The new Hambletonian/Breeders Crown Poll was released today and to no one's surprise, Lucky Jim is ranked number one. Muscle Hill falls from number three to number four. Mister Big, Buck I St Pat still rank ahead of undefeated Not Enough who is number nine. Like last year's refusal to put Somebeachsomewhere ahead of Donato Hanover until they were forced to at the end of the season, the fact that Muscle Hill, Mister Big and Buck I St Pat all are listed above seven for seven Not Enough show this poll is a popularity contest plain and simple.
Sad news comes from Scarborough Downs on the passing of Daylon Trooper who passed away at the age of eleven from a catastrophic stable accident injury the morning after his last victory. For those of you who may be unaware, this millionaire pacer used to race in the open classes in Yonkers and New Jersey in the earlier part of this decade. His last victory came at Scarborough Downs in a $3,000 race for nw1500l5 or $5,000 claimers. Daylon's ownership changed in April of this year. The question I ask is did not one of Dalyon's previous owners ever think that the eleven year old millionaire pacer was entitled to a well deserved retirement instead of being sold and continuing to race in cheap conditioned/claiming races? Make no mistake, the owners followed standard operating procedures; there is no merit system that says a horse is entitled to retire to a comfortable retirement at any time. While it is sad whenever a race horse dies as a result of illness or injury, it is a sad commentary on all of us that no one thought enough of this horse that they praise in death to have let him retire and enjoy the rest of his life.
And that is the biggest shame.
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