2024 Two-Year-Olds

[brunanas]

[April 10th]


[April 11th]

[aethervox]

I know 2yo racing gets underway certainly by the end of April every year, but isn't April 5th awfully early?

Checking the DRF archive at drf.uky.edu, I found that in 1896, there were 2-year-olds running in Nashville at the end of April.

I also found an interesting article from the 1915 DRF (a reprint of an article from the London Sporting Life) about overworking two-year-olds and how that, in the writer's opinion, is not good for the breed. https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf19 ... 010201_2_7

[Tessablue]

I know 2yo racing gets underway certainly by the end of April every year, but isn't April 5th awfully early?

Checking the DRF archive at drf.uky.edu, I found that in 1896, there were 2-year-olds running in Nashville at the end of April.

I also found an interesting article from the 1915 DRF (a reprint of an article from the London Sporting Life) about overworking two-year-olds and how that, in the writer's opinion, is not good for the breed. https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf19 ... 010201_2_7

This is a great find! I really love how people have complained about "the degeneration of the breed" for as long as the breed has existed.

In both Europe and the US, 2yo racing was once considered the most prestigious division, and I'm sure there were plenty of trainers who overdid it back then. But it's interesting (and rather alarming) that the sport has over-corrected so wildly. We know from ample evidence and an understanding of biomechanical development that racing at 2 is good for long-term racehorse health, but the Derby points system has basically demolished the prestige of 2yo racing in America. I hope we course-correct eventually, and perhaps regulating all of the shenanigans that happen at sales will help get horses ready earlier.

As for the starting date, I would imagine that it has a lot to do with demand? If they have the horses, they'll card the races. These early horses don't often go on to do much, but California Chrome debuted in April... you never really know.

[CoronadosQuest]

Shoot It True flew out from the gate and never looked back for Wesley Ward in the 2nd at Keeneland today. She won geared down by many lengths.

[Danniwolfe]

Shoot It True flew out from the gate and never looked back for Wesley Ward in the 2nd at Keeneland today. She won geared down by many lengths.

Shot out like a quarter horse

[Starine]

Wonder if Shoot It True is bound for Royal Ascot.

[Starine]

Two First-Out Winners for Ward May Be Royal Ascot Bound
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... scot-bound

[CoronadosQuest]

West Memorial [Caracaro x Vita Bella by Super Saver] upsets the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes at 17-1 with Strummin (Flameaway) 2nd and Akinmusire (Will Take Charge) 3rd.

https://twitter.com/FanDuel_Racing/stat ... 8244355292 and here is the jockey cam courtesy of TVG

[Tessablue]

Yay for Reylu! Huge for Caracaro as a freshman sire as well.

Mensa, the 740k wonder 2yo, faded badly in the last eighth. He has a horrendous paddle to his stride, genuinely cannot understand how and why people throw money at those sorts of horses.

[Flanders]

Yay for Reylu! Huge for Caracaro as a freshman sire as well.

Mensa, the 740k wonder 2yo, faded badly in the last eighth. He has a horrendous paddle to his stride, genuinely cannot understand how and why people throw money at those sorts of horses.

Pretty sure Stewart does it for attention. He was on twitter right after purchasing Mensa, bragging that he spent 740k and asking what people thought.

[Tessablue]

Yay for Reylu! Huge for Caracaro as a freshman sire as well.

Mensa, the 740k wonder 2yo, faded badly in the last eighth. He has a horrendous paddle to his stride, genuinely cannot understand how and why people throw money at those sorts of horses.

Pretty sure Stewart does it for attention. He was on twitter right after purchasing Mensa, bragging that he spent 740k and asking what people thought.

Oooh okay, that makes sense, thank you! I keep forgetting that he runs under Resolute Racing. Hope he has deep pockets, because he won't last long in the sport if he's spending that sort of money on bragging rights.

[Starine]

George Weaver Chasing Another Trip To Royal Ascot Via Gulfstream
https://paulickreport.com/news/thorough ... gulfstream