Farewell, Kat

Kat as a foal (2010 - December 6, 2013)

After she broke her maiden – any time now we were telling ourselves – she was going to get some rest.  It was November of 2012 and she had already spent the summer being expertly schooled at Eisaman Equine and the fall in the skilled hands of trainer Kathleen O’Connell.  This was her 3^rd start for us and we had some decisions to make.  Would she stay in Florida or move over to the Bernell Rhone barn and try and make her mark in Minnesota racing like her mom, My Philly, did?  Should we give her a NW2 try at 2 or just shelve her until spring of her 3-year old year?  Those were our big decisions ahead.

Third time was the charm and she ran a very professional race to win by three.  Then there was the announcement: E Sveikata (“Kat”) was claimed for $32,000 by owner Joseph Balsamo and trainer Leo Azupurua Jr.

No. Freaking. Way.

She was valued at $16,000 when we bought 40% of her from breeder Gabe Puniska and his wife Jenepherin March of 2012.  She was a daughter of Even the Score like our Tabby Lane out of a mare named My Philly who was an allowance winner over the Canterbury Park lawn.  We had her in training from March and Kathleen took her time getting her to the races – making sure that everything was right with her.

Race 1 was learning experience.  She finished 4^th and was a bit tired near the end.  After all, this was running with purpose for an awfully long way!  In race 2 she closed very nicely over the Calder slop, finishing a solid 2^nd. 

Race 3 she came ready to play.  She tracked the pace and when Eduardo Nunez asked her to go, she went.  And then she went again.  Away from our barn.  Away from the carefully laid out plan.  Away from the rest that she was due.

Of course we kept following her.  Over the next 12 months, from November 8, 2012 to November 16, 2013 she ran another 12 times.  The longest gap between races was about 6 weeks.  She ran one more time in November and then took December off before coming back on January 10.  Then later in the year, after a $6,250 claiming race where she finished a badly beaten 9^th on August 31, she had another six weeks off before another $6,250 race where she not only was eased, but was claimed!

She couldn’t get that third win at $25,000, $16,000 or $6,250 but apparently she was claim worthy at $6,250.  She was having a tough time carrying her speed and, it seemed to me, that there was something wrong.  Was she bleeding through her Lasix?  Stopping like she had run into a wall was a hallmark of a bleeder but there is no way for me to know for sure.  She was competitive for a while at $25,000, even notching her second win there, but suddenly could no longer keep up with the cheapest stock in south Florida.

In her debut for the new barn (Alphonso Miranda – owner/trainer) she was a badly beaten last and ran the same pattern in the $6,250 NW3 claiming race: get on or near the lead and then stop badly.  That was on November 16.  On November 29 she was a vet scratch in a $16,000 claiming race over the turf.  Turf horse or not, THAT is a huge jump in class.  In my opinion the fact that she was a vet scratch was ominous – especially coming 13-days after a race where she stopped so badly.  Seven days later she was back in a $16,000 NW3 turf contest that was off the turf.

Kat broke like a champ.  She took the lead at 67-1 and was able to hold it through the first ¾ of the race.  Overtaken by eventual winner Big Debbie (a 16 ¾ length winner ironically trained by Kathleen O’Connell) she started drifting out in the lane.  Jockey Ronald Ordonez was working on her pretty good and, after straightening out briefly, she started drifting back out again.  Then she was down.  During the live call of the race, the announcer made the astute observation that Kat was doing all she could just to hold the place spot.  She couldn’t.  Her next mention:  “E Sveikata is down”.    The head on told the full story.  She had snapped her right front.  From my brief glimpse, it doesn’t look like she ever got up again.

I called Gabe.  He hadn’t seen the race so I had to break the news to him.  He was remarkably sanguine about the events, though obviously sad and upset.  Jenepher took it harder.  Gabe said that there was just something nagging at him to not watch this one.  I had a strangely different feeling.  I felt like I HAD to watch it.  I had to make sure that someone who actually cared about her watched her run – apparently not wholly unlike the feeling you get when you need to get to the bedside of a dying loved one. 

