Barbaro Updates: 524

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Update 3153: A Friday update from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

What a gorgeous Friday morning. Diva and Seventeen Love trained together this morning and both will be breezing tomorrow. Gator Nation and Rajahstan also galloped today in preparation for tommorrows work day. Little Bubble Gum (who is not so little anymore) and Saar Treaty will be having their first eighth of a mile breeze for us as well. Sounds like we are in for a very busy day tomorrow with horses and owners. Tim had draw-reins on Who's Happy in an effort to harness her aggressive manor. She is a very strong filly and we are trying to get ahold of her early so to speak. Tim managed to get her to stay relaxed and take it easy. Luke's hackamore (bitless bridle) has been called into action due to an abcess in the mouth of Rose Campbell. Robby (of course) was the test pilot as it is not common practice to gallop racehorses in a bitless bridle. Surprisingly she responded well. This will give her mouth a chance to mend. Powdered Donut made her way around the oval today without incident and will also be breezing tomorrow. Due to the shortage of stalls at Fair Hill Lucky has been deligated to Double Trouble Too for a short while. Tim assures me that he will be riding him on a regular basis and that his training will continue. It is good to have him back.

Update 3152: A lovely morning at Sam Houston Race Park. We had nine sets and all the horses went nicely. My first three sets were horses that have become my regular mounts. Its nice to gain real familiarity with your horses so you can then spot the nuanced differences if necessary. Four of my sets were babies, three of which went to the gate to stand. Two of those it was the first time to do this here, but they were very professional so no doubt they had done this before at the farm where they were readied to come here.

A couple of observations regarding Curlin's performance yesterday, which of course was a hot topic of conversation in our barn this morning. He was only a second of the track record, he did this under a high weight, and never got out of a gallop in his first start off a layoff going a mile and a quarter. He also cooled out very well. Of course all this while being drug free.

A bit of press ahead of next week's events. Some factual errors, but decent coverage nonetheless from my ex-employer. Comments are welcome of course: Former professor takes his love for horses to Capitol Hill.

Update 3151: The Santa Anita Handicap is the marquee race for this weekend. Here are the previews of the race:
Big Cap promises day of plenty
Deep 14-Horse Field Set in Big 'Cap
Grade 1 winners among deep cast for Big Cap

We are less than a week away from Americans Against Horse Slaughter in DC. We have 80 people who have committed to attending, so this should be an excellent two days. Actor Paul Sorvino has committed to attending. If you are thinking about joining, please do so.

Please keep calling and writing.

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Update 3150: Reports on today's easy win by Curlin:
Curlin easy winner in World Cup prep
Curlin Romps in Dubai
Curlin breezes to victory in Dubai World Cup prep

Update 3149: A very pleasant morning's work this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. We had eight sets, of which a couple went to the gate to stand. All the horses seemed to go well and the weather was gorgeous. At the break time I hung out with Paul Nolan and his wife, who is visiting for a week. We talked horses, horse slaughter and other related issues. Fun meeting and catching up. After work we went off for breakfast, then returned to the Asmussen barn to watch Curlin make his 2008 debut. It was cool to watch, Curlin won very handily without coming under any pressure. If asked to run, no doubt he could have won by a wider margin, but given this was his first start and he was carrying 132 pounds going a mile and a quarter it was impressive. Everyone seemed happy. HRTV also mentioned Golden Hare on more than one occasion during the build up. He is now back in his stall after his nice win in Oklahoma at the beginning of the week. All in all a fun morning at the track.

Update 3148: 11:15 am (east coast) Curlin begins his 2008 campaign: World's best Curlin 'ready to do himself justice' on Thursday.

We are less than a week away from Americans Against Horse Slaughter in DC. We have about 75 people who have committed to attending, so this should be an excellent two days. If you are thinking about joining, you are encouraged to do so. We will host this evening to answer any last minute questions: DC EVENT CHAT MEETING THURSDAY 7PM.

Please keep calling and writing.

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Update 3147: A half brother to the last two Belmont Stakes winners Jazil and Rags to Riches, Casino Drive recently broke his maiden impressively in Japan and is being considered for a tilt at this year's Belmont Stakes: Japanese Colt Pointing For Belmont.

Update 3146: Curlin will be running at about 11:15 am Thursday East Coast Time. Notice how big his pony is, Poncho (Curlin is not small by any means). I asked our assistant, Darren, this morning what type of horse Poncho was and while he did not give me a straight answer he figured he must have a bit of Clydesdale in him: Curlin ready for his desert debut.

Update 3145: A busy morning this morning with nine sets, six before the break and three after the break. The first set was interrupted by the siren indicating there was a loose horse. No sooner did the siren go off but a horse came galloping by riderless. Not thinking much more of the situation I continued jogging back to the gap (we had finished galloping) and another loose horse came flying by. I guess when you hear the siren you cannot assume its only one loose horse! The rest of the morning was relatively quiet. We took a couple of the baby sets to the gate. Our final set of babies (2yos) were new, they did not visit the gate, just an easy gallop around to get used to their new surroundings. They arrived yesterday from Loredo (Keith Asmussen breaks them in). Mine was a son of Tapit, quite a forward little guy. We will see. All in all a decent morning's work with a cold beginning but soon warming up to a bright sunny day.

We now have 74 people confirmed to come to DC for Americans Against Horse Slaughter.

Update 3144: A busy week for Steve Asmussen includes working his three leading 3yos, Pyro, Z Fortune and J Be K, as they prepare for their next start along the Triple Crown trail: Asmussen sets plans for 3-year-olds
, excerpt:

For Pyro, it was a welcome return to the typical after a loose horse disrupted his five-furlong work the week before.

"We want him nice and relaxed the last week before the Louisiana Derby," Asmussen said. "Working with another horse really seems to set a rhythm with him. It keeps him from trying to impress anybody."

We are less than a week away from Americans Against Horse Slaughter in DC. We have about 65 people who have committed to attending, so this should be an excellent two days. If you are thinking about joining, you are encouraged to do so. We will host a chat tomorrow evening to answer any last minute questions: DC EVENT CHAT MEETING THURSDAY 7PM.

Please keep calling and writing.

