Posted by Avram Freedberg
…she started out sharply, which is unlike her, but then went to the back some 14 lengths from the front runner. Around the stretch turn, she was behind a wall of horses. When John Velasquez took her wide, she started responding. It looked like he found daylight with her, but today she was through early and finished 8th, more than 8 lengths from the winner. We’re hoping she just needed the race after her layoff.
Hear the Footsteps is training again and will run at Aqueduct on the grass at a longer distance or on the dirt in a sprint.
Linda says she was surprised how good Cricky’sGoldenEyes looked while training on Pat’s farm in Florida. He’ll be coming north next week.
All the best for a lovely weekend,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Katy's Office Girl
Posted by
Avram Freedberg
My world has been upside down since my dad, George Freedberg, died last week. He was 88 years old and had been in declining health because of a combination of Atherosclerosis and Parkinson’s. My family, friends and our entire community regarded him as a fixture, an icon. He will be sorely missed by all of us.
Meanwhile, mom is in the hospital in a great deal of discomfort. At least her white blood cell count went down today. Hopefully, we will be able to get her out of hospital soon and work on getting her to regain her strength and on reversing any disabilities from her stroke.
You can see why it has been difficult talking horses or Broadway openings. So, today, as part of getting back into the flow of life, here’s notice that Katy’s Office Girl will run in the second race at Belmont tomorrow at 1 1/16 miles on the grass. It’s her first race back from her injury. Johnny V takes over from Ramon, who chose another horse.
On Broadway, The Merchant of Venice and Colin Quinn’s Long Story Short open on November 7th and 9th respectively. They join A Life in the Theater with Patrick Stewart and TR Knight.
Best to all,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Avram Freedberg
My world has been upside down since my dad, George Freedberg, died last week. He was 88 years old and had been in declining health because of a combination of Atherosclerosis and Parkinson’s. My family, friends and our entire community regarded him as a fixture, an icon. He will be sorely missed by all of us.
Meanwhile, mom is in the hospital in a great deal of discomfort. At least her white blood cell count went down today. Hopefully, we will be able to get her out of hospital soon and work on getting her to regain her strength and on reversing any disabilities from her stroke.
You can see why it has been difficult talking horses or Broadway openings. So, today, as part of getting back into the flow of life, here’s notice that Katy’s Office Girl will run in the second race at Belmont tomorrow at 1 1/16 miles on the grass. It’s her first race back from her injury. Johnny V takes over from Ramon, who chose another horse.
On Broadway, The Merchant of Venice and Colin Quinn’s Long Story Short open on November 7th and 9th respectively. They join A Life in the Theater with Patrick Stewart and TR Knight.
Best to all,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Update
Posted by Avram Freedberg
Awakino Cat is doing much better. Abby stayed up with him all night on Sunday to make sure his digestive system was working and allowing escape of liquid and solid ruffage. It took until 1AM for both. Yesterday, he was still hampered by tightness but today he’s mostly normal. Thank God and the vets and Abby and all the staff.
Katy’s Office Girl breezed slowly on Sunday but Linda liked the way she looked. Maybe she’ll be ready by month’s end.
Cricky’s Goldeneyes is scheduled to come to Belmont on November 1 for the Aqueduct meet.
Best,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Awakino Cat is doing much better. Abby stayed up with him all night on Sunday to make sure his digestive system was working and allowing escape of liquid and solid ruffage. It took until 1AM for both. Yesterday, he was still hampered by tightness but today he’s mostly normal. Thank God and the vets and Abby and all the staff.
Katy’s Office Girl breezed slowly on Sunday but Linda liked the way she looked. Maybe she’ll be ready by month’s end.
Cricky’s Goldeneyes is scheduled to come to Belmont on November 1 for the Aqueduct meet.
Best,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Awakino Cat had to be vanned off the track today...
Posted by Avram Freedberg
…and he didn’t even get to run. When he arrived at the paddock, Linda said, “I don’t want to alarm you but look at the way he is walking.” She showed me that it looked like he was lame. Linda thought it was a sign he was tying up ( a nervous condition where lactic acid builds up in his body and makes him sick and very tight). Awakino Cat is known as a horse with this malady, which is very rare in a 5 year-old gelding. In fact, you may remember that when he was racing against Ahvee’s Destiny, Linda often did not give him much of a chance because he was always tying up.
In any case, she decided to let Cornelio Velasquez take him out to the track and see if he would be able gallop it out. If so, he’d race. If not, he’d scratch. When we saw Cornelio get off him on the backstretch, we knew he would not be racing today… his late scratch from the race was announced by Tom Durkin.
However, it was not over yet. By the time, the horse got back to the tunnel that he would take back to the paddock and then to the barn, he was shuddering, sweating and could almost not move it at all. It was pitiful. The track vet administered medication and commented on how rare this condition was in a 5-yr. old gelding. They called the horse ambulance and managed to get him into it to take him back to the barn. It was so awful.