Gabe and I had talked about claiming her back at one point.  Our group had moved on and we had purchased Bourbonology so the cash flow wasn’t there – especially to take on a filly who I felt, at the very least, needed 6 months on a farm somewhere and quite possibly was ruined as a racehorse.  Gabe was divesting himself of all interests in racing and, retired and battling some health issues, really didn’t have the disposable income either.  We made business decisions.  Sound business decisions, but shitty – at least on my end - humanitarian ones.  Perhaps not.  As a steward of other people’s money – several who joined AFTER Kat moved on, how could I possibly spend it on a horse that was having issues, possibly unsound and may never race again? 

It is a decision that will haunt me for a while.  As folks that are in the equine retirement business know, you can’t save them all.  I know the course I would have taken if she were ours, but she wasn’t.  Virtually no owner can go and buy back every racehorse they’ve ever owned a part of when they feel the horse should be retired or need a break either. 

Kat deserved better. Our Tabby Lane is in foal to the Storm Cat stallion, Eastwood Dacat, and due to deliver in March.  The obvious name is Tabby Dacat.  I may change the spelling to Tabby DaKat. 

Rest in peace, sweetie.  I’m so very sorry.

A Win, a Potential Loss and a Tie

Three months ago we had two race horses: one an open mid-level claimer and one a promising two-year old (aren’t they all?).  Now we have win but no promising two-year old, a potential broodmare whose racing career is all but over, but a relatively profitable bank account and folks ready to go racing.

Photo Credit: Jenepher Puniska

Last First.

E Sveikata (Even the Score – My Philly) was a homebred by Gabe and Jenepher Puniska (Hess on the breeding forms) that we bought 40% of in March.  She was training at Eisaman Equine and doing well.  In June she went to the racetrack to the barn of Kathleen O’Connell where she took her training to the next level.  We were all patient and careful with her as she made the adjustment from the farm to the track.  We call her ‘Kat’ while the barn called her ‘Eva’ short for Eva the Diva because of her regal prep work at Eisaman.

Kat’s first start, in a $32,000 maiden claiming race, was on September 28^th, nearly six months after paying out with no possibility of return.  We, of course, wanted to win, but our hope was to hit the board.  She finished 4^th.  She came back just fine, though, and was entered back on October 19^th, same level, same distance (5.5 furlongs). 

For race number 2, the track came up sloppy and she drew the rail – two things you really don’t want to see for a young horse.  She also had developed a minor urinary tract infection that didn’t impede her training, but did need treatment.  By race time she was testing fine and we decided to let her rip and see what she could do in the slop and pinned inside – she’d have to do eventually.  She broke a step slowly and also had to be steadied behind horses entering the turn but was still able to finish second.  Things were looking up!

Race three was last week, November 8.  She went a furlong further, which we thought was more to her liking.  It was going to be our last race on the dirt before we moved her to the turf.  We stayed at the same level and she broke alertly and, while wide the entire trip, proved to be much the best.  So much so that someone anted up $32,000 for her and claimed her away from us.  All that time, energy and money and she was gone.  It was truly a bittersweet moment.  After the expenses are tallied up, the group would have earned between 15 – 18% off of our initial outlay.  One thing you learn over time in this business, making money is hard and when you do, be thankful.  But we won’t know what Kat will become.  Her development will be different under a new trainer and regimen.  We’ll continue to chart her progress and wish her and her new connections the best of luck going forward.

On to Tabby Lane. 

Everyone that reads this knows Tabby.  Tabby’s career is spotty, but overall you can never complain with a horse that can start 40 times and win at a 25% clip.  She won as high as a first level allowance/optional claiming as well as several starter allowances.  She may race one more season or she may become a broodmare.

It’s doubtful she could make it as a broodmare in Kentucky, New York or California, but she may do well here in Minnesota.  With the right stallion she could possibly throw some nice offspring.  Of course breeding is a bit of a crapshoot and any number of things can go wrong.  There are some folks in the group that probably won’t want to go that route and some that do, depending upon the costs involved.  Realistically, breeding is paying out for 3 years with no possible hope of a return until then.  Even then, we’ll probably need to breed to race in order to prove her out before we can breed to sell.

There are options.  She may come back and race one more season.  We may sell her as a broodmare prospect – I’m certainly not opposed to that.  I’m not even opposed to selling part of her as a broodmare prospect and retaining a small share just to be a part of the process and learn about it from the inside from those that know this end of the business.  It’s nice to have options while she, for now, rests and recreates out on the farm.

