We horse racing fans were spoiled during the first half of 2007. We witnessed a compelling Triple Crown prep season, with plenty of close finishes between good horses. The Triple Crown itself was even better, especially the epic stretch duels in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. We also saw Invasor come back in great form, winning the Donn Handicap after a troubled trip and then easily capturing the Dubai World Cup. The first six months of 2007 told us the sophomore division was talented and deep and Invasor was to be the perfect historical measuring stick for the crop.

And we deserved such racing after what we witnessed in 2006: Barbaro’s breakdown, Lost in the Fog’s cancer, even Saint Liam’s freak paddock accident at Lane’s End Farm. 2006 was memorable for all the wrong reasons.

But with the major summer racing about to get underway this weekend, word comes that Invasor and Scat Daddy have been retired. Invasor’s injury is particularly disappointing. I’m not sure if he was really appreciated by the American racing public (including me). In his Horse of the Year campaign last year, he wasn’t the headline horse in the Pimlico Special, the Suburban, the Whitney or the Breeders’ Cup Classic. In fact, he was favored only once in his four North American starts in 2006. Being the star in his two big wins this year probably changed that perception some, but another full season of Grade 1 wins would have put him up there with some of the all-time greats in American racing.

I wrote earlier this year about the feud between Darley and Coolmore and how it had extended into to their stallion operations. Now it appears that the ongoing game of one-upsmanship is robbing the stellar three-year-old division of its stars. A few weeks ago Darley went on a shopping spree and secured the breeding rights to Epsom Derby winner Authorized, who just so happens to be by Coolmore’s young European superstar sire Montjeu. In the U. S. Darley also finalized deals for the breeding rights to both Hard Spun and Street Sense. While both are still scheduled to race through the Breeders’ Cup, they will most assuredly be side by side in the Darely at Jonabell stallion complex in Lexington next year instead of side by side in the starting gate.

Scat Daddy would have had to miss the big summer and fall races because of his injury, but, from what I read, he could have raced as a four-year-old next season. However, he’s under the Coolmore umbrella now after Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor bought into the colt last year. Scat Daddy is a Grade 1-winning son of Coolmore’s newest star stallion Johannesburg and they are no doubt anxious to reap the sure millions that Kentucky breeders will collectively pay in Scat Daddy stud fees. Having a popular son at stud only enhances the value and reputation of Johannesburg too.