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Update 3143: A Tuesday update from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

Hopefully most of the horses have gone to the track before the rain set in on this Tuesday morning. Training in a cold rain is never a lot of fun for horse or rider. Molly was quietly resting in her stall this morning. She had eaten all of her dinner and most of her breakfast before 9am. Two of Wands had a great breeze this morning for five eighths of a mile and should hit the races in a couple of weeks. We will need to schedule an appointment for an accupuncture as her muscles can sometimes get as tight as cello strings. Little Mikey and Saar Treaty went to the track together this morning and enjoyed each others company. Lucky was happy enough to jog around the track today after spending several days in the barn. He seems to be past the crutial stage of his gelding and from now on his recovery should be a piece of cake (I know, easy for me to say). Gator Nation has gotten very cheeky of late. His performance outside rarely shows the racehorse within. He went to the track with Rajahstan this morning and couldn't be any happier with himself. We will keep pursuing the goal that seems just beyond our reach with Gator. He is such a joy. I just don't know if I can explain properly how I feel when I'm around these animals but I'll try. Sometimes you feel as though nothing else is around. It's just you and the horse. For instance, on occasion when you are very lucky, gallopping a horse can be very surreal. Just you and the horse, up to the trees and down to the ground in sync and relaxed in one continuous circle. You feel and listen to the horse and he/she feels and listens to you. You are one being for just a brief moment in time before it is gone. Like running on a sunny, quiet, snowy morning listening to James Blunt. Awesome!! That's how I feel when I'm around all of these animals no matter what their level of ability. They are all important to me.

Update 3142: Curlin is entered to run on Thursday. He will carry 132 pounds (when our Assistant Darren told me that this morning I offered to fly over to ride him ...) spotting his foes 15 pounds: Curlin to face five challengers in 2008 debut.

Update 3141: Superfecta here, with your regular weekly update.

The big question from this past weekend is what to make of the Fountain of Youth results -- do they really tell us anything at this point? Nick Zito's Cool Coal Man won, but the timing of the race had to be adjusted after an outrider apparently tripped the teletimer, leading to what seemed like bizarrely slow fractions throughout. It now seems that just the final furling was very slow, but if that's the case, what does it mean for Court Vision's decent third-place finish and Anak Nakal's doing nothing? At this point, probably just as little as the paid workout that War Pass had in the following 'race.' We'll have to wait for the next installment.

Far from Florida, another Triple-Crown nominated three year old made a little news -- Japan-based Casino Drive, a half-brother to Rags to Riches and Jazil by Mineshaft (Cool Coal Man is also from his first crop) won a maiden race by nearly 12 lengths. I doubt we'd see him headed to Kentucky off a maiden win, but stranger things have happened.

I was pleased to see Einstein bring home another win - he seems to have really hit his stride at 5 and 6. I'm glad that his sire, Spend A Buck, was appreciated in Brazil -- he seemed entirely overlooked in the US, despite his Derby-winning Horse of the Year credentials. Here's hoping another Spend A Buck son, Pico Central, is equally appreciated in Korea after only a year at stud in the US. Finally, one more small aside about undervalued stallions -- were you aware that you can breed to Cryptoclearance for $6500? If I were breeding to race and had the right mare, I'd be snapping up that bargain.

Finally, Curlin is set to make his Nad Al Sheba debut on Thursday in a prep for the Dubai World Cup; there are some details on his likely competitors (small though the field will be) here. Check back for more on that race later this week...

Update 3140: A pleasant morning's work this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. We had eight sets, six before the break and two after the break. Three of those sets were two year olds galloping in a large bunch. All the horses I rode seemed to go well, not so for everyone at the track. One loose horse (not one of ours) came flying off the track and nearly collided with our string as we were walking to the track. I don't think the horse was looking at all as to where it was going so we were lucky to be missed. He ran into a barn and I think was fine. Another horse (again not ours) got his leg caught over the top of the tie that attached him to the hotwalking machine. It looked ugly as the horse had flipped upside down. Fortunately someone managed to get the leg unhinged and then unclip the tie from the horse's halter. The horse then rolled, got up and wandered off. It could have been a lot worse.

Update 3139: Curlin makes his first start of 2008 later this week as he prepares for the Dubai World Cup. In the World Cup he will likely face last year's Japanese champion dirt horse Vermilion, who has now won his last four starts: Vermilion On Target; World Cup Next. Better Talk Now will be facing Viva Pataca who just won the City of Hong Kong Gold Cup: Viva Pataca Wins Hong Kong Gold Cup.

Please keep calling and writing, consider coming to DC for Americans Against Horse Slaughter and sign the Petition for DC.

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Update 3138: Golden Hare, the winningest horse of 2007 got his 2008 campaign underway this afternoon with a win in an allowance race at Will Rogers. He won in a very respectable 1:09. He no longer has his "best friend", his starter allowance condition, but is clearly good enough at the age of nine to continue where he left off in 2007.

Update 3137: A Monday update from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

Gorgeous weather we are having on this monday morning. Molly (Sailing Home) just ran and she is improving in leaps and bounds. She broke very sharply from the gate and ran at the front of the pack until just the last furlong. By all rights she was due to get tired at the end. We decided to run her back in short order for several reasons. The last race at Penn National took nothing out of her. Tim told me that she was hardly blowing after her last race. She returned to us happy and eating everything in sight. Today's race was more her style and we felt the need to give her another opportunity to race well. I am so happy for her today. This is where the fun begins for a trainer. You can start to see what you've got and figure out the best case scenario for each individual. We all hope for a Stakes horse, some of us end up with steady claimers. As long as we feel like we can get each horse to live up to their potential (what ever it may be) while remaining sound and happy, we can ask for no more! It can be a little disheartening for owners but we will give her every chance to be all that she can be!!!

Update 3136: Steve Haskin provides his weekly report leading to the Triple Crown: Ky. Derby Trail: Breakheart Pass.

Update 3135: I neglected to mention that one of the highlights from the races last night, aside from hanging out with LyndaP, was reading an article in the Daily Racing Form by Jay Hovdey titled: Descendant of Seabiscuit Saved. A great article which highlights the plight of our racehorses and the fortunate circumstances that unfolded for this horse. It is being discussed here: HERE IS THE SEABISCUIT ARTICLE.

