| Here is an angle that is often overlooked in horse | | | | And now, here is a twist, while this information would |
| racing handicapping. Thoroughbred breeding and sales | | | | usually indicate a horse who is destined for the low |
| is a huge business. Thoroughbreds with good | | | | priced claiming ranks, after 7 races, Opening Page did |
| confirmation and breeding sell for six and sometimes | | | | manage to win a Maiden Special Weight event at |
| seven figures. | | | | Monmouth on September 10, 2008. He was in against |
| The people who breed and sell and buy thoroughbreds | | | | a group of well bred horses who had all sold for more |
| are very good judges of horse flesh, because they | | | | than Opening Page, but were also all less raced. |
| have to be, it's their livelihood. So you can get some | | | | Apparently, some good conditioning by the trainer, |
| valuable clues to a horse's potential by looking at what | | | | Frank Costa, and good riding by Carlos M. Cruz, along |
| the horse sold for at auction, who the owner is, and | | | | with the extra experience, paid off for Opening Page. |
| what the stud fee is. | | | | But don't expect to see that happen very often, |
| The first place to look is at the stud fee that was paid | | | | because it won't. |
| to breed the mare who gave birth to the horse, the | | | | If you see a horse that sold for less than its stud fee, |
| dam. If you see that a horse actually sold for less than | | | | or is owned by the breeder, beware. It may be that |
| the stud fee, that is a bad sign. It means someone paid | | | | the breeder couldn't sell the horse so he or she |
| more money to produce the horse than the horse sold | | | | decided to try to bring it along and get it racing. It may |
| for. | | | | be a horse with problems that the breeder figures will |
| Here is an example, Opening Page is a 3 year old colt | | | | eventually be worked out, but that no other person is |
| out of the sire, Deputy Wild Cat whose stud fee is a | | | | willing to deal with. There have been some horse that |
| modest $3,500. But Opening Page only sold for $2,400 | | | | sold for large figures and then disappointed the |
| at the Ocala Breeders Sale in 2007. That means the | | | | owners, but despite the occasional misses, the |
| breeder, in this case, Newchance Farm in Florida, | | | | breeders and buyers are usually good at spotting a |
| wanted to sell the foal very quickly and took a very | | | | "good un." Use that information to pick more winners. |
| low price. Usually, that's a bad sign. | | | | |