The action starts in March

We finally got to spend two nights in the new Saratoga home. It was glorious. Kudos to Rhoda, Mike, Barbara, Dan, Nancy, Tom and everyone who has helped make it happen.

We met up with family and friends at Eric Adsit's farm. We all got a chance to get into the sulky and MarvelThisBliss, our pacer, dragged us around the training track. Only Dave got to go at 30 MPH. For the rest of us, it was a buggy ride, though lots of fun for all. We all wore eye covers because of the mud but I was the only one so covered up, I looked like one of those terrorist photos with the ski masks.

We got to visit Ahvee's Destiny whose corral partner, Cizi, was replaced by Simply Gray. Cizi was meeting her stallion. Ahvee will do that early in March. This was the first visit that Ahvee's Destiny came right over to us. She snuggled with Rhoda and gave me kisses but only for carrots or cookies from me. We were told, she had successfully cycled for the first time. The next one will probably see her on the road to meet Freud, her stallion.

Next weekend should see the two harness horses run for the first time for us at Saratoga's harness track, which will reopen on March 2nd. More on that after the entries are made on Wednesday.

Both Cricky'sGoldenEyes and It's Truly Ahvee have shown some soreness. Hopefully, it will not delay their training program… but with these fragile animals only time will tell. We've been looking for a superior claiming horse and have dropped in at least three claiming tags in the last month or two, only to lose "the shake" to another trainer each time. Every attempted claim has seen multiple bids. Yesterday, we were one of four.

More to come…

Best,

A.

Here's a name you haven't heard about in a while...

It's Truly Ahvee. This was the colt that no one wanted in on. The one I almost named, "Stuck With You." Of course, that meant I wanted him to be a "big horse," even more so than every other acquisition. However, my hopes were dashed when, after two third place finishes as a two-year old, he tore the same tendon in two places. Rhoda was crushed too, since the moment she saw him as a two-year old, she fell in love.

On Friday, he showed up at Linda's Belmont stables as a four-year old. He had another in a series of Ultrasounds today. Happily, he was given a clean bill of health. We went to visit him yesterday. He looked magnificent. What a beautiful animal! We'll be rooting for him as he goes back into training.

We also spent some time with Cricky'sGoldenEyes, a big gray who has never raced. He's almost ready to race. Look for him at Aqueduct next month.

Awakino Cat should be at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Florida, ready to get into training. We'd hoped he be a successful Stakes horse for us last year but it was not to be the case. Then he got sick, pretty seriously. Luckily, he's recovered. Now we'll see what shape he's really in. I assume he'll either start with a race down South or come up here for the turf season in April. Hope all goes well for this seven-year old gelding.

On the Harness side, Eric is hoping to race both of the new acquisitions this weekend in Buffalo. If the races fill, I'll give you the info. Last weekend, two horses of his raced in Buffalo… one first and one second. Hope we do well too!

Rhoda is on her way to Saratoga tomorrow. We got our CO and lots of furniture is being delivered tomorrow. We'll try to do a good job getting the place ready for your visits!

Less than two months left for Tupi, our first grandchild, to arrive… that's what Arielle and Tamar have been calling him in public. The countdown continues!

As we talk about upcoming happiness arriving, I must take a moment to mention the passing of a 31 year old husband and father whose wife is pregnant with twins. It's such a sad situation. I've been following the attempts to save this man from what it seems was the inevitable. His body was just falling apart. So, when you feel a little frustrated about something or get a little upset by what a family member did today, remember how lucky most of us have it. Exude your love and try and get it returned because there's just no telling what tomorrow will bring. Enjoy those you have and what you have. I'm no philosopher… just a little shaken… and lucky.

All the best to you and yours,

A.

I had to do it!

Hope you had a nice weekend. Mine was very busy. Picked out the bedroom furniture for Saratoga, so you'll (and we'll) have some place to stay. It starting to feel exciting, just three months from horses starting to arrive in our back yard!

Yesterday was the Standardbred sale at the Meadowlands. Eric was calling the prices that the horses would be sold at, right on. For example, a horse he didn't bother vetting a horse he would have bought for $100K because he sensed, there was no way he could get it for that price. It sold for $160K.

The first horse we bid on was Dragon Dance. We set a $20K limit. It sold for $21K. Had we known how the rest of the sale was going to go, we would have bid to $25K or so because all the horses were being sold at aggressive price levels. So, when we got to #204, we were all pretty frustrated. We'd set a limit of $25K for this horse but the bidding was so spirited, Eric thought we should raise our limit to $30K. Nonetheless, when it went through that level, I got stubborn. After all, how could a man with a coin business pass up a horse named Numismatic!? This 6-yr. old Trotter became ours for $34K. Similarly, we had to go a little past our limit for the other acquisition, a 4 yr. old Pacer named, Marvel ThisBliss, who was a little less expensive. I'll send you their photos separately.

Cricky'sGoldenEyes had another breeze on Sunday. It was a bullet workout! So, he shows some speed. Now the question is, "how far can he take it?" Can't wait to find out!

