(Significant portions of this blog were first published on www.canterburyracingclub.com. You can also click there to see hoe we communicate with the Club members, the wonderful dialogue that goes on and to sign up for the Club.)
As you may recall, last year I managed the Canterbury Racing Club for Canterbury Park. It was a tremendous experience and I had a great time. ASK EDDY was able to win for the Club 4 times while my claim of MUNDY lost us a few bucks. However, at the end of the season folks that bought in for $250 received nearly $185 back. Not bad and I think it may have been a Club record.
Even though it was quite a bit of work, I agreed to do it again this year: mostly because it was fun and Heather agreed to help me out! Her primary responsibility will be handling the distribution of Winners' Circle photos (hopefully she'll be busy!!) as well as taking candid and racing shots during the season that we can post on the Club page. She can be reached at Heather@grevelisracing.com .
We will once again be utilizing the services of Clay Brinson as our trainer. Clay has proven to be quite the wizard with the our lower level claimers and since that is the Club's bread and butter, I wanted to make sure we locked him up for this season.
Here is a quick rundown for folks unfamiliar with how the Club operates:
The Club was designed by Jeff Maday and the folks at Canterbury Park to promote ownership as well as to give folks a glimpse "behind the curtain" and de-mystify what it's like to won and race thoroughbreds. Given the number of folks that have gone on to buy their own horses or form their own partnerships, the club has been a success.
Members pay $250 to join the Club. There are no additional fees and the only additional expense will be if we are fortunate enough to get into the Winners' Circle, there will be small charge for a photo.
The Club ends at the end of 2014 or when we have sold off our horses. As an example, last year we closed in November because our last horse was claimed then and it made no sense to claim a horse for only a few weeks.
Members get admission to Canterbury Park for the season as well as, if available, a special location to watch the races, rotating paddock access and - again, if we're lucky - access to the Winners' Circle.
We will conduct a few backstretch tours during the season as well so we can visit the barns and get a glimpse at life on the backside.
Last year we ended up with just about 180 members and I'm hopeful that we can push that number up over 200 this season. The number of members will impact the number of horses the Club can own and run but hopefully we can run at least 2 or maybe even 3 this year. It ends up being a lot of action for folks for a summer!
If you want more information on the Club (or some of our own open partnerships) please feel free to contact me at ted@grevelisracing.com. Club info can also be obtained through Jeff Maday at Canterbury Park at jmaday@canterburypark.com.
Showing posts with label Horse racing partnerships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horse racing partnerships. Show all posts
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Just Making It Official
It’s official. Tabby
Lane is now retired.
We had Dr. Jen Selvig, vet extraordinaire, come out and take
a look at her last week and she made official what we really figured anyway:
Tabby Lane needs to be retired. In
theory, there may have been a way to keep her going, but with her ankles and
the wear and tear of 40 starts, things could only end badly. Either should could one day not walk off the
track under her on power or not be good for anything else for the rest of
life. Both of these are unacceptable to
me.
Her stat line bears some repeating.
The 6-year old daughter of Even the Score out of the Rodeo
mare Keeley Chay won 10 of 40 races in her career: a winning percentage of
25%. That’s good no matter how you slice
it up. Seven of those 10 wins were after
we claimed her for $10,000. She hit the
board 21 times for just over 50% and earned $116,416 in her career. Her lifetime best winning Beyer speed figure
was a respectable 77 and her highest win was a first level allowance/optional
claiming race at Tampa Bay Downs. While
her expenses matched her earnings for us over the 2.5 years that we had her,
she provided us with winner’s circle photos, thrills and hopefully gave some
folks a taste of owning a racehorse.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that Tabby’s sweet demeanor and
good manners make her a pleasure to be around and exceptionally good with
children. We had partners that could
cuddle with her and small children that could feed her carrots and pet
her. Now we look forward to a second career
for her.
What her second career will be is the interesting question. With her breeding and mild success on the
racetrack she certainly looks like she could be a solid producer here in
Minnesota. Will we be the ones to breed
her remains to be seen. It is a three
year outlay with no possibility of return but the potential rewards, especially
with the Mystic Lake Purse Enhancement in place, could be tremendous if she can
throw a good one.
I’ve been working with Deb & Jeff Hilger of Bleu Valley Farm and Lisa Duuos at Dove
Hill Farm and Reproduction to learn as much as I can about this process
before we proceed. All three have been
exceedingly generous with their time and knowledge and I would like to
publically thank them here. Whether we
move forward or not, without their assistance, I wouldn’t be able to even think
about entering this end of the business.
I don’t want to even entertain this if she doesn’t have the potential to
drop anything decent and it appears she does have a fighting chance for that.
There is the possibility that there might be some folks out
there that would like to breed her as well - I am not opposed to that either. It’s certainly easy enough to check out her
pedigree, as some have already have and inquired, and determine yourself if she
would be a nice addition to your broodmare band. I would prefer not to sell her 100% outright
but retain a percentage of her ownership in order to be a part of this
fascinating part of the industry as well as to be able to keep tabs on her (oh
my…bad pun!).
The next month will be devoted to the wind down of the
racing group and the potential wind up of the breeding group as well as at
least another one, and possibly two, claiming groups for 2013. The most wonderful time of the year indeed!
I certainly can’t write a post about Tabby Lane’s retirement
with thanking Bernell Rhone, our trainer, whose sharp eye and local knowledge
brought her to our attention and his excellent horsemanship kept her winning
over 3 seasons. And I certainly can’t
end a post without thanking the big grey girl herself. Thanks, Tabs, for your heart, desire, effort
and even love, that you provided in the nearly 3 years of racing for us. We love you and will now look to take care of
you as you did us.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Birthday Ramblings
(Photo credit: Annie Ringwelski)
Unlike my horses, I officially change the year on my
actually birthday as opposed to January 1.
This year brings to 47 the number of times that I’ve flipped the
calendar and I’m greyer, fatter and sorer than I’ve ever been (thankfully I still have
a crapload of Greek hair)! I’m also
deeper into racing than I ever thought I would be – so the tradeoff is equal in
my book.
We’re examining possible breeding options for our mare; we
have a two-year old that is showing some ability; we nearly have a 2013
claiming group full; I’ve celebrated two seasons with the DRF covering the
greatest little racetrack in America; the good folks at Canterbury let me on
the air on a semi-regular basis; I’ve spent a wonderful year on the board of
the Minnesota Thoroughbred Association (and hope they’ll have me for many more);
and nearly got our little posse on the map as part of a new reality
series. I’m a quasi-regular helping out
with my picks sure to go wrong with Hello Race Fans and this blog has developed
a solid following (love you mom!). The
cherry on the cake is that Minnesota racing is looking as good as it ever has
with a future as bright as can be and I’m lucky enough to be involved in it,
even in some small way.
I look back at this and realize I barely even dreamt it was
possible I was punching tickets at Pimlico on Preakness Day back in 1988. I loved racing so much and kept close tabs on
it for years and nearly always went to bed thinking that it would be great to
actually be involved; to be a part of the action; to be on the inside looking
out rather than on the outside looking in; to make some kind of a living on the
game/industry/sport I love so very much.
I can’t say that I made it – I still have a “regular” job
that, thankfully, allows me to do the rest – but I can say that I’m a lot
closer than I ever dreamed possible.
Over the years I kept it in my sights and in the back of my mind. I had some very, very lucky breaks and some
key people (David Miller and Jeff Maday immediately spring to mind) that came
along at the right time to help me – debts I can never properly repay. But when I saw an opportunity to move forward
in racing I tried to seize it – some that worked and some that didn’t.
Failure is always a step away. If you fail 80% of the time in this game you’re
doing pretty well. Only 70% failure
rate? You’re amazing. Tabby Lane won 25%
of her career races and, as a stable over the years we’ve been able to win just
shade under 20% with our in the money percentage at 51%. Horses that we’ve been involved with have won
nearly $200,000 and that’s not bad when you consider that we’ve never run in a
single stakes race. Yup – I’ve been
mighty lucky and I appreciate every little bit of it.
To close my birthday ramblings, I want to throw one piece of
advice (I know, I shouldn’t be giving advice until I hit 50…): while you can’t
be afraid to fail, never be afraid to succeed.
As you get more successful you’ll generate more opportunities to be even
more successful and they may be a bit out of your comfort zone. Take them.
