Inglis Classic 2021 Discussion Page

My first impression of the photo and video was, in engineering terms, "fit for purpose." His conformation is functionally adequate for his intended job of running fast.  ("Adequate" is not a dirty word.  )

In the walking video, when viewed from behind you can see his right hind leg swinging out to the side of his body.  He's not paddling in-then-out, the foot goes under the body and lands wide.  It's hard to tell anything from the head-on video because he's not going straight for the camera.  He MIGHT be paddling in a little bit with the left front -- again, that may be an illusion from the camera angle.

He has some undermuscling on his neck.  Training will address that.  His neck attachment itself looks fine, so I'm going to ascribe this to an untrained baby not using its body like a well-trained older horse will do.

Finally, as one would reasonably expect with both Storm Cat and Unbridled's Song in his pedigree, he has a very large shoulder even as an immature horse.  This isn't a bad thing, but it is a thing to be aware of. It won't make a different on race day with minimalist jockey tack on.  In training, having people be mindful about saddle fit (especially as his topline develops) will make him a happier horse.

Functionally adequate conformation on a well-bred, early-looking colt -- nicely done, hope his new owners are happy with him.

Watch the video and freeze frame at :20 when you're looking at the head on shot.  Then draw a line from its chest straight down through the middle of the knee.  It's noticeably offset in the right front (left side of the image).

When you're looking at its hind end, freeze frame and you can see that the right hind is rotated outwards.

Both hind legs are coming down "square enough", and even taking the offset leg into account the front legs are close to square/not terribly base narrow.  That means its chest has started to fill out.

In the side-on view, if you draw a line straight up through the groove in the cannon bone between the bone and the tendon, and extend that line all the way past the topline, there's about a hand's-breadth between that line and the start of his withers.  That is a quick-and-dirty way to see if a horse will be really heavy on the front end...the closer the withers are to that line = more weight of the horse is in front of the forelegs = that horse will have a harder time getting off the forehand.  This yearling will need training to carry itself (like all horses), but it will have an easier time of it than, say, Storm Cat (on him, the line hits right where his neck joins his withers).

It has a nice energetic walk and seems to have a reasonable disposition.  Despite being obviously bothered by flies, it was still paying attention to the handler.

I like him.  Hopefully he's a good runner for his new owners and everybody goes home happy.

Now for the possible alternate impressions...   

He is slightly camped under, and in the video (but not the conformation photo) his shoulder appears a shade upright.

If you watch the walking video in head-on and tail-on shots, I note that at least 50% of the time his right hind foot is swinging inward and closer to the left front.  In the 360 view, it appears that his right hind leg is rotated toe-out from the hock.  If so, that would explain the swinging inward: that's where that foot needs to go to land facing "forward."

I also note that compared to some other horses this board has discussed, he's not swinging his hind legs under him as much as the higher sellers.  I picked #228 as one I liked, and swinging his hind legs under him is a big reason why:

Watch how his hind feet are coming down almost on top of the squashed grass left by his front feet, and he does that almost every stride.  Colt #450 only does that about half the time.  

Finally, Colt 450 is *really* base-narrow both in front and behind.  This is pretty common in baby horses (see my comment about The Big Thicc Lad being base-narrow in front), and usually as a horse matures and its chest/hinds broaden, its will get a more square stance.  Because this horse is so narrow both in front and behind, that suggests that it will need a bit more time to mature.

Again, as with the 336 Russian Revolution filly, I see some faults that will need management but I don't see anything he shouldn't be able to run through.  Selling for $80k off a listed $60k fee, not passed in but an outright sale, means whoever bred him saw that as a fair value for him too.

One word.

Shaquero.

He looked much more on-his-toes in the ring video feed than in his walking video, and he's still a big thicc lad all over.  

Knocked down for $425k to Newgate and others.  Nonsense really.

He is not doing too badly.

The only problem with those figures is he is not buying for one conglomerate is he ?