Tough Summer, Tough Love, New Attitude

There are all kinds of excuses I can use for not keeping up on the blog this summer: new job, work travel, busy with DRF writing and the Canterbury Club but the reality is that I’ve been depressed. 

This summer, as far as racing goes, has been a disaster.  It all started when our broodmare, Tabby Lane, in foal to graded stakes winner Doneraile Court (an A++ True Nick if you were wondering), nearly died from a bout with colic.  Of course we weren’t home for her, we were trekking halfway across the country to my oldest son’s high school graduation.  Thanks to the expertise and quick thinking of Lisa Duoos at Dove Hill Farm and the folks at Weitz Equine, Tabby made it through and made it through with her foal safe and sound.  Without them, she surely would have died.  The bills were, of course, enormous, and contributed to Tabby being put on the sales block.

Elusive Edition, our 3YO Minn bred filly, had beaten but a single horse this summer in her first 3 career starts – NOT the start we envisioned – until she actually seemed to make an effort in her last race.  She was 2^nd most of the way before tiring to 7^th in the stretch in her first route effort.   I’m still not sure what her future holds.  Maybe we’ll find her another career over the winter.  Maybe she’ll grow and mature a bit; she’s always been a bit on the small side and maybe she really wasn’t ready at three?  If that’s the case we’ll start her up a bit further south after the first of the year and have her ready for the start of the2015 meet.

Bourbonology has been a mere shadow of her former self.  Breaking her maiden in late running fashion last summer I think may have given us a false sense of how she was capable of running.  That turned out to be an aberration as she was content to lope around mid-pack for most of the rest of her races.  We really thought a nice extended vacation and a slow crank up was what she needed to recharge the batteries.  Turns out that there was nothing really there in the way of heart and she’d just given up on racing.  We found her a nice second career teaching kids to ride in southeastern Minnesota so the rest of her life she should be loved on constantly.

Even the Canterbury Club has faltered a bit this season.  Granted, last year winning four races may have been too much to emulate and winning with Maryjean right off the claim this year may have set up some impossible expectations, but we haven’t won since.  We’ve been hitting the board and paying our way, which is really what you hope for, but it’s till disappointing.  I love winning for the people.  They get so excited and it gives them a thrill that I know they really enjoy.  I feel badly having only brought that to them once this season.

So I’ve been wallowing in a season long stew of self-pity.  It’s been very hard to climb out of and, to give her all the credit in the world, Heather has been right there every step of the way.  She’s offered encouragement, backed off when that would be best, listened, consoled and offered advice.  She’s even kicked me in the ass when necessary.  I’ve been ready to pitch the whole racing thing on several occasions.  It’s tough to lose and it’s especially tough to lose when you represent other people.

For the partners that were in on Bobo (Bourbonology) from back in the E Sveikata (Kat) days, it’s a disappointing ending to a long and, what I would think, a successful ride.  We won with Kat and had her claimed for twice what we bought her.  Got a win with Bobo, hit the board with both a few times, and no one had to put in another dime.  That’s a good two and a half year run.  Those that bought into her heading into this season though, a completely different experience and I feel horribly about that.

I’m shaking it all off now, though.  We’re going to get through this lull and get back on form again.  This year was an aberration and it’ll be treated as such.  We’ll reform, regroup and get back on the attack: either starting at Hawthorne, Tampa or both.  Not only will we win again, but we’ll do so with a renewed humbleness that only this game can provide for you.

Thanks to Jeff Maday and Michelle Benson for having me on Chalk Pub Talk this week and help reinvigorate my attitude.  Great friends, great family and a great partner can get you through anything.  So to help kick off the relaunch of the blog (and my attitude), here is the edition of Chalk Pub Talk, courtesy of Canterbury Park.

News and Notes or a Mishmash of Stuff

Thoughts on Chromer

I wasn't a believer initially.  Heading into the Derby I was not sure if he was really all that and he proved me wrong.  I jumped on the bandwagon after the Derby win, along with many others, and he certainly endorsed my confidence.

I didn't care much about the "slowness" of the Derby - there were 18 others that couldn't run faster.  The final time of a race can be influenced by many factors including the condition of the racetrack (the long break between the last dirt race and the Derby could have contributed to the 'dryness' of the track, some have speculated) and the strategy as the race developed.  I was afraid of the blistering pace in the Derby and it turned out that no one wanted to go.

Heading into the Preakness I was a bit afraid of the pace development again because if no one went in the Derby, then certainly someone would go in the Preakness.  There was some pace but Chrome ended up perfectly placed and was able to charge home.

I've actually avoided reading a lot of Tweets about the Preakness because I can already hear the complaining: ANOTHER perfect trip; he'll never get a mile and half; etc.  We'll see.  I didn't think he'd get a mile and a quarter and perfect trips come from good rides by good jockeys on good horses - you make your own luck.

Personally, I'm going to unabashedly root for a Triple Crown, I think we could use it.

Ellie Preps

Elusive Edition is getting closer to her first start for us.  She's prepping okay.  She's had two timed works where she wasn't asked for much.  In her last she had a four furlong work and she walked off the track looking like she handled it just fine.  I wouldn't go so far as to say she wouldn't have been able to blow out a candle, but it was pretty close.  I'm reserving judgments until I see her really lay out.

There are quite a few fine 3-year old Minnesota bred fillies this year, one of the best in her own barn, Sky and Sea.  She's nominated to the Minnesota Oaks but we have to get rolling first and the anxiety may kill me!

Canterbury Club

The best way to follow the doings of the Canterbury Racing Club is to sign up to get the blog updates at canterburyracingclub.com but in a nutshell: we claimed filly Maryjean for $8,000 in a race she won impressively.  We're hoping to bring her back this weekend, up a notch or two, and see what we have.  Club membership closed at a record 202 people and we're still looking for another horse for the club as well.

