funny cide.. they ought to be ashamed

[pmayjr]

You know where I think it really started to go sour for him? The '04 BC Classic at Lone Star when Ghostzapper won.

Funny Cide was coming off a gutty win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. I was so proud of him after that day even when it turned out to be against a marginal field (Newfoundland and the Cliff's Edge). He dueled on the lead with Newfoundland, and then goin into the final turn he started dropping back. It looked like Newfoundland was gonna romp. Then the Cliff's Edge is about to pass him on the outside, and Funny Cide starts this gritty run. Newfoundland had cleared him in that final turn by a good 3-4 lengths, and the Cliff's Edge looked full of run going into the stretch. And Funny Cide gutted out a win against both of them. I was seriously enamroed with him after this race...

But then fast forward a month to the BC Classic at Lone Star. He gets killed in the race, finishes up the track. But not only that, he ran so erratic that day. You could see him in the back stretch very rank, and Santos had problems with him. Some people can blame that race on the hot weather (because he hasn't run well in it), but HE HASN'T BEEN THE SAME SINCE THAT RACE. He just hasn't. I don't know if it's a deterioration in skill, or if he just doesn't wanna race anymore... But whatever it is, it's time to hang it up.

Well... wait. Give him 2 more well-placed races on dirt. That way he'll have his 2nd and 3rd off the layoff chances to see if he can round into form. They tried a workout on the turf a couple of years ago, and it was dull. I think the Poly is no different. Keep him on the dirt, in NY, and see if he rounds into form. If he keeps losing to "inferior" horses after 2 more races, retire him for good. The only other question to ask is, what should Tagg consider "inferior" at this point?

[PPerfectfan]

Originally Posted by Fearless Leader

I don't know why you all feel the need to bash the connections of this horse. He obviously was beaten today because he can't handle the cold weather.

Well all we hear is he cant handle the heat either so what do you suggest? its either hot or cold.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by PPerfectfan

Well all we hear is he cant handle the heat either so what do you suggest? its either hot or cold.

Perhaps something more temperate. (kidding)

Sounds like a mix of horse that doesn't wanna run plus surface he doesn't wanna run on. I'm kinda at a loss as to what I'd rather be done. I agree he hasn't been the same since after his gutsy win and I don't think he's depreciated that much in ability--certainly not what we've seen since. He's not G1 but there's something else going on. Is it in his head? I wouldn't have thought the Classic would've been a heart breaker considering how he was acting in the race. Did the switch flip prior to that?

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by Danzig

soo.....why does a horse run well in the am, but not in a race? everyone has heard the name morning glory--any way to fix that problem??

That's my thought, too. His workouts were sharp, weren't they? And didn't he run in tandem with Nobiz during one of them?

I thought he fit this field pretty well. Until the race.

--Dunbar

[estreetposse]

Never liked the horse but give him a break, 1st on poly they wanted to see if it suited him for Christ sake and obviously it did not, wheels were spinnin' but going nowhere. Bring him back to NY throw him in some lower levels on dirt and then see what happens.

He lost his only set already, no need to take everything away from the poor guy!!

[johnny pinwheel]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

What is wrong with state bred stakes? I don't get it.

i've been saying this for years. the owners should get blasted. some of them live here, i see them at the track all the time. they have the idea the horse is better than he is. they fired Santos when he told them his backside had weakened so he doesn't have the same kick, shoot the messanger mentality. who would you believe, the jock that rides him or these folks. the evidence is in the racing and hes up the track more times than not, at a ridiculous price too might i add. Fourstardave was legendary up here as a state bred but the owner and trainer knew where to spot him. which is about 90 percent of this game. they have that horse so messed up i'd worry about him winning a 50k open claimer right now. name a street/race after him and call it a career.

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by Fearless Leader

I don't know why you all feel the need to bash the connections of this horse. He obviously was beaten today because he can't handle the cold weather.

I hope this was in "jest"...if you know anything about Funny Cide, you know he cannot run in hot and muggy weather because of a breathing condition and that cool temperatures are in his favor.

As for the rest of it, this horse has done enough for the owners. The love affair is over. Years have gone by since Funny Cide and more or equally compelling stories have come along since then (Barbaro, Afleet Alex, Smarty Jones). You can never take away Funny Cide's brillance for a few months in the spring of 2003, cementing his legend forever. For that, he deserves better than being spotted up in his 7 year old season. I hope that if he fails again soon, that Sackatoga sees this and places Funny Cide on the sideline for life to live comfortably and enjoy being a horse. It seems he no longer has the interest in being a race horse anymore. You cannot fault him for that.

It didn't work.

FC won a very respectable 200k in 06, BTW.

He's a gelding. If the horse acts like he wants to run - see if you can find a spot for him. The owners enjoy him and race for fun. FC has always been tough to train and it apparently hasn't gotten any easier to condition him. Tagg is a savvy horseman. If FC backs up again next out then I agree wholeheartedly it's time to retire him. I think at that point even his starry-eyed owners will realize the fun is gone. But if FCs sound and fit, I can't blame the connections for trying one more season. That's forgivable. Continuing on when the horse has definitively spit the bits is not.

[letswastemoney]

He was not last. I remember there were about 2 behind him. I believe he was 7th out of 9

[letswastemoney]

Also I do believe Funny Cide likes cool weather......but snowing is kind of hard for any horse. Funny Cide probably likes it overcast cloudy in the 60s and 70s.

[whodey17]

I think they need to run the horse more often. We do not get to see Derby horses run pass age 3 these days. Keep him running if he is healthy. Who cares where he finishes.

[The Bid]

That wasnt that tough of a spot, he should have offered more.

Hard to watch

[whodey17]

Wasnt a tought spot at all. The horse isnt competitive anymore, but that doesnt mean that I do not like to see him in the paddock, the starting gate and on the track.

[letswastemoney]

Exactly! You know the only reason I went to my local simulcast facility last weekend was to see Funny Cide.

Yeah I bet some money on the other races....but I probably would have stayed home if it weren't for my desire to see the race live.

[Zaf]

FUNNY CIDE worked 5f ft in 1:00.20 B (1/19) at KEE, 04/16/07