{"id":10506,"date":"2012-11-20T20:47:55","date_gmt":"2012-11-20T20:47:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=10506"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","slug":"oldbtb_99","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=10506","title":{"rendered":"Spotlighting Bob The Cob"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the DerbyFever bulletin boards, a topic on achieving 300 wins for one barn caught my eye.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Although, I cannot make this claim myself, heck, I\u2019m barely on the verge of hitting 100 for one barn as it stands.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Trainer Nextbonus can.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Actually, the stable that has achieved this milestone goes by the name of Marsattack, which is part of the Nextbonus conglomerate.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Upon looking at the conglomerate, there are four other stables on the verge of hitting this milestone.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P>

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But looking back at the bulletin board posting, a good amount of this success is credited to a horse with the interesting name of Bob the Cob.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This male has a lot of endurance, competing in mainly long routes and a career that extended from 2002 through 2008 and included the maximum 100 races.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Looking back to the introduction to this article, Nextbonus credits this horse with much of the 300 wins for stable Marattack.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>That is because this guy won 39 races!<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P>

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Many of the horses racing in the Derby Fever have some kind of background to their name and Bob the Cob is no exception.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Nextbonus named it after an actual horse by the same name.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The horse was not a racing horse, rather a cruelly neglected horse that was rescued by a caring agency back in 2001.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The horse received a broad range of media coverage.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Nextbonus provided the following link that provides photos of the \u201creal\u201d Bob the Cob and some information on his past and current well being: <\/FONT>http:\/\/www.equiworld.net\/uk\/ezine\/0501\/index4.htm<\/FONT><\/B><\/A><\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/P>

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Now back to the sim version of Bob the Cob who comes to the game out of the blodline of Geri x Riverman x Storm Bird.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Of the 100 races he has appeared in only two were on the dirt track.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His career kicked off on March 30, 2002 as a three year old, debuting in Queensland on the turf.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He ran 6 furlongs in a speed of 67, finishing a mid-field sixth and the race would be the only sprint race of his career.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P>

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This brown horse would move to China a month later and run 8.5 furlongs with a much improved 85 speed and finishing second by just over two strides after trailing by nearly a dozen early on.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>In May he would fly into Taiwan and go 9 furlongs.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Sent off at 3-1, the first time he would be a favorite in a race, he would easily put away the field by four lengths, breaking his maiden with a speed of 81.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P>

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The win would be a launching pad as Bob the Cob had started a win streak that would extend through\u00a0 <\/SPAN>September, 2002 and his distance running would extend up to 14 furlongs.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Each race was won by a minimum of 4 lengths.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>Included in the streak were three consecutive wins in Tennessee with jockey RJ Bokie aboard.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Two of the races were allowance races bearing the names of \u201cBob and Ryan Twinkie Marathon\u201d and \u201cThe Bob and Ryan Ding Dong\u201d.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Nextbonus revealed the the horse would race in Tenessee around the holidays, adding \u00a0<\/SPAN>\u201c It was a tradition I shared with my friend, SIM player RBokie (Ryan Bennett Okerstrom, real life poet, thoroughbred owner\/breeder and bon vivant ). His jockey rode Bob in every Tennessee race until his last.\u201d<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P>

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Bob the Cob would then venture into stake racing for the first time and bring a 7-race win streak into the two mile Longchamp Marathon (G2), going this long distance for the first time.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>At 7-2, Bob the Cob would be the third betting choice behind Russ and Mario Bar.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>As it turned out, Russ the 5-2 favorite would be pulled up early with an injury in the race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Bob the Cob would be 15 back by the half and by the \u00be-pole, make up no ground, still 15 back but passing tiring horses moving from 7th<\/SUP> to 3rd<\/SUP>.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Mario Bar would be just too strong as the front runner, and would pick up the win.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Bob the Cob would finish in third, 9 strides behind the winner and the win streak would end at seven and later turn out to be the longest of his career, however, he would hit a speed of 103, breaking the 100 level for the first time.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>The 2002 running of the Longchamp Marathon had a field of nine runners, eight of them would end up to be grade winners.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P>

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Two weeks later, Bob the Cob would find a much, much softer spot in an allowance race containing a field of four.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His competition were 3 very soft CPU owned horses which pushed Bob the Cob off at 1-10 and he destroyed the field by nearly 23 lengths, in a very slow 67 walk around the track.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The margin of victory in this race would turn out to be the largest in his career.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P>