Get over it and take them. You’ll
grow from the experience and you’ll gain confidence along the way. It will be breed more success. Get out of your own way and just make it
happen. I’ve tried to do that this year
and, for the most part, it’s worked out pretty well. There may be more failure ahead – undoubtedly
so – but it won’t come from never having tried.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Tabby's Back
She’s in. It
probably won’t be pretty, but she’s in.
She’s fresh and feels good, so she has that going for her too, but she’s
no sprinter and this was what we got: $7500 Optional Claiming, 6 furlongs over
the main track. Since Tabs started for
less than $5,000 over the past couple of years, the race conditions like a
starter allowance so no tag on her in here.
She drew post position one which, in general, shouldn’t
be too bad, but her lack of early speed could take a toll on her in this
group. There is also a trio of Iowa
invaders, winning sprinters all, which look to be real threats. Amazingly, Tabby Lane is the morning line
favorite at 9/2 which makes me wonder if the PPs are just sent through an
algorithm and the morning line is spit out.
Just looking at our PPs you can see that Tabby is a better router than
sprinter AND has already lost to one in here.
If I was doing the pre-race analysis for Saturday, I wouldn’t have her
in my top 3. Seriously.
Let’s take a look at the field:
1.
TABBY
LANE (RHONE/CANCHARI)
2.
Gail’s
Jewel (Robertson/Riggs) – Late moved secured a relatively easy last race
win at the $5,000 level. Cutting back a
half furlong shouldn’t make a huge difference, but it can for a late closing
type.
3.
Miss Nasty
(Donlin/Butler) – In my opinion, the horse that SHOULD be the morning line
choice. Reeled off two consecutive wins
at Prairie Meadows: at state bred $7500 and a dominating 8 length victory in an
open $15,000 (though I believe that the $15K was for state breds in the race
with the open horses listed between $6500 and $7500). Speed figures put her in here.
4.
Indy
Senorita (Miller/Velazquez) –Shipping in from central Illinois where she
has been competitive at the $10,000 level, albeit with inferior speed figs. Front running type will be looking to set the
pace.
5.
Lucky
High (Silva/Franco) – she’ll likely be close to the early pace and had a
big win over the strip two back at $5,000.
She took her act on the road and got trounced at Penn National. She’s back home and reunited with Geovanni
Franco.
6.
Valari
(Bends/DeLorme) – She finished a length behind a wrapped up Tabby when the two
last met behind Terice. Since then she
has a single win in a $5,000 race.
Another that will want the front.
And if Tabs is going to stand a chance, she’ll need the pace to get
pushed hard.
7.
Lazeka
(Tracy/Rivera) – Another Prairie Meadows shipper who ripped through her $7500
conditions before finishing third against similar here last out. She’ll want to come off the pace, giving Tabby
some company.
8.
Fast
Flight Tonite (Tibbets/Shino) – The victor in the race that ended Lazeka’s
streak at Prairie Meadows, she should be right on that early pace. I say go after them hard, Shino, but that’s
just me…
9.
Terice
(Kirby/Goodwin) – Done her best running on the lead early and that is exactly
how she defeated Tabby several starts back earlier in the meet. Since then she has won at $15,000 ($10,000
for non-MN breds) and finished 4th in a stake and optional claiming
while trying the turf. She’ll be
dangerous in here.
10.
Speakers
Action (Hanson/Keith) – Won at odds on last out in a $5,000 claiming race,
the 10 post does her no favors at all.
She has plenty of early speed but there is plenty of speed inside of
her. It’ll be a tall order to win from out
there and her speed figs are a cut below.
Is there any possible way for Tabby to win this
race? Of course there is…it’s a horse
race. But it won’t be easy, the race
will really have to shape up her way and young Mr. Canchari is going to have to
keep her from getting pinned down late and getting her room to run. The early pace will need to be fast and
engage all the possible front runners.
Even then, as I mentioned, she’s going to need to have some room to run
late and that one post could be problematical in that regard.
Races aren’t won on paper and certainly stranger things
have happened, but she’s going to need help.
That said, I will be there, pink shirt on, ready to cheer her home with
all the faith and confidence in the world.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
New Owner Seminar
The Minnesota Thoroughbred Association will be sponsoring a new owner seminar at Canterbury Park on Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 7 at 11 AM. It'll be upstairs in the grandstand and cover ownership topics such as legal issues, financial considerations, partnerships, buying options, owner/trainer relationships, veterinary care and opportunities for second careers after racing. It's free to attend and I'll even be there to talk about partnerships - not soliciting, mind you, just to discuss the functionality of partnerships in general.
I hope to see you there. I'll be sticking around after the seminar (or maybe slipping away for a minute and seventeen or so seconds) to watch Tabby Lane face six others at Tampa Bay Downs in the second (preview to come later in the week). Stick around to wager on and watch the Derby while you there!
I hope to see you on Saturday!
I hope to see you there. I'll be sticking around after the seminar (or maybe slipping away for a minute and seventeen or so seconds) to watch Tabby Lane face six others at Tampa Bay Downs in the second (preview to come later in the week). Stick around to wager on and watch the Derby while you there!
I hope to see you on Saturday!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Winter's Dog Days
Winter has dog days, too. In fact, I find that their -2 degree mornings and 15" snowfalls make them much worse than the 90 degree, high humidity and no breeze days that are associated with their summertime cousin. Additionally, when we get to March and the first condition book of the new Canterbury Park season has arrived spring becomes so tantalizingly close it actually deepens the depression a bit.
March is also tax season and that's always a joy. The K-1s are out - a little later than I would have liked, but they're out. The stable had an okay 2010 but Tabby's long decline didn't help when it came to purse money earned. Unfortunately there was a 'stiff' in one group - as their always seems to be when a group goes wrong - in that a partner decided that they just weren't going to pay their last bill. I can understand the frustration but am never thrilled picking up the tab -especially since I own a piece of all the horses myself and already pay my share. Vets, trainers, farriers, et al all need to get paid, though, so I dig into my own pocket to make up the difference. Thankfully 99%+ of the partners understand that while we try very hard to make money, there is a lot of risk in the business and if a horse can't make it on the track there is still an obligation that goes along with it. I could get vindictive or send them to collections but I just take them off the mailing list, and - at least in the case of the one person from this past year - make sure that I don't patronize the business they run.
Speaking of dog days, a possible blizzard is on it's way to the area...again. It's forcing me to leave a day earlier than planned for my trek to Florida and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association pedigree and conformation clinic being held in Ocala. As I've mentioned here and on the radio show before, I'm not a conformation expert and my pedigree IQ is lacking so I'm really looking forward to this 2-day even to help shore up my knowledge in these areas. I'll be writing about that experience, so stay tuned for that. I'll also be visiting Tabby before I come back and doing a little write up on Tampa Bay Downs. It looks like Tabs will be on the track again at the end of the week and, of course, I'll be in the seminar during the race - which I hope means she's more likely to get in front!
Also coming soon is an opportunity to get involved with some yearlings in California. I'll be looking to package a colt and filly in a group that would own either 25% or 50% of each horse depending upon the amount of folks we can get involved. Of course a yearling is a longer term investment, but ultimately one that can yield greater rewards. More details will be forthcoming after next weekend, but if you're even remotely interested, please drop me a line so I know the interest level.
I'm hoping that my journey to Florida will be interesting, informative and rejuvenating. After all, if the condition book is here could Spring really be that far away?
March is also tax season and that's always a joy. The K-1s are out - a little later than I would have liked, but they're out. The stable had an okay 2010 but Tabby's long decline didn't help when it came to purse money earned. Unfortunately there was a 'stiff' in one group - as their always seems to be when a group goes wrong - in that a partner decided that they just weren't going to pay their last bill. I can understand the frustration but am never thrilled picking up the tab -especially since I own a piece of all the horses myself and already pay my share. Vets, trainers, farriers, et al all need to get paid, though, so I dig into my own pocket to make up the difference. Thankfully 99%+ of the partners understand that while we try very hard to make money, there is a lot of risk in the business and if a horse can't make it on the track there is still an obligation that goes along with it. I could get vindictive or send them to collections but I just take them off the mailing list, and - at least in the case of the one person from this past year - make sure that I don't patronize the business they run.
