If you think I was frustrated before, imagine travelling half-way to PA only to find that the race comes off the grass and Linda wants to scratch Ahvee’s Destiny. Rhoda was more frustrated than me but I wish it was Linda in the car with her on the way home rather than me. What are the odds we can make it on August 9th?!
On the hopeful side, Linda says Conseated Lady’s workout was much better than it seemed and she remains sound.
Anyone wanna buy me dinner tonight?! I probably wouldn’t be good company tonight anyway.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Frustrated
We’re about to leave for Penn National without being sure we’re going to race. We may be in the car for 10 hours, round trip, depending on traffic. Since it’s Friday and poor weather, that’s a realistic estimate. Ah, the joys of horse racing!
Yesterday, another of Linda’s horses, Awakino Cat, won the race that Ahvee’s Destiny was scratched from in Saratoga. Alan Garcia gave him the perfect off the pace trip, which he didn’t do with Arielle’s Song’s last race.
Conseated Lady breezed a slow 4 furlongs at Saratoga yesterday. Hope this doesn’t mean she’s hurting again…
Wish you all a great weekend!
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Yesterday, another of Linda’s horses, Awakino Cat, won the race that Ahvee’s Destiny was scratched from in Saratoga. Alan Garcia gave him the perfect off the pace trip, which he didn’t do with Arielle’s Song’s last race.
Conseated Lady breezed a slow 4 furlongs at Saratoga yesterday. Hope this doesn’t mean she’s hurting again…
Wish you all a great weekend!
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
We're on... I think
Weather, weather, weather!
Before discussing the race, let me inform everyone that your prayers were successful. Don is home and doing well, thank God and thank you! Apparently, I will have to start referring to him as “the Cat,” but I hope he doesn’t need nine lives.
Now, horsie business… Ahvee’s Destiny had a choice of a stakes race against boys in Saratoga tomorrow at 5.5 furlongs and the Jennie Wade Handicap for fillies and mares at Penn National on Friday night at 5 furlongs. Penn National – shorter distance against the girls but have to ship her for a 5+ hour trip. Rain at Saratoga now and forecast tonight. Rain forecast for Penn National. Tough call but we’re going to Penn National.
After all the problems since her May 15th race, she’s a little thick in the girth (I can relate). So, she really needs to race even though Smart and Fancy, her nemesis, will be at Penn National. It is hoped, at worst, this will get her into shape for a quick turn around and a stakes race at Saratoga on August 9th for fillies and mares. Right now, we’ll just take it one step at a time.
Hear the Footsteps had diagnostic surgery. The result was the discovery of a 50% tear in a knee ligament. Ligaments don’t heal. So, he’ll recover from his surgery and then we’ll decide what to do. He’s out at least two months.
Arielle’s Song is now at Saratoga. After she settle in, we’ll figure out when she can race. Katy’s Office Girl and Conseated Lady will look to the second half of the Saratoga meeting for their first try at racing.
A word to you bettors out there. I think our betting to win on a horse like Ahvee’s destiny hurts our odds because of the relatively small win pool. Consider using her in exotic wagers (exacta, trifecta, superfecta, daily doubles, pick 3’s and 4’s, where available). Odds are you’ll get a better return for your dollar.
I have to admit, I don’t like the rain or the feeling I got that she’s not in perfect shape but she has a lot of heart. So, GO AHVEE’S DESTINY!
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Before discussing the race, let me inform everyone that your prayers were successful. Don is home and doing well, thank God and thank you! Apparently, I will have to start referring to him as “the Cat,” but I hope he doesn’t need nine lives.
Now, horsie business… Ahvee’s Destiny had a choice of a stakes race against boys in Saratoga tomorrow at 5.5 furlongs and the Jennie Wade Handicap for fillies and mares at Penn National on Friday night at 5 furlongs. Penn National – shorter distance against the girls but have to ship her for a 5+ hour trip. Rain at Saratoga now and forecast tonight. Rain forecast for Penn National. Tough call but we’re going to Penn National.
After all the problems since her May 15th race, she’s a little thick in the girth (I can relate). So, she really needs to race even though Smart and Fancy, her nemesis, will be at Penn National. It is hoped, at worst, this will get her into shape for a quick turn around and a stakes race at Saratoga on August 9th for fillies and mares. Right now, we’ll just take it one step at a time.