Bourbonology

Bobo is working on the farm and will head over to the race track in a couple of weeks.  She'll need a couple of works in her but she is rounding into shape very well.  Hopefully we'll get a start out of her by mid-June and get her summer started quickly and successfully!

Mother and Son

Tabby Lane is doing great.  We've had her covered a few times by Doneraile Court but she's come up empty.  We gave it one last try the other day and we'll see.  If she doesn't take then she'll get the year off and we'll focus on George and getting him through year one.  I think his mix of Eastwood Dacat's speed and Tabby's stamina and soundness will get us a nice runner, not just a nice Minnesota bred - but we'll see in a couple of years!

That's all the news that's fit to print now.  It should be an interesting three weeks between now and the Belmont - thank goodness.

Doldrums

It's that time of year, post Breeders' Cup/pre Derby prep season - and well past racing season at Canterbury Park, that makes you just sigh and glance at the calendar.  Coming home to a dusting of snow from the Breeders' Cup didn't help matters either.

At this point in time we aren't racing, just waiting.  BOURBONOLOGY will wait until Canterbury to make her return to the races.  She finished up the season okay, finishing second in a NW2 affair, but has failed to live up to her potential.  We decided to let her be a horse over the winter and get her back in training in February to get her ready for the turf season starting in late May at Canterbury, hoping that the extra time off will get her head in the right place and get that fire back in her.  With some heart back, I think she still can be a formidable presence on the turf and do considerably better than she has been.

ELUSIVE EDITION was pulled off the track with shin issues as a 2-year old earlier this summer.  We decided not to push her.  Some horses are ready to go at 2 and some just aren't and if you push them you can ruin them - we do NOT want to ruin "Ellie".  One thing she does have is a passion for running.  She loves it.  You can see it in the way she moves and we got glimpses of it on the track this summer.  She'll head back into training in February with the goal of having her ready to go opening weekend at Canterbury.

A very pregnant TABBY LANE is at Dove Hill Farm awaiting her foaling date which is mid- to late March.  Interestingly, her own foaling day was March 17 so she should be giving birth right around her own birthday.  She has been doing great and, knock on wood, been staying healthy and trouble free.  Here is a glimpse of her at the halfway point.

 

 

In foal to the Storm Cat stallion, EASTWOOD DACAT, we look forward to his speed and her proclivity for 7 furlongs to a mile to be a great combination and look to see the youngster tearing up the Canterbury turf in a few years.

 

Our time managing the Canterbury Racing Club has also come to an end with the claim of ASK EDDY at Hawthorne a couple of weeks ago.  EDDY was a real trooper and a cranky pain in the ass - it was hard not to love him!  EDDY won 4 races for the club and provided everyone with a thrill the way he gave his all each time out on the track.  MUNDY was a bit more enigmatic, but while we couldn't get a win with her, she did give it her best shot every time out.  Running the Club was a great experience and I loved getting to know the folks in the group, though I didn't get to meet all 170+ folks - maybe next year!

 

As the winter deepens it's nice to know that in less than 180 days we'll be back to racing here in Minnesota come Preakness weekend.  Unfortunately for now, the stable is all about expenses though come May we'll be attacking with a vengeance! 

Last Two Weekends Are No Throw Ins at Canterbury

The Canterbury season is coming to a close and while barns are paring down and shipping horses to Chicago, Oklahoma and other locales, the action has not stopped in Shakopee.  Actually, a LOT went on over the weekend including history being made and a first of it's kind event comes to Shakopee closing weekend.

Angela Calls the Card

Track analyst Angela Hermann became the first North American woman to call and entire card of Thoroughbred races on Saturday.  I covered a lot of the specifics in my first feature for the Daily Racing Form this past week. 

The poise she showed, especially race 1 when there were 3 video cameras in the booth and some dope with a cell phone camera, was impressive.  Her voice may not boom like regular announcer Paul Allen, but she was smooth and fluid and had her own take on the races as they unfolded.  It was a pleasure to listen to and even more so to have a front seat to some racing history.

Mundy Gets Claimed

Canterbury Racing Club horse, Mundy, was claimed over the weekend.  We had claimed her for $16,000 in the hopes that she would make a nice higher level addition to the Club.  I was mistaken.  The 5-year old mare wasn't herself in Minnesota.  As the meet wore on she was more and more determined to drag her pilot through fast early fractions and had a tougher time settling down on the front end.  The result was just a single 3rd place finish as we dropped her through the class levels until she was finally claimed at $7500 and will head back to AZ with old trainer Mike Chambers. 

She looked all the part to be a solid claim but that certainly did not materialize.  She may have disliked the Canterbury turf or she may be starting to get babies on the brain. Either way she never fired for us and I wish her well back in AZ.

That leaves the Club with one horse, Ask Eddy, who will go for his 3rd win of the meet in 5 starts on Friday evening.  It's a tough, full field, but we're hoping that Eddy can bring home one more win before heading to Hawthorne.  The race is his preferred mile and 70 over the dirt, $5,000 claiming.

Bourbonology Ends Season With A Second

Our own Bourbonology finished a solid second in her sixth race since we purchased her earlier in the meet.  She had a rugged win in her GRS debut, winning a Maiden Special Weight but faltered thereafter.  She came back in a first level allowance and was smoked; the same for an off the turf effort at $20,000 claiming.  In her final attempt at $20,000 she closed a bit better, but it appeared that she needed some class relief. 