Update 3134: A day off today! Sunday afternoon was spent watching the simulcast from Gulfstream. Nick Zito will be happy with his three year olds' performances. His Cool Coal Man won the Fountain of Youth by holding off Elysium Fields who appeared to lose nothing in a narrow defeat: Zito's Cool Coal Man Takes FOY. The following "race" saw the first start of 2008 for War Pass. He beat four others, including a stable mate and really the remaining three had little reason to be in the race. This was nothing more than an impressive public work: Layoff Not a Problem For War Pass.

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Barbaro Updates: 519

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Update 3133: Off to Sam Houston Race Park for the evening races and the simulcast from Gulfstream (Fountain of Youth and War Pass in the following race.)

Update 3132: A Sunday update from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

Today is a beautiful Sunday morning and a few of our horses had to train. Tim took Molly to the track to keep her limber for the race tomorrow. All is a go with her and hopefully with this being a longer race we will see a bit more of her. Lyn was here giving her some positive vibes and of course several carrotts. Two of Wands went to the Tapeta today. She was very happy to go out and was tossing her head the entire way home. She is a very active girl. Tim asked me to clock Robbie while he was riding Rocky. Rocky was scheduled to do 7/8ths of a mile at a two minute lick (15 seconds per furlong).. Robbie and Rocky did well and finished in 1:42. Who's Happy got a quick hair do and I did managed to stay away from her hind legs as she has been know to kick. All went well and we got the job done. Paris Night's owners were also here to pamper her a bit. Today is bright and sunny and a great day to visit. Meghan is currently on Lucky jogging him in the barn. He is still a bit stiff from being gelded but his spirits are fine. A group from Unionville shipped into the barn this morning and just had to know who's pony had his head stuck out the window. Luke is such an attraction. Rajahstan was giving Tim a hard time when being tacked up trying to grap ahold of Tim's jacket. He has a lot of personality and is a bit cheeky. I am eagerly anticipating his racing campaign for Double Trouble.

Update 3131: A quiet morning for me this morning. With all the workers and jockeys helping out I was left with one to ride, Poni Colada, who went nicely. I led another up to the track and also went up to watch another one I usually gallop do his work. It was a beautiful morning so it was nice to get out of the barn a little and enjoy it, despite still being a little under the weather. The light morning also gave me a chance to work on an essay (Working Title: Unwanted Horses and What to Do: Not So Many and Not Slaughter). Because I don't have a printer I e-mailed the very rough draft essay to one of our other exercise riders. She brought it in for me this morning and I had plenty of time to mull it over and edit it. All in all a light yet productive morning.

Update 3130: The Helen Pitts trained Einstein recaptured the Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes, a race he won in 2006: Einstein captures Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes.

Richard Migliore won the 2008 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award: Migliore wins 2008 Woolf Award, excerpt:

The Woolf Award, now in its 58th year, memorializes the jockey known as "The Iceman," who died in a spill at Santa Anita in 1946. The award, voted on by jockeys, recognizes jockeys whose career and personal character reflect positively on themselves and the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Update 3129: Americans Against Horse Slaughter -- On Youtube.

Update 3128: I asked our assistant (Darren) this morning if he had spoken to Scott Blasi and knew how Curlin was doing. He had and he reported Curlin was doing well. This is reflected in this morning's easy work at Nad al Sheba: Curlin Works Half-Mile in Dubai, excerpt:

Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, reported that Curlin seemed to relish the track and emerged bouncing with energy. Curlin is owned by Stonestreet Stables and Midnight Cry Stables.

"Steve stressed really hard that he didn't want him to do too much, and I think he will be pleased," he added. "Curlin went very, very nice. Carlos did a great job."

Update 3127: Another sluggish morning of work for me this morning. I have a touch of flu that appears to be wearing me down. I hope (and assume) it will pass in a couple of days. We had eight sets, and about fourteen miles of galloping. Thankfully all my horses were pretty quiet and did not pull. We had a winner last night, so Figuerao's agent brought in the soggy donuts as usual, and as usual they were eaten before break time and I lost out. I need to be smarter about getting a donut early and hiding it I guess. Anyway, all in all a good morning's work despite feeling a little under the weather.

Update 3126: Dubai will be the focus of International racing in this early part of the year, leading up to the Dubai World Cup at the end of March. Mike de Kock, a South African-based trainer, is having a prolific start to the Dubai racing season: Archipenko Carves Out Al Fahidi Win.

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Update 3125: Barbaro inspires a museum exhibit at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame: New museum exhibit feature on equine medicine inspired by Barbaro.

Update 3124: Edgar Prado is among the twelve finalists for this year's Racing Hall of Fame: 12 Finalists Named to Hall of Fame.

Update 3123: A short morning's work this morning at Sam Houston race Park. I had seven sets and was finished by 9:25 am. As short as it was, it was not too simple. One of my horses has been getting stronger all this week. Today was no exception and there were a couple of times I was considering pulling him up before I got run off with. We did manage to get around and not get run off with, but it was not pretty ... and I was exhausted. He had done some gate work last week and I think that tuned him up a little bit! Anyway, the remainder all went nicely with one standing in the gate and the the others galloping.

Update 3122: War Pass, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, has defeated Pyro three times, and was the winter favorite for the Kentucky Derby until Pyro's impressive win in the Risen Star, makes his debut on Sunday at Gulfstream one race after the Fountain of Youth, a Derby prep: War Pass set for first start of year on Sunday.

Today's racing from Aqueduct and Laurel has been canceled: Aqueduct, Laurel cancel Friday cards.

Please keep calling and writing, consider coming to DC for Americans Against Horse Slaughter and sign the Petition for DC.

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Update 3121: A pretty cool article I think: Rethinking Barbaro: Doubting the intent of the horse's owners was wrong.

Update 3120: A stinky muggy morning this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. We had plenty of rain yesterday, so the track was also sealed. We had eight sets today, six before the break and two after the break, so it was a shorter morning. By the time we were done, I was soaked, and that was not from the rain. We took a few sets to the gate, I had two galloping out, both babies. One was a little slow, she sat back a little bit before coming out, the other came out quite nicely. They are learning. I also got to ride my two winners from the weekend, so now I can say I have ridden a Derby winner (OK, it was the Borderland Derby, but a Derby nonetheless). All in all a decent morning's work despite the grotty weather.

Update 3119: Some mixed reviews on synthetic surfaces, which on balance appear on the positive side, came out of a six hour meeting of California Horse Racing Board. Santa Anita will replace its surface after this meet, but a decision as to which surface will replace the current Cushion Track has not yet been decided: Santa Anita to Replace Surface
.