Now the fear was colic. Colic in a horse can be fatal. So, when they got him back to the barn, they administered IV fluids. We’d met 3 generations of a family at the track. Carly, the 11-yr old (almost) grandchild who had already showed me her school report on her trip to visit us in Saratoga, offered me her “lucky charm” horse necklace, so I could hold it close to help with Awakino Cat’s recovery. It brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t stop crying while I thanked her for her compassion, sensitivity and friendship. I told her to keep it and asked her to pray for the horse. Rhoda told me that she saw Carly crying while they got Awakino into the ambulance. It was very touching. Nothing is worse than seeing the horse ambulance cart your beautiful animal away. At least he was alive. Usually when that big syringe comes out, you think it’s all over.
We went to dinner and got a report that Awakino Cat seemed to be resting comfortably. Now, we just have to wait and see. The health of these horses can be so fickle. Let’s hope he recovers and does so quickly. Of course, his racing season is now done… no Canada $500K race, no Breeder’s Cup. BTW, the sprint race we passed up for him in Kentucky was won by Silver Timber, whom Awakino had defeated this summer at Saratoga. Silver Timber will be going to the Breeder’s Cup Sprint.
Ah, the joys of horse racing.
Our sympathies to Veronica and the family of Nicholas Eckman, a centenarian whose funeral was today. No matter how old they are, it is difficult to lose them.
Sincerely,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
…and he didn’t even get to run. When he arrived at the paddock, Linda said, “I don’t want to alarm you but look at the way he is walking.” She showed me that it looked like he was lame. Linda thought it was a sign he was tying up ( a nervous condition where lactic acid builds up in his body and makes him sick and very tight). Awakino Cat is known as a horse with this malady, which is very rare in a 5 year-old gelding. In fact, you may remember that when he was racing against Ahvee’s Destiny, Linda often did not give him much of a chance because he was always tying up.
In any case, she decided to let Cornelio Velasquez take him out to the track and see if he would be able gallop it out. If so, he’d race. If not, he’d scratch. When we saw Cornelio get off him on the backstretch, we knew he would not be racing today… his late scratch from the race was announced by Tom Durkin.
However, it was not over yet. By the time, the horse got back to the tunnel that he would take back to the paddock and then to the barn, he was shuddering, sweating and could almost not move it at all. It was pitiful. The track vet administered medication and commented on how rare this condition was in a 5-yr. old gelding. They called the horse ambulance and managed to get him into it to take him back to the barn. It was so awful.
Now the fear was colic. Colic in a horse can be fatal. So, when they got him back to the barn, they administered IV fluids. We’d met 3 generations of a family at the track. Carly, the 11-yr old (almost) grandchild who had already showed me her school report on her trip to visit us in Saratoga, offered me her “lucky charm” horse necklace, so I could hold it close to help with Awakino Cat’s recovery. It brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t stop crying while I thanked her for her compassion, sensitivity and friendship. I told her to keep it and asked her to pray for the horse. Rhoda told me that she saw Carly crying while they got Awakino into the ambulance. It was very touching. Nothing is worse than seeing the horse ambulance cart your beautiful animal away. At least he was alive. Usually when that big syringe comes out, you think it’s all over.
We went to dinner and got a report that Awakino Cat seemed to be resting comfortably. Now, we just have to wait and see. The health of these horses can be so fickle. Let’s hope he recovers and does so quickly. Of course, his racing season is now done… no Canada $500K race, no Breeder’s Cup. BTW, the sprint race we passed up for him in Kentucky was won by Silver Timber, whom Awakino had defeated this summer at Saratoga. Silver Timber will be going to the Breeder’s Cup Sprint.
Ah, the joys of horse racing.
Our sympathies to Veronica and the family of Nicholas Eckman, a centenarian whose funeral was today. No matter how old they are, it is difficult to lose them.
Sincerely,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Awakino Cat runs Sunday at Belmont
Posted by Avram Freedberg
All the top guns are at Keeneland this weekend prepping for the Breeder’s Cup. So, we’re going to Belmont instead. It’s the $70K Basket Weave Stakes (can you believe it?), 6 furlongs on the grass. If he wins and comes out of it okay, we’re definitely pointing him to the Grade 3 Nearctic in Canada next weekend. It has a $500K purse.
This weekend before his race, we’re going to visit him and Ahvee’s Destiny in Saratoga, as well as the “house next door.” I don’t think we’ll accompany him on the van to Belmont but we hope to be there.
Hear the Footsteps is pointing to a race at Belmont on October 23rd. Right now, that seems like quite a while away.
Have a lovely weekend!
Best,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
All the top guns are at Keeneland this weekend prepping for the Breeder’s Cup. So, we’re going to Belmont instead. It’s the $70K Basket Weave Stakes (can you believe it?), 6 furlongs on the grass. If he wins and comes out of it okay, we’re definitely pointing him to the Grade 3 Nearctic in Canada next weekend. It has a $500K purse.
This weekend before his race, we’re going to visit him and Ahvee’s Destiny in Saratoga, as well as the “house next door.” I don’t think we’ll accompany him on the van to Belmont but we hope to be there.
Hear the Footsteps is pointing to a race at Belmont on October 23rd. Right now, that seems like quite a while away.
Have a lovely weekend!
Best,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
