Refractor retired after disappointing run in Gold Cup

6yo Refractor led out for his final race

Otsego Farms owner Jim Webber confirmed via telephone that 6yo stayer Refractor has been retired, effective immediately.

"I learned the hard way with War Machine that you don't continue to run a horse after he is past his prime", Webber said regretfully.  An over-the-hill War Machine churned out a lackluster 11-2-1-2 season as a 4yo in 2007.

Refractor's speed and stamina numbers have declined alarmingly in the past couple of races.  After being a steady 74 in stamina for most of his career, he has dropped to 73, then 71 in his last two races.  With his plummeting speed, continuing to race him is a recipe for disaster.

He'll join War Machine, Nightwing, and Union Jack as a stallion in the Otsego Farms breeding operation.

Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered...

In all the years I've been breeding, I don't think I've ever been as uncomfortable as I am this year.

In the past year, I have been tinkering with my band of mares and while I think I have a talented bunch, it seems like I am suddenly leaning a little bit on miler types rather than distance types.  Since my in-house stallions are exclusively stayers, compatibility issues have been created that have me concerned.

Nova, On The Prowl, Champions Dream, House of M, Nebula, and Revenge Troll were all most adept around 8F, with a couple of them being capable of a little more.  Xtra Gold is a sprinter, which leaves only three mares, In Spirit, Arctic Fox, and Ace Of Grace who are compatible, in my mind, with my stallions. How did this happen?

My stallions for 2017; Nightwing, War Machine, Union Jack, Refractor, and most probably Alphabet, are all Classic to Distance.  You see my dilemma?  Add in the fact that I have acquired two spots with A Bus and another with Heat Seeker and you can see where my discomfort is coming from.

As a general rule, I don't like mixing horses with different distance capabilities.  I think it has the potential to create hybrid's that don't do anything well.  Which begs the question... why am I stockpiling mares that are milers? 

I really have no clue at this point how I am going to arrange my pairs.  With contracts for A Bus (Arctic Fox), A Bus (Ace Of Grace), Heat Seeker (House of M), Rocket (On The Prowl), and Byafraction (Nova) already on the books, and another sprinter stallion needed for Xtra Gold, I am left with just four broodmares for my five in-house stallions.  I want to keep Alphabet on as a stallion, even though his talents are clearly redundant.  If I keep him, I may need to bypass Nightwing altogether as a stud this year.  Unless I acquire another broodmare, which I may do.  Anyone have a distance mare they want to sell?  Domitila, Promised Land...?