Better Talk Now is off to Dubia to contest the Sheema Classic: Better Talk Now Headed to Dubai.

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Update 3118: Curlin takes his first easy trip around Nad al Sheba, home of the Dubai World Cup: Curlin takes first trip around Nad al Sheba.

Update 3117: Crown of Thorns, who was impressive winning the Robert B Lewis Stakes, is out of the Triple Crown: Crown of Thorns Off Derby Trail.

Update 3116: This morning was just one of those morning's where I felt tired before I even rode a horse. Nine sets later and I am knackered. Oh well. All went nicely for the most part. We had a few going to the gate to stand, and they behaved well. Poni Colada has returned from his victorious trip to New Mexico. I offered him a spearmint, he had no clue what it was. Eventually another horse was the recipient of the mint. Chromedoll got another mint too. Hopefully both will be back in training in the next couple of days after their fine weekends. Muggy day, muggy mood.

Update 3115: A pleasant evening yesterday evening spent at Sam Houston Race Park at an event put on by the Racetrack Chaplaincy in conjunction with Pat Day's visit. It gave me a chance to meet a couple of people I had not yet met, and listen to Pat Day stories. I then left with Paul Nolan for a curry. Paul is currently the meet's leading rider, two ahead of two others, include our jockey, Jose.

Daily Racing Form writes a couple of articles on Winning Colors: Remembering Winning Colors and A filly who 'always had a mission'.

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Update 3114: Superfecta here, with your weekly Tuesday update (Derby Trail Edition):

Turf War, with Calvin Borel aboard, did nothing in the Southwest (which is finally a G3), while the much-hyped Denis of Cork (previously ridden by Mr. Borel) romped to victory. In only his third career start, the horse whose name sounds a bit like an Irish theme pub managed to face a bit of adversity and easily come on to win. I'm still not jumping on his bandwagon quite yet, but at least he answered a few questions (and got me up to second in the TBA Road to the Roses league, although I still trail Green But Game

Pyro and Z Fortune worked this week despite a loose horse, but the other 'Z' horse, Z Humor, didn't have much to show in the Sam F. Davis, which went to one of the 'other' Nick Zito horses (i.e. those who are not War Pass) - Fierce Wind.

We should start to see things pick up next weekend with the Fountain of Youth; Monba, Elysium Fields, Court Vision and Cool Coal Man are expected in addition to my current object of interest, Anak Nakal (yet another Zito horse) -- on paper, it looks like the toughest Derby prep so far this season. Check back later in the week for more on how that one is developing.

The NTRA has a few more details on Winning Colors as well -- and let's not forget that NTRA president Alexander Waldrop will soon be testifying before Congress about steroids -- they're not just for baseball anymore!

Update 3113: A Monday update (a day late from me) from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

What a warm Monday morning. All of the horses were suffering a bit. Molly has come out of her race just fine. Hopefully she has gotten good experience and when we stretch her out she will be much happier. She is eating and seems just fine. I went to the barn this morning briefly and Rocky was taking a nap. He did a piece of work on Saturday and continues to go down the long road to the races. What a joy to be around, he is always happy and ready to play. Lucky has taken quite a liking to our new filly Saar Treaty. Tim says that he is now the best ride of the day but he is quite smitten. Today was the second day in a row that he tried to seek attention from Saar so Tim reported in at lunch time to say he is now a gelding. I gave him a pat when I went over for my afternoon run. Now his life can begin to include training partners and friends that he could not be with before. Who's Happy is back and seems to remember where she is. She definately remembered George (carrot man) and promptly started nickering at him when he was here on Friday. It can be amazing what these animals remember. George stopped by the office Friday and seems keen to drive to Kentucky just to see Red Aspen. He voiced concern that she would not remember him and I quickly assured him that she would. Powdered Donut and Rose Campbell breezed together on Saturday and both fillies have recovered quickly. Rose's owner's were here Saturday and brought two dozen donuts. They also helped hot walk Rose, they truely enjoy the baby they've raised. Robbie just returned from the track on Paris Night. She is such a gorgeous filly and should not be far from the races. Not much more to report. I don't believe there is anything running this week but I'm sure Tim will let me know sooner or later.

Update 3112: A very pleasant morning's work at Sam Houston Race Park, accompanied by gorgeous weather for sure. We had nine sets, and all my horses went nicely. I rode one who had been away for a while (farm I think) and is now back in training. Its nice to get reaquainted with horses you have ridden quite a few times before. Chromedoll looked well after her victory on Sunday, I gave her a spearmint, to be honest I am not sure she is used to mints, it took her a while to finish it, sucking on it rather than crunching it up as most horses are apt to do. As we were cleaning tack the racetrack chaplain was doing the rounds with a special guest, Pat Day. There will be a gospel concert this afternoon and Pat Day is going to be involved. I introduced myself to Pat, and then immediately asked him for his opinion on horse slaughter ... We had a pretty decent discussion for sure.

Update 3111: Denis of Cork, who is now three for three lifetime, won the Southwest Stakes in good fashion: Southwest a Real Corker.

Steve Haskin takes his weekly look at the Kentucky Derby, I am just psyched he is mentioning Poni Colada: Ky. Derby Trail: Fierce Wind Blows.

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Update 3110: The last filly to win the Kentucky Derby, Winning Colors, was euthanized yesterday due to complications with colic: Winning Colors Euthanized.

Update 3109: Kentucky Derby favorite Pyro had his first work since his impressive win in the Risen Star: Pyro Works; Avoids Loose Horse.

Update 3108: The race today with Triple Crown implications is the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park: Turf War making three-year-old debut in Southwest.

Update 3107: Curlin and his pony Poncho have arrived in Dubai after a trouble-free trip: Curlin Settles in at Nad Al Sheba, excerpt:

"Curlin is pretty smart--he know he's here to do something," Blasi said. "He's got quite a bit of pep in his step, so I'll be anxious to get him to the track."

"Right now, Poncho thinks he's died and gone to heaven," Blasi said with a laugh. "He's got a stall the size of a paddock."

A pleasant evening spent at Sam Houston Race Park last night. We had two winners including Chromedoll, a filly I gallop each morning. She is now two for two for this meet!

Mid Atlantic Horse Rescue received a $500 donation over the weekend along with this message from "A race fan from Virginia":

I had a great day at the track today so here is a small token of my appreciation for the game I love.

