Hear the Footsteps

Yes, after starting on top and then settling back to fourth, Hear the Footsteps slipped and slid on the boggy turf for a mile and a sixteenth. The leaders did hear the footsteps coming around the stretch turn but one of the leaders pulled away and a fast closer, closed fast to finish second. Footsie passed the tiring leader, Wishful Tomcat, to finish third but could not get closer to the two in front of him.

Ahvee's Destiny is settling in to her new home in Schuylerville, NY. We look forward to seeing her sometime in November.

Awakino Cat is still at the Mid-Atlantic Clinic. He had several complications, including Pneumonia and Laminitis but seems to be recovering well from all his maladies. If he continues to look good after the weekend, he will go to a layup farm near the clinic before eventually being shipped to Florida for a period of recuperation over the winter.

Have a nice weekend!

A.

New Home for Ahvee's Destiny

We just fed carrots to Ahvee's Destiny and Hear the Footsteps on Sunday at Linda's barn in Saratoga Springs. Now, they both have moved or are about to move.

Ahvee's Destiny arrived at her new home, Rojan Horse Farm in Schuylerville, NY, this morning. It's literally only minutes from our place in Saratoga and her presence there will be a motivation to travel to Saratoga more often. We do love that horse. We're sad to see her off the race track. As Rhoda says, "she loves to run." Hopefully, she'll make beautiful babies who also love to run and run fast!

Katy's Office Girl is entered in the 7th race at Belmont on Friday. Let's hope the race stays on the grass. I guess it'll depend on how soon this rain ends and how fast the course drains. It's 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf course with Ramon Dominguez riding.

Hear the Footsteps is pointing to a race on October 27th. We'll see if the race fills and the weather holds up next week. Either way, he'll be moving to Belmont very soon.

Awakino Cat got me worried with his Colitis. Yesterday, he still was showing an inflamed colon and seemed to showing some water in his lungs. However, today his colon looks much better and, since the report was he is better overall, I assume the lung situation in included in that prognosis… but I'll check again tomorrow.

Linda Rice said she has two types of owners. One who is all business and one who treats their horses like pets. I guess you know which category she puts us in!

Best,

A.

Horses

Two weeks ago, Ahvee's Destiny ran 4th in a 5 furlong sprint at Presque Isle Downs, while Awakino Cat ran 3rd in a 6 1/2 furlong sprint the next evening at Presque Isle. It was hoped that Awakino would go on to the Grade 1 Nearctic Stakes in Canada next Sunday (we actually made plane reservations to go to Toronto) and a suitable race or two would be found for Ahvee's Destiny before we retired her to the breeding shed.

Today, we shipped Awakino Cat to Mid-Atlantic clinic to try and deal with a recurring fever. Today, an X-ray was taken of Ahvee's Destiny's front left knee, because she was "getting out" during her morning gallop. The X-ray shows what could be a fracture but for sure is some problem in that knee.

So, we can only hope for a not so serious diagnosis of Awakino Cat and a quick recovery. As for Ahvee, it looks like it's time to decide where she will go to breed. Thinking of her babies brings me a smile. Thinking of her never racing again brings me a frown. She's been our "big" horse, winning 11 times with 4 Stakes victories. I had hoped to visit our house in Saratoga next weekend and see them both galloping and then feed them carrots. I guess Ahvee's Destiny will still be there, but she won't be galloping. I knew this was Ahvee's future. Now it is her present. I guess I'm just not quite ready for it.

Katy's Office Girl was entered in a race today at Belmont but drew post position 16 on the "Also Eligible" list, but she didn't get in. Hear the Footsteps is still in Saratoga since they haven't run a race with the conditions he needs at Belmont. So, we just wait.

Now what? We'll give it some thought.

Best,

A.