Speaking of dog days, a possible blizzard is on it's way to the area...again. It's forcing me to leave a day earlier than planned for my trek to Florida and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association pedigree and conformation clinic being held in Ocala. As I've mentioned here and on the radio show before, I'm not a conformation expert and my pedigree IQ is lacking so I'm really looking forward to this 2-day even to help shore up my knowledge in these areas. I'll be writing about that experience, so stay tuned for that. I'll also be visiting Tabby before I come back and doing a little write up on Tampa Bay Downs. It looks like Tabs will be on the track again at the end of the week and, of course, I'll be in the seminar during the race - which I hope means she's more likely to get in front!
Also coming soon is an opportunity to get involved with some yearlings in California. I'll be looking to package a colt and filly in a group that would own either 25% or 50% of each horse depending upon the amount of folks we can get involved. Of course a yearling is a longer term investment, but ultimately one that can yield greater rewards. More details will be forthcoming after next weekend, but if you're even remotely interested, please drop me a line so I know the interest level.
I'm hoping that my journey to Florida will be interesting, informative and rejuvenating. After all, if the condition book is here could Spring really be that far away?
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Closer
Tabby Lane (Even the Score-Keeley Chay-Rodeo) is about a week away from starting her 2011 campaign. In the last two weeks she has turned in two more works right on schedule and gradually extending the distance to get her ready for the rigors of racing.
Her last two works were at 5 furlongs. She wasn't asked for a lot either time but was asked to pick up the pace down the lane and ride out past the finish line. Both works were timed at 1:03 with the first, on January 19th, over a good strip while the second, on January 27th, was over a fast track. The clocker stated both works were 'breezing', that is, well within herself, not really racing speed. As a handicapper I used to give quite a bit of credence to the designations of 'breezing' and her harder working cousin 'handily' until I realized that to some clockers - like our friend at Tampa Bay - all works are 'breezing' and to others, all works are 'handily'. Bernell Rhone, our trainer, taught me years ago when I got into this business that the time wasn't as important as HOW the horse did her work and how she came back afterward, so that has become my measure of our horse's works. Tabby was within herself for both works and came back fine. Her first five panel work she did come back winded a bit and wasn't too keen on pushing past the wire. The work on the 27th was definitely better from that standpoint. Now the quest is to find her a race.
I think that her ideal distance is between 7 furlongs and a mile. She's a big mare who needs some time to unwind her stride and get rolling. Her pedigree doesn't scream stamina, though, so he sweet spot appears to be that mile distance. Her class level has been a bit more difficult to ascertain. We claimed her at $10,000 in a race in which she had won. Then we brought her back in a $16,000 Optional Claiming race, which she also won. When she placed a very good second behind a track record tying performance in a $25,000 Optional Claiming race we thought we had something special. That's, of course, when the wheels came off the bus. She moved north and could not even sniff the winner's circle. She finished off her season with a flat third in a $10,000 claiming race at Remington Park, a good six lengths off the winner.
Now she's returning from the time away and hasn't exactly been burning up the training track, though she hasn't been awful either. She proved to us in her last race at Canterbury and again at Remington that she wasn't able to win at $10,000 so the odds are good that she'll come back in lesser company to start the season. She's going to need to do some convincing to start climbing the ladder again, but it feels good to be back on the track.
Her last two works were at 5 furlongs. She wasn't asked for a lot either time but was asked to pick up the pace down the lane and ride out past the finish line. Both works were timed at 1:03 with the first, on January 19th, over a good strip while the second, on January 27th, was over a fast track. The clocker stated both works were 'breezing', that is, well within herself, not really racing speed. As a handicapper I used to give quite a bit of credence to the designations of 'breezing' and her harder working cousin 'handily' until I realized that to some clockers - like our friend at Tampa Bay - all works are 'breezing' and to others, all works are 'handily'. Bernell Rhone, our trainer, taught me years ago when I got into this business that the time wasn't as important as HOW the horse did her work and how she came back afterward, so that has become my measure of our horse's works. Tabby was within herself for both works and came back fine. Her first five panel work she did come back winded a bit and wasn't too keen on pushing past the wire. The work on the 27th was definitely better from that standpoint. Now the quest is to find her a race.
I think that her ideal distance is between 7 furlongs and a mile. She's a big mare who needs some time to unwind her stride and get rolling. Her pedigree doesn't scream stamina, though, so he sweet spot appears to be that mile distance. Her class level has been a bit more difficult to ascertain. We claimed her at $10,000 in a race in which she had won. Then we brought her back in a $16,000 Optional Claiming race, which she also won. When she placed a very good second behind a track record tying performance in a $25,000 Optional Claiming race we thought we had something special. That's, of course, when the wheels came off the bus. She moved north and could not even sniff the winner's circle. She finished off her season with a flat third in a $10,000 claiming race at Remington Park, a good six lengths off the winner.
Now she's returning from the time away and hasn't exactly been burning up the training track, though she hasn't been awful either. She proved to us in her last race at Canterbury and again at Remington that she wasn't able to win at $10,000 so the odds are good that she'll come back in lesser company to start the season. She's going to need to do some convincing to start climbing the ladder again, but it feels good to be back on the track.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tabs Back in the Work Tabs
We're starting to finally have something to look forward to. Tabby Lane (Even the Score-Keeley Chay-Rodeo) is back in the Rhone barn at Tampa Bay Downs after taking a couple of months of rest and recreation out on the farm in Oklahoma.
For the first few weeks Tabby just galloped herself slowly back into shape a couple of miles at a time. Two weeks ago she headed over to the track with a purpose and broke off for a leisurely three furlong work. Apparently she had no real desire to kick it into gear early but did run with some authority down the lane. She finished it in :38 - nothing to write home about, but certainly nothing to worry about given that it was her first trip back over a track in nearly three months.
The following week she came back again to go four furlongs. Again, nothing too pressing was expected of her. This time she broke off when she was supposed to, loafed a bit for the first half of the work but turned in a nice second half to finish up in :50. Not great, but it did place her 18th out of the 40+ works that day. All in all, not bad for a mare that's working her way back into shape. Up next will be at least two more weeks of galloping and a couple of more works before we try and pick a spot for her return.
It's starting to get exciting again!
For the first few weeks Tabby just galloped herself slowly back into shape a couple of miles at a time. Two weeks ago she headed over to the track with a purpose and broke off for a leisurely three furlong work. Apparently she had no real desire to kick it into gear early but did run with some authority down the lane. She finished it in :38 - nothing to write home about, but certainly nothing to worry about given that it was her first trip back over a track in nearly three months.
The following week she came back again to go four furlongs. Again, nothing too pressing was expected of her. This time she broke off when she was supposed to, loafed a bit for the first half of the work but turned in a nice second half to finish up in :50. Not great, but it did place her 18th out of the 40+ works that day. All in all, not bad for a mare that's working her way back into shape. Up next will be at least two more weeks of galloping and a couple of more works before we try and pick a spot for her return.
It's starting to get exciting again!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Some Interesting Projects
While I spent the first week of my 'retirement' from gaming sales a couple of interesting projects came to mind:
1 - Diary of a Racing Partnership: I am thinking about detailing in diary format the 2011 Claiming Partnership by letting folks that sign up know that I will be the tracking the partnership process with thoughts toward polishing it up and finding a publisher. Hard to tell how compelling it will be until it's over, but it should be a treasure trove of story ideas and blog posts if nothing else.
2 - Zetta's Foal: At some point our former trainee, One for Zetta, is going to be a mom. As you may recall she was beautifully comformed and she has a way of moving that is effortless and breezy. Part of the deal turning her over to her new owner was that we would get a piece of her foal if she were bred should we want to move in that direction. I plan on working with her owner, Brenda, in chronicling her foal's progress. Again, may not be a best-seller, but should be another gold mine for stories!
It's amazing how much creativity flows through you when you have a clear mind.
1 - Diary of a Racing Partnership: I am thinking about detailing in diary format the 2011 Claiming Partnership by letting folks that sign up know that I will be the tracking the partnership process with thoughts toward polishing it up and finding a publisher. Hard to tell how compelling it will be until it's over, but it should be a treasure trove of story ideas and blog posts if nothing else.
