2016 Horse Racing Highs and Lows

[Freespool]

High

Stellar Wind winning the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on John Sadler's 60th birthday.

Low

Ted H. West retiring.

[Zenyatta]

Highs

California Chrome returning in fine fettle. Songbird.

Lows

Breakdowns at Del Mar, Recepta

[CA_Chrome]

High (so far) - California Chrome winning the Dubai World Cup

Low - Any death of a racehorse on the track.

[curtis]

Well we've still got a ways to go but Melatonin rcovering from EPM to win two G1's would have to rank as the high for me, thus far.

As for the low, it has to be Monique Snowden and everything that percipitated it. I hope I don't see anything lower than that.

[Senator L]

Highs for me: Songbird, Steve Haskin going into the HOF and $15 million pick 6 at Gulfstream in March. Tepin winning at Royal Ascot

Lows: Maria Borell and Run Happy connections all the horses and jockeys who get injured or die

[stark]

High for me......That the prognosticators who told me just last year, and 5 years ago, and 10 years ago, and 15 years ago, and 20 years ago that horse racing was dead and that the clientele was so old it was dying off quickly haven't been proven right yet.  And believe it or not, like it or not, I credit TVG with a lot of the reasons behind the survival, forever thankful for bringing the sport into my living room!

Low for me.....Driving by the site of Hollywood Park.

[Man o Taz]

A good list from all.

Overall high: Winner's Circle at Belmont Park with a horse...
Overall low: Any deaths on the race track, human or equine.

Saratoga highs: Seeing Tepin, Catch A Glimpse, and World Approval work, Songbird and Frosted race, and Laoban break his maiden.
Saratoga lows: Having to leave.

Stars and Stripes Day high: Catch A Glimpse winning Belmont Oaks and Effinex making a twopeat in the Suburban
low: It was hot.

Haskell high: Seeing a friends horse race
Haskell low: Nyquist not being allowed to rate

Belmont Stakes highs: Frosted's Met Mile, Lani 3rd place finisher in the Belmont Stakes
low: not one

Preakness Stakes highs: Seeing Nyquist take on Exaggerator on a sloppy track 
low: the weather

And so on...

[afleetphil]

highs :

Lady Eli's recovery
Chrome's 2016 campaign
Another great filly in Songbird
my two trips to Saratoga

lows :

All horse deaths. Each one is so tough to take.
Losers like Chuck and Maria Borell.

[stark]

As for the low, it has to be Monique Snowden and everything that percipitated it. I hope I don't see anything lower than that.

update http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/215389/snowden-death-investigation-inactive

[Man o Taz]

I hope I am wrong about this, but I heard that Materiality may be deceased. I really do not know how to check this out.

[Man o Taz]

I hope I am wrong about this, but I heard that Materiality may be deceased. I really do not know how to check this out, but it would be a definite low.

[peeptoad]

Taz, I would recommend asking about Materiality in the What Happened to forum on TBC. Many knowledgeable people still post there and probably could come up with an answer.

[Catalina]

Per a post on Horse Racing Nation, the Jockey Club has a death certificate on file.   

http://www.horseracingnation.com/horse/Materiality#

RIP, handsome boy. 

I hate it when they drop from ken so quietly. 

[afleetphil]

That's not good news. I love all the Afleet Alex's. Wonder what happened for a horse to pass at 4 years old.

[peeptoad]

That's too bad. I'll recant the negative part of my last post; trying to reduce that stuff even though it looks worse on the page than it does in my brain.