A very heartwarming message and action of support from a fan to the horses who make our sport!

Please keep calling and writing, consider coming to DC for Americans Against Horse Slaughter and sign the Petition for DC.

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Update 3106: My (younger than me) boss gets to the 4,000 mark: Asmussen Earns 4,000th Career Win.

Update 3105: Kauto Star looks to be back on track for another tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup as his apparent lameness last night was diagnosed as a foot problem that they were able to relieve quickly: NICHOLLS ALLAYS KAUTO FEARS.

Update 3104: A quiet morning for me this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. With pretty much everything breezing my role today was to stay in the barn and help make sure things get done. This meant hot walking a few and setting the tack in the right place as we wheeled through ten sets. All did seem to go well and it is now turning into what appears to be a nice day. Steve Asmussen was in town last night to watch a few of our horses run (we won one of the Stakes races here) and was here this morning overseeing the morning works. All in all a quiet end to the work week for me.

Update 3103: Equidaily.com has included a link to Jack Ireland's article from yesterday, very cool. And from equidaily there is a link to Steve Crist's blog discussing the state of racing relative to other countries based on betting handle per race: Some Global Perspective, excerpt:

These results suggest three obvious conclusions:

1. We run way too many races in this country, and less product would probably not mean a decrease in total betting or purses, given the evidence elsewhere.

Update 3102: More on Poni Colada's win today: Poni Colada Ices Borderland Foes.

Update 3101: Just returned from the simulcast. The highlight for me was watching Poni Colada win the Borderland Derby at Sunland Park. I have been galloping him regularly at Sam Houston, he was the guy I fell off last week! Anyway, obviously he was no worse for the incident as he came from dead last to first in a pretty comfortable win. I was pretty psyched, a Derby winner! On the Derby trail front, Nick Zito unloaded another (although Barclay Tagg's horse was a fast closing second): Fierce Wind Flies to Sam Davis Win.

Update 3100: Kauto Star, who was impressive in his prep race win today (watched in our tack room during break time at Sam Houston Race Park), may have an injury which could rule him out of another Cheltenham Gold Cup: KAUTO RUMOURS SURFACE.

Update 3099: Nick Zito worked two of his Kentucky Derby prospects this morning: War Pass Works for 3-Year-Old Debut. This afternoon's Derby prep is the Sam F Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay: Road to the Triple Crown: Z Humor tries proven path in Sam F. Davis. I am planning to watch this and other races at the simulcast at Sam Houston Race Park.

Update 3098: Grotty humid weather this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. It looks like more rain to come later. We had nine sets, six before the break and three after the break. Many were galloping two miles. One of my horses pulled very hard for a mile and a half, I was exhausted when we eventually pulled up. Most of the way we were just in control, but there were moments I was thinking of just pulling him up! Oh well, it made for an exhausting morning. During the break we watched racing from Ascot and saw Kauto Star win quite impressively (KAUTO STARS AT ASCOT). Its fun watching this racing and answering questions from everyone on the differences in our races, styles etc. On the European theme, Cash (Asmussen) has had a french jockey over staying with him and riding out. A quiet guy of little english I think, but seems to be a good guy nonetheless. Not entirely sure who he is but I think he is one of France's top riders. Anyway, a muggy wet morning!

Update 3097: Premium Tap (the tongue-wagger) only managed a fourth place in a race he won last year on his way to finishing second to Invasor in last year's World Cup: Premium Tap fourth in Saudi Arabia's top race.

Jack Ireland of the Wilmington News Journal wrote a nice piece on preparations for our Washington DC events March 4 and 5: Brown pushes for end of horse slaughter.

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Update 3096: Curlin is on his way to Dubai: Curlin to Gulfstream Before Dubai, excerpt:

"We had a good trip to Florida," Blasi said after arriving at Gulfstream, "He's a great traveler. I'll be with him the entire time. When we get there, he'll have three days in quarantine before going to the track. He'll have just one more work before the prep race.

"Steve will be over for the prep and then come back for the World Cup," Blasi continued. "[Curlin] has really matured. We're pleased with the way everything is going. He's gotten the work in that he needs and is on schedule. One thing's for sure, he knows he's going somewhere to do something."

Update 3095: A warm and humid morning this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. It looks like we may be in for some rain later! We had nine sets all together, four of mine were babies. It was a very straightforward morning this morning and while a few of us went to the gate, I did not. We also had a rider return from a month's break. He looked a little fat! Anyway, a pleasant morning's work and start to the day.

WJZ from Baltimore aired a slaughter piece last night, its very good. Please contact the reporter, Denise Koch to thank her and let her know we are coming to DC March 4 and 5: WJZ Investigates The Slaughtering Of Horses.

Update 3094: Relief for New York racing which had been threatened with closure, as a long term deal has now been made with NYRA: NYRA Wins 25-Year Franchise, excerpt:

"This is a great day for Thoroughbred racing in New York and for all the people involved with the state's vital Thoroughbred industry," NYRA president Charles Hayward said.

Z Humor, who dead heated in the Million Dollar Delta Jackpot, heads the Sam F Davis tomorrow at Tampa Bay Downs. This race was won recently by Any Given Saturday and Bluegrass Cat: Z Humor Eager For Sam F. Davis.

Please keep calling and writing, consider coming to DC for Americans Against Horse Slaughter and sign the Petition for DC.

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Update 3093: 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense begins his new career: Street Sense Covers First Mare, excerpt:

"It went very well; he acted very professionally," said farm manager Michael Banahan. "I think he's going to be an excellent horse in the shed."

Update 3092: A gorgeous morning this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. We had nine sets, although a few of us (me included) only rode eight as we were left out of the third set. The reason ? The remainder of our horses, aside from the babies, were to go to the gate, and the gate does not open until 7 am. All the horses seemed to go pretty nicely so it was a straightforward morning. Two of the babies I rode were not familiar to me, but they seemed to be very easy going as we galloped around in sets of nine!

Update 3091: Helen Pitts, who was the early trainer of Curlin before he was sold and moved to Steve Asmussen's barn, has now lost another promising colt which has been sold and transferred to Todd Pletcher: Padua buys Face the Cat, Behindatthebar in private deals.