We gave it to her in her next out, a $12,500 claiming race, and she responded well.  She was coming hard late and I thought we had a shot to win, but jockey Dean Butler couldn't give her head to run: she was trying hard to lug in and with a horse on her inside flank any rally would have resulted in a disqualification, or worse.  She ended up finishing 4th but gave us a reason for optimism.

Saturday she broke fairly and was settled nicely. When the time came to run, Dean was able to get her going and, with a change in the blinker set up, she was less apt to lug in.  Dean also had her on the rail and she rallied nicely for a second place finish.  Now she'll get some time off until Tampa Bay Downs in December, or perhaps even the 1st of the year.  Given the purse increases at Canterbury, we want to have a fresh mare for the 2014 season so we won't bring her back too early.

Professional Indian Horse Racing Association

An event that I have been looking forward to for weeks - no, not the last Food Truck Festival on closing day (well, YES, that too...); the PIHRA Professional Indian Relay Tribal Championships will take place at Canterbury.  If you haven't seen this, you can take a look here.  It's exciting, dangerous and full of tradition and pride.  One rider will make three laps around the track on 3 separate horses making two exchanges along the way.  The exchanges are exciting and these guys can flat out ride!  Bareback!  Races will be held all three days the final weekend of the meet starting Thursday night and I can't wait to see this live.

New and Notes

In other stable news and notes, Tabby Lane is doing just fine in foal to Eastwood Dacat.  She's settled on a farm in New Prague, MN and we will await the arrival of her first foal sometime in March.  Elusive Edition (Ellie), has recovered nicely from her shin soreness and is showing signs of growing out of it.  However, we will wait on this nice 2-year old Minnesota bred and not start her back until February to get ready for the 2014 season.

Bobo Last Minute - IN

As I mentioned in my last post, this summer has been a very hectic one.  I thought I may have caught a bit of a blogging break when we entered Bourbonology to run on today but she didn't get in and was on the "Also Eligible" list.

A bit of a refresher: the "Also Eligible" list is an auxiliary list of horses who only get into the race if one of the horses entered scratches.  This is usually done in turf races so if the weather dictates that the race come off the turf and onto the dirt and several horses scratch, you can still have a decent field in the race.

In our case this week, the weather was beautiful and there was no way we were going to get in.  That said, if the race did come off the turf, we would scratch as well.  I was tabbed to do the paddock analysis today so it was all going to work out - you can't analyze a race you run in for the people, right!?

Then at 10:10 Bernell Rhone called and let me know that we scratched in!

Scramble time!

Jeff Maday, Media Relations Manager at Canterbury, offered to take the race 4 paddock analysis for me but there is no way I was going to get a detailed race analysis up in time, so here is my take on the race - ever so briefly:

Four horses were dropping in from Bobo's last race and only one finished behind her.  Additionally, one was coming in from the off-the-turf race two back where Bobo was awful, but that horse, Wonder Country, finished 3rd.

The rest of the 9 horses are either jumping up in class or coming in from Prairie Meadows to try the turf here at Canterbury.

I think we can hit the board, though I would MUCH prefer that we won.  Her lackadaisical efforts in her last couple of starts is troublesome - especially combined with the fact that there is nothing the vet can find that is physically wrong with her.

I see the race coming up:

Toluca
Margo's Delight
Bourbonology

I will, however, be wagering to win - you can't bet against your own horse!

Something Had to Give

What a summer!  Generally speaking my summers are crazy anyhow.  This year the addition of the Canterbury Racing Club management to our portfolio and an increase in the stories for the Daily Racing Form because of larger and higher quality stakes races has really pushed my time to the limit.  Something had to give and that something has been this blog.

I know that there are not a ton of you that sit on the edge of your seat wondering what's happening next in the world of Bourbonology, Elusive Edition and the pregnancy of Tabby Lane, but still...I would like to be a bit more "current" than I have been.

As an illustration of how crazy it has been, I wrote a complete preview of Bobo's last race and completely forgot to post it!  So in general, a brief summary of what's been going on and a tepid promise that I will be better!

BOURBONOLOGY

She seems to have caught the "Tabby Lane Syndrome" that plagued Tabs in her 4-year old season.  She can't seem to get past that one win and go on with her potential.  In another eerie coincidence, we can't find a thing wrong with her either.  Physically she's just fine.  Our trainer, Bernell Rhone, made the comment that he knows that there is something in there, he just hasn't figured how to get it out yet! 

Frustrating does not begin to tell the tale.  She had that first out maiden breaking win in a tough stretch battle with Clay Brinson's Bluegrass Lucy and nosed her out for the win.  Her 1st level allowance win was awful  She broke poorly and it was all downhill from there.  We brought her back in a $20,000 non winners of two lifetime which was rained off the turf.  We wanted to see what she could do on the dirt.  We found out...nothing.  Finally we got a firm turf course and the same level going 7.5 furlongs and she finished mid-pack, never really threatening.

She'll live to fight another day.  That day may be this Saturday.

ELUSIVE EDITION

Our two year old Minnesota bred filly was showing all kinds of promise.  We still weren't sure if she was going to be fast or not, but we did know that she was smart, good looking and moved well.  We also learned that she had sore shins.  Rather than go on with her and risk serious injury, we took her off the track and sent her to the farm.  We treated her shins and gave her the opportunity to grow and strengthen.  The purses here have increased nicely and she is potentially too valuable to risk running her early.

We'll look to get her back in training after the first of the year and get her ready for opening weekend at Canterbury.  Fingers crossed the winter goes well and we have the opportunity to get her ready on schedule.

CANTERBURY RACING CLUB

This has been a hoot.  You can follow along the Club's exploits at the blog site.  Keeping up to speed there has taken up a lot of the time and energy I used to have for here!