The business marches on, of course, and folks are ready to get started once Tampa gets rolling to claim a horse and get back in the game for another season.  The purses at Canterbury should escalate nicely and will provide us with a better potential return than was ever possible before – at least in my tenure up here.  There are remnants of the Tabby Lane group – depending, of course, what happens to her career – the remnants of the E Sveikata group as well as the foundation for the next group that was already in place.  It could be a very active winter for us!

For now, though, it’s time to close up the book on Kat, decide what to do with Tabby and flesh out the 2013 claiming group.  Business marches on indeed.

Won...and Done

Talk about an emotional swing!  I was in a meeting in Mount Pleasant, MI when E Sveikata’s race was run.  I got into the car about 15 minutes after the finish of the race to a rash of text messages from a friend in Vegas sending me the good news: Kat won!  Our girl was a maiden now more.  She professionally dispatched a group of $32,000 maiden claimers running wide the entire trip, roused when asked and keep the competition at bay for a 3-length victory – like a 6/5 shot should.

At this point my personal phone was dead and I only had about 10% left on my work phone but I jumped on Facebook to post the news:

“A maiden no more!!! E Sveikata breaks her maiden at Camder this afternoon!!!!”  (You read that right – Camder.  It’s an iPhone…I have fat fingers…). 

Not much later, as the congratulations started coming in, a friend in southern Cal added, “Congrats Ted Grevelis! She got claimed!”

Huh…

The elation quickly dissipated as the reality settled in.  I couldn’t contact our majority partner because the one phone was dead and the one in my hand just died.  My concern was immediately for him, Gabe Puniska and his wife, Jenepher.  Gabe was there when Kat was pulled from her mother’s womb.  She was a homebred and supervised every bit of her development. He’s been in this game a while and has lived through the ups and downs, but I had no idea how he was going to react with her claim.

I had several hours to stew as we heading toward the hotel in Battle Creek.  When the dust settled, Gabe was okay.  He was understandably conflicted but in the span of a week offspring of his broodmare sold horses in excess of $55,000 (a half-brother of Kat was sold at Fasig Tipton earlier in the week for $25,000) – not bad for a mid-level claimer/allowance mare that toiled at Canterbury Park.

The feelings of the group, while a bit mixed, were generally the same: she was great, and we made some money, let’s move on.  So that’s what we will do in some way, shape or form.  All the partners may not stay and some new may join us, but we will move one, secure in knowing that we were part of a two-year old’s development, paying out with no possibility for a return in months and then picking up a 4^th, 2^nd, a win and being claimed for more than we paid for her.  We came out of her ahead, and that’s never a bad thing.

Third Time the Charm for Kat at Calder?

The morning line maker at Calder Race Course feels like the third time will be the charm for E Sveikata.  Our two year filly goes postward as the luke warm morning line favorite at 3-1.  Analogy, a filly she beat by 6 ¼ last out is the 4-1 second choice.  Our gal has a lot to commend her but this field of $32,000 maiden claimers is not just going to roll over for her.  She picks up an extra furlong and a half to 6 ½ for this race and that should work out nicely for her.

Of course I am traveling this week and, even worse, have a 2 PM meeting in Michigan with the race scheduled to go off at 2:18 PM ET the odds are not good that I’ll be able to see it live – or at all until I reach the hotel later that evening.  I’m willing to guess that I will know the result not long after I leave that meeting, though.

From the inside out:

Carolinaonmymind (O’Connell/Gallardo): O’Connell is scoring at 14% with first timers and usually has them prepped for a solid first effort.  A 2-yer old debuting on the rail is always a dicey proposition, however.

Senora de Lujan (Duco/Elver Nunez): A pair of fourth place finishes in her first two starts with the last in a maiden special.  Her Beyer suggests she didn’t improve much from race to race, but I’m sure the effort against better sharpened her up some.

Lori’s Image (Rose/Panici): Eight tries, eight times being beaten by double digit lengths.  She stays at the same level here and probably will deliver the same result.

Ariel’s Flyer (Warren/Monterrey): Kat had her by about 4 last time and she really didn’t fire, taking a step back in the slop.  The track looks to be dry tomorrow so an effort more like her debut is probably in order and that will make her tough in here.

Foxie Afleet (Olivares/Cruz): Another first timer with fair works but nothing that makes you think that this will be a winning debut.  May need one.

One Hot Tomato (Williams/Boraco): Only one posted work, 95^th out of 99 with a :52.3  Unless there are more “farm works” out there, this firster will need to race into shape.