Circular Quay, who was a leading contender for last year's Kentucky Derby, will return to the races on Saturday: Circular Quay Returns in San Carlos.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to Americans Against Horse Slaughter in DC March 4 and 5.

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Update 3090: Penn National, Aqueduct, Beulah Park and Charles Town all canceled live racing today: Inclement Weather Halts Live Races.

Update 3089: A Wednesday update from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

There is not much to report this wet Wednesday morning. The Tapeta was closed due to the ice so the horses remained in the barn. Bubble Gum had her accupuncture this morning and she had to have just a little adjusting. It will be interesting to see how she responds to her treatment. Training, especially this time of year, can have many obstacles. Like our skiing trip, it can be hard to tear your eyes away from the drop off on the left even though we need to keep looking down the hill to the end. We are most successful when we block out the barriers and focus on the finish line. So, here's to seeing the end and not the drop off on the left, focusing on the opportunities rather than the risks and seeing the finish line and not the hurdles! This way we will make it to the end safely.

Update 3088: A chilly start this morning at Sam Houston Race Park, but it soon warmed up to be a beautiful morning. We had nine sets, six before the break and three after the break. Two of the 2yos I rode were for the first time for me. Both went nicely. All our 2yos (I had three of them to ride) went to the gate. All behaved well. They are learning well. Anyway, a nice straightforward morning's work.

Update 3087: Steve Haskin takes his weekly look at the Kentucky Derby with a focus on Pyro's performance: Ky. Derby Trail: A Rising Star.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to Americans Against Horse Slaughter in DC March 4 and 5.

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Update 3086: This was the "eye-popping" work I heard about during break time this morning: Curlin in tip-top shape for Dubai trip, excerpt:

Curlin's seven-furlong drill was timed in an eye-popping 1:23.60. Curlin was the only horse to work the distance, and neither were there any six-furlong breezes during the morning, but for some perspective, the fastest half-mile work of the day went in 49.20 seconds, so the track was by no means fast. Assistant trainer Scott Blasi said he timed Curlin galloping out one mile in 1:37.40, and 1 1/8 miles in 1:51 and change.

"Only an extraordinary horse could do what he did, but we needed a solid work in him before we shipped over," Blasi said. "He's in great physical condition."

Update 3085: A brief Tuesday update from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

Just a quick update on this Tuesday. Who's Happy returned to us fat and hairy today after a little vacation.. She looks great. Saar Treaty has gotten over her belly ache that she had yesterday and seemed fine this morning. Rajahstan went to the Tapeta track for the first time today and handled it like an old pro. Gator Nation breezed with Paris Night this morning. They went a good half mile and both horses handled it just fine. This was Gator's first proper breeze back after a short break. Diva is back with us and has grown bigger and stronger for her time off. Tim reports that she certainly gets some height when rearing up. Thankfully Robbie was riding her and had no problem staying on her. More tomorrow!!

Update 3084: Superfecta here, with your regular Tuesday update.

Pyro's victory in the Risen Star was impressive to watch; he certainly made his way through traffic well and seemed professional in handling a bit of adversity. However, his time at the distance was a second slower than that of Indian Blessing in the Silverbulletday, and there is no talk of her switching to the Derby rather than the Oaks trail. I think both horses put in good performances on Saturday, but I wonder if either one really wants much more distance.

Today's biggest headline concerned the retirement of The Green Monkey; he's off to stud in Florida. However, Ashford Stud's manager Charlie O'Connor noted that, "[m]ost people have already made their decisions with their mares" for this year; one would imagine that breeding to a horse who failed to make an impression in a maiden special weight at Belmont in his most rigorous start would not be high on their list of choices. He will be standing at the farm of Randy Hartley and Dean De Renzo, who pinhooked him (and picked up a nice check for their efforts); presumably they felt they owed him a shot at another career, although why it should be breeding is rather beyond me. He'd make a lovely (gelded) show horse if he could stay fit enough for it.

Update 3083: A very pleasant morning's work this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. It was a little muggy, but the rain held off. We had eight sets, six before the break and two after the break. Three of those sets were babies, and all went nicely. For the babies, for the last set, we had a group of nine galloping together. Three, three and three. Pretty cool.

During the break Darren, our assistant, heard from Fair Grounds. Curlin worked this morning, in preparation to ship to Dubai tomorrow. I will be interested to read about the work later, because if what I heard was right it was an amazing work. All in all a pleasant start to the day.

Update 3082: The Green Monkey has been retired and will stand at stud beginning the 2009 season. He was unable to win a race after being purchased for a record $16 million: The Green Monkey Retired. Champion Ouija Board had her first foal, by Kingmambo, last Saturday: Ouija Board Foals Kingmambo Colt.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to Americans Against Horse Slaughter in DC March 4 and 5 which is getting some more buzz.

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Update 3081: Warm and stormy weather here in Houston, not so in the North East where Penn National has canceled its first day of racing for 2008: Penn to Open; Weather KOs Racing. I even got a chill reading Penny's update today from timwoolleyracing.com:

Lets just call today Frigid Monday. We have been so lucky with the weather that this kind of cold (-2 at 4am this morning) was but a distant memory until this morning. Thank goodness Tim knows how to dress for it with lots of layers. It can be very difficult to hold the reins with frozen hands while being careful not to give the horses any mixed signals. The first set can be a bit dodgy but after that the hands get used to it. Last night at feed time the horses were a bit jumpy with the high winds. Everyone had eaten lunch and they were all ready for their dinners. Molly is really looking the part of a race horse and hopefully she will be running in a Pennsylvania Bred race this week. Rockin Fun continues to progress in his training and is still a joy to be around for a colt. Gator Nation was having a roll first thing this morning and was ready to go out. He has so much personality you just have to laugh. The new little baby Saar Treaty had a bit of a belly ache this morning. The sudden change in the weather can sometimes do that to the horses. She was fine at lunch time when Tim checked in on her. Bubble Gum is fine but to Tim she seems a bit tight behind. Last week the massage therapist checked her out and this week she will have some accupuncture to make her more comfortable. It is so important to keep those hind end muscles loose and ready for action. Veiled Reference has been eating well and wanted loads of attention at feed time last night and I was happy to give it to her. Powdered Donut had worked well with Tim on the weekend. She was also anxious for her dinner last night and had eaten everything by this morning. Luke had Sunday off after going out with Paris Night and Molly on Saturday. Tim said that he marched right to the track. He is solid as a rock even when he is a bit fresh. Both girls enjoyed his company of course. Rose Campbell is really coming around now. She seems to be more confident with her surroundings and enjoys being talked to and hugged on. Last night she was looking for more hay to eat and that's a good thing. Lucky has not missed a meal yet and is training up a storm. I am so happy for him and we hope he actually gets to the races. Anyway, tomorrow should be better, as long as there is not wind everything will be fine.

