Oh Danny Boy!

A reader wrote in today asking about Danthebluegrassman who I wrote about several times last year, including here, here, here and here.

Unfortunately, the news about him is not good. He ran at Penn National on Tuesday (for a $7,500 tag), and finished sixth of seven, more than 14 lengths back and never near the lead. The partnership group that owns him has a discussion board (viewable by the public) so you can see the hard debate they are having on there about whether to retire him, drop him in price or just keep plugging away. They are also talking about him over at Thoroughbred Champions.

It's interesting...he's not a gelding, so he could very well have a modest future at stud. He’s already in PA, and with slots money pouring in, the state’s tracks—Penn National, Philadelphia Park and Presque Isle Downs—have plenty of bonus money for state-breds. Couldn’t he have some value? His breeding is better than most. He’s by Pioneering (a half-brother to Storm Cat). His dam’s sire Grey Dawn is a bit more obscure these days, but did produce multiple-G1 winner (Hollywood Invitational, Santa Anita and San Antonio handicaps) Vigors, G1 San Juan Capistrano Handicap winner Delegant, multiple-G1 (Frizette, Selima, Fantasy, KY Oaks, Acorn) winning mare Heavenly Cause, and G1 Ruffian and Coaching Club American Oaks champ Christmas Past (among others).

Dan’s pedigree is very similar to another successful Pioneering offspring, the multiple-graded stakes winning (G1 Santa Monica, G2 Genuine Risk, G3 Las Flores and Rancho Bernardo) mare Behaving Badly; Dan’s second dam Summer Time Music is by What a Pleasure, as is Behaving Badly’s third dam Pleasure Lady. So, I ask you, isn’t there some value in retiring this old warrior from the track, to enjoy the ladies a bit?