Ask Eddy was our first acquisition and it appeared that he was a mistake.  He came into the barn underweight, sore and tired.  Club trainer, Clay Brinson, took back on him and just fed him, wormed him and generally got the cranky old man feeling better.  When he got to the track, he has responded with 2 wins in 4 starts.

Mundy, the "higher class" addition has been a bust.  We claimed her at $16,000 hoping she's be able to run at higher levels and we were proven wrong.  After a 3rd first out for us, she's missed the board in two consecutive starts.  She's been descending the class ladder rather than ascending it and that has been a bit depressing.  So far we're holding our own, but I'd really like to do MUCH better.

As the season in Minnesota winds down, the Club horses will head to Hawthorne with Clay and Bobo will get some time off in Florida until Tampa Bay Downs opens.

FALL

As fall approaches, our thoughts turn to the next group and the possibility of claiming another horse out of Tampa Bay - or perhaps even Hawthorne - and getting geared up to start 2014 with another runner or two.  It's hard to believe that we're already thinking ahead to 2014, but time does indeed fly!

So I shall go forward and try hard to blog here more than once per month!!  And I will certainly try and remember to actually publish what I write, too!

You Gotta Draw A Line Through It

There is no question that Bourbonology’s last race was a clunker.  It may have been more than a clunker.  It may have just been god awful!  She tracked nicely for the first half and when jockey Nik Goodwin had to check her out of trouble, she was done.  She just quit.  She ended up last…dead last.  Beaten 23 lengths.

It was my worst nightmare come true.

I never, ever want to place a horse where it has no chance to win.  I don’t want to run in a race for the sake of running in one.  If we enter a stake, I want it to be because we actually have a chance to win the race.  In this one, it looked very clearly that Bobo didn’t belong and it was embarrassing.

I don’t blame Nik, he didn’t know that she would quit on him.  None of us did.  Since she turned 3, she’d never been worse than 4^th or beaten more than 6 ¼.  July 6 was a different story.  Maybe she was off?  These animals are not machines and are subject to bad days just like any other living being.  It could have been the heat.  It could have been something unsettling on the way over to the paddock from the barn.  Who knows?

Fortunately she came back sound and healthy and she bounced back very nicely.  All we can really do is draw a line through that last race, give her a little class relief and go at ‘em again.

Tomorrow she goes about 7 ½ furlongs over the grass course – but no chute this time.  She also draws in much closer to the rail coming out of post position four.  She also retains the services of Dean Butler again, the jock that rode her to her first win and in her morning works.  Again, it’s not that Nik did anything wrong, but Dean knows the horse and has won with her before.  That’s a nice feeling to have. 

It’s also a claiming race rather than a first level allowance.  She’ll be running for a tag of $20,000 with other fillies and mares that have never won 2 races.

Here is the field:

Toluca (Silva/Vergara): Two solid tries at $12,500 at Golden Gate before shipping east for Miguel Silva.  She jumps up a bit in this one and the discrepancy that existed in past years has closed considerably among open horses this year, so the jump is a bit more formidable than it would have been last year.

Heavenly Alibi (Von Hemel/Eikleberry): Prairie Meadows invader tries the turf for the 1^st time since a maiden effort at the Fairgrounds in late 2012.

Diamond City (Canchari/P Canchari): considerably distanced since her maiden breaking win the summer of 2011.

BOURBONOLOGY (RHONE/BUTLER)

Correspondence (Riecken/C Goodwin):  Jumping way up from a $6250 claiming race last out, did break her maiden over the Remington Park turf last summer coming from way off the pace.

Margo’s Delight (Brinson/Rivera): A game, but wide, 3^rd last out at this level the second weekend of the meet.  If healthy, may be the one to beat.

My Dixie Doodle (Scherer/Velazquez):  Dropping in from some very competitive allowance events here, in Chicago and New Orleans.  Hasn’t sniffed the winners’ circle since the maiden breaker last May, but should appreciate the class relief.

Wonder Country (Berndt/A Canchari):  A 4^th and 6^th at this level in her first two tries at Canterbury – one on and one off the turf.

Chena Miss (Bravo/Keith): Broke her maiden last out easily, though only at the $6250 level.  Butler chooses Bobo.

Miss Amelia (Suter/Hernandez): Eighth in the allowance where Bobo was so awful.  Best finish recently was a third in a Fonner allowance.

Of Royalty (McFarlane/Ochoa): 2^nd as the beaten favorite at this level last out in an off the turf event.  Broke maiden the race before over the Arizona turf with ease.

Flying Lelin (Rarick/Stevens): First turf effort after a tough effort in a $6250 non-winners of two.

There is only one way to look at this race with any degree of confidence/hope – draw a line through that last race and pretend it never happened.

Bobo will want to sit a bit…stalk if she can.  If she can is the key this afternoon.  There is not a ton of speed in the race and the speed that there is here is mired along the outside with Of Royalty and maybe Chena Miss.  My Dixie Doodle showed speed in her wire to wire maiden breaker but has had a tough time getting her own way on the front end in her allowance tries.  It could be that the class relief could afford her the opportunity to finally get to the front again.

Having several out front is what we’d like to see and be able to take up a nice stalking position and then have some room when the running begins.  Margo’s Delight will close well and has proved herself against this type and there are several others that will want their opportunity in the stretch as well.

She’ll need to stay out of trouble, or at least not quit because of it like she did in her last.  She traveled very bravely in her win, let’s hope she has that confidence in her this trip.

Maiden Win is Only Step One

It’s going to be quite the hour at Canterbury Park on Saturday afternoon.  In the 5^th race, a first level allowance, our very own Bourbonology is going to try for two in a row against a tough field including some shippers from Chicago.  Then in the 6^th race, the Canterbury Racing Club stalwart, Ask Eddy, will step up one notch and take on $5,000 claimers in search of his 2^nd win in a row.  Near the top and near the bottom, but it’s all racing and all very exciting.