Hear the Footsteps had diagnostic surgery. The result was the discovery of a 50% tear in a knee ligament. Ligaments don’t heal. So, he’ll recover from his surgery and then we’ll decide what to do. He’s out at least two months.
Arielle’s Song is now at Saratoga. After she settle in, we’ll figure out when she can race. Katy’s Office Girl and Conseated Lady will look to the second half of the Saratoga meeting for their first try at racing.
A word to you bettors out there. I think our betting to win on a horse like Ahvee’s destiny hurts our odds because of the relatively small win pool. Consider using her in exotic wagers (exacta, trifecta, superfecta, daily doubles, pick 3’s and 4’s, where available). Odds are you’ll get a better return for your dollar.
I have to admit, I don’t like the rain or the feeling I got that she’s not in perfect shape but she has a lot of heart. So, GO AHVEE’S DESTINY!
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Congratulations...
Your prayers are working! While Don is not out of the woods, he’s doing better today. So, keep those prayers coming.
Today is the beginning of what is known in Judaism as “the nine days.” The ninth day is called Tisha B’Av (the ninth of the month of Av), at which time it is said, hundreds of years apart, the two Jewish Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed. During the nine days much destruction was meted on Jerusalem and its inhabitants. Of course, similar themes can be found on most any date in the calendar but this is a big one. So, especially during this period, I don’t take anything for granted about Don’s recovery. I’ll just keep praying for it. Go Don!!
On the horse front, Hear the Footsteps had arthroscopic diagnostic surgery. No chips but we would have been better off with an easy chip removal. Instead, his ACL is torn and cannot be mended by surgery nor by nature. He’ll have to live with it. How successful of a racing career he can have remains to be seen. At least, it’s not supposed to be life threatening, even if he races on it.
Conseated Lady had a 4 furlong workout at a decent pace and continues to stay healthy. Her soundness still needs to be proven. If she stays healthy, hopefully, she’ll race in the second half of the Saratoga meet. Same is true of Arielle’s Song who will need several weeks to acclimate to new quarters. Alan Garcia keeps apologizing to Linda for his baffling ride in her Arielle’s song’s last race.
Katy’s Office Girl, our 2-year old gray, is also aiming for a start at Saratoga before the end of the meet. And, the Queen of our stable, Ahvee’s Destiny, is doing much better. We are aiming for the 5 furlong $100K stakes at Penn National on July 31 to be followed by a 5 ½ furlong stakes at Saratoga on August 9th.
If she is outstanding in both those races or misses one of them, she will aim for this year’s version of the exciting Stakes Race she won last year by a head in a race that had 4 entrants trained by Linda Rice. Ahvee’s Destiny won by a head, while 2nd, 3rd and 4th were the other Linda Rice entrants! Last year it was called The Mechanicsburg. This year it is The Troy. I guess they honor different upstate New York cities.
Remember, you can always see past e-mails by going to my blog (link below). And, please, please continue to include Gidon Stern in your prayers.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Today is the beginning of what is known in Judaism as “the nine days.” The ninth day is called Tisha B’Av (the ninth of the month of Av), at which time it is said, hundreds of years apart, the two Jewish Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed. During the nine days much destruction was meted on Jerusalem and its inhabitants. Of course, similar themes can be found on most any date in the calendar but this is a big one. So, especially during this period, I don’t take anything for granted about Don’s recovery. I’ll just keep praying for it. Go Don!!
On the horse front, Hear the Footsteps had arthroscopic diagnostic surgery. No chips but we would have been better off with an easy chip removal. Instead, his ACL is torn and cannot be mended by surgery nor by nature. He’ll have to live with it. How successful of a racing career he can have remains to be seen. At least, it’s not supposed to be life threatening, even if he races on it.
Conseated Lady had a 4 furlong workout at a decent pace and continues to stay healthy. Her soundness still needs to be proven. If she stays healthy, hopefully, she’ll race in the second half of the Saratoga meet. Same is true of Arielle’s Song who will need several weeks to acclimate to new quarters. Alan Garcia keeps apologizing to Linda for his baffling ride in her Arielle’s song’s last race.
Katy’s Office Girl, our 2-year old gray, is also aiming for a start at Saratoga before the end of the meet. And, the Queen of our stable, Ahvee’s Destiny, is doing much better. We are aiming for the 5 furlong $100K stakes at Penn National on July 31 to be followed by a 5 ½ furlong stakes at Saratoga on August 9th.
