Devout Diva wins at Arlington!

Diva made her fifth start a winning one at Arlington Racecource on May 9th 2012. As per the DRF – “Devout  Diva secured a forward placing attending a rival’s pace in the opening quarter, moved to press the issue racing through the turn to gain a clear advantage racing into upper stretch and was kept to steady encouragement to maintain the advantage.”  She earned $9900 for the win and now has earnings of over $13000.  Very proud of my girl!

Elluvium, my two-year-old Mine shaft colt is doing very well at Keeneland.  His third day at the track he walked to the training track without a pony, jogged and then galloped alone one time around with out missing a beat!  He has been to the track three days in a row and is now galloping like an old timer.  This is a very intelligent, laid back colt.  His confidence is amazing and is giving us hope that he truly will be the racehorse he was bred to be.  Pictures and video coming tomorrow!!

Devout Diva Delivers!

My homebred filly two-year-old, Devout Diva (Holy Bull ex Criminal Princess) ran a game third in her first start yesterday at Hawthorne Racecource.  I was there to see the race and so proud of my girl was barely beaten for second.  The race was contested at a mile and one sixteenth – quite a lot for a first timer two-year-old.  She broke very well and layed third until the 3/8ths pole where she challenged

Devout Diva in the paddock before her first race

the leader who drew off and won by 10 lengths.  Diva dug in, trying to stay for second but was wore down at the wire and lost by a nose.  She showed determination and grit so we were all very pleased (Diva is part of a partnership run by Dare to Dream Stable).  Looks like we’ve got ourselves a race horse!!!

Pony Love and the Nearly Million Dollar Gelding

Last Saturday we ran Fortune Play in the Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town races.  She was picked to win but unfortunately did not run well.  John Booker Jr, her trainer, thinks maybe the 8 hour ship was too much for her.  Or perhaps the tiring track got to her as she was blowing pretty hard after the race.  Next time we will ship in earlier to give her more time to adjust to the travel and the surface.  Oh well, as I always say, if it was that easy – everyone would be doing it!

But two great memories came from the evening anyway.  One is the picture I caught of an outrider loving on his pony.  Great shot of these two dear friends in between races!

The other involves the horse that won the 11th race that night – an allowance race for West Virginia breds.  Russell Road, a 5 year old gelding by Wheaton won for the 18th time in his life.  It was his 30th  lifetime start as well and with his winners share, his earning are now $900,443.20!!!!! What a warrior and one of the amazing unsung heroes in the sport of horse racing that should be applauded by all… Rock on Russell!!

Winner at Belmont today in the 5th for my friend Michelle

My friend Michelle Nihei and I were at the Keeneland  yearling sale today looking for a prospect to buy  and resell next year as a two-year-old in training.  Prices were still way out of our range which is $10,000 or below (we have champagne tastes but a pauper’s budget!).  Michelle is a trainer and she had a horse in the fifth race at Belmont named Smokin Star.  He was running maiden claiming for $35,000, which means the horses entered in the race had never won before and  can be  “claimed” or purchased out of the race for $35,000.  Star’s a big horse, standing 17.0 hands (each hand is 4 inches, measured from the ground to the tip of the withers which is just at the base of the neck where the mane ends).  He also tends to be a lazy horse so training him has been challenging for Michelle!  Star likes to run longer distances - this race was a mile and a quarter and not many Thoroughbreds run that distance anymore as the sport has been breeding for short distance speed for the past 20 years or so.  Michelle and I went to watch the race in the room at Keeneland where you can see races running at various tracks (simulcasted onto different tv’s).  Star breaks well but ends up on the rail behind the herd and is content to stay there for the first quarter of a mile. At about half mile into the race, he gets stopped by a horse in front of him and bobbles a bit but keeps running evenly.  Michelle’s good friend Johnny Velazquez who won the Kentucky Derby this year on Animal Kingdom is riding Star and takes him to the outside once they hit the 3/8 th’s pole (this is where only 3/8  of a mile is left to run).  Slowly, Johnny gets Star in gear and the big, lumbering horse starts to roll!  Johnny really has to ride him and encourage him to go on, as he wants to instinctively pull up with the leaders and stay there with the herd (horses know they are safer when they stay together and some tend to try to do that even in a race).  But Johnny’s urging and the horse’s own momentum pushes him right past the leader and he wins by 3/4  of a length!  I think Michelle and I may have interrupted the auction in the sales pavillion with our cheering him on!! What a great feeling and Michelle was not only grateful for the win for her owner’s and also to help with her statistical standings  as trainer, but also for the morale of her entire barn and staff.  All the grooms, hot walkers and everyone involved in getting a horse into the winner’s circle get an amazing feeling when one of their “babies” wins!!  And her close friend  Amy too…

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The goal of this blog is to give people that are unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Thoroughbred racing industry a view from the inside, as told through the stories and experiences of the people that work with the horses.   We will bring you real time information as provided by backstretch grooms, farriers, veterinarians, exercise riders, jockeys, trainers, owners, breeders, racing partnerships, nutritionists, feed and hay suppliers, track management, insurance agents – the list goes on.  We will not, however, debate policies or discuss betting or handicapping unless it pertains to an individual story. Our intent is to tell and show the public about the relationships and deep bonds that occur not only between the people behind the scenes, but also the connection these people develop with the horses that are in their care.  We also want to encourage anyone that has ever dreamed of being involved in horse racing to learn as much as they can about this amazing sport and to perhaps find a way to become involved themselves, at what ever level is comfortable for them. Thoroughbred racing is an emotional sport filled with extreme highs and lows, but most importantly it is a livelihood for many that is filled with passion day in and out. We hope you enjoy the ride!