There is some fear involved in Bobo’s race.  Not by her…I can’t believe our daughter of Gulch is scared of anything at all…but from me.  We had another option coming out of her Maiden Special Weight win – a $20,000 non-winners of 2 claiming race which would have certainly been an easier spot.  She had a bit of a troubled trip: blocked down the backside and bumped in the lane which probably makes the race look a bit less than what it was, but still, as you’ll see, this race came up tough.

The only thing I really try to do is not to run horses where they do not belong.  I don’t want to run in a stake to be an entry – I want to have a chance.  I look at some running lines and I see the winner of a MSW end up 6^th, beaten 17 lengths in a first level allowance and I don’t want Bobo to be THAT horse.

Let’s take a look at the field and then I’ll stress some more:

She’s Mighty Fast (Padilla/Eikleberry): First 3-year old start, maiden breaker was at Remington in a maiden special on the turf and came back in the Mistletoe Stakes where she was clearly beaten from the first step back on the dirt.  Works have been nice and steady for her return, though not particularly quick.

De Novo (Robertson/A Canchari): Two allowance tries at Canterbury have been challenging over a yielding turf course and then an off the turf affair over a sloppy racetrack.  She still acquitted herself well and is eligible to improve over a firm course and third out after her layoff.

Miss Amelia (Suter/Rivera): In the same two allowance races as De Novo but hardly the same result finishing some distance behind her younger rival.

Seeking Luck (Stidham/Stevens): Her 3-year season began in America after racing as a 2 in her native Ireland.  Both tries on the turf here (out of 4 efforts) landed her on the board in an allowance at the Fairgrounds and Arlington.  It seems like she has a tougher time the longer she goes so a mile and 16 may not be her forte, but she is a classy individual.

April (Lund/Vergara): Ran a very nice 2^nd in a Canterbury allowance over the turf at the beginning of the meet over the dirt and then a bit distanced in her next but a sloppy racetrack could have been the culprit.  The filly has been very consistent.

Vertical Lift (Rhone/Butler): Dean chose to ride Lifty in this race and I don’t really blame him.  She’s an older mare with more experience and she knows how to win (3 wins, all claiming which keeps her eligible).  She’s going to be tough.

Mia Bee A (Robertson/Bell): Broke her maiden first out last year, topping Bluegrass Lucy, the filly that Bobo ran neck and neck with down the lane last out.  (3^rd place finisher?  De Novo)  Six furlongs in her 3-year old debut may not have been her cup of tea.  She should take to the turf and the distance should be more to her liking.  You can never count out the Robertson/Bell duo.

Banded (Scherer/Martin): Richie Scherer brings up from Chicago a filly who’s been close in four straight allowances at the Fairgrounds, Hawthorne and Arlington.  She was a solid 2^nd in the Northbound Pride Oaks last year at Canterbury and her Beyer figs are clearly tops in this group.  She has been sprinting and the distance may be too much without6 one under her belt but Scherer is a good 13% off of layoffs.

Street Savvy (Diodoro/Franco): She closed very insistently at 7 ½ furlongs in her Canterbury debut but fell short and then just missed by a neck over a sloppy track to the talented Quinichette.  Obliterated De Novo by 14 in that race.  Could be the one to beat in here.

Getting Birdie (Biehler/Keith): Been doing everything right since turning 3: broke maiden and then finished third in this type of race, though going much shorter.  Only bad race has been at a route and has never been on the turf.

BOURBONOLOGY (RHONE/GOODWIN)

Yes.  You read that correctly.  Bobo is mired out in post 11 coming out of the chute for the about a mile and 70 yard affair.  Reason #1 for concern.  Nik Goodwin aboard concerns me a little, not because of his ability – Nik is having a great year – but because Dean chose Vertical Lift.  The two worked so well together in her maiden breaker and it’s a bit unnerving to have a new rider aboard after experiencing success.  That said, I have faith and confidence in Goodwin and know he’ll give her a shot to win – which is all you can ask.

The race shapes up interestingly since I can find no real speed in the field.  Bobo has stayed close but won from off the pace.  She’s Mighty Fast has shown early speed on the turf but another who did better while rating.  I just don’t see anyone shaking loose which could make this a cavalry charge at the end after horrifically slow fractions.  I’d like to think that we could get out to a lead and get over but out of the 11 spot down the chute…I just don’t see that happening.  If someone does decide to go, I hope that more than 1 do – that could help weaken things up front but certainly make it no less of a charging finish.

I really don’t know how she’ll do.  Street Savvy looks great as does the Irish lass, Seeking Luck.  Several are coming in having not seen a firm turf course in a while and that SHOULD be what we’ll get tomorrow, so you don’t know how much those ladies will improve.  So many unknowns and a filly who appears to do whatever you ask – but you HAVE to ask…she won’t do it on her own.

Win, lose or draw, though, I’ll have to even out after the race and meet the Canterbury Racing Club group in the paddock for the next race.  What a day…it’s absolutely why I do what I do!

Bourbonlogy Wins Her First at Canterbury

(Photo Credit: Coady Photography)

The last time I was in Detroit for a major sporting event was in the fall of 2004.  It was the World Series and my Boston Red Sox finally won a world series, erasing generations of heartbreak in weak roller back to the mound and a shuttle toss to first.  I walked downtown celebrating virtually alone in my Red Sox jersey and laid awake completely wired for hours.