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In January, 2003, Bob the Cob would venture into his first career race on the dirt in an allowance race named \u201cBob and Ryan Get Dirty\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>With the go-to jockey Bokie aboard in Tennessee, this guy would be sent off as the 3-1 favorite.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Although he would ultimately finish second in the race, it wasn\u2019t as promising as his turf efforts as he finished nine strides behind the winner with a speed of 87 going 14 furlong.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>By now, this distance would be his favorite to run.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Nextbonus commented on this, stating \u201c\u2026most of his races were 14 furlongs on the turf. It was his best distance and I raced him in his comfort zone as often as possible.\u201d<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P>

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Returning to the turf, and after a horrendous effort in the 16f, G1 GSR Cup, Bob the Cob would appear in the 12f, G2 Pan Americana Handicap in March, 2003.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Squaring off against nine others, and at 9-1 odds, the pursuit of a graded stake win would finally come his way as he thundered past the field and drew away by five solid lengths to make that wonderful trip to the winner\u2019s circle.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P>

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Bob the Cob would make another dozen or so trips into graded races, including the October, 2003 Breeders Bowl Turf.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>However, a second grade victory would not come his way, despite finishing second in a couple of efforts.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His best speed of his career came in June, 2003 where he charted a 117 speed in the G2, 12f Longstickgoboom Stakes, finishing second, four back and making up nearly a dozen lengths in the second half of the event.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P>

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In October, 2004, Bob the Cob would compete in the prestigious Ark De Triumph.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A field of ten would go to the post, with eight of the entrants becoming grade winners during their career.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>Bob the Cob would stumble out of the gate and quickly fall to the rear of the field.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He would be eased up before reaching the half with a worrisome injury.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The injury would sideline him for a month and a half, and the Ark De Triumph would turn out to be his last grade level race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u201cHe was never quite the same after breaking down in The Ark. But he continued to do well in lower classes once he healed.\u201d Nextbonus said about this race.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P>

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As time would pass, and years would go by, Bob the Cob would race mainly in the California area, with frequent visits to Tennessee.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The allowance level would ultimately become his home.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In the middle of 2006 he would achieve another nice win streak that lasted six consecutive races.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P>

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The 2008 racing season would see the end of the career for Bob the Cob as he reached mandatory retirement as he reached his 100th<\/SUP> race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He was brought home to Tennessee and reunited with jockey R Bokie for his 99th<\/SUP> race in an allowance affair titled \u201cCountdown to Retirement, Race 99 A Bob The Cob Thanksgiving\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This would be a restricted race with 11 horses entered, all age nine.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>As the 5-2 co-favorite, Bob the Cob would make an unusual run by settling near the front in the third position early on.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He responded favorably to Bokie\u2019s whip and rallied to the wire first, with an old mans speed of 67.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P>

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The weekend prior to Christmas, on December 20, 2008 would be his final race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>An allowance race dedicated with the title \u201cBob The Cob Retirement Marathon\u201d would contain a full field of 14 with many of the horses from his 99th<\/SUP> race competing once again.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This race was also restricted to 9-year olds and a bit of a dilemma developed at the Tennessee track.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>As Nextbonus put it \u201cRBokie, the jockey, was out of town to ride in the DPCD festival so little Benny Wallace got the call.\u201d\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Everyone with a talented horse would like to see it finish their career on a winning note.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Would the jockey change have an adverse effect on this route runner?\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Dropping back to eleventh in the early going, Bob the Cob was a small 3 1\/2 strides off the lead.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>As the field hit the midway, 7f pylon, he still trailed in ninth, but a soft four lengths off the lead.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In his old glorious style, Bob the Cob cruised his way to the front, leading the field by two as the field came off the final turn.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Through the stretch, jockey Wallace allowed Bob the Cob to draw off by over eight strides, winning the race as the second choice at 9-2 odds.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P>

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Bob the Cob ended his career with a record of 39-18-16 and earned over $1.7 million.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>If my calculations are correct, and with 100 races there is a good chance of error, he raced 19 times in Tennessee and had a record of 12-4-2 at the raceway.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>14-furlongs was his forte, a distance he ran 65 times, producing a record of 30-12-12.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P>

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RETIREMENT<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>

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Male horses can be used only once as a game-dam and Bob the Cob was used with Rahy as the sire to produce a male colt by the name of Bobby.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The 2-year old offspring raced one week after the retirement of Bob the Cob.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Bobby failed to show any spark and dropped from the MSW level to the mid-level claimers and eventually the lowest 2k claimers when he was snagged for a cheap price.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He raced once for his new connections in 2009 and hasn\u2019t been on the track since.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In seven career starts, the offspring never hit the board and has earned zilch in career earnings.<\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Master at 14 Furlongs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":363,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/363"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10506"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10506\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}