The call to retire a horse with a significant public profile is always a difficult one. In the knee-jerk reaction of the social media world, thoroughbreds are so often judged as retiring too soon, in the instance of a talented colt destined for a lucrative career at stud, or too late, in the case of a champion who is perceived as past its prime.
But several feature race results in the past 12 months have proven the best judges are always those that know these horses best. Most notably, Black Heart Bart's (Blackfriars) win in the 2019 G1 Underwood S. as a 9-year-old for trainer Lindsey Smith defied the critics who said the veteran should be grazing in a paddock rather than competing on a racecourse.
Given that success, it was no surprise that it was the stables of Smith that Humidor was sent to earlier this year in a bid to get his form and fitness back, having been 18 months out of the winners' circle, during which time he had suffered tendon issues.
His breeders, and majority owners, Jomara Bloodstock, an Auckland-based outfit run by the Carter siblings, John, Mark and Racheal, felt he needed to get his fitness back to the right level.
"When he was with Lindsey Smith, he had done a lot of remedial work. And he had done a really good job and had got him right, but things just didn’t pan out well on the racetrack over in Perth," John Carter told TDN AusNZ.
"He was doing everything they wanted to, but on the racetrack he wasn't exactly going that flash. I did think his last race over there, his last 200, it was the best he'd done for some time."
His three-race Perth winter program saw him finish 10th, eighth and fifth, and the social media catcall was that that the former Australian Cup, Makybe Diva S. and Memsie S. winner should be retired.
Shutting out the noise, the Carters arranged a catch-up with fellow part-owner Brae Sokolski to discuss whether it was worth giving their champ one more shot, and the likelihood that he might require a fifth trainer.
Humidor (NZ) (green silks)
"A couple of the owners were keen to retire him and we had discussions between myself and my brother and Brae Sokolski. Then we thought, he was still in good shape and Lindsey was positive his leg was perfect," Carter said.
"We thought we had a good horse and they don’t come around that often and we rang up a friend of ours, who is an astute judge and he recommended to us that he didn’t need to be retired and we should give him another 12 months.
"The more work you give Humidor, the better he responds." - John Carter
"We knew he has to be rock-hard fit to race well and with previous trainers, he used to have plenty of trials to get him to that point at the start of a campaign. The more work you give Humidor, the better he responds."
Waller takes control
Humidor was put under the care of Australia's leading trainer Chris Waller, somewhat of a master with older horses, and the plans for one last spring were put in place.
"Chris has been very positive all along and we have been basically guided by what he has said. If he had told us the horse had had enough, he'd be out in the paddock. He's been training well and we were hoping he'd go out and would finish off his racing career, and not be written off, like a lot of people had done," Carter said.
Set to resume in the Feehan S., Humidor was afforded little chance and ranked as a $21 outsider, despite being the best-credentialed runner in the field.
"If you looked at the field, had he taken them on two years ago, you would have been discussing how many lengths he would win by," Carter said.
"In this game, you can't be too confident but I was hopeful he could run a good race and hit the line hard. We just wanted him to keep on improving and show us he was fit and well."
Humidor did that and a little bit more, with Damian Lane bringing him through the field along the inside before pulling him into the clear at the top of the straight. He finished far too powerfully for his rivals to claim his ninth win, his sixth at stakes level, and taking his earnings close to $4.2 million.
Cox Plate beckons
Even more importantly, he has booked his ticket into the G1 Cox Plate, a race he controversially missed a spot in last year, consigned to being an emergency, having run second in 2017 and third in 2018.
"It’ll be good to go to the Cox Plate, especially after the Moonee Valley Racing Club left him out last year," Carter said.
"It’ll be good to go to the Cox Plate, especially after the Moonee Valley Racing Club left him out last year." - John Carter
He won't be the only Jomara Bloodstock representative in the race, with four-time Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), currently equal favourite for the Group 1 race on October 24.
Verry Elleegant (NZ) will also represent Jomara Bloodstock in the Cox Plate
Carter said all is progressing well ahead of the top quality mare's next task in the G1 George Main S. on September 19.
"She is the number one horse in Australia at the moment by a fair amount," Carter said. "She's good by all accounts. It's looking good. It’s always good to see those New Zealand breds serving it up to the Australians. It’s very satisfying."
Zalika's legacy lives on
Meanwhile, the final two foals from Humidor's dam Zalika (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) are something else to look forward to for the Carters.
The filly Julieta (NZ) (Shooting To Win) has just turned three and is nearing a racetrack debut at Smith's Warrnambool stables under Jomara's ownership.
"Lindsey is very happy with her. She's still growing, but he's delighted with the way she is going," Carter said.
Zalika also foaled an American Pharoah (USA) colt before her death last year.
"He's had a tough run, having lost his mum two days after he was born. He's had a rough start and a few issues, but he's picked up himself and thriving again," Carter said. "Sonia Waddell looks after all our horses and she is doing a fantastic job.
"We will be keeping him to race. He's the last one, so he won't see a sales ring."