Granted, it wasn’t 86 years since our last win, but it sure seemed like it.  Tabby Lane won a race at Tampa Bay Downs last spring and that was the last we saw the winners’ circle.  Her ankle got too bad, she struggled at Canterbury and we retired her to the breeding shed.   Since then we’ve spun our wheels: we lost shakes, horses didn’t vet for private purchase, the first week or two at Canterbury provided us not much to claim and we felt snakebit.  Then came Bobo.

Bourbonology (Gulch-Ciencia-El Gran Senor), one of the last of the Gulch progeny, was offered up to us via our trainer Bernell Rhone through trainer Joan Scott.  Bobo simply didn’t fit the connections profile and she felt maybe Bernell could find her useful.  We negotiated a price and then shipped her from Arlington to Canterbury.  You could not have a horse arrive in better shape.  Kudos to Scott and her team, Bobo was in great shape: sound, healthy and happy – obviously wonderfully taken care of.

Her first entry for us was in a Maiden Claiming $20,000 and was an also eligible and didn’t get in.  We decided to step up to a Maiden Special Weight over the turf and though the races were taken off the turf that day we were going to go in the slop…until the card was cancelled after the first few races.
Snakebit?

Last night the race went.  A Maiden Special going a mile and 70 over the turf with a full field of 10.  She was a 2-1 favorite and when the gates sprung open she was sideswiped by the 17-1 shot next her and slid back to about 7^th in the 10 horse field.

SNAKEBIT!!

Jockey Dean Butler never panicked.  There was plenty of time left in the race and he worked her back into contention down the backside but faced a wall of horses in front of her entering the turn.  Ever patient, Dean guided her between horses and she bravely went where he asked and when they straightened in the lane she had a relatively straight shot on the outside.  Now it was time to run!

My feed, naturally perfect up until race time, started getting choppy but cleared in time for me to see the last 200 yards where our girl went head and head with Clay Brinson’s Bluegrass Lucy and Dean got our gal to finish for the first time in her career (I’m pretty sure I’ll hear about this when I see Clay this weekend!).

She won by a head and I think I may have dislocated a shoulder pumping my fist.  If it were any later I probably would have been asked to leave my hotel in Dearborn!  Facebook and Twitter came alive and it was great to hear from so many people.  And while I couldn’t be there, the winners’ circle was packed with partners, friends and significant others and it was wonderful to see – even from afar!

Congratulations to the partners and great job to Dean Butler, Bernell Rhone, the folks back at the barn and even to Joan Scott for developing such a fine individual.

Snakebit?  Pffft…we apparently just needed to be patient.  Now we’ll see how she came back and look for her next race.  My guess?  Probably a first level allowance but we’ll see.  For now, we’ll allow a bit of time for celebration!

Bourbonology's FIrst Start - Take 2

Bourbonology’s first start for GRS was swept away under adverse track conditions so we’re back to give it another go tonight.  Well, she’s back to give it another go tonight, I am in Michigan for work and it doesn’t look like I’ll be back until sometime very late Friday night.  I’ll miss the race in person but I’ll be watching on the PC or on my Horse Races Now app on the iphone.  Either way I’ll be rooting her on.  Here is a look at the field.

Dear Hrishi (Van Winkle/Rivera): 0-37 mare is going to give it another go.  Has finished on the board 21 of those times so she’s been close.  She’ll bounce up from $25,000 Maiden Claiming to take on this group.

BOURBONOLOGY (RHONE/BUTLER)

Daring Ride (Padilla/Eikleberry): Closed quickly but fell short.  The shorter distance may have been better suited to him last week.  Now tries the turf for the first time and gets a bit longer.

Excusemeplease (Bravo/Keith):  Another off-the turf race last time with a rally that might have been better suited to a shorter distance.  Picks up an extra 70 and loses Butler but picks up Keith.  Nice that Dean decided to go with our gal after her second work with her.  Like last time, that may not mean anything at all, but it’s still nice…

Andrea’s Josie (McKinley/P Canchari): Moving up from a maiden claiming race where she finished behind several in here.

The Grans (Lund/Vergara): First of an uncoupled Valerie Lund trained entry.  Had a tough couple of races where she was pulled up in one and then slipped in the stretch in the other.  Came back to run a credible 4^th at Canterbury at this level in an off the turf race.

Ee Da How (Lund/Vegara): Pulled up her last time out but had a very stylish debut.  If she is feeling okay, I know that trainer Valerie Lund will have her ready.  Both her runners are sneaky dangerous.

A Thousand Talents (Kirby/Escobar): Former Biehler trainee had her first trip of 2013 over the Canterbury surface in an off the turf maiden special.  She didn’t break well and never got into the mix.

Bluegrass Lucy (Brinson/Ochoa): Sweet filly in the Brinson barn, Lucy finished a fast closing 2^nd in her first Canterbury turf start.  She really improved from the dirt to the turf and the morning line favorite will be a handful.

Antique Angel (Van Winkle/Franco):First time going a route a ground or over the turf. 

ALSO ELIGIBLES: Chasen A Star, Prairie Lake, Bitter Tears, Rio Bello, Velve Kay

There is not a lot of consistent early speed in the race.  In fact, only Excusemeplease appears to have ever really been on the front end.  That was her last out but it was also off the turf (which could very well be the case with rain in the forecast in the Shakopee area).  If she, or anyone, can sneak away on the field, that could be all she wrote for the rest.

Bobo should be in a relatively good position.  I was a bit concerned heading into her last race with her work being relatively non-descript. And actually, if you look on time alone, her last work was nothing to get excited about either, unless you saw it.  She really did a nice job staying to task and picking it up when Dean asked her to.  It may not mean much, but overall we were very happy with the differences in her works.

