Phantasm Frost - Race or Retire?

[Kenren]

valkyriestable.weebly.com/phantasm-frost.html

After playing bridesmaid last year in the TTSC, I thought maybe Frost would have a redemptive year this year, and it looked like he might be competitive for the first two months. However, since those initial races where he did pretty well, he's started performing worse and worse. The only race he's won since then was when there wasn't an influx of the top mares competing in it. It's become pretty clear in the last weeks that he can't race well against the mares, and there definitely aren't enough male only races to campaign him in so basically the mares are winning both divisions and Frost is a nonfactor. Is there any point in my continuing to race him when I can only pick and choose between the races where the good mares aren't present? I'm just as inclined to retire him because there's no point in me running him to get worse and worse results. And there's really no point in putting him to undercards because the competition isn't any less stiff. Thoughts? If anyone sees a turnaround happening let me know, but it's been going downhill since the beginning of the year so I just can't see it.

[Sammy]

I mean he's such an amazing stallion I would at least keep him for the rest of the season. As an older horse he would do good in some undercards and maybe keep him in grade specific races. I say keep raving him

[creativecause]

Do whatever you think is best for him Kenny. I know I felt like Crook was on the improve until this month where she's been struggling as well. I'm about ready to quit racing half my 3 year olds because they simply are doing worse and worse as the year goes on so I understand where your coming from here. I've contemplated taking Crook out completely and just running her next year so we'll see. However with the influx of turf sprinting mares maybe there is hope that they'll all go to the filly and mare turf sprint or at least some of them do and he'll have a pretty good chance at the Breeders cup turf sprint? Perhaps that is wishful thinking though
He's a good horse and it's unfortunate that he hasn't really had his chance to shine. I would say just do whatever you think is best for him. Either way I think the breeding between him and Crook is gonna produce some killer foals wouldn't you agree

[Isabelle]

I don't think his season is that bad compared to most right now, we're in that transition stage this year with fuller classes and more competition. You could keep him around, try giving him some undercards?

[Kenren]

The horses he runs against in the undercards are the same ones he runs against in the HOTYs when I do drop him down, so it's not really helpful. And no, his record isn't BAD, but it is one of the worst in his HOTY-level turf sprinter division, especially lately. My frustration isn't bigger fields, because for his division they aren't bigger than they were early on, but he was able to be competitive then whereas now he just isn't. I'm mostly saying that if there's no light at the end of the tunnel here, he's too good a horse to just have putz around in undercards rather than racing at the highest level like he's inexplicably unable to do now. I'd rather retire him, because there's no point in a G1 horse that can't compete in HOTYs after being G1 for most of the year...

creativecause Yeah, hoping for the mares to race somewhere else is the only option I really see at this point, and that's not a good business strategy lol. Plus if his record deteriorates, one of the 3yos would be likely to come in and beat him out anyway. But yes, I definitely think that pairing is going to be deadly lol!