Update 3080: Thanks to Pyro's impressive win in the Risen Star on Saturday, he is the current individual betting favorite as the Pool 1 closed for the Kentucky Derby. He is 5-1, War Pass (unraced in 2008 thus far but 2yo champion who has beaten Pyro the three times they met last year) is 6-1. The "field" is the actual favorite at 3-1: Pyro top individual betting interest in first Derby future pool.

Update 3079: Congratulations to Edgar Prado who became the 16th Jockey in North America to ride 6,000 winners: Prado Gets 6,000th Career Win.

A very pleasant evening spent at Sam Houston Race Park with LyndaP, WendyMI and JulieZ, although we did leave before the last. We did get to see the San Vincente from Santa Anita, another early Derby prep, but with a short field. It was won easily by Georgie Boy defeating Into Mischief: Georgie Boy Gallops in San Vicente.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to Americans Against Horse Slaughter in DC March 4 and 5 which is getting some buzz.

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Update 3078: Perhaps I do not understand how the Future Pools betting works in the US, but I am confused as to why someone would bet early in a pool while Derby preps are being run within the timeframe the pool is still open for betting and not wait until just before the pool closes (so you have all known information) before making your wager. I am assuming the price of the horses when the pool closes is the price you get for your wager regardless of when you bet during the pool's timeframe. I was having this conversation yesterday when watching Pyro's race. Why would anyone bet the pool without knowing how one of the Derby favourites was going to run? Obviously after the race it was very clear Pyro was a real contender. The same can also be said for today. Into Mischief is running at Santa Anita. If he wins impressively ... Anyway, here is an update on Pyro and War Pass in the pool: Pyro's Odds Fall in Derby Future.

Off to Sam Houston Race Park to meet up with some FOBs.

Update 3077: A beautiful morning this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. We had fog early, but once the sun came up and burnt the fog away it got warm in a hurry. Steve Asmussen was here this morning and we had plenty of jockeys and workers. My work was very light with only three to ride (the rest of the time spent making sure things got done so we could get through ten sets). Anyway, it was a pleasant morning's work, and nice and easy which was great as I was out late last night at a USGA function (thanks WendyMI) where I got to meet President Bush Sr! While I am now off topic, please indulge me as I celebrate the greatest sporting win of the year!

Update 3076: On Pyro's impressive performance yesterday as he began his Derby trail campaign: Pyro blazes after clearing traffic and Pyro Smokes Field in Risen Star.

War Pass, last year's 2yo champion and a horse who has defeated Pyro three times, worked yesterday at Palm Meadows: War Pass avoids trouble in workout.

Update 3075: A fun afternoon watching simulcast racing. The most impressive performance of the afternoon was certainly Pyro. He exploded when given racing room and won the Risen Star with ease. He was last turning for home. We actually also had the horse that finished second (Z Fortune) so a nice Asmussen exacta. Michael Matz's horse, Visionaire ran a creditable third. Grasshopper was also quite impressive in his win earlier in the day. Certainly a 4yo to keep an eye on and he is still lightly raced. The most disappointing performance of the afternoon was Better Talk Now. He just did not look like he was in his race at all. He appeared to labor coming down the lane. Eddie Kenneally (former boss in Kentucky) finished a very close second in a Grade 2 in Florida with a lightly raced filly. Indian Blessing maintained her unbeaten form winning her first race since last year's Breeders' Cup win, she faced the horse she beat in that race, and again held on under some pressure. Anyway, a fun way to spend the afternoon. I was with Eddy, another exercise rider for Steve Asmussen. Eddy had previously worked for Barclay Tagg at Fair Hill, and was also at Presque Ilse, so we knew each other a little when we arrived in Houston.

Update 3074: Off to Sam Houston Race Park to watch the simulcast from Fair Grounds.

Update 3073: Nine sets this morning, and a warm morning it was too. We had six sets before the break of which five of mine galloped two miles each. Basically by 8 am I had galloped 11 1/4 miles and needed a break and a coffee! After the break things were a little lighter, with only 4 more miles to gallop! All my horses went nicely and all in all it was a pleasant morning's work.

Update 3072: Santa Anita resumes racing today: SA Resumes Racing Saturday. Here are further details behind the decision to have Santa Anita host the Breeders' Cup in 2009: Market Said to Be Big Factor for BC.

Please consider coming to DC March 4 and 5 for Americans Against Horse Slaughter.

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Update 3071: New pictures of Barbaro's yearling full brother: Lentenor.

Update 3070: An update from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

What a beautiful Friday in February. We have had some record highs and are taking advantage working horses. Rockin Fun and Powdered Donut had a good work this morning. Both horses were eager to work and went an easy half mile. Two of Wands had a nice work and is getting closer to returning to the races. Saar Treaty and Lucky are a year apart in age but at the same level of training. Lucky is a good boy but Saar Treaty is definately the aggressive one on the track. She tolerates no nonsense from Lucky. Now that the ground has thawed a bit we have been able to take Gator Nation accross the fields for a change of pace. Gator has a new partner Rajahstan. He is a turf horse and enjoys training in the fields with Gator. Luke is enjoying this weather and is now bucking around the porta pad. He has gotten quite bored with no one to take him to the track. Rose Campbell is training well and went right to her feed tub last night. She can be a fussy eater so it is great to see her dig in. Looks like it will be a great weekend weather wise. Hopefully you will all have a great one.

Update 3069: Nine sets this morning, and I survived without incident! It was also a gorgeous morning, especially after the break. All my horses went nicely, and I just seem a little stiff from yesterday so all is well and could have been a lot worse! We took three sets of babies to the gate. One set it was there first time here, but they seemed pretty unphased by it all and jogged out nicely.

The race program this weekend includes a profile, of me! Very cool and thanks to Mandy Love for making it happen. I don't think it is on the internet, but there are a few FOBs coming racing on Sunday so I will make sure they see it. I was also interviewed by Jack Ireland today about our Washington Event March 4 and 5: Americans Against Horse Slaughter. Hopefully that will appear in the Wilmington News Journal tomorrow. A busy morning, but fun!

