Awakino Cat

It’s complicated, but the bottom line is that Awakino is entered in the 4^th race at Gulfstream on Thursday. So, we’re staying an extra day even though the family is not. It’s 5 furlongs on the turf with a claiming tag of $62,500. Hall of fame jockey John Velasquez is aboard. He won 3 Stakes races on Ahvee’s Destiny for us and we’re happy he’s on board.

 

Unfortunately, my father’s brother, my Uncle Melvin is being buried today. We had a lovely visit with him in Columbus, Ohio just 2 months ago. He was still walking to synagogue over a mile from his home on Sabbath and holidays. Some may remember him from his time in Connecticut liquidating store merchandise for the Schottenstein empire. He was a very strong-willed man and a very good person. We will miss him, as he joins his brothers in heaven. My Aunt Beverly is the only one of the 4 siblings remaining. Must be lonely and a little scary for her.

Hope it’s a happy new year filled with good health and happiness for us all!

Best,

A.

Avram C. Freedberg

Website: http://www.cricketracing.com

Blog: http://avramcfreedberg.blogspot.com

Steak at 1 AM

Arielle and Jonathan performed last night at their 3^rd annual concert at the Parkside Lounge in NYC.

Best sound for Arielle EVER. I heard words I never heard before! She had another guitar, a bass and percussion person behind her and she was more in command of the performance and patter with the audience than ever before.

Jonathan had some great new compositions but the sound system settings occasionally interfered with his band’s performance. Nonetheless, his band, HINTS, really rocked and so did he! Of course, we love it best when our kids perform together, as they did several times.

 

We then proceeded to Le Marais, a Kosher steak restaurant in mid-town. There were about 20 of us. In addition to the food, Jonathan and Donny played piano and sang. Arielle and others joined in. A fun time was had by all.

 

Doesn’t everyone eat steak after midnight? We didn’t get home until 3AM. Ah, to act like I’m young again!

 

Tomorrow, we’ll send the training staff their Christmas presents. I’ve devised a new idea for an owner’s relationship with trainers but probably won’t present it until 2013. The problem with the current system is it can be considered a conflict of interest between the owner and the trainer. The trainer gets paid a day rate. This means that whether the horse races or not, the trainer makes money each day the horse is in the barn. In addition, there is no incentive to get the horse to the races. Therefore, a system not based on the trainer collecting a day rate would incentivize the trainer to get each horse to their next race as fast as possible and, further, would ensure the trainer trying to get a poorly performing horse out of inventory.

 

We’ll see what happens in 2013. Here’s wishing you all the best for whatever holiday you celebrate and the best for 2013!

Yours,

A

 

Avram C. Freedberg

Everything’s Cricket Racing 

Website: http://www.cricketracing.com

Blog: http://avramcfreedberg.blogspot.com

Wheat Free - Day 5

Nobody’s running. Happily, neither am I. My daughters asked me to read Wheat Belly which makes quite a case for eliminating wheat and wheat products from your diet. Since wheat and its use in other foods is ubiquitous, this is no easy task. Plus, he wants me (and you) to eliminate almost all carbs!

I love bread, pasta and cake (as a base for lots of icing), cookies and other sweets. So, I was projecting that if I made it to day 2 that would be it. Here it is day 5 and I’m still plodding along, rejecting all those Chanukah and Christmas gifts of truffles and other chocolates, cakes, and… well I can’t continue. My mouth is watering!

I’ve been stuffing my face with cheese and nuts. Believe it or not… no weight gain. I’m sure if I was devouring all those sweet gifts, I would be gaining weight… but at least I’d have a smile on my face! I can’t even have a taste of Ahvee’s Destiny’s regular feed!

As far as racing is concerned, I’ll be applying for a NJ Harness license, so Cameron Lucky and Numismatic can get an opportunity at Meadowlands Raceway and, maybe, Yonkers in January.