Today's definitions - Trotting: the gait of horse where the diagonally opposite legs strike the ground at the same time. More diffilcult than Pacing. Pacing: the gait of a horse where the legs on one side strike the ground at the same time. Bullet Work: the fastest work of the day at a particular distance. In the Racing Form, it is indicated by a big black dot (bullet) next to the figure.

All the best,

A.

So much to tell

It's been a while since we've spoken about horses. Let me take this belated opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Since last we wrote, Ahvee's Destiny has found a mating partner and we have signed off on the contracts for her to mate with Freud, a prodigious New York Stallion with much success in being a sire. As of know, she is scheduled to meet her stud on or about March 1st. There is an 11 month gestation period, if she gets in foal on the first attempt. So, the earliest we can be grandparents to a four-legged baby is February 2013. Then, it's another 2- 2 1/2+ years before that babe can make it to the racetrack. Right now, we're just taking it one step at a time.

We visited Saratoga with Don and Barbara for New Year's weekend and got to spend some time with Ahvee's Destiny on three consecutive days. Even though she loved her carrots on day one, she couldn't wait to get out of the stall and into the corral with her friend, Cizi. They were so cute on that visit because once they got into the corral, they moved in tandem, like synchronized dancers.

On the other days, it was "follow the leader," who most often was Cizi, though Cizi did Follow Ahvee occasionally. It took 15 minutes to get them to come to us along the corral fence on day two but they did enjoy their carrots, Cizi trying to push Ahvee aside to get more than her share!

The weather was mild until day three, when a wicked wind made it seem much colder than the ambient temperature. Rhoda and I almost left, because it took the two mares almost half an hour to come over to us. Happily they did so and we go to take some nice photos of them. I'll send a few in another e-mail.

Ahvee's Destiny looked very fit, which was a nice change from the last time we saw her, shortly after she got to Rojan Farms. While they were both beautiful just standing around, they were breathtaking when they started to run together.

In the meantime, we got good news about Cricky'sGoldenEyes and Awakino Cat and promising news on It's Truly Ahvee. Cricky went back into training and had progressively faster breezes. He is doing well, looks good and will soon be ready for a race. We visited him at Linda's Belmont Stable. Unfotunately, we arrived as he was busy eating his lunch. He couldn't be bothered with us or our carrots or cookies. He looks much lighter and less red than when we last saw him. Maybe next visit we'll get more of his attention… I hope in the Winner's Circle!

Linda saw Awakino over Christmas and said he looks good and she's putting him under tack at Pat's farm. Hopefully, in a few months, he'll be ready to race once again!

It's Truly Ahvee (aka Stuck with You) had an ultrasound of his leg which showed continued improvement in his twice torn tendon. Linda said his leg looked great and he looked great jogging. The Vet wants to exercise an abundance of caution and have him continue on the current regimen for another 30 days. After another Ultrasound, he will be reevaluated. We agree with the abundance of caution. We want him to have every chance to make it back to the racetrack and have a successful career.

We're going to a standardbred horse sale on Monday at the Meadowlands with Don and Barbara. Eric Adsit, the father of Linda's assistant trainer, Abby, is going to buy some harness horses for us. Saratoga has a harness track that functions for almost 10 months of the year. So, we will have further motivation to occupy the new digs which should get a Certificate of Occupancy in the next week or so. Mike Dickinson, our GC, has done a great job and we hope to host him in Stamford the weekend of January 27th. Rhoda promised to introduce him to Jewish Chicken Soup!

We will have the results of the sale next week and in the future, hopefully, we will have cause for more frequent updates.

Once again, all the best for a happy, healthy new year!

Sincerely,

A.

The proud papa will be...

FREUD (not Johnna)!

He's been a top NY sire for several years. He's not too expensive and he's not far away… plus there are so many possibilities for names… Ahvee Freudberg, Dr. Freudberg, Freud's Destiny, Johnna Freud, etc., etc. The mating will take place ~March 1st, which should mean a foal about February 2013. Many thanks to Becky Thomas, Alan Porter and Linda Rice.

Cricky'sGoldenEyes had his first breeze at Belmont today (Saturday). Linda was very pleased with his "in hand" workout. Hopefully, he'll be ready to race very soon.

We plan on being in Saratoga Springs for New year's weekend and will visit Ahvee's Destiny. She's been turned out in a large corral with another mare as a new friend.

Last week, we almost claimed a harness horse but lost the "shake" (lottery) when someone else claimed him as well.

Today (Saturday), Calgary Enforcer, one of the ONY VI horses won a $7500 claimer with a $20,000 at Aqueduct. They have not been sending me e-mails but whether we are part of it or not, we wish good things for the ONY horses. Linda Rice followed up 3 winners on Friday with Frazil, her own horse, taking the Gravesend Handicap Saturday at Aqueduct. Yay!

Here's wishing everyone a Happy Holiday and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

All the best,

A.