2 - Zetta's Foal: At some point our former trainee, One for Zetta, is going to be a mom. As you may recall she was beautifully comformed and she has a way of moving that is effortless and breezy. Part of the deal turning her over to her new owner was that we would get a piece of her foal if she were bred should we want to move in that direction. I plan on working with her owner, Brenda, in chronicling her foal's progress. Again, may not be a best-seller, but should be another gold mine for stories!
It's amazing how much creativity flows through you when you have a clear mind.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Vacation Ends and A New Era Begins
Vacation Ends for Tabby Lane
As I finished digging out from the latest Midwestern snowfall, I gave our trainer, Bernell Rhone, a call to see how Tabby Lane (Even the Score-Keeley Chay-Rodeo) enjoyed her vacation. She was just settling into the barn at Tampa Bay Downs after galloping a bit to stretch her legs. It was her first day back on the track and she is doing pretty well. Good attitude, went well and is eating well. All the key ingredients you want to see in a horse coming back from two months off.
She'll exercise the kinks out and build up her wind over the next 3 - 4 weeks and then she'll start picking them up and laying them down with some purpose to get her speed back. If all goes well we should see her back in action before the end of January. Here's hoping that Tabby has a great run in 2011.
New Focus
Events over the last week have given me the opportunity to turn 100% of my focus into racing and writing. I know change can be a fearful thing, but I choose to look at this as a wonderful opportunity to take some time and work on what I love. I'm hopeful that will lead to more opportunities in racing and also make more a more active blogger and productive writer.
New Claiming Group
This newly found focus has me targeting the formation of the 2011 Claiming Group(s). The parameters look a lot like the Tabby Lane and Fizzy Pop partnerships. I hope that we can be organized, up and running shortly so we can start shopping. We've already got our eyes out, but once the Tampa Bay Downs meet on is underway come December 11, things will start happening in earnest. Please touch base with me if you're interested for more information. The more the merrier and we can split into several groups as necessary.
As I finished digging out from the latest Midwestern snowfall, I gave our trainer, Bernell Rhone, a call to see how Tabby Lane (Even the Score-Keeley Chay-Rodeo) enjoyed her vacation. She was just settling into the barn at Tampa Bay Downs after galloping a bit to stretch her legs. It was her first day back on the track and she is doing pretty well. Good attitude, went well and is eating well. All the key ingredients you want to see in a horse coming back from two months off.
She'll exercise the kinks out and build up her wind over the next 3 - 4 weeks and then she'll start picking them up and laying them down with some purpose to get her speed back. If all goes well we should see her back in action before the end of January. Here's hoping that Tabby has a great run in 2011.
New Focus
Events over the last week have given me the opportunity to turn 100% of my focus into racing and writing. I know change can be a fearful thing, but I choose to look at this as a wonderful opportunity to take some time and work on what I love. I'm hopeful that will lead to more opportunities in racing and also make more a more active blogger and productive writer.
New Claiming Group
This newly found focus has me targeting the formation of the 2011 Claiming Group(s). The parameters look a lot like the Tabby Lane and Fizzy Pop partnerships. I hope that we can be organized, up and running shortly so we can start shopping. We've already got our eyes out, but once the Tampa Bay Downs meet on is underway come December 11, things will start happening in earnest. Please touch base with me if you're interested for more information. The more the merrier and we can split into several groups as necessary.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Quiet Time
There has been some reflective time available over the past week or so as I've been traveling again. While reflection has crossed over many topics, the only ones that have any bearing here are the ones that are relevant to the acing operation.
1. Can I Keep Racing at Canterbury? This was a large topic occupying my mind. For the type of horse we like to race - $20,000 Claiming or so - there does not seem to be much opportunity anymore. Races aren't filling and after a couple of shots at a starter allowance not filling, my frustration level started rising even higher. Without help, Canterbury will no longer be competitive for horsemen who want to race year round. To clarify, year round means coming up here for the summer and keep racing either beyond or before. Although it's home, having to compromise too much on conditions (turf instead of dirt, route instead of sprint) in order to even get into a race because of the horse population (size and/or makeup) makes me wonder if we should come back next season. Of course higher purses would produce more opportunity and would draw more horses, but the outlook on that is as bleak as ever.
2. Will I Keep Doing This at All? I love running these partnerships. It's great to get a group of folks together, especially those that have never been able to purchase a horse on their own, get the opportunity to own, visit and race their own horse. I try to keep it affordable, but with the economy, new owners are hard to come by as disposable income is scarce. The lower the entry point the better, but with lower entry points you need more partners ("How can we compete at such low prices? VOLUME!") and the numbers just are not there. Additionally when you start selling in 1 and 2% increments your costs increase. Accountants charge more for K-1s, communication pieces are more difficult and consensus is even harder to build.
3. Am I Just Fried with Racing? This was was a fleeting thought. The answer was emphatically "NO!" I can't imagine my life without racing in it. This was just silly!
4. Is the Monmouth Experiment a Good One? On the surface it seems great. Handle and attendance are both up and field sizes are nice and large. All of this is good news. What it signifies for the rest of the industry, though, is probably not as great. The corollary to Monmouth's success is the failure of the year round racing model we see today across America. In order for nationwide racing to duplicate Monmouth's success, dates need to shrink and purses need to go up. More consolidation would need to take place and the mid-range racetracks are probably the the targets to go. Arlington Park summers would dominate Chicago, but could (should?) Hawthorne survive? Does the upper Midwest need a Canterbury Park and a Prairie Meadows (Prairie doesn't have a turf track, but it does have slot fueled purses)? Does Kentucky need anything besides Churchill and Keeneland? Would California care if Hollywood folds? It becomes a whole new - yet old school - landscape for racing in America.
In proofing this before hitting 'publish' it certainly seems pretty negative. I don't view it as such. The sport can survive but it faces some hard choices - much as I do with the racing stable. While I was hoping at some point to make a living running the partnerships and talking and writing about racing, it obviously isn't feasible and will probably live on in my life as a nice sidelight. Racing may love the year round model, but it doesn't appear that is feasible either. Consolidation may be necessary - winter racing in Texas, Louisiana and Florida and spring summer and fall racing elsewhere. The economy has resulted in the breeding of fewer horses and that could help to kill off the weak racetracks and strengthen the hand of the stronger. It could be the painful rebirth of racing in America and, as with any birth, the promise of a brighter future beckons.
1. Can I Keep Racing at Canterbury? This was a large topic occupying my mind. For the type of horse we like to race - $20,000 Claiming or so - there does not seem to be much opportunity anymore. Races aren't filling and after a couple of shots at a starter allowance not filling, my frustration level started rising even higher. Without help, Canterbury will no longer be competitive for horsemen who want to race year round. To clarify, year round means coming up here for the summer and keep racing either beyond or before. Although it's home, having to compromise too much on conditions (turf instead of dirt, route instead of sprint) in order to even get into a race because of the horse population (size and/or makeup) makes me wonder if we should come back next season. Of course higher purses would produce more opportunity and would draw more horses, but the outlook on that is as bleak as ever.
2. Will I Keep Doing This at All? I love running these partnerships. It's great to get a group of folks together, especially those that have never been able to purchase a horse on their own, get the opportunity to own, visit and race their own horse. I try to keep it affordable, but with the economy, new owners are hard to come by as disposable income is scarce. The lower the entry point the better, but with lower entry points you need more partners ("How can we compete at such low prices? VOLUME!") and the numbers just are not there. Additionally when you start selling in 1 and 2% increments your costs increase. Accountants charge more for K-1s, communication pieces are more difficult and consensus is even harder to build.
3. Am I Just Fried with Racing? This was was a fleeting thought. The answer was emphatically "NO!" I can't imagine my life without racing in it. This was just silly!
4. Is the Monmouth Experiment a Good One? On the surface it seems great. Handle and attendance are both up and field sizes are nice and large. All of this is good news. What it signifies for the rest of the industry, though, is probably not as great. The corollary to Monmouth's success is the failure of the year round racing model we see today across America. In order for nationwide racing to duplicate Monmouth's success, dates need to shrink and purses need to go up. More consolidation would need to take place and the mid-range racetracks are probably the the targets to go. Arlington Park summers would dominate Chicago, but could (should?) Hawthorne survive? Does the upper Midwest need a Canterbury Park and a Prairie Meadows (Prairie doesn't have a turf track, but it does have slot fueled purses)? Does Kentucky need anything besides Churchill and Keeneland? Would California care if Hollywood folds? It becomes a whole new - yet old school - landscape for racing in America.
