This week is OBS March Sale preview week, the horse-racing version of the Combine.
Xavier Worthy this past weekend set the record for the fastest 40 yard dash of 4.21, eclipsing John Ross's 4.22 in 2017.
Hand-timed in 4.22, live on NFL Network the official timer got Worthy in 4.21, beating Ross's official time.
As it is in the NFL and its combine, 40 yard dash, speedsters like, the incomparable, Tyreek Hill,went 4.29.
The 40 yard dash is comparable to the one furlong rocket speed breezes for two-year-old juvenile at the sales.
"I want the fastest two-year-old at the sale'' some owners instruct their bloodstock agents, since they have the monies to purchase those types of individuals.
Buying the ''fastest two-year-old at the sale'' compares to the fastest combine 40 yard dash.
The list, of the fastest humans at the combine, doesn't scream out instant success in the NFL and the list of fastest horses at the two-year-old training sales doesn't either.
The fastest only means one thing at the two-year-old training sales, dollars and cents.
A 10.1 is not valued like a 9.4, in fact, loses a few thousand or thousands of dollars in the auction ring.
Jerry Rice, arguably the best WR ever in the NFL, ran a 4.71, he was the 16th pick overall In 1985. Bruce Smith, first ballot Hall of Famer, was the first pick in that 1985 draft, what if Rice had run a 4.5, he most likely would have been in the top 5.
Those who held the 40 yard dash against Rice literally passed on an Hall-of Famer, the same rings true in racing, year after year.
The fastest two-year-olds do not neccesarily become the best race horses, they just cost more. I have always believed it's the 10.2, 10.3 horses that end up being those who will carry their speed over a long distance.
The 40 yard dash or the one furlong dash is apples and oranges in my book. when it comes down being able to compete between the lines or on the race track.
The Xavier Worthy saga on NFL Network was awesome to watch and really enjoyed watching that young man accomplish something he will never forget, but how will that translate on the gridiron, just as the fastest two-year-old at the sale now has to perform between the lines.
The differences is the two-year-old won't have have Stacey Dales chasing him or her for an interview, or get a chance to praise his 'momma', which is so wonderful to witness as so many parents sacrifice themselves for the benefit of their young athletes and are rewarded in the long run.
I am sure Xavier made his 'momma' burst with pride and rewarded her for all of her hard work and dedication. Xavier, from the University of Texas, via Fresno, California looked like a really good kid as well.
It's not that much different with two-year-old racehorses, whom are whisked away to prepare for racing.
It all comes down to what's between their ears, not how fast they run in a combine or at a furlong, we can see that they are tremendous athletes, but are they racehorses or NFL players?
I love apples and oranges but they are distinctly different.
Racingwithbruno Bloodstock
We don't run our babies thru sales for the simple reason, we want to raise them as racehorses, not sales horses and there is a distinct difference.
As a sales horse, you need to start them on the track in late October of their yearling season, if you are looking to have them ready for the first or second sale in the spring.
Thus, you are asking a yearling, 18 month olds to start training on their growing bones, putting pressure on them before their two-year-old birthday.
The difference between now and 40-50 years ago, is babies go thru sales multiple times before they ever turn two.
Pressure, pressure, pressure on young bones makes them weaker. They are not allowed to grow, in fact, I believe you stunt a horse growth cycle by asking them too soon.
Some two-year-olds by the time they are done with the sales have bodies equivalent of a four-year-old grisly racing veteran.
So, I believe in letting our horses be horses until their two-year-old season.
I also believe in understanding our pedigrees, for example, Always Dreaming's progenies need time to mature.
Always Dreaming himself was a late blooming three-year-old coming along at the latter of the Kentucky Derby preps. He was also his own worse enemy. He was hard on himself.
I have three Always Dreaming, one of them is a colt out of Darby Shaw, an Afleet Alex mare, second generation Racingwitbruno mare, out of our late Taxi Dancer, stakes placed Juvenile.
Darby Shaw was a half to $150K earner Mizzen Max.
Here he is in March 4th gallop. "The best thing about him is his mind'' said his farm trainer Reyes Hernandez, at Classic Bloodstock.
We have only two shares left of the Kentucky bred, as he prepares to go Al Stall, Jr, sometime this summer for a fall debut, playing to our understanding of the pedigree.
Pedigree available per request via email.
We prepare our two-year-olds for a racing career, not the sales. It makes perfectly sound sense.
Racingwithbruno career record with bloodstock hovers around at 20%, the results can be found at Equibase.com under owners.
Contact Bruno at Bruno@racingwithbruno.com