Goodbye, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen

My, how far the mighty fall. Godolphin’s $9.7 million 4-year-old Jalil returns on Saturday—in the G1 Woodward Stakes, you ask? No, the $50,000 Waquoit Stakes at Suffolk Downs. Last seen finishing 7th to Curlin in the G1 Dubai World Cup, Jalil won three races in Dubai this year prior, and has workouts posted since late June so you have got to wonder about the placement here where his toughest competitors will be 7-year-old gelding Judiths Wild Rush (in his 54th lifetime start) and recent $12,000 claimer Volcanic Force, a 6-year-old Quaker Ridge gelding (in his 42nd lifetime start). Isn’t it time to retire him to stud duty yet?

Speaking of which...today it is Benny the Bull who is off to more fertile pastures. Since I had him in my Virtual Stable before his Iowa Sprint win last year (and before his purchase by IEAH), I’m truly going to miss this fireball. To his credit, Rick Dutrow took a modestly-bred son of Lucky Lionel (standing for $2,500 in Oklahoma) and turned him into a world-class sprinter, winner of the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. Still, I can’t imagine his stud appeal being anything more than a temporary fad. His damside is modest too (to say the least), featuring such breeding successes as JO Tobin, Comet Kat, Jontilla, and Birdonthewire. Yeah, real appealing. Go for the bucks, IEAH.

Longshot flyer for Saturday’s G2 Palomar Handicap—#8 Moujane. Yes, there is some class in this field, most particularly G1 winner Vacare. However, this 4-year-old full-sister of hard-knocking Leprechaun Kid (Alphabet Soup-Melina Mou, by Persian Bold) is, like her big brother, getting better with age. Remember Leprechaun Kid won the G2 Del Mar Handicap and finished second in the G1 Clement Hirsch Turf at age 6. I like the switch to David Flores and four sharp works (including a 6f turf bullet last out)—she could be a very nice surprise.