If she is outstanding in both those races or misses one of them, she will aim for this year’s version of the exciting Stakes Race she won last year by a head in a race that had 4 entrants trained by Linda Rice. Ahvee’s Destiny won by a head, while 2nd, 3rd and 4th were the other Linda Rice entrants! Last year it was called The Mechanicsburg. This year it is The Troy. I guess they honor different upstate New York cities.
Remember, you can always see past e-mails by going to my blog (link below). And, please, please continue to include Gidon Stern in your prayers.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Distraught
People always ask me if the horses know me. Perhaps, if I had lived with them like the Brits who lived with the lion named Christian (if you haven’t seen their reunion on youtube, you must see it), they might remember me. However, some I have barely seen much less spent time with. When Katy’s Office Girl got colic last week, I thought I might lose her without getting to know her. Some said it would have been easier that way. They might be right.
This message is not about horses. It’s about people… friends, like you and me. I don’t often tell you how important you are to me. Today, however, my very good friend Don Stern lies in a hospital with his life in the balance. It reminds me that we all need to tell each other how much we value our friendship. In the last month or so , we went to dinner and the theater with the Sterns, played golf with Don and don’t you know it, Barbara rescheduled her doctor’s appointment so they could join us at Belmont for Arielle’s Song’s race and dinner.
We’ve traveled with them to Europe and the Caribbean and for a one day round trip to Saratoga to see Ahvee’s Destiny win and get a Winner’s Circle photo. Jeremy’s wedding in MA and Gabriel’s wedding in Naples, FL. Jeremy worked for my company for a year or two. So much more in a period of over 35 years.
Yet, it doesn’t take continuous close contact to make good friends. In fact, there was a period where we didn’t see the Sterns for over 10 years. Nonetheless, closeness and deep affection remain. As they do with most of those who get these missives.
My Jonathan is living in my college buddy, Jules’s mansion in L.A. Another college friend, Allen (whom I did not see for 20 years after college) helps me keep some assets. I’m regularly in touch with my childhood friends like Zvi, Len, Milty and Dave. Can’t wait to see my new friend Patsy in Saratoga and just wish I could see all my Stamford friends more frequently. Nonetheless, I know I can depend on all of you. The others have fallen by the wayside. Thank you all for your friendship (even the one’s who are pissed off I didn’t mention them by name… your turn will come). I feel very lucky to have you as part of my life.
Please join me in a little prayer for Don. His name is Gidon Stern. Gidon ben Rut for the Jewish prayer for wellness. I hope that someday those who have not met him will get the opportunity. Then you can take some credit for your prayers working out.
There’s more to tell about the horses… but not today.
Much love,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
This message is not about horses. It’s about people… friends, like you and me. I don’t often tell you how important you are to me. Today, however, my very good friend Don Stern lies in a hospital with his life in the balance. It reminds me that we all need to tell each other how much we value our friendship. In the last month or so , we went to dinner and the theater with the Sterns, played golf with Don and don’t you know it, Barbara rescheduled her doctor’s appointment so they could join us at Belmont for Arielle’s Song’s race and dinner.
We’ve traveled with them to Europe and the Caribbean and for a one day round trip to Saratoga to see Ahvee’s Destiny win and get a Winner’s Circle photo. Jeremy’s wedding in MA and Gabriel’s wedding in Naples, FL. Jeremy worked for my company for a year or two. So much more in a period of over 35 years.
Yet, it doesn’t take continuous close contact to make good friends. In fact, there was a period where we didn’t see the Sterns for over 10 years. Nonetheless, closeness and deep affection remain. As they do with most of those who get these missives.
My Jonathan is living in my college buddy, Jules’s mansion in L.A. Another college friend, Allen (whom I did not see for 20 years after college) helps me keep some assets. I’m regularly in touch with my childhood friends like Zvi, Len, Milty and Dave. Can’t wait to see my new friend Patsy in Saratoga and just wish I could see all my Stamford friends more frequently. Nonetheless, I know I can depend on all of you. The others have fallen by the wayside. Thank you all for your friendship (even the one’s who are pissed off I didn’t mention them by name… your turn will come). I feel very lucky to have you as part of my life.
Please join me in a little prayer for Don. His name is Gidon Stern. Gidon ben Rut for the Jewish prayer for wellness. I hope that someday those who have not met him will get the opportunity. Then you can take some credit for your prayers working out.
There’s more to tell about the horses… but not today.
Much love,
A.
Visit the Official Avram Freedberg website!
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