Distinct Spirit (Smith/Rodriguez): Has flashed some early speed against better but faded.  Takes it down a notch here, but the extra furlong and a half does her no favors.

Connor’s Gold (Smith/Bocachica): Debut was not a bad effort in a $50,000 MCL.  She stalked nicely before fading – certainly no surprise from a first time starter.  She should improve off of that effort and with the drop in class she figures to be a factor if she’s fit enough.

E SVEIKATA (O’CONNELL/NUNEZ)

Analogy (Fawkes/Cruz): Second choice in Kat’s last race, took to the lead but gave way in the turn.  She carried her speed longer than she did in her debut, but that will be counteracted a bit by the extra furlong.

Kat comes into the race in fine form.  She has no issues to speak of and has been galloping very well.  Her last race was certainly a step up from her first but it’s important to remember that it was over a sloppy race track and that figures to be to her liking.  A couple of things to recall from the last race: she got off a step slow and when she was hustled to the front she had to steady a bit to avoid running up on the leaders heels.  She broke her momentum and lost a couple of lengths but was able to close well and really finish strongly.  The extra distance looks to be good for her as we have her pegged as a 7 furlong to a mile filly so she should really be coming into her own here.

Of course there are a myriad of ways that a horse can lose a race and with class droppers and a dry track, several others figure to give her a go in here.  If Eddie can rate her and she still has the ability to close into what should be a fair pace set by Analogy (hopefully pushed by Distinct Spirit) we should be in the mix coming to the wire.

Kat Takes Second in the Slop

It’s not often that you’ll hear me say that I was satisfied with a second place finish, but E Sveikata’s race yesterday was one of those times.

Kat broke a step slow.  In fact it appeared that she hopped a bit at the start and she immediately spotted the field about two lengths in the 5 ½ furlong race at Calder (see it here).  Jockey Eduardo Nunez hustled her up into contention heading into the turn where she had to steady slightly as she came up against a wall of horses.  As a result she had to settle back a little bit again and bide her time through the turn and well into the stretch before things started to open up a bit.  By that point highly regarded first timer Esperanza Latina had the race well under control.  Kat, tiring less than the rest of the field, finished strongly for second over the sloppy race track.

Overcoming the sloppy going, being penned in on the rail, hopping at the start and being steadied to only finish 3 ¾ lengths back was mighty impressive to me for a second time starter.  The company certainly wasn’t too tough and we learned she can handle the sloppy going.  In fact, it looks like having her stretch out a bit won’t be an issue either.  Maybe not right now, obviously, but in the future.  It could be that we have seen her style – a bit slow to start and then finishing strongly.  This is unlike her mom, My Philly, but very much like her big sis, Tabby Lane.  The fact that she had to take back and then was able to come again was also very impressive.  There were several points in the race, including the start, where she could have given up and she didn’t it.

We’ll see how she comes back and then we’ll plot the next race.  My guess is that we’ll be back in with the same but with a couple of races under her belt as well as some confidence.  She’s going to be tough to beat!

E Sveikata at Calder - Take 2!

There’s an old axiom that a horse has every right to improve off of a first time start.  The unfamiliarity of a race day routine and being asked for speed – or to rate that speed – over more ground than ever before amongst up to a dozen other horses can be jarring.  Especially to a young 2-year old.  We’re going to see just how much improvement E Sveikata can make as she takes the track for the second time at Calder Race Course in Florida this afternoon in the second race.

The conditions are very similar to her first race: Maiden Claiming, $32,000, going five and a half furlongs over the dirt.  The race only drew a field of six and our gal drew the rail – another bit of a concern for a 2-year old who didn’t seem to like the feel of dirt being kicked up at her.

Here is the field:

1 – E SVEIKATA (O’CONNELL/NUNEZ) 4:1

 

2 – Ariel’s Flyer (Warren/Monterrey) 3:1 – Had a nice first start, finishing third in a field of eight in a $16,000 maiden claiming race.  Doubles the claiming price here which means a bit more challenging company but her 39 Beyer fits in just fine.

3 – Seretaria (Duco/Elver Nunez) 8:1 – Five starts, all Maiden Specials none of them competitive.  In fact, she seems to be regressing over time rather than improving.  Possibly a function of being run over her head and her giving up.  The drop should help but if others improve, she may be out of luck.

