Thursday, May 27, 2010

Races tomorrow, Saturday and now Sunday

Posted by Avram Freedberg


If the rain is not too bad and the races stay on the grass, Katy’s Office Girl will compete in a mile race at Belmont in the ninth race tomorrow. She’ll have stiff competition but we can hope. She does have top rider, Ramon Dominguez aboard. She races from post position #4.

Hear the Footsteps will face some of the same competition as in his first race in the 10th race on Saturday at Belmont. Obviously, we hope he will improve off his first effort and make it to the Winner’s Circle with Rob and Sheri. We won’t be able to join them because Rhoda and I will, hopefully, be having a wonderful time at the Molstre wedding weekend in Newport. We’ll try and watch the race and root him home!

Just found out Holy Blitzer will run 6 furlongs against the boys on grass on Sunday. What a weekend to be away!

Conseated Lady… The Last Chance. We were going to ship her to Presque Isle Downs in Erie PA by way of Finger Lakes Racetrack in upstate, NY. Presque Isle has a synthetic, all weather track that we hoped would allow her to do as well as her grass races and beat the cheaper competition in a $7500 claiming race. However, Linda didn’t like the way she looked today working out, so it doesn’t seem worth the effort. Linda has found her a home as a riding horse. It’s sad… Goodbye, Conseated Lady. Hope you make some family very happy… and vice versa.

That reminds me that Ofcr. Sheila T Rex, the first horse to have the ignominious honor of leaving our stable, runs tonight at Charlestown.

Friends, I hope you have a fun holiday weekend!

Best,
A.


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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Why the long face?

Posted by Avram Freedberg
An old horse joke… Horse steps up to the bar. Bartender says, “why the long face?” (This is followed by the drummer’s “rimshot.”)

Well today, I have the long face. Ahvee’s Destiny has not responded to treatment as yet. She doesn’t look good. This means to Linda Rice that Ahvee is not at her best. Therefore, we should not be pushing her to run in Baltimore on Friday. So I’m cancelling our Acela tickets.

The success of Ahvee’s Destiny has been the inspiration for expanding our stable. Her winnings have also helped the cash flow. However, her last victory was August 9th last year. So, the cash flow has stopped but the costs have risen. Not a wonderful state of affairs. Watching Ahvee’s Destiny run and succeed in Florida, New York and New Jersey has provided much enjoyment to us. Seeing her on the sidelines is very frustrating.

Holy Blitzer is scheduled to run in Thursday’s 4th race at Belmont and Conseated Lady in Thursday’s 9th race. We’ll see how bad the rain is over the next 24 hours and whether Conseated Lady’s race will run on the grass (or not).

The 2-yr. olds are working out in Saratoga. It’s Truly Ahvee (the Yes It’s True colt) went a sharp 3 furlongs in 36.4. Linda had him a second slower but was very happy with his breeze. Two of the fillies we have a minority interest in, Millie Money and Charlie N Alex, also had sharp 37.41 breezes. Linda doesn’t like to start them before Saratoga begins, which is July 23rd.

Speaking of Saratoga, the house we used to rent is now available for the entire season. So it goes. Hope we like our new digs.

Hope all is well with you.

Best,
A.
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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Katy's Office Girl

Posted by Avram Freedberg
Katy will have her first race tomorrow at Belmont on the grass. It’ll be race number 4 at 7 furlongs and she’s paired with the race favorite from Linda’s barn, In Te Domine. Having recently returned from a function supporting the Sisters of St. Dominic, I’m hoping this pairing will be propitious. Katy will be in post position #5, though she will wear the number 1A because of the pairing. Alan Garcia is the jock. He can be great or awful. I’m hoping for great. BTW, did you see him smash into Lookin At Lucky in the Kentucky Derby? According to the race chart, he was forced inside by Paddy O’Prado.

Linda likes In Te Domine to dominate. She’s hoping for 2nd place with Katy.

We’re still on track for Conseated Lady on Saturday, Holy Blitzer on Sunday (both at Belmont) and Ahvee’s Destiny on Friday, May 14 at Pimlico.

Best,
A.
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Sunday, May 2, 2010

Churchill Drowns...

Posted by Avram Freedberg
…but it was beautiful in New York, except near the Throgs Neck Bridge. It took us ~1 ¾ hors to get there just in time to go to the paddock. Turned out Hear the Footsteps’ maiden race was over ½ hour before the Derby was run. Linda Rice said he would come up short but as the race progressed, we got more and more excited.

He was in it from the start. In fact, early on he was first for a stride or two. Then Gabriel Saez settled him down and he ran third most of the way. Around the stretch turn for home, he looked like he would overtake and pass the leader, then draw away… but he did not. They battled down the stretch, head and head. As you can imagine, we were screaming our lungs out and imploring him to pass the other horse. This IS where he came up short, as a third horse came past on the outside. Were bested by two noses to finish third. It was a very exciting race. He could have won up to the very end.

It is the best first race of any of those in our small stable. A very respectable race for Hear the Footsteps. Rob did a very good job of naming him. His sire was Read the Footnotes and the track announcer, as well as the chart of the race (see the link) call him Hear the Footnotes one time each.

http://www.drf.com/drfNCWeeklyHorseDisplay.do?track=BEL&country=USA&raceDate=20100501&raceNo=10

It was nice that Rob’s friend Richard Pressman’s horse, Might Tuff, won at 33-1. It was nice because we were beaten a nose by the horse inside of us (Solar Panel), so good for him, if it couldn’t be us. We’ll get ‘em next time.

Katy’s office Girl is next up Wednesday, if there is not too much rain and they leave it on the grass.

Yeah, there was a Kentucky Derby today. Congrats to Todd Pletcher, one of the country’s leading trainers who had not won the Derby… until today with Super Saver, ridden by Calvin Borel. Seems he can ride anything to a victory in the Derby. Calvin’s won 3 out of the last 4 years. Congrats to Shelly S. who picked this winner. I gotta get him to publish a tip sheet!

Hope for more good news mid-week.

Best,
A.
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