Good news and bad news

Posted by Avram Freedberg

Hi all! Whichever holidays you’re celebrating, I hope you are enjoying them. All the best to all for 2010.

Spoke with Pat Hoppel today. He has Ahvee’s Destiny at his farm. He was the bearer of some very good news. Her feet seem to finally be getting better. He tried adhesive shoes, the other shoes, now she is going barefoot (as Linda told me she had been suggesting) and that seems to be doing the trick. She threw another abcess from the inside of her front right foot but now seems to be growing new, healthy hoof. She had been piling up her bedding to give her extra support and it seems to reduce the pain. Now, she has stopped that. She seems like a happy horse again. I love what he said, “there’s no telling how good she can be with healthy feet!” Go Ahvee!

The two yearlings are progressing. Though, “Yes It’s True, I’m Stuck with You” is tough to train. Nonetheless, he really likes him (Of course, that’s why he bought him in the first place!). The Midas Eyes colt, he says is a nice horse but is not as mature as the first one. In any case, it’ll be 6 weeks (Pat’s magic number) or so before he can make an evaluation about their potential.

It’ll take Ahvee’s Destiny 6 weeks to heal. So, as I said, it’s the magic number.

One of these days I’ll hear from Linda about the other horses and, maybe, we’ll actually get them to the racetrack. I’ll let you know when I finally hear something. When I called her number, her mailbox was full. I guess she’s really enjoying the holidays!

The bad news is my good friend, Don Stern, had another heart attack. They say he’s a cat, but he’s going through those nine lives rather rapidly. It seems he will require more bypass surgery. Please keep him in your prayers. I can assure you that if you knew him, you’d agree with me about what a special guy he is. We love you, Don (and your lover and caregiver – also known as your spouse – Barbara)!

My tribe is off to Cancun next Wednesday. We’re back late New Year’s Eve. As I said before, our best wishes to all.

Sincerely,
A.




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Update

Posted by Avram Freedberg

It’s nice to hear that some of you are missing more frequent updates. We certainly miss having more to say, since we have not been racing.

Hear the Footsteps returned today from an extensive (and expensive) hospital visit. He will be hand-walked for a few days and, if all remains well. Go back into training shortly thereafter.

Ahvee’s Destiny is showing signs of improvement. They did not take off her horseshoes yet. However, if she continues to make progress, they will leave them off next time they would normally change them. No racing in her near future.

Holy Blitzer was a little thin, so Linda has delayed breezing her for several days. Hopefully, she will be ready to race by year-end.

The other three fillies are or will shortly be in training. Earliest racing will probably be 2010.

The two yearling colts continue training with the Yes It’s True being a bit of a handful.

We are going to Saratoga Springs this weekend to help decide what we’re going to rent and for how long next summer. The racing season has increased from 36 to 40 racing days.

Best,
A.


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Another injury

Hear the Footsteps who had been working out so nicely got spooked after Gate training, reared up, fell down and cut his leg very badly, requiring stitches, lots of antiseptic and hospital stay. Linda was already pointing him to a race on December 12. Now, it will likely not happen before 2010, even if he heals nicely. Let’s hope he does. He seems to have a lot of promise (that’s what they all say!).

Supposedly, Holy Blitzer worked 3 furlongs in 36 3/5 but it doesn’t appear in the published works. However, Linda is happy with her.

Last night, we opened CIRCUMCISE ME! At the Bleecker Street Theater. Yisroel Campbell, the former Christopher Campbell, was very funny, as well as moving. He’s got an interesting story of his 3 conversions to Judaism and he tells it in a way that will leave you laughing.

The Addams Family Musical has started previews in Chicago, where it opens next month starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. It’ll be Broadway bound in April. There’s lots of good buzz. They’ll be doing some editing to make it tighter. Hopefully, they’ll get rid of the slower material.

On a completely different topic, it’s easy to get stressed over obstacles we all have to overcome. Please keep Kelly Stevenson, a mother of a newborn who finds herself in distress, in your prayers. It’ll also make your obstacles seem smaller.

Best,
A.


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Question: Which is the more handsome horse shown in the two photos?

Posted by Avram Freedberg

Both are photos of Holy Blitzer and they are very different. She’s changed a lot since we saw her last December.

She arrived 10 days ago and has had her first breeze, going 37.29 for 3 furlongs and Hear the Footsteps also breezed, going 36.6 for 3 furlongs. Hopefully, they’ll both be ready to race soon.

Ahvee’s Destiny is down in Florida but her feet are still sore. Linda is not worried but I am. It’s the first persistent problem she’s had. She’s our star and our first baby. GET WELL AHVEE’S DESTINY! We’ve had her leg joints and her hooves X-rayed and we’re waiting for a Vet’s report.

Arielle’s Song is also in Florida. She is a Florida bred and will probably try to race down there in January. Katy’s Office Girl is not having surgery (yet). The Vet in Florida did not see a chip. So, we’re putting her back in training and will watch her reaction. Hopefully, she will not show any soreness but if she does, they’ll “scope” her joints. Conseated Lady should be going back into training soon too. I’m hoping we can visit all the horsies down there, if one of them races this winter.

The two yearlings are doing well, according to Pat. The Midas Eyes colt is a good student. The Yes It’s True colt is very aggressive. I’m sure he’ll have both doing well. I’m anxious to hear whether he thinks either is very special. If not, they’ll be sold at auction in April (or at least we’ll try!).

Apparently, Rachel Alexandra, the Super filly, who won the Kentucky Oaks by 20 lengths and then won the Preakness, Haskell and the Woodward Stakes against the boys, is going to be in New Orleans during January. We won her owner’s (Jess Jackson of Kendall-Jackson wineries) auction to benefit the V-Foundation for the chance to visit with her. The other Super filly, Zenyatta, who has won every race in which she’s competed and just beat the boys in the $5 Million Breeder’s Cup Classic, may be some people’s choice for Horse of the Year but Rachel raced at 8 different racetracks in different conditions to accomplish many more wins this year than Zenyatta and Zenyatta has only raced on synthetic tracks. So, my vote (I don’t have and official one) is for Rachel Alexandra as Horse of the Year.

Best,
A.


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Horsie update

Ahvee’s Destiny is down in sunny Florida while her stablemate and tough competitor, Canadian Ballet, gets ready to compete in the Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint next week. Wish we were there too. Maybe someday. For now, we’ll have to root for our friends’ horsie.

Holy Blitzer is being shipped to Belmont from Florida. When I asked Linda when she might race? Linda replied, “you mean we’re going to race this horse!” She thought that was pretty funny. I told her it was a good thing she was not standing next to me.

I’m eager to see Holy Blitzer. When we saw her last year in Ocala at Clyde’s ranch, she was magnificent to look at. So, before she races, I might as well look at her as eye candy and pay a visit to her and hear the Footsteps at Belmont. Hear the Footsteps continues to do well and, hopefully, will race before the year is out. Same for Holy Blitzer.

Katy’s Office Girl was re-Xrayed and they found a bone chip in her knee. Sounds like the surgery will keep her out of commission until Springtime.

Arielle’s Song will go back into training next week in Florida. Conseated Lady will follow a few weeks later.

Hey, Pat Hoppel, how about a report on the progress of the two colts at your farm?

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