In proofing this before hitting 'publish' it certainly seems pretty negative. I don't view it as such. The sport can survive but it faces some hard choices - much as I do with the racing stable. While I was hoping at some point to make a living running the partnerships and talking and writing about racing, it obviously isn't feasible and will probably live on in my life as a nice sidelight. Racing may love the year round model, but it doesn't appear that is feasible either. Consolidation may be necessary - winter racing in Texas, Louisiana and Florida and spring summer and fall racing elsewhere. The economy has resulted in the breeding of fewer horses and that could help to kill off the weak racetracks and strengthen the hand of the stronger. It could be the painful rebirth of racing in America and, as with any birth, the promise of a brighter future beckons.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
For Love Or/And Money?
There is an interesting dilemma we're facing as a group heading into Tabby Lane's next spot. She handle a group of $16,000 Optional Claimers with energy to spare a little more than a week or so ago and now we need to look for her next spot. There is not going to be an open allowance at Tampa in the near future and we don't know if our gal is stakes quality yet. I have no illusions that she is graded stakes quality, but perhaps she's a competitor for the Hoist Her Flag Stakes or the filly & mare Claiming Crown race. Perhaps not. That's the nature of the game, right?
So the choice becomes where do we place her? Do we risk putting a tag on her and losing her? If she does get claimed at $25,000 or $32,000 six weeks after we paid $10,000 for her, is that such a bad thing? If we find an Optional Claiming race (next level up is $32,000) do we 'protect' her or slap the tag on her and try and 'save' the condition for Canterbury where claiming prices don't get quite that high? An awful lot of interesting questions to be answered in the next week or so.
Running a partnership is an interesting balancing act between fun and profit. In this business it's tough to turn a dollar. You don't get into it to make a killing and you hope that you've done a nice enough job with your partners so they know how hard it can be. You want them to have fun, enjoy watching their horse race and hopefully get a photo or two. When you have a partner like we do who went ahead and had these shirts made (the reverse says "Tabby Lane" across the shoulders and a large number 2 as she was the 2 horse in the race) it is almost the best feeling
So the choice becomes where do we place her? Do we risk putting a tag on her and losing her? If she does get claimed at $25,000 or $32,000 six weeks after we paid $10,000 for her, is that such a bad thing? If we find an Optional Claiming race (next level up is $32,000) do we 'protect' her or slap the tag on her and try and 'save' the condition for Canterbury where claiming prices don't get quite that high? An awful lot of interesting questions to be answered in the next week or so.
Running a partnership is an interesting balancing act between fun and profit. In this business it's tough to turn a dollar. You don't get into it to make a killing and you hope that you've done a nice enough job with your partners so they know how hard it can be. You want them to have fun, enjoy watching their horse race and hopefully get a photo or two. When you have a partner like we do who went ahead and had these shirts made (the reverse says "Tabby Lane" across the shoulders and a large number 2 as she was the 2 horse in the race) it is almost the best feeling
you can have as a managing partner. Most of my partners are Minnesota based and how can you deny that this summer is going to be a fun one with folks that go to these lengths for the group?! Tabby should be very, very competitive up here. (Thanks to Annie, bartender at Old Chicago Uptown in Minneapolis for being my model and to partner Shelly for having them put together)
All that taken into consideration, can you pass up the opportunity to triple everyone's initial investment? As we all know, there is always another horse somewhere. When you slap the tag on a horse you always run the risk of selling off the next Lava Man at a bargain price. But what are the odds of that actually happening to you? Let's say we put a tag on Tabby and she runs, wins and gets claimed at $32,000 the group collects checks for $44,000. Again, we claimed her at $10,000 and she's already won once and picked up a $13,000 check. Let's not kid ourselves, for folks that bought a 5% share in her for $500 plus expenses, this is a real return on your investment! But is it short sighted?
Let's say there is no tag on her and she wins. What is the limit then? She's surely a Hoist Her Flag contender at that point. The winner's share of that Canterbury stake is $21,000. What if she is Claiming Crown material? The winner's share there is over $40,000. The summer long money dwarfs the six week money.The again...maybe she doesn't win at $32,000 and gets claimed. We sold her high. Can you go wrong with that? Maybe no one wants her that high and it doesn't matter? Maybe we have her covered and she doesn't win and someone wanted her? Did we just end up taking a cut in pay when we need to drop her into a $25,000 straight claiming race?
There are a lot of questions to answer and I've polled our group for their input. Our trainer, Bernell Rhone, will have a say in what we do as well. Really, while interesting, this is hardly a bad problem to have and I'm grateful for the opportunity to having to make this decision.
You'll know which way we went when you see her next entry!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Tabby Lane: Tampa Bay 6th 3-13
Here is how Tabby Lane’s race is shaping up for this afternoon:
1 Venado (Kimmel – Allen, Jr.) – Coming in off a MSW win here at Tampa last out. It was a romp, but will need to pick up the pace against these.
2 TABBY LANE (Rhone – Butler)
3 Wedding Fever (Brandebourger – Rodriguez) – Still a maiden and lost to VENADO by 7 lengths last out.
4 Sticky Wicket (Lerman – Gonzalez) – Won last out at $16,000 after a brief winter respite. May ned more room than 6 furlongs, but a late in the race force.
5 Flurtini (Ness – Centeno) – Two close seconds in $20,000+ claiming races. In for the tag here at $16,000 and is the rightful morning line favorite. 0 – 11 last 2 years, however.
6 Pyriteville (Feliciano M. – Feliciano R.) - Steady as a rock at $12,500. This step up may be a bit too big. Front running speed horse.
7 Snow Down (Botty – Quinones) – Another that likes to get out in front. Second back after a layoff and dropping in from $25,000. May be a notch below.
8 Cats Zip (Ohilipian – Leyva) – Reeled off two well spaced wins at Calder vs better. Faltered badly after layoff last out, but against $50,000 claimers. Still registered a 66 Beyer. When she’s won, she’s been on the engine and she’ll have company there today.
9 Cherry On the Top (Cibelli – Lezcano) – Broke maiden here in a MSW then was routed on the turf in a Gulfstream allowance. Best Beyers on the grass. Picks up Lezcano. Another that likes to gun to the lead.
10 Extra Fuse (Lockhart – Lloyd) – A confirmed closer, she ran out of room last out at $16,000 and lessens by a furlong today. Still, with a bit of early speed in here six furlongs could be enough.
11 Sweet Apple Betty (Scace – Cotto) – Comes in riding a three race winning streak and will want to go wire to wire. Her wins have been against lesser, but she’s done it easily. This one will be tough for her.
12 Red Kettle (Cronk – Garcia) – Broke her maiden by 12 ½ in a low level maiden claimer in DE. Claimed from Pletcher, new barn ran her back in two allowances over her head.
The early pace is going to be quick and hopefully Tabby can stalk right behind that group. She likes to be near the front end, but if she can rate she should be in good position to pounce entering the lane. If that early speed drags her along too quickly, she could get overwhelmed in the stretch by some of the closers like Sticky Wicket or Extra Fuse. In the past we’ve seen tracks really pave the asphalt on big race days so it’ll be interesting to see how the TBD strip is playing over the first few races. I think the key, even over a speed favoring track, will be Tabby’s ability to relax and rate. One or two speed horses in the field and maybe one could carry it all the way, but with so many, it’s going to be necessary to let them burn each other a bit and pick up the pieces.
Good luck to all her partners and come home swiftly and safely!
1 Venado (Kimmel – Allen, Jr.) – Coming in off a MSW win here at Tampa last out. It was a romp, but will need to pick up the pace against these.
2 TABBY LANE (Rhone – Butler)
3 Wedding Fever (Brandebourger – Rodriguez) – Still a maiden and lost to VENADO by 7 lengths last out.
4 Sticky Wicket (Lerman – Gonzalez) – Won last out at $16,000 after a brief winter respite. May ned more room than 6 furlongs, but a late in the race force.
5 Flurtini (Ness – Centeno) – Two close seconds in $20,000+ claiming races. In for the tag here at $16,000 and is the rightful morning line favorite. 0 – 11 last 2 years, however.
6 Pyriteville (Feliciano M. – Feliciano R.) - Steady as a rock at $12,500. This step up may be a bit too big. Front running speed horse.
