article:

When a brother to Most Happy Fella named Good Humor Man waltzed into the Tattersalls sale ring in 1971, Bergstein informed the crowd, "When anyone asks you what the perfect Standardbred looks like, tell them you saw him. Coming into the ring now is Good Humor Man..."
Good Humor Man sold for $210,000, far surpassing the previous record sales price of $125,000.
 end of quote

Bart Hanover a full-brother to Bret was a dud at 105k

[LVGaryD]

From a Stan Bergstein article:

When a brother to Most Happy Fella named Good Humor Man waltzed into the Tattersalls sale ring in 1971, Bergstein informed the crowd, "When anyone asks you what the perfect Standardbred looks like, tell them you saw him. Coming into the ring now is Good Humor Man..."
Good Humor Man sold for $210,000, far surpassing the previous record sales price of $125,000.
 end of quote

Bart Hanover a full-brother to Bret was a dud at 105k

Well my memory is not all bad. I said in or around 1972 on the other thread. These days I remember days gone by long ago better than I remember yesterday. 

[old and slow]

Damn! I thought this was a thread about me

[Wilderness]

Damn! I thought this was a thread about me

When Axworthy was led in (after the death of A. B. Darling) the buyers were afraid to take a chance on that bad ankle and in spite of the pleas of the auctioneer there were no bids on the stallion. Axworthy was about to be led from the ring when John Shults came hustling in and made an opening bid of $500. The final bid of $1250 took Axworthy to the Parkville Farm, where he carved a name for himself as a sire.

[Just Saying]

Doc Walker stood Armbro Charger at Walker Standardbred, he was multiple IL trotting stallion of the year. He had 1 lifetime start, and earnings of $250. It would be interesting to know what he cost as a yearling. But I imagine someone was sadly disappointed back then.

He was a standout in the breeding shed, though.(for IL breds)

[sea biscuit]

Just wondering how much Experienced Victory earned during his lifetime.

They paid a hefty price of $650 grand as a yearling in 1999.

[pope of vegas]

  I remember Good Humor man being a dud. Wasn't Toy Poodle another??

[NIATROSS]

Just wondering how much Experienced Victory earned during his lifetime.
They paid a hefty price of $650 grand as a yearling in 1999.

I think he held the previous record yearling sale price at $525,000 and earned less than $50,000 on the track.I also think he was sold as 3 or 4 yo for stud for around $125,000 and was a failure and retuirned to the track

[NIATROSS]

sea biscuit,

The Green Monkey after being a failure on track was sold for around $3 million to someone for stud duty.

[LVGaryD]

Pope, I think Toy Poodle was one hell of a nice mare in Ohio.

[Hugh Jass]

Sorry would have bet that this thread concerned BJ1.