There are several in here that can jump up.  Bluegrass Lucy will be tough and I think Valerie Lund will have both of her runners as ready to go as they can be – if they can overcome their issues they will be difficult as well.  The wild card will be the weather again.  There will be rain and thunderstorms in the area and at this point I don’t even care if we stay on the turf, only that we get to race.  To be honest, she should do relatively well over a wet track so hopefully it will not matter.

Best of luck to all her partners and we do have one angle going for us: it’s out partner Matthew’s birthday today and that’s always a powerful handicapping angle!

Updates on Ours, Heliskier and Some Dialogue

BOBO

Bourbonlogy got rained out last Sunday.  Not so much because of the weather, but because of the track conditions.  The race was washed off the turf and we were ready to go anyway.  There were a few scratches that made the race a bit easier for us but racing was called after a few races because of unsafe track conditions.  A trainer and a jockey told me it was akin to a pothole strewn road with puddles hiding the worst of it.  Of course a thoroughbred’s thin leg getting stuck and twisted in a hole could be disastrous and if the riders think it’s unsafe, who am I to disagree?

Bobo will go this Thursday in a Maiden Special Weight over the turf course going a mile and 70 yards.  She’ll start out of the chute and make a lap around the oval. She’ll open in the wagering as the 4-1 2^nd choice in the morning line behind Clay Brinson trained Bluegrass Lucy.  I’ll be back with a full profile of the race later in the week.

I’ll also have to retry the “View of the Owners” video blog again, though not this time.  My quick trip to IL has turned into a week-long grind that won’t get me home until sometime very late Friday night or early Saturday morning so I will miss Bobo’s first start in person, though I will be watching in a hotel room somewhere near Detroit.  Or, on my Horse Races Now app if I’m able to pick up a ticket to the Red Sox game that night while they are in Motown!

HELISKIER

Word is still positive on Heliskier.  The champion Minnesota bred gelding is banged up but doing okay after going down to his nose at the break on Sunday, ending his undefeated streak and generating one of my most read blog posts ever when I wrote about some of the behaviors I (and others) witnessed when it was learned the horse nearly went down.

Feedback from that post has been interesting.   I have had some dialogue with people who feel that I misunderstood what they – or folks with them – were expressing.  I think we have differing viewpoints on that and it was a good lesson for a lot of people in perception versus reality.  You may indeed be cheering for your horse hitting the front in a race but if that cheering comes at the same time the track announcer says that a horse juts face planted, your actions may be misconstrued.  Hell, that’s a lesson even I needed to relearn in a way.

This fellow pointed out that by my saying that I was never happier to see a horse fade like Careless Hunter did that I was basically cheering for their horse to be hurt as well.  That wasn’t the case at all, of course.  I didn’t want the kids’ bad behavior to be rewarded BUT I can see his point.  I knew the horse went out too fast and was tired.  The horse wasn’t hurt and no one suspected that he was either.  I also didn’t cheer and or high five someone when I heard that he had packed up the fight.  HOWEVER by not really thinking about how that statement could be taken by someone before I wrote it, I did, kind of, the same thing – I reacted but didn’t think. At the end of the day, I wish nothing but the best for Careless Hunter’s connections and hope they pick up a couple of wins before the summer is done, they seem like really good people.

ELLIE

Elusive Edition has been training okay.  She’s very smart and she simply LOVES to run – two things you can’t train a horse.  She has been experiencing some aches and pains, nothing major but she’s had to rest a bit throwing her a bit off schedule and causing us some concern.  We’re getting to know her better and better and she is really quite a character.  Most definitely one of the best parts of owning these horses is getting to know them as individuals and Ellie is a riot – and most definitely still a baby in some ways as well!

She’s rested a bit and gone back to the racetrack.  We’ll need to pick things up on her in the next week or so and see her develop.  It’s exciting but also our optimism and excitement is still tempered with some caution as it always should be with 2-year olds.

CANTERBURY RACING CLUB

This is been two things: more work that I imagined and more fun than I could have hoped.  The people involved are absolute gems.  We had our first race on Friday night and Mundy, our mare, gave everyone a thrill as she took command in the lane and looked like a winner before tiring to third.  The pace was a bit hot and the turf was a bit soft and both contributed to her fatigue, but it was an exciting run and the folks really turned out for it.  Hopefully we’ll have our gelding, Ask Eddy, race this weekend and I’ll get to meet more of the great folks in the Club.  I doubt I’ll ever meet all 179 of them, but I’m hoping to, even if I will forget most of the names – never the faces, but I’m HORRIBLE remembering names!

 

The start has been a bit slow, but hopefully we'll pick up the pace and hit the winners' circle a few times along the way.

Bourbonology Gets Her First Canterbury Start

The morning line favorite.  I’m not sure how that happened, but it did.  Bourbonology (Gulch-Ciencia-El Gran Senor) is making her first start for us today (Sunday) and ended up the morning line favorite at 5/2.  The race is a maiden special weight going 7 ½ furlongs over the turf.  What’s interesting is that we were entered in a $20,000 maiden claiming race going a mile and 70 yards over the turf on Friday night but we were buried out on the “also eligible” so we didn’t get in.  We were also the 7/2 second choice in the morning line.  So we moved up in class and up into favoritism as well.  Go figure.

So what’s wrong with being the favorite?  Nothing to the horse as you can see by Bobo’s concern Saturday afternoon…

 

 

However from MY perspective, it’s nerve wracking.  There are a lot of expectations that come from being the favorite.  I feel badly if we lose and burn folk’s money.  I understand that no one is holding a gun to anyone’s head and forcing them to wager, but I still feel badly if we don’t win for them.  There are certainly several reasons why Bobo should win this race – and I play those scenarios in my head over and over again, but what also goes through my head is every goofy permutation on how we can lose the race.

