Should Lance Retire Smoken Up?

Gelding right?  Why retire a horse you bought to make you money, if still making you money?  What financial reason is there to suggest retiring him?

Im with you BJT
Its just a Horse while its making money keep on going.
But People will say Retire the Champ now.

I understand the sentiment completely.  But at the end of the day, he was bought as a business proposition.  As long as racing isn't harmful, then cash in.

No idea the financial position of anybody involved, but would we rather a horse that won a few races is remembered proudly, or a mans kids eat well?
At the end of the day, an 11 year old horse that doesn't perform up to his peak won't be suddenly a dud based on a few runs when passed it.  There is also the possibility that as an old man, he performs well enough to throw him even deeper into our memories when performing well even though expected to fail.


As one of the people, I would say retire.  But as somebody that understands the value of money, I would say cash in as much as your purchase allows as long as morally acceptable to yourself.

Well that is the reality of the business.  He certainly isn't alone.  Thousands upon thousands of horses a year are sold for dog food because they weren't up to scratch. 
Very rare thing they win a race, and just as rare they make it to the races even.

Hope you stuck with Gumdrops tonight Lloydy

Well done

That will be the last time we see big prices Gumdrops. She always needs to be produced at the right time but she has a mighty big sprint

Why retire Smoken Up? Did you see the time he was beaten by, the sectionals he ran?

To add some facts ..Smoken Up is an "evergreen" 11 year old

December 2013 article:

"Evergreen 11-year-old Tinted Cloud/Carnlough Bay gelding Smoken Up showed that there is plenty of life still in the old legs by smashing the track record at Bray Raceway Ballarat on Thursday December 26  in winning the $30,000 Laser Electrical Lightning Mile for M0 or better class horses.

Burning across the face of the field from gate seven in unison with Keayang Cullen (gate eight) outside him, Smoken Up was able to lead running into the first turn parking Keayang Cullen, with the hot favourite Restrepo trailing from the pole after being unable to match the other pair.

Allowed to bowl, Smoken Up returned a mile rate of  1-53.1 after quarters of 26.3, 30.3, 28.7 and 27.9, gaining a $10,000 bonus
for breaking the track record by .4 of a second.

It was Smoken Up’s 71st victory in 136 race appearances for stakes in excess of  $3,514,427.
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That appears to be only 6 months ago