I now understand the horse sale business a little better. The feeling of hope from even buying mythical horses is significant. I can feel the endorphins being released, even though I am 1000 miles away, and not using real money. It as close as an adult can get to the feeling of a 7 year old in the week before Christmas. The excitement of what you might get is unique.
The feeling of thinking you bought a horse, and then being disappointed when the reserve is not attained still stings. I really wanted hip #762. i am thinking of calling Coastal Equine an making a deal myself
635 horses were sold to I would guess about 200 different owners. We each have an equal chance of winning next years Kentucky Derby, or even this years Breeders Cup Juvenile. Of course we are are competing against the 19,500 other 2-year olds, including the 400 or so on sale in a few weeks at the Fasig-Tipton sale.
It was a great experience to watch this sale from beginning to end. I wish I had done this earlier. It has also improved my handicapping. Three weeks ago, Vancouver was a city in Western Canada, but now I know it might be a sire that can get good 2 year old turf runner. So last week I used a Vancouver baby at 27-1 on the bottom of a $185 exacta.
Today I missed an easy Tonalist going 1 1/4 miles on the turf for Donegal, a good partnership operation.
Every maiden race looks different than it did three weeks ago. Today I watched Linda Rice run a $450,000 three year old from last year’s sale in his first race. The horse finished last, I could feel the pain and disappointment.. Every maiden claimer race I look at now is a tale of sales disasters. How can I avoid these horses, I am sure they looked so good a year ago? Every allowance race now requires that I scan the sale info in the Racing Form. How did this horse get here?
Every good race is now a competition between training sale horses vs. yearling sale horses, vs those evil home bred from owners of their own mares. Handicapping will never be exactly the same. It will be more interesting.
I would highly recommend that any serious handicapper look through the next catalog, or even sales results, and pick a few horses to follow. You do not have to go crazy and pick 20 like I did, I think 2 would be enough.
The sale was well run and fun to watch. Next year I will try to attend, but I am afraid I just might buy something.
Buying A Race Horse 