Let’s take a look at the field and I’ll try and be objective.

Rio Bello (Berndt/Shepherd): beaten by 53 ¼ lengths in her off-the-turf Canterbury debut.  Comes back here with a turf Tomlinson of only 182 (about 280 or more shows some potential aptitude).

Bitter Tears (Arerburn/Rhone): Led all the way to the just near the finish in a $25,000 Maiden claimer at Tampa last out.  Back to back speedy efforts.  The 7 ½ furlongs may be perfect.

BOURBONLOGY (RHONE/STEVENS) 

A Thousand Talents (Kirby/Escobar): Not a very promising first start at Remington last October, but took some time off and came back for her first start in 7 months on 5/24 running a flat 5^th after starting a step slow on another off-the turf MSW.

Shesinittowinit (Biehler/Keith): Solid 5 ½ furlong effort last out in her Canterbury debut.  She gave way late and probably needed the race.  She has a light turf number and this will be her turf debut.

Ee Da How (Lund/Vegara): Pulled up her last time out but had a very stylish debut.  If she is feeling okay, I know that trainer Valerie Lund will have her ready.  I may fear her the most.

Daring Ride (Padilla/Eikleberry): Closed quickly but fell short.  The shorter distance may be better suited to him if he can handle the turf.

Velvet Kay (Berndt/Ochoa): Drilled twice in her first two races, she may be better suited to a lower class level.

Excusemeplease (Bravo/Butler): Another off-the turf race last time with a rally that might have been better suited to a shorter distance.  Butler chooses this mount over Bobo which may or may not mean anything.  I begrudge no jockey their choice of mount and I wish him well.  I also want to beat him!

Biloxi Lion Tamer (Burgess/Goodwin): Front running effort fell short at the Fairgrounds back in March of 2012.  Hard to know what kept her off the track for so long or if she can tackle this type of group.  She has a nice work pattern, however and could be solid here if she’s ready.

I’m not going to get into all the ways that Bobo could lose this race. We ALL know every way a horse can lose.  The question is, can she win?  I think she can but she’ll need to fire.

Her 2013 has been odd.  She came back after a long layoff and ran flat in a maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs after moving from Chad Brown to Joan Scott.  Then she moved to Arlington where she was washed off the turf and moved to the synthetic. She finished a good third with the top three finishers finishing within 4 lengths of each other and the rest of the field picking up the pieces 6 lengths behind them.  She now moves up to Canterbury where, hopefully, she’ll end up on the turf and running fit for the first time this year.

The weather may have other ideas. Showers and thunderstorms are “likely” overnight with showers and a few thunderstorms tomorrow.  The chance of rain is about 60%.  We could conceivably get washed off the turf tomorrow.  Should that occur we will go 1 mile on what would likely be a wet dirt track.  Should that occur, we will indeed go.  Bobo should perform well on a wet track and her race in inclement weather in Chicago was fine.  She has a very real possibility of stepping up in this race and really improving.  If she can do that, she should do really well.  I’d like to see her draw off by 5, but it’s more likely that she’ll sit behind the early pace set by the likes of Bitter Tears, Excusemeplease, Biloxi Lion Tamer and possibly Sheisinittowinit and pick up the pieces should the pace be too tough.

I am going to try something a bit different for the next blog piece (if technology doesn't trip me up!) - I'm going to video blog Bobo's race day from the perspective of an owner - which is what this blog is all about.  I'm not quite sure how that's going to work out yet, but we'll shoot some footage and see how it goes.  And I'll try to keep the language PG...at least PG-13.

Best of luck to them all and let ‘em all come home safely!

Welcome to Bourbonology

Bourbonology (Gulch-Ciencia-El Gran Senor)

I kind of feel like Gerald Ford when he said, “…our long national nightmare is over.”  Of course in our case it would be that our long spring nightmare of losing shakes and failed vet checks is over.  The claiming group has a horse – ironically she came via private purchase and not the claiming box.

Bourbonology, one of the last of Gulch’s progeny to the races, came to our stable on Friday and shipped in on Sunday.  For those of you that wonder how these things come about, I got a phone call on Thursday afternoon from our trainer, Bernell Rhone.   

“I need you to look up this horse right now,” he said to me.

Usually he’s not that insistent but there was a time crunch involved.  Bourbonology (Gulch-Ciencia-El Gran Senor) had just raced at Arlington Park but was not stabled there, she shipped in from Kentucky to race and was heading back.  Fortunately I wasn’t on the road at the time – which is highly unusual for me – and also happened to be on my computer at the time.  I dug in and looked her up.

She made her debut as a two year old for Bourbon Lane Stables and trainer Joan Scott at Aqueduct, running 5^th and 6^th in Maiden Special Weights.  She was given a few months off and came back at Saratoga where she finished 4^th three consecutive times in Maiden Specials.  She headed down to Tampa Bay Downs where she ran another 4^th in another Maiden Special before her latest in Arlington, a 3^rd in a $25,000 Maiden Claiming race.  Every race but her secnid was over the turf and she was competitive in every race – except her second.  Needless to say she will head out over the turf when the time comes that she heads out for us.

We went back and forth for a bit and Bernell secured her for us at a fair price.  A vet gave her the once over, I overnighted a check and she came up to Canterbury to join Ellie.

She settled in nicely and ate well from day one.  She was going to be walked a few days to get accustomed to the sights, sounds and routines of a new barn and a new racetrack before heading over to the track to get ready for her GRS debut and so we can see what’s under the hood.

She’s a beautiful looking filly and put together real solidly.  She almost looks male in her stockiness and she has dinner plates for hooves.  Though taller, I believe, she is very Gulch-y.  Let’s hope she has more than just his looks going for her!