The Green Monkey

By Stephen Dwyer

I was lucky enough to visit the island of Barbados a few summers ago. It is a beautiful destination, white sandy beaches; Caribbean weather and friendly locals make it a place to return one day. I was struck to discover that the entire island is half the size of Louth, Ireland’s smallest county. Barbados boasts some of the world’s finest golf courses; one at Sandy Lane is called The Green Monkey. 18 holes there will set you back 235 US Dollars. The golf course takes its name from the Chlorocebus sabaeus species of monkey. More commonly called The Green Monkey, they roam wild in the island and were introduced to the West Indies in the late 1600s when slave trade ships travelled to the Caribbean from West Africa.

In February 2006, in a select auction for two-year-olds at Calder racecourse, Florida, a bidding war took place between Demi O’Byrne, representing Coolmore and John Ferguson of Darley Stud. Calder racecourse has witnessed several hurricanes but, this time the storm was over lot 153, an unnamed colt by Forestry, a son of Storm Cat. The colt, a rangy bay with a pronounced white blaze was initially sold as a yearling for $475,000. His owner knew he had something special though when the colt ran 1/8 of a mile (200 metres) in 9.8 seconds. A Porsche sports car can cover the same amount of distance in around the same time. Usain Bolt recently ran it in 19.19 seconds.

The bidding commenced at $500,000. It quickly rose in $300,000 and then $500,000 increments. In a little over seven minutes, at the $14,000,000 mark, the hushed crowd soon became charged as they witnessed the increments rise to $1,000,000 the first time in the history of horse auctions. In the end the hammer fell when the red glowing electronic lights of the sell price reached $16,000,000. No more bids followed, the Coolmore clan had just paid the most money ever recorded for a thoroughbred racehorse.

Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier, named the horse “The Green Monkey” after the connections with the Bajan golf course. It was also the Chinese year of The Green Monkey and it was hoped luck would follow the colt when he joined the yard of Todd Pletcher. A series of setbacks followed the colt, he had a training injury when falling and damaged his spine. Never to race as a two-year-old he made his debut in a $52,000 six furlong stakes race at Belmont Park. The world’s most expensive racehorse finished third of six, the odds of 2/5 looked especially cramped as he ran dismally.

Expecting an improvement, trainer Pletcher was soon disappointed as the colt finished fourth in a longer seven furlong race. On only his third and what would be his final start, The Green Monkey was fourth in a mile turf race two months after his racing career began. For an outlay of $16,000,000 the total career prize money amounted to $10,240. For an operation with shred results, Magnier’s colt earned a 0.064% return on investment.

Losses of course are there to be recouped, The Green Monkey was sent to stud where his fee is $5,000. In a year he might cover seventy mares; this amounts to $350,000 per annum. Magnier would hope to see his stock rise for it would take a shade over 45 years at the current rate for him to recoup the money spent.

His offspring will not race until 2013; his first foal, a bay filly was born last January and described as “big, beautiful and very correct”. Despite The Green Monkey not setting new records or winning grade one races, he will go down in history as an expensive failure. This is especially harsh but there’s an old saying that sometimes talent can skip a generation.

2013 is the Chinese year of the Snake. Who will offer me odds for a champion two-year-old named The Green Snake?

It just might be a bet worth taking.

By Stephen Dwyer