4 – Analogy (Fawkes/Leyva) 9:5 – morning line favorite with one start under her belt as well, but it was a fast Maiden Special over the turf where she finished 5^th but posted a field best 46 Beyer.  She improves off of that and this race is entirely hers. 

5 – Smoking Coyote (Homiester/Bain) 15:1 – All Maiden Special starts but much less impressive than Seretaria and was beaten too badly to even earn a Beyer in two of her four starts.  She probably needs to drop even deeper.

6 – Esperanza Latina (Garoffalo/Saez) 5:2 – Interesting first timer with solid works and a jockey trainer combo that wins at a 45% clip.  Garoffalo is only wining at a 8% ate with first time starters, though (25 starts).

At first blush, our gal got smoked by 13 ¼ lengths last out but when you see that the winner cruised to win by 11 ¼, it doesn’t seem as bad.  Two lengths out of second for an inexperienced racehorse who needs a race or two to tighten up isn’t bad at all.  I’m not thrilled with a 33 Beyer, but we’ve all seen horses improve greatly off a race like that in their second start.

Last race she broke okay but took back to the middle of the pack before she started making up ground again then fading.  She was just caught for third in the final strides as she let up off the gas.  The first timer on the outside is a real unknown quantity and you never know how she might handle the experience.  Analogy looks like she could blow to the front and not look back with us and Ariel’s Flyer chasing. 

I can’t say that I would truly be disappointed if we lost to a streaking Analogy but I will be if we fail to hit the board.  And races aren’t won on paper so we’ll step in the starting gate, look ‘em all in the eye, and give it our best shot.

E Sveikata Takes on Seven in Debut

                     E Sveikata as a foal (Even the Score-My Philly-Cimarron Secret) - Photo Credit: Gabe Puniska

The months of build-up are finally over.  Race day is here for E Sveikata (Even the Score-MyPhilly-Cimarron Secret) and we get to see what we have under the hood.  Prior to the end of the 7^th race at Calder tomorrow, everything is possible.  Win this race by daylight making very little effort; jump right into an overnight stake because she won THAT impressively; maybe one last start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies before turning out for a few months.  ALL of that is possible before the race is run.  After the race is finished we’ll know the reality.  The dream may still be alive or it may have just changed a bit…or a lot.  There is no way to tell until you run with meaning.

Two year old maiden races are always difficult to handicap for me.  I’m not a student of pedigree and tend to rely on others for that type of analysis.  More than anything, I tend to just pass these races and not even wager.  I probably will place a supportive wager on our gal here, though.  How can you not?  Here is a look at field and what passes as 2-year old maiden analysis for me (sometimes you just have to know what you’re not good at, right?!) for the $32,000 Maiden Claiming race going 5 ½ furlongs at Calder over the main track.

Pure Anticipation (Catanese/Cruz) 8-1 – One of four first time starters in the field.  The red hot Cruz aboard (though winless for Catanese this year).  Works have been solid though not spectacular. Trainer only 4% with first timers.

Emma’s Image (Rose/Argueta) 15-1 - Two solid early starts but simply blistered after the summer layoff in a Maiden $40,000 losing by over 47 lengths.  Drops a bit into here but seems to be less effective the longer she goes.

Classy and Serene (Pinchin/Jara) 8-1 – First time starter, one pedestrian work.  Trainer is 22% with first timers, though and 36% with a positive ROI in Maiden Claiming debuts.  Off just the single work you’d like to write her off, but hard to ignore those trainer numbers.

Seek the Dream (O’Connell/Galviz) 4-1 – Solid debut at this level on 9/2.  Kat’s stablemate is eligible to improve off her maiden effort where she showed some early speed before tiring late.  The reduction of a half furling won’t hurt either.

Eva’s Pearl (Gleaves/Jose Garcia) 5-2 – A sharp third at this level last out to repeat winner ($16,000CL nw2) Bel Dancing earned her position as the morning line favorite.

E SVEIKATA (O’CONNELL/NUNEZ) 6-1

Pine Walk (Fawkes/Rios) 8-1 – Badly beaten in a Maiden Special Weight last out, this type of class relief always helps, though there wasn’t much speed shown at all in that debut race.