7 Snow Down (Botty – Quinones) – Another that likes to get out in front. Second back after a layoff and dropping in from $25,000. May be a notch below.
8 Cats Zip (Ohilipian – Leyva) – Reeled off two well spaced wins at Calder vs better. Faltered badly after layoff last out, but against $50,000 claimers. Still registered a 66 Beyer. When she’s won, she’s been on the engine and she’ll have company there today.
9 Cherry On the Top (Cibelli – Lezcano) – Broke maiden here in a MSW then was routed on the turf in a Gulfstream allowance. Best Beyers on the grass. Picks up Lezcano. Another that likes to gun to the lead.
10 Extra Fuse (Lockhart – Lloyd) – A confirmed closer, she ran out of room last out at $16,000 and lessens by a furlong today. Still, with a bit of early speed in here six furlongs could be enough.
11 Sweet Apple Betty (Scace – Cotto) – Comes in riding a three race winning streak and will want to go wire to wire. Her wins have been against lesser, but she’s done it easily. This one will be tough for her.
12 Red Kettle (Cronk – Garcia) – Broke her maiden by 12 ½ in a low level maiden claimer in DE. Claimed from Pletcher, new barn ran her back in two allowances over her head.
The early pace is going to be quick and hopefully Tabby can stalk right behind that group. She likes to be near the front end, but if she can rate she should be in good position to pounce entering the lane. If that early speed drags her along too quickly, she could get overwhelmed in the stretch by some of the closers like Sticky Wicket or Extra Fuse. In the past we’ve seen tracks really pave the asphalt on big race days so it’ll be interesting to see how the TBD strip is playing over the first few races. I think the key, even over a speed favoring track, will be Tabby’s ability to relax and rate. One or two speed horses in the field and maybe one could carry it all the way, but with so many, it’s going to be necessary to let them burn each other a bit and pick up the pieces.
Good luck to all her partners and come home swiftly and safely!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
A Little More Than Two Months
It seems like such a short period of time but when I look out of the window at the piles of snow still out there and a low temperature this morning of 1, opening day at Canterbury Park seems like a very long time from now.
Since I started running these partnerships the same thing has happened every year like clockwork: we get a group together early, try to get one more going before the meet but just can't get it together and then, after the first week of racing, the e-mails and phone calls come asking if we are going to be starting another group for the season! I'm trying really hard this year to try and nip this one in the bud.
I rarely ever do a solicitation blog. That's not what this is all about. This is my forum to share with folks what it's like trying to get this thing off the ground and share our experiences as we campaign our runners. Last year it was all about Fizzy Pop, I Am Woman and the star crossed Miss Belle Express. This year we have our recent claim Tabby Lane and our small share in Diplo. Now that we're geared up, we should be showing more action here on the blog as well.
But back to my annual dilemma.
We have an opportunity for a Minnesota bred three year old filly that will very likely be a Canterbury only horse - of course you never know until you race 'em. She promises to be an 'action' type horse that should be able to entertain a group all summer long with hopefully a picture or two along the way. The entry point should be low, but the time to get her into real training is now. She'll need several weeks just to get her wind into her before she starts any speed training and have any hope of being ready for the beginning of the meet. Please drop me a line at ted@grevelisracing.com or click on the winner's circle photo above right to visit the website to get more information.
What I'm trying to say is the time to get ready for the summer is now, not May 1st!
Since I started running these partnerships the same thing has happened every year like clockwork: we get a group together early, try to get one more going before the meet but just can't get it together and then, after the first week of racing, the e-mails and phone calls come asking if we are going to be starting another group for the season! I'm trying really hard this year to try and nip this one in the bud.
I rarely ever do a solicitation blog. That's not what this is all about. This is my forum to share with folks what it's like trying to get this thing off the ground and share our experiences as we campaign our runners. Last year it was all about Fizzy Pop, I Am Woman and the star crossed Miss Belle Express. This year we have our recent claim Tabby Lane and our small share in Diplo. Now that we're geared up, we should be showing more action here on the blog as well.
But back to my annual dilemma.
We have an opportunity for a Minnesota bred three year old filly that will very likely be a Canterbury only horse - of course you never know until you race 'em. She promises to be an 'action' type horse that should be able to entertain a group all summer long with hopefully a picture or two along the way. The entry point should be low, but the time to get her into real training is now. She'll need several weeks just to get her wind into her before she starts any speed training and have any hope of being ready for the beginning of the meet. Please drop me a line at ted@grevelisracing.com or click on the winner's circle photo above right to visit the website to get more information.
What I'm trying to say is the time to get ready for the summer is now, not May 1st!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Find Me A Winner!
Today the holidays officially end and the work of picking a racehorse begins. The group is almost fully rounded out with only a couple of stragglers remaining. I'll give it another week, maybe 10-days, for folks to get their paperwork in and then we're launching. In a perfect world we could have a runner by the end of the month, but realistically mid-February is a more reasonable target. In the interim there is video to watch, offers to field and a trainer to consult with.
Saturday will consist of me catching up with all the replays from Tampa in the last few weeks since racing returned to Oldsmar. It's not the best way to gauge horseflesh, but it's a start. I can see if there are some runners who may get dropped into a class below to catch a break out of a troubled race. It's not unusual to see a $16,000 horse run into a couple of bad trips and get dropped to $12,500 pick up a win and move back up again. The key is finding the horse that is dropping trying to steal a race rather than a horse dropping in ability!
I've got a pile of paper to go through, past performances and race charts mostly, that will perhaps give me a clue to what I'm looking for. Once I touch base with Bernell and let him know that we're ready, I'll get even more (and WAY better) insight into who is looking good. There may even be a bead or two on a private purchase. Ideally an owner that is having some trouble paying the bills, not one who is trying to get rid of his problems. Let me rephrase...I don't want ANY owner to experience financial problems, but I'd rather know that they are selling good stock at reasonable prices then only selling a select few 'failures' and keeping their best.
I'm going to start the coffee pot, organize myself and my thoughts and get going!
Saturday will consist of me catching up with all the replays from Tampa in the last few weeks since racing returned to Oldsmar. It's not the best way to gauge horseflesh, but it's a start. I can see if there are some runners who may get dropped into a class below to catch a break out of a troubled race. It's not unusual to see a $16,000 horse run into a couple of bad trips and get dropped to $12,500 pick up a win and move back up again. The key is finding the horse that is dropping trying to steal a race rather than a horse dropping in ability!
I've got a pile of paper to go through, past performances and race charts mostly, that will perhaps give me a clue to what I'm looking for. Once I touch base with Bernell and let him know that we're ready, I'll get even more (and WAY better) insight into who is looking good. There may even be a bead or two on a private purchase. Ideally an owner that is having some trouble paying the bills, not one who is trying to get rid of his problems. Let me rephrase...I don't want ANY owner to experience financial problems, but I'd rather know that they are selling good stock at reasonable prices then only selling a select few 'failures' and keeping their best.
I'm going to start the coffee pot, organize myself and my thoughts and get going!
Friday, December 18, 2009
A Weak Week
Wow...it's hard to believe that it's been a week since I last posted. Eight days to be exact. Between a funeral in Chicago and business in St. Louis, it's been a very hectic week. I have to say, the funeral took an awful lot out of me - more than I imagined. Anyway, during all the travel, I have resorted to taping my thoughts for future blogs and radio shows through an iPhone app (yes, there IS an app for that!) so I can play back and access them at a later date. Unfortunately I only started to resort to that yesterday, so that doesn't really help me today.
New Group
The latest in the horse biz for me right now is translating interest into check writing. Technically we are about 75% full for the next group which has led to some shopping. We are looking at some targets so we can be ready to pull the trigger when the opportunity arises. Those commitments, however, haven't necessarily translated into signed checks and contracts. In actuality, I would have to say that we are only about 50% full so it's going to probably come down to getting a check in and deposited to save your spot. In any event, I'm not going to form the group until January 1. It really didn't seem to make much sense to form a group the last 10 days of December and the pay an accountant to file a K-1 for absolutely no activity. It really didn't seem like a good use of people's money. Lawyers and accountants are necessary, but certainly not at this stage of the game. The close of 2010 will be a different story. Right now it's all about finding the right horse.
