Bernardini furor

Its all everyone is talking about. Why was Bernardini retired? Is Sheikh Mohammed ruining the sport? Are articles on the subject being sensored? These are unfortunately the hottest questions in racing.

For myself I prefer, Will Dreaming of Anna and Street Sense be able to reproduce that form as 3yo's? Will Churchill Downs ever switch to Polytrack, do the breakdowns on BC day act as an accelerant? Who will take the Eclipse award for top Turf male? But I suppose those question can wait.

My personal opinion on Bernardini's retirement is mostly based around the fact that I think it's a shame we wont get to see him run again. I am among the number that believed he had more to give and could have been truely special. I was hoping that he would stay in training and I do feel that Sheikh Mohammed made a bad decision in this case.

However that should not erase the myriad of good decisions he has made for racing. Keeping such stars like Swain, Singspiel, Fantastic Light, Sulamani and Daylami in training was an excellent gesture of sportsmanship. Most people forget that Daylami (while with the Aga Khan stable) was a classic winning 3yo. Sulamani was also the hottest property in European racing when the Sheikh procured him.

I think the underlying reason behind the retirement is actually Coolmore. The fued has been running ever deeper this year between the Irish Mafia and Dubai's Crown Prince. Some of it has unfolded on the racetrack, some of it in the sales ring. But one place where Coolmore has always had a decided edge is in the breeding shed. Top quality mare owners will almost always opt for Sadler's Wells, Giants Causeway and Danehill over Holy Bull, Elusive Quality and Cherokee Run. Sheikh Mohammed finally has two of the most marketable stallions in America. Bernardini and Henny Hughes are both good looking, fast, well bred and brilliant. I think over the next few years you will see an influx of high quality stallions at Darley. Stallions that can compete with Coolmore's. Between that and an embargo on all Coolmore sired horses at the sales Sheikh Mohammed must feel like it will give him the upper hand in this fued.

It's a shame that fans need to suffer because of this.