Green Monkey retired?

The Green Monkey, an infamous colt by Forestry out of an Unbridled mare, has been retired. The Green Monkey was purchased for $16 million as a two-year-old in training when he clocked a bullet :09 4/5 seconds furlong work. The colt was retired after he didn't go on to train well after a pulled gluteal muscle.

Crown of Thorns
b.c., 2005. Repent x Crowning Touch (Thunder Gulch)
3-2-0-0, $120,000 graded earnings.
Owner: B. Wayne Hughes; Trainer: Richard Mandella; Jockey: Victor Espinoza; Breeder: Clover Leaf Farms, II, inc.
Crown of Thorns is near undefeated, with a maiden special weight win and a stakes win under his belt. He handled 1 1/16m well in the G3 Robert B. Lewis, stalking the pace and drawing clear to win by 2 1/2. While his record is quite pristine, Crown of Thorns lacks some of the experience of other Derby contenders, such as those who ran impressively in the Breeders Cup Juvenile (G1), or who have defeated or stayed against G1 fields.

Crown of Thorns is sired by Repent, a horse who made $1.2 million on the track, winning the Louisiana Derby (G2) and running second in the Travers Stakes (G1). Repent is Florida's #2 freshman sire of '07, gaving sire three stakes horses in his first crop. Crown of Thorns's dam is a Thunder Gulch mare, who didn't race and has only sired one winner. While Crown of Thorns's pedigree lacks some sparkle in my opininon, he has staying power coming from both lines: both Repent and Thunder Gulch showed ability over classic distances.

El Gato Malo
dk.b/br. c, 2005. El Corredor x One Bad Cat (Mountain Cat)
3-3-0-0, $90,000 graded earnings.
Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds; Trainer: Craig Dollase; Jockey: David Flores; Breeder: Kenneth C. Roberts
El Gato Malo is undefeated in three starts, with two stakes wins, one of which was a G3. The farthest he has been is 1m, therefore lacking the 1 1/18m or 1 1/16m experience that other contenders have.

El Gato Malo is sired by El Corredor, a stallion known for his speed. El Corredor never raced past 1m, but has produced 9 stakes winners (in three years) such as Dominican and Adieu. While there are not too many familiar names in El Gato Malo's bottom line, every one of his dam's foals (that have made it to the track) have been winners. While El Gato Malo's parents are certainly producers, we'll have to see whether El Gato Malo can become a stayer despite his pedigree.