Holiday Gifts
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa, there is some gift giving involved. What would YOU like to offer our friends in horse racing for the coming year? A couple already received:
- That the DeFrancis family brings glory back to Maryland Racing;
- That Bobby Frankel only saddles winners in heaven.
I'm looking for these to be a part of the radio show next Wednesday evening. Rather than a year end wrap up, I'd like to go with a look ahead and what our hopes and dreams are for the coming year. They can be National or parochial; well known names or your favorite local horseman/woman. Send them in to me at ted@grevelisracing.com. Feel free to explain them to you hearts content and we'll get them on the air with as much backstory as you'd like to provide!
New Group
The latest in the horse biz for me right now is translating interest into check writing. Technically we are about 75% full for the next group which has led to some shopping. We are looking at some targets so we can be ready to pull the trigger when the opportunity arises. Those commitments, however, haven't necessarily translated into signed checks and contracts. In actuality, I would have to say that we are only about 50% full so it's going to probably come down to getting a check in and deposited to save your spot. In any event, I'm not going to form the group until January 1. It really didn't seem to make much sense to form a group the last 10 days of December and the pay an accountant to file a K-1 for absolutely no activity. It really didn't seem like a good use of people's money. Lawyers and accountants are necessary, but certainly not at this stage of the game. The close of 2010 will be a different story. Right now it's all about finding the right horse.
Holiday Gifts
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa, there is some gift giving involved. What would YOU like to offer our friends in horse racing for the coming year? A couple already received:
- That the DeFrancis family brings glory back to Maryland Racing;
- That Bobby Frankel only saddles winners in heaven.
I'm looking for these to be a part of the radio show next Wednesday evening. Rather than a year end wrap up, I'd like to go with a look ahead and what our hopes and dreams are for the coming year. They can be National or parochial; well known names or your favorite local horseman/woman. Send them in to me at ted@grevelisracing.com. Feel free to explain them to you hearts content and we'll get them on the air with as much backstory as you'd like to provide!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Miscellaneous Thoughts
Sharpening Focus
My last post was about where we want to run and the need for focus in making a decision in order to move forward. I've sharpened that up even more. When I spoke to Bernell this weekend, he was willing to go in on a horse with us. To me, that sealed the deal - we're going claiming and we're shopping at Tampa. There you have it, the first group of 2010 is going to be a claiming group. That doesn't mean if there is more interest we won't do another or private purchase a horse (maybe even a Minn bred) for Canterbury, but right now we're focusing on one and then we'll move to the next.
Blog Talk Radio
I hope you'll be able to join me live tomorrow night at 9 PM Central Time for "Owning Racehorses" on Blog Talk Radio. My guest will be St. Paul native Jolene Danner. Jolene spent some time last month working for ESPN at Breeder's Cup as a spotter and we'll get some insight from her on the Breeder's Cup and what it's like to work, rather than just be a spectator, at racing's biggest day. If you can't join us live, you can use the player, above, left, to listen in
Wagering
This time of year is always a bit of the doldrums when it comes to betting races. There's not a lot of truly compelling racing going on anywhere. My own online betting has taken a hit since the Breeder's Cup. I don't know if my confidence was shaken after my poor Cup performance or if I've just been too focused on getting the next partnership up and running. I kept my betting to only mine or my friend's horses - which has worked out well, though I did totally miss a $76 winner at Golden Gate the other day! However, I'm looking to delve back in this month. The winter months have always been kind to me, especially back east in Maryland and New York so I'm going to get back cautiously and start to build up the bankroll for the road to the Triple Crown this spring!
Ass-Whoopin'
It's either a case of the Saints being for real or the Pats not - most likely a combination of both. Congrads to the Saints for kicking the snot out of my Patriots last night. Granted, this wasn't the Super Bowl caliber teams of years past, but they were still 7-3 and could have been 9-1 with a little luck. With that secondary, it's hard to look back on Belicheck's 4th down call at Indianapolis now and not think it was the right thing to do. The C's and B's are still in action and Sox spring training is only a few months away!
My last post was about where we want to run and the need for focus in making a decision in order to move forward. I've sharpened that up even more. When I spoke to Bernell this weekend, he was willing to go in on a horse with us. To me, that sealed the deal - we're going claiming and we're shopping at Tampa. There you have it, the first group of 2010 is going to be a claiming group. That doesn't mean if there is more interest we won't do another or private purchase a horse (maybe even a Minn bred) for Canterbury, but right now we're focusing on one and then we'll move to the next.
Blog Talk Radio
I hope you'll be able to join me live tomorrow night at 9 PM Central Time for "Owning Racehorses" on Blog Talk Radio. My guest will be St. Paul native Jolene Danner. Jolene spent some time last month working for ESPN at Breeder's Cup as a spotter and we'll get some insight from her on the Breeder's Cup and what it's like to work, rather than just be a spectator, at racing's biggest day. If you can't join us live, you can use the player, above, left, to listen in
Wagering
This time of year is always a bit of the doldrums when it comes to betting races. There's not a lot of truly compelling racing going on anywhere. My own online betting has taken a hit since the Breeder's Cup. I don't know if my confidence was shaken after my poor Cup performance or if I've just been too focused on getting the next partnership up and running. I kept my betting to only mine or my friend's horses - which has worked out well, though I did totally miss a $76 winner at Golden Gate the other day! However, I'm looking to delve back in this month. The winter months have always been kind to me, especially back east in Maryland and New York so I'm going to get back cautiously and start to build up the bankroll for the road to the Triple Crown this spring!
Ass-Whoopin'
It's either a case of the Saints being for real or the Pats not - most likely a combination of both. Congrads to the Saints for kicking the snot out of my Patriots last night. Granted, this wasn't the Super Bowl caliber teams of years past, but they were still 7-3 and could have been 9-1 with a little luck. With that secondary, it's hard to look back on Belicheck's 4th down call at Indianapolis now and not think it was the right thing to do. The C's and B's are still in action and Sox spring training is only a few months away!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Focus
We've been all over the map in recent months getting the next group lined up and ready to go. This was mainly because interest has come from all over the country, though not enough in any one spot to make that one place a gimme for buying a horse. I think that one of the main reasons to get into a partnership is to see your horse race live, visit the barn, be in the paddock before a race. To me, all that is priceless - plus the works on the backside in the morning. That's just a slice of heaven.
However, you can't be all things to all people, so there needs to be a focus and if that keeps some folks from joining us along the way for right now, then so be it. I've decided that we're going to focus on Canterbury Park next summer and drill our focus down to a horse that can run there as well as either Tampa and Remington (if we race with Bernell) or Chicagoland (if we race with Tammy). Heck, if there is enough interest, we'll do both, but the focus is on racing in Minnesota next summer.
There are several reasons for this focus and, obviously, none of them are purse related. Of course just throwing that out there makes it seem like we race for scraps up here and that is not true. I would call our purse structure lower mid-level. We're certainly not rock bottom, but our allowances top out in the mid-twenties. As we proved with Fizzy Pop, though, you can make some money up here if you race where you belong.
Here are the reasons in no particular order:
- You have to start somewhere and rather than be scattered all over, I'd like to start building off of Fizzy with a group nearby. It's easier for me to control the day-to-day here.
- Canterbury Park itself. As many of you already know, I think Canterbury runs one of the most inventive and fun racing meets in the country. Partners that race with us here are going to have a fun summer.
- It's home. There is something about racing at home in front of family and friends that is just over the top. I've been in the paddock at Santa Anita and it's marvelous, but it's not home. Not saying I don't want to do it again, however, because I do!
- Costs. Costs are very manageable here. Training fees are fair and, more importantly, vet fees are fair. I've seen vet bills from racing in NY, NJ and CA and for the same services, you can't beat the Midwest/Florida. It simply makes fiscal sense.
There you have it. My two main requirements are that we run here in the summer and that whatever horse we claim or private purchase can compete elsewhere. I may be cutting off some folks in other locations and to them I say, thank you so very much for your interest. I hope that we'll be racing your way soon, but right now we're going to focus on methodical growth and that starts at right here at home. It's important to do things right and you can only do that if you are focused, not scattered. HBT9WWH64CZH
If you're interested, please drop us a line, I'd like to finalize the group and have a horse in training in January. It takes a while to rev up and get ready to race and trying to get something going three weeks before the meet starts is about three months too late!
