Derby runners turned claimers
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brunanas
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are there any other Derby runners (in recent memory, i know that for the very early editions there were probably a bunch, given even the 1914 winner Old Rosebud ended up dying in a claiming race many years later) who ended up in claiming races? i know Brooklyn Strong (2021) ran in one after the Derby. are there any more, and if so, are there any positive retirement news about them?
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Tessablue
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Oh absolutely, I would wager that there's probably at least one per year on average. Noble Indy is a recent high-profile example, and I don't quite have time to go down the rabbit hole at the moment, but I randomly chose two years- 2013 and 2015- and found two horses. Giant Finish and Frammento. Can't find anything about their retirements, but I didn't spend much time looking.
Lower-end Derby horses often just aren't very good, unfortunately. But often the higher-end ones don't fare too well either. Tough to see Danzig Moon in the chart... I wonder if anyone out there has ever tracked long-term outcomes from Derby horses.
Lower-end Derby horses often just aren't very good, unfortunately. But often the higher-end ones don't fare too well either. Tough to see Danzig Moon in the chart... I wonder if anyone out there has ever tracked long-term outcomes from Derby horses.
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MissNMecke
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The only one that comes to mind off-hand is one called (I think) Watch Me Go. I vaguely remember one of the animal rights groups having an article about him and what can happen to Derby runners.
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Psychotic Parakeet
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Ten Cents a Shine ended up running in $35k claiming races after finishing 8th in Derby.
I wanna do bad things with you.
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Tessablue
- Posts: 6154
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Since 2010, not exhaustive and obviously horses from more recent years still have time to end up in the claiming ranks:
Homeboykris (spent many years in the claiming ranks, died after winning a starter allowance on Preakness day in 2016)
Derby Kitten (ended up at stud in Barbados)
Watch Me Go
Giant Finish
Uncle Sigh
Vinceremos
Frammento
Majesto
J Boys Echo
Noble Indy
Gray Magician (still running at age 8!)
Major Fed (ran once for a tag in his final start of 2023, won big, not claimed, now working at CD)
Brooklyn Strong (still running at age 6)
So yeah, about one per year is a pretty good bet. Might do pre-2010 at some point, it's fun to take a look at the careers of Derby also-rans. A lot of them end up with long productive careers, far more than I might have expected.
Homeboykris (spent many years in the claiming ranks, died after winning a starter allowance on Preakness day in 2016)
Derby Kitten (ended up at stud in Barbados)
Watch Me Go
Giant Finish
Uncle Sigh
Vinceremos
Frammento
Majesto
J Boys Echo
Noble Indy
Gray Magician (still running at age 8!)
Major Fed (ran once for a tag in his final start of 2023, won big, not claimed, now working at CD)
Brooklyn Strong (still running at age 6)
So yeah, about one per year is a pretty good bet. Might do pre-2010 at some point, it's fun to take a look at the careers of Derby also-rans. A lot of them end up with long productive careers, far more than I might have expected.