Maddie O’s Prize (White/Saez) 3-1 – First time daughter of Graeme Hall is the second choice at 3-1.  A long, solid work pattern and a trainer that wins at a rate of 19% with first time starters.

Here is where I usually explain how our horse has a chance to win this race and how things need to come together.  This is an eight horse race with 4 first time starters and three others making only their second start – I have no idea what the hell is going to happen!

I think that Kat will show some speed.  Her mom won at first asking and was “get to the lead and catch me” kind of horse.  Eva’s Pearl and Seek the Dream both had reasonable debuts and certainly wouldn’t surprise anyone if they stepped up in this spot.  We could have rain tomorrow and that may impact her positively as well, though nearly every horse in the race has a high wet Tomlinson number.

Do I want a win in here?  You bet your boots I do!  But do I EXPECT a win in here?  No – I think that’s too much to ask from any 2-year old doing this for the first time.  But she’s proven that she is smart, quick, aggressive and relatively calm by nature so she certainly can’t be ruled out.

Unfortunately I will be on a plane tomorrow as the race goes off.  I may hook in to the wifi on board but we may be on our final approach and not be able to boot up the ipad or the computer to watch!  Like flying isn’t stressful enough…

Welcome: E Sveikata!

The lovely lady above is E Sveikata is a 2 year old filly out of the mare My Philly by Even the Score.  Because of the different dams I’m technically not allowed to refer to her as Tabby’s half-sister, though they are both by Even the Score.  However you want to refer to her, she shares half a gene pool with Tabby Lane.  A group I lead has purchased a 40% interest in E Sveikata and we’re very much looking forward to her debut as a charge of trainer Kathleen O’Connell in Florida.

The goal with this group to purchase half an interest in two horses but near the close of the deal three members fell out and left us with a choice: continue on with E Sveikata (“Kat” as our little 40% nicknamed her) or hold out and try to get replacements.  Time was short so we soldiered on. 

My Philly (Cimarron Secret-Ensign Helen-Blue Ensign) was a useful filly, a winner of 9 races in 34 starts with an in the money percentage of 62% and $108,438 earned.  She was a precocious 2-year old winning at first asking in a Suffolk Downs maiden special weight, placing 6^th next out in the Finger Lakes Juvenile Fillies and then a 3^rd in a non-winners of two allowance before a career threatening injury sidelined her for 18^th months.  After her return she was never quite the same though she managed 8 more wins including back-to-back $22,000 allowance tallies at Canterbury Park.  She challenged in the 2006 Claiming Crown Tiara as well as the 2007 HBPA Mile.  Never fully recovered from her injury, she nonetheless demonstrated ability and grit – traits that horses either have or they don’t.

E Sveikata was bred (and 60% owned) by Gabe and Jenepher Puniska, a delightful couple now living in Florida but originally from greater Chicago.  They own My Philly and, I think correctly, surmised that without her freak injury, Phillly could have been something special.  The decided to breed her when her career was done and Gabe carefully selected Even the Score as a match.  We’ll see if his work paid off soon enough, but ever since Bernell Rhone turned me on to this gal, I have had a very strong feeling that she’s something special.  No real blistering insight – this time it is just gut feeling.  Her breeding gives her a shot, I think, but the rest is just my gut telling me that she’s going to be special.

We kicked around a plan to send her to Bernell but that was prior to the agreement with the SMSC and it was hard to make the argument that she should try and break her maiden at Canterbury in a $14,000 MSW when she would run for more than double that at Calder.  As it turns out, she’s only just now rounding into shape for her first race so it probably worked out for the best that she stayed in Florida for now.  It’s hard to argue with O’Connell’s success with young horses and we’re hoping that trend continues with Eva the Diva, as she’s known around the barn – apparently her “prep school” level education at Eisaman Equine has earned her the reputation as a diva.  Thankfully not a reflection of her personality, only her stellar preparation by one of the best in the business!

Tabby Lane’s efforts have been well documented here (overly documented to some!) so we’re pretty excited about what this young filly could accomplish.  She’s been working well within herself and we’re not really sure of the depth of her talent, but as an unraced 2-year old, her potential is limitless.  She wins a maiden special convincingly in a week or two, smokes the filed in an overnight stake and we’re in the starting gate Breeders’ Cup weekend!  Okay, maybe a bit far-fetched, but the point is valid: until they step onto the track and run that first race, just about anything is possible!

Best of luck to all the partners!