1) Anybody here understand Broodmare Auction prices? Specifically, I am trying to figure out the following -- when somebody buys a broodmare that is believed to be in foal, who is responsible for paying the stud fee -- the seller or the buyer? Is there a uniform convention about this? It seems to me you cannot really compare broodmare prices if sometimes the buyer has to pay the stud fee and sometimes the seller pays the stud fee.
2) On the question about how To Honor and Serve looked in his first race back, I do not know if the following is relevant, BUT, I know from personal athletic experience, you can look awful first time out without it really being any statement on fitness and ability. I rowed through college -- in that sport, everybody takes the winter off from racing and then in the Spring everybody comes back off the layoff (although doing tons of practice before actually racing). The first race back was almost sort of a contrary indicator. There would be slow starters who would be terrible but awesome by the time the season hit its peak and some of the best crews out of the gate would end up falling apart by the time the championships arrived. Long story short, I would be forgiving of a first race back. I am not saying that it means a visually unimpressive comebacking horse is a world beater come Derby time, but by the same token I wouldnt say that such a horse is worse off for Derby purposes.