Awakino Cat should start in Florida the day or the day after I fly home from Key Biscayne. The race on the 30^th at Gulfstream is too high a class for him to win at this point in his career, according to Linda. It’s Truly Ahvee should get to start at Aqueduct early in January.

Hear the Footsteps and Jess Not Jesse are on vacation in Ocala. We’re getting closer to a decision on what to do with Jess. Hear the Footsteps will come into training before Spring arrives. As for Ahvee’s Destiny’s next mating, I hope to have information on that soon too.

Hope you continue to have a nice holiday season and a wonderful new year!

Best,

A.

Injury Report

No Show Bates fractured his knee and will never race again. He will become a riding horse after it heals.

On Sunday, Numismatic looked really good for almost ¾ mile, then gave way. He couldn’t breathe. His throat was full of mucus.

Cameron Lucky ran on Sunday too. Started in 6^th and finished in 6^th. They ran more than 2 seconds faster than last week, when she won. Hopefully, she’ll make a good showing at the Meadowlands in January. She’s not sick, just not fast enough to beat this winner.

Jess Not Jesse has lots of problems… a tendon tear and chips in his ankles and one knee (I think that’s right). He also has arthritis. So, we are considering whether to surgically remove all the chips. If it’s in his best interest and not overly complex, we will do that and hope that his tendon heals and he can run next summer in Saratoga. Otherwise, he may be retired.

Awakino Cat in Florida and It’s Truly Ahvee at Aqueduct should be ready to go soon. Hopefully, our trainer will remember them and tell us when she’s entered them. Hear the Footsteps is supposed to be on vacation in Florida but I haven’t heard whether he is there yet.

Best,

A.

Saratoga in December

Well, No Show Bates couldn’t wait for today to run, so he ran last night. He should’ve waited. He was dead last!

Today both Numismatic and Cameron Lucky will run in the 7^th and 9^th race at Saratoga Harness. We’ll be there.

We knew only 3 people at the New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ party on Thursday night but it was nice to see the public rooms of the famous Batcheller Mansion which is now a B&B.

Friday, we saw Ahvee’s Destiny, who ate every food we brought but one kind of treat she didn’t like. She looked beautiful with her winter coat making her blaze even whiter on her snout. She is always fun to be around! Then, Michael Dickinson and we met Tiffany, Jonathan and Zion for brunch. At night in the drizzle, we enjoyed the Preservation Society’s House Tour with Michael, Sylvan and Honni.

Yesterday, we had fun with a Gutter Helmet salesman and Christienne and Charles. (Can you imagine that?!) Add in Nancy and Tom for Chanukah candle lighting, meeting Tiffany and her family plus Bryan and Jeff at the race track and then dinner at Il Forno last night and a good time was had by all.

Today, more Ahvee and the races. Will report on results tomorrow.

Best,

A.

Turn of Foot

The above is a phrase used in the racing business to describe  quickening pace exhibited by a race horse during a race. Most often it is said, the horse had a “late turn of foot” which means he suddenly went faster late in the race and gobbled up the distance between him and the competition.

I described Cameron Lucky’s performance last Sunday by saying she had such a late turn of foot even though she only finished fourth. This lead me to believe she might do well where the home stretch is longer than the one at Saratoga Harness. Saratoga Harness is a half-mile track. Meadowlands is a mile track. This means the turns at Meadowlands are more gradual and the stretch longer, since the mile races are one revolution around the track rather than two revolutions.

In today’s race at Saratoga Harness, Cameron Lucky started from the #3 position. She immediately went back into sixth place. After the first time around the track she came outside and got into fifth place. As the horses proceeded along the back side, she continued to gain position into third place. However, another horse named All About Kisses was also moving and by the time they entered the stretch, All About Kisses was ahead by several lengths. As Cameron Lucky got into second place, she exploded down the stretch and finally caught the leader shortly before the finish to win by a half length! Wow, it was so-o-o exciting. Her first win for us with a nice purse and at over 28-1 odds.

Yes, it is nice to report a victory!

All the best for a good week,

A.