Barbaro Updates: 374
updates are now here.
Update 2404: Hawty Creek is still the oldest PA bred maiden in the country ... but she ran a very good second today, going long on the turf. We have for a while thought this might be her favourite type of race but it has taken us a while to get her into this race (weather related issues etc.) Anyway, she ran great, coming from behind. Her owner called my right after the race, he was very happy.
I was at Presque Isle Downs this evening. The horse I ran in the fourth race ran fifth. They pulled a "special" on him, which means we had to go to the detention barn afterwards so the state could take a urine sample and draw blood. They do this with the winner and one other randomly selected runner. Anyway, he cooled out well. I then had to do up the Fair Hill runner, who ran in the fifth race, leaving Presque Isle Downs at 8:30 pm. Starting at 5:45 am I am getting a new appreciate for a groom's day on the backside!
Update 2403: Rags to Riches worked this morning at Saratoga, her first work since her most recent temperature spike. Discreet Cat also worked this morning. His second work on his way to his comeback: Rags to Riches Returns to Work Tab.
Update 2402: No rest on sundays for those of us working at Presque Isle Downs. The "easy" day is tuesday, as tuesday there is no racing (dark day) and the track is closed. It was a little chilly early this morning, but once the sun broke through it started to warm up nicely, and we now have another lovely day. I mucked eight stalls (my record i think), which included the Fair Hill shipper I am looking after who is running tonight in the fifth race. After mucking eight stalls, bedding them down and doing the water buckets I had one to ride. She galloped a mile and a half, took a bit of a tug but went nicely. It was beautiful out galloping by that time. After cooling her out I went over to take care of the Fair Hill horse and give him a pick of grass on the only grassy spot on the backside. Finally I returned to the other horses and groomed them and left. A busy morning's work.
I did catch up with a couple of jockeys who rode last night. Their impressions of the new track were positive (although one of the jock's horses did not run too well). I asked each of them about the kick back. The first jockey said there was none (and he was the one riding at the back mostly) and the second noted it was just like turf, where you can get a few bigger "clots" but that is all.
Update 2401: More feedback from the opening night at Presque Isle Downs: Presque Isle Quick Out of the Gate and Presque Isle springs the latch on inaugural meet.
Edgar Prado was involved in a freak accident when galloping out after the seventh race at Saratoga yesterday: Prado Hospitalized Following Saratoga Accident.
Hawty Creek is running today in the ninth race at Philadelphia Park. I will be running The Real McRoy in the fourth race at Presque Isle Downs.
Update 2400: Lawyer Ron's second consecutive impressive win stamps himself as the firm leader of the older horse division and likely favourite for the Breeders' Cup Classic: Lawyer Ron Crushes Woodward Rivals.
NoBiz kept his turf winning record alive, even if only by the slimmest of nods at the wire: Nobiz Like Shobiz Continues Turf Success.
Presque Isle Down's first race was marred by a breakdown. The meet could not have started on a worse note, despite the fact that this is a very forgiving racing surface. We had a runner in the fourth race, Peppermint Echo, and she ran a decent race to finish third. She drank plenty of water afterwards (more than a bucket) and I think will get a lot out of the race. On my way to check on the Fair Hill horse I am looking after, I noticed someone else's horse was cast. Myself and another trainer and his groom managed to pry the horse away from the wall. A tricky proposition sometimes. Anyway, lets hope the rest of the meet proves this is an exceptional racing surface.
Update 2399: Michael Dickinson, who is at Presque Isle Downs to oversee the introduction of his Tapeta track during the opening of the meet, plans to retire from training at the end of this year: Presque Isle Downs Puts Tapeta Footings to the Test, excerpt:
Promoting, marketing, and overseeing installation of Tapeta Footings all over the world has impacted Dickinson's training career in a positive way. It has removed him from the 24/7 rigors of racetrack life and allowed him to travel with his wife.
And at the end of this year, Dickinson plans to retire from training to devote himself full time to Tapeta Footings.
"Training is your own treadmill," he said. "I enjoyed this last year very much, traveling the world. Having a good track is like having a good horse."
Prairie Meadows has, for the time being, decided not to adopted a synthetic surface: No Synthetic Surface at Prairie Meadows--For Now.
Update 2398: A simply gorgeous morning this morning at Erie. Excellent weather for our opening night of racing for sure. I only had one to ride today, which was a shame given the lovely weather. He galloped a mile and a half, and he went very nicely. It is nice to gallop a horse that appears to love the track and just relaxes very nicely throughout the gallop. Lets hope he runs fast across the track on monday! Other than galloping one horse I did my usual chores, which are mucking seven stalls (bedding down and doing the water buckets), grooming six horses and bandage a couple at the end of the morning. Later today I have to return to the backside and get our horse ready and go over for the fourth race. Lets hope we run well.
I am also going to be helping a Fair Hill trainer who is leaving a horse up here for a couple of days while he returns to Fair Hill. It should all keep me busy. One of his instructions was to graze his horse for fifteen minutes ... I did not know there was grass here, but he found a small patch about a quarter of a mile from his barn!
Update 2397: Saratoga's feature today is the Woodward (Grade 1 for older horses) which needs to provide an older horse which will be able to compete with the strong crop of thee year old we appear to have when it comes to the Breeders' Cup Classic: Another Monster Effort From Lawyer Ron?
Last night I went for a quiet beer in an adjoining (to the motel) restaurant / bar and had interesting coversations with Mike Jester (Real Quiet) and Ben Perkins. Mr. Perkins had some wonderful stories to tell from his illustrious training career and is at Presque Isle Downs to oversee his son's string for the meet. He volunteered to interview for my book, I think he will be fascinating.
Here are the entries for tonight at Presque Isle Downs. I will be running a horse in the fourth race: Peppermint's Echo.
Happy weekend FOBs
In fact - Happy Holiday Weekend!
Let everyone who races today be safe.
Have a wonderful day!!
Janice
A forever FOB
Posted by: jan from florida at September 1, 2007 11:27 AM