However, you can't be all things to all people, so there needs to be a focus and if that keeps some folks from joining us along the way for right now, then so be it. I've decided that we're going to focus on Canterbury Park next summer and drill our focus down to a horse that can run there as well as either Tampa and Remington (if we race with Bernell) or Chicagoland (if we race with Tammy). Heck, if there is enough interest, we'll do both, but the focus is on racing in Minnesota next summer.
There are several reasons for this focus and, obviously, none of them are purse related. Of course just throwing that out there makes it seem like we race for scraps up here and that is not true. I would call our purse structure lower mid-level. We're certainly not rock bottom, but our allowances top out in the mid-twenties. As we proved with Fizzy Pop, though, you can make some money up here if you race where you belong.
Here are the reasons in no particular order:
- You have to start somewhere and rather than be scattered all over, I'd like to start building off of Fizzy with a group nearby. It's easier for me to control the day-to-day here.
- Canterbury Park itself. As many of you already know, I think Canterbury runs one of the most inventive and fun racing meets in the country. Partners that race with us here are going to have a fun summer.
- It's home. There is something about racing at home in front of family and friends that is just over the top. I've been in the paddock at Santa Anita and it's marvelous, but it's not home. Not saying I don't want to do it again, however, because I do!
- Costs. Costs are very manageable here. Training fees are fair and, more importantly, vet fees are fair. I've seen vet bills from racing in NY, NJ and CA and for the same services, you can't beat the Midwest/Florida. It simply makes fiscal sense.
There you have it. My two main requirements are that we run here in the summer and that whatever horse we claim or private purchase can compete elsewhere. I may be cutting off some folks in other locations and to them I say, thank you so very much for your interest. I hope that we'll be racing your way soon, but right now we're going to focus on methodical growth and that starts at right here at home. It's important to do things right and you can only do that if you are focused, not scattered. HBT9WWH64CZH
If you're interested, please drop us a line, I'd like to finalize the group and have a horse in training in January. It takes a while to rev up and get ready to race and trying to get something going three weeks before the meet starts is about three months too late!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Time for Thanks
As Thanksgiving approaches we all take a bit of time to recount what we are thankful for. I am, of course, thankful for my family - my smart, lovely, talented and patient wife and my three wonderful boys. While the kids can be a handful at times, I can't imagine life without them.
I'm thankful for my first family. Growing up with my parents and sister should be what everyone's childhood is like. Sadly I know that is not the case, but I am thankful each and every day for the childhood they gave me and the experience of growing up with a very close, very extended big, fat, Greek family.
You see how this goes. I could go on and on, as we all can. Tomorrow evening on Blog Talk Radio I'm going to extend this to my racing life - both personally and nationally - and talk about what I am thankful for in racing. I hope that you all join me. You can call in or just leave a message in the chatroom that I'll open up when the show starts. You can even drop me a line at ted@grevelisracing.com, leave a comment here or touch base via Facebook and I'll make sure that I get to as many of your comments as I can.
Happy Thanksgiving weekend everyone!
I'm thankful for my first family. Growing up with my parents and sister should be what everyone's childhood is like. Sadly I know that is not the case, but I am thankful each and every day for the childhood they gave me and the experience of growing up with a very close, very extended big, fat, Greek family.
You see how this goes. I could go on and on, as we all can. Tomorrow evening on Blog Talk Radio I'm going to extend this to my racing life - both personally and nationally - and talk about what I am thankful for in racing. I hope that you all join me. You can call in or just leave a message in the chatroom that I'll open up when the show starts. You can even drop me a line at ted@grevelisracing.com, leave a comment here or touch base via Facebook and I'll make sure that I get to as many of your comments as I can.
Happy Thanksgiving weekend everyone!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Horseless; The Pride of Minnesota
Well, my feet are sore, my back hurts and I'm exhausted from two consecutive days on my feet (and one to go) at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. Of course the annual casino supplier extravaganza is hardly interesting for those of us that own racehorses (of course if we also sell slot machines, then it hardly gets more interesting). What is interesting is that I'm a man without a horse. VIP Stables sold I Am Woman yesterday in Ohio. It was a sound decision and one that was probably overdue. If she kept racing in Chicagoland at the $4000 claiming level, I think we would have been better off, but the decision was made to move her East for larger purses and, of course, tougher competition.
Over time, she only was able to race once or twice a month with much stiffer competition. Sure the purses are better, but racing every week for less ends up as racing for more if you can't get into a race. For those of you unfamiliar with Standardbreds, they can race every week with their gaits being much less stressful on their bodies than their Thoroughbred cousins. They need R&R from time to time as well, but you can get about 30 races a year out of them if you treat them right. She sold for $3,000 or $8,000 less than the RNA on her back in the Meadowlands sale last January. It's tough to call her a success by any measure.
No matter, the fact remains that I'm horseless. It's much more difficult attracting partners when you have no news! But I won't let that rush me and my team to grabbing a horse just so we can race. We'll take our time and make sure we give ourselves the best opportunity to win with the decision we make.
At this point, I really have two options: pick up a horse and send to (or claim with) Bernell and get ready for Tampa Bay Downs or do the same with Tammy Domenosky in Chicago. There really are only two bottom lines that I have. The first is that our horse needs to be able to compete well outside of Canterbury Park and the second is that we race at Canterbury over the summer. As we get larger, requirement #2 will change as we expand to other jurisdictions. However, right now I have several Minnesota partners and they want to be able to see their horse run in person. I can certainly respect that and there is no reason we can't be successful here and elsewhere.
Perfect Bull Ends Season
As you all know, I fell in love with Perfect Bull (Holy Bull - Perfect Moment - Dazzling Falls) when he was two and just shipped to Bernell Rhone's barn. He won the Minnesota Derby, Minnesota Classic and was second in the Prairie Meadows Derby this past summer. He finished off his 2009 campaign on Sunday under the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs where he was given a shot in the Commonwealth Turf Stakes (Gr 3). After being caught four wide in the first turn, Bull was fried and never really had a chance to close in the stretch. While it was a tough finish to the year, it was a remarkable season for the Minnesota bred winning four of twelve, hitting the board in half his starts and ammassing $124,848 in earnings. It was a helluva run this season for owner Red Dog Stables. Congratulations to them, Bull and the folks in the Rhone barn. Very nicely done and we're all proud of you!
Over time, she only was able to race once or twice a month with much stiffer competition. Sure the purses are better, but racing every week for less ends up as racing for more if you can't get into a race. For those of you unfamiliar with Standardbreds, they can race every week with their gaits being much less stressful on their bodies than their Thoroughbred cousins. They need R&R from time to time as well, but you can get about 30 races a year out of them if you treat them right. She sold for $3,000 or $8,000 less than the RNA on her back in the Meadowlands sale last January. It's tough to call her a success by any measure.
No matter, the fact remains that I'm horseless. It's much more difficult attracting partners when you have no news! But I won't let that rush me and my team to grabbing a horse just so we can race. We'll take our time and make sure we give ourselves the best opportunity to win with the decision we make.
At this point, I really have two options: pick up a horse and send to (or claim with) Bernell and get ready for Tampa Bay Downs or do the same with Tammy Domenosky in Chicago. There really are only two bottom lines that I have. The first is that our horse needs to be able to compete well outside of Canterbury Park and the second is that we race at Canterbury over the summer. As we get larger, requirement #2 will change as we expand to other jurisdictions. However, right now I have several Minnesota partners and they want to be able to see their horse run in person. I can certainly respect that and there is no reason we can't be successful here and elsewhere.
Perfect Bull Ends Season
As you all know, I fell in love with Perfect Bull (Holy Bull - Perfect Moment - Dazzling Falls) when he was two and just shipped to Bernell Rhone's barn. He won the Minnesota Derby, Minnesota Classic and was second in the Prairie Meadows Derby this past summer. He finished off his 2009 campaign on Sunday under the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs where he was given a shot in the Commonwealth Turf Stakes (Gr 3). After being caught four wide in the first turn, Bull was fried and never really had a chance to close in the stretch. While it was a tough finish to the year, it was a remarkable season for the Minnesota bred winning four of twelve, hitting the board in half his starts and ammassing $124,848 in earnings. It was a helluva run this season for owner Red Dog Stables. Congratulations to them, Bull and the folks in the Rhone barn. Very nicely done and we're all proud of you!
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