Update 3068: For Santa Anita its good news: Santa Anita Tabbed as 2009 BC Host and not so good news: Santa Anita Cancels Racing Feb. 8. At Golden Gate Fields there was positive news for the Tapeta surface: Tapeta Gives Golden Gate a Boost.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to DC March 4 and 5.

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Update 3067: More details on George Washington's first and possibly only foal: GW's First Foal Likely Only Foal, excerpt:

"We are obviously very happy about this birth given the stallion's fertility problem," commented the Italian horseman, who bred the George Washington filly with his father Loreto Luciani. "The mare was one of the first covers and, when we knew she was pregnant, considering what was happening to his fertility, we kept our fingers crossed and hoped that she would carry on the pregnancy well - that's what she did.

"I have seen the pictures sent by the Irish National Stud and the filly foal really looks like her sire - it's incredible how much like him she is. She's a good bodied filly with good bones and has a lot of quality.

This may be my next destination: Asmussen Opens Division at Woodbine.

Update 3066: This morning I fell on my head, literally! One of my horses, coming onto the track, tripped as he was moving away to jog. He went down on his knees, his head hit the dirt, but fortunately for both of us he recovered ... I kept going. If he had not recovered he may have rolled on top of me. Anyway, all is well, perhaps the head bang will help me think more clearly! My other six sets all went without (serious) incident, although it was one of those morning's that just was not my morning (two of the horses pulled harder than they should have done). We took two sets of the babies to the gate. They jogged out nicely. Anyway, I finished up the morning in the HBPA office doing a little work in preparation for our ascendance on Washington DC, March 4 and 5.

Update 3065: Here are some insights into the planning behind Better Talk Now's early 2008 campaign which begins this weekend with dead aim on to Dubai for the 1 1/2 mile Sheema Classic: Better Talk Now tries winter racing, excerpt:

"It didn't make a lot of sense to have him 8 turning 9 and give him a month off," Motion said. "We've always wanted to do the Dubai trip, but it never made sense with the Breeders' Cup, with him not having a break."

A piece on my boss: Asmussen barn's talent runs deep.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to DC March 4 and 5.

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Update 3064: George Washington sired his first reported foal, a filly out of Flawlessly (Rainbow Quest): George Washington Sires Filly.

Update 3063: An update yesterday from Penny at timwoolleyracing.com:

This (Tuesday) morning the weather is quite warm. By six in the morning the temperature was already 60 degrees. It can be very difficult to keep the horses healthy and not coughing during such drastic changes in temperature. At least this past weekend the sun was out for the February Mixed Sale at Timonium and although it is our smallest sale of the year the numbers ended slightly higher than last year. There were no little babies this year and although I like seeing the babies I always feel for the new mom's trying to keep their babies calm.

Tim reports that all of the horses are doing well at Fair Hill. Two of Wands and Gator have both had easy works since their return from vacation. Paris and Molly on the other hand have some strong workouts and Molly is ready to run. This filly is a half sister the the filly we had last year Nautical Agent and we are anxious to see her race. Rockin Fun has been paired with Powdered Donut to gallop in the mornings and they seem to enjoy each others company. Our Diva has now returned from the farm to continue her training and Not A Fling has gone for a rest. All of the riders in the barn are enjoying the new baby we received. Her name is Saar Treaty and she is reported to be one of the best rides in the barn. Tim says that she is very forward and eager to please. Lucky continues to be very anxious for his dinner at night and he thinks he should be fed first. Bubble Gum is galloping well and continues to be one of Tim's best rides of the day. He also said this about Lucky. Tim must be really enjoying these babies. Hopefully Robbie is lucky enough to get to ride them on occassion. Robbie also rides one of my favorite fillies Kitty who is now having a slight gate issue. She is quite a fire cracker and she is fit and ready to run. We will continue to be patient with her and give her the confidence she needs to break from the gate. Robbie is very calm with her and I have no doubt that she will work through her issue. I have a fortune cookie that years ago I taped to my computer at work that reads "It is not your character to give up". Kitty doesn't know it but this could not be more true in my case. Sometimes I don't know when to quit but I believe in her and I won't give up until she gets to the races.

Update 3062: Ten sets this morning so another busy morning. It was also chilly, throughout the morning. The colder weather had the horses feeling good and there were at least two loose horses running around the track (not ours). One was particularly elusive for the outriders and unfortunately ended up colliding with another horse before being caught. I do believe all involved are OK. Anyway, my horses went nicely. I ended up riding three sets of babies (2yos) and seven older horses. The three sets of babies went to the gate here for the first time. We took them to come out of the front, slowly and more importantly in a straight line. They each seemed to go well as did everyone else's babies. All in all a decent morning's work for us. It ended with me getting my photo taken for a piece they are writing on me in the race program for the weekend. It should be fun (pretty cool really), and I will await the ribbing I will get from my fellow workers!

Update 3061: Tomorrow you can wager in the early betting for the Kentucky Derby and the Oaks. The first round of the Future Pools will be available: Derby Future Pool Set to Go.

Saturday's racing at Fair Grounds looks like a card to get excited about. Notable runners include Better Talk Now, Pyro, Indian Blessing and Grasshopper. Certainly a good mix for this time of year.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to DC March 4 and 5.

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Update 3060: Better Talk Now is set to resume his long and consistently successful career at the Fair Grounds this weekend: Better Talk Now in FG Handicap.

Curlin and Pyro both worked this morning, but seperately: Curlin, Pyro look strong in separate works, excerpt:

Both horses breezed alone Tuesday, with Curlin coming out first, just after 6:30, and his work, in a word, was breathtaking. Curlin broke off at a good clip at the seven- eighths pole, went a strong pace down the backstretch, and finished powerfully, earning a seven-furlong clocking of 1:25.20. He was timed galloping out a mile in 1:38.60, while trainer Steve Asmussen caught Curlin going out nine furlongs in 1:52.80.

"I guess that's why they gave him the gold trophy," Asmussen said, referring to Curlin's Horse of the Year award.

Pyro is scheduled to make his 2008 debut this weekend in the Risen Star.

Update 3059: Superfecta here, with your regular Tuesday update:

With the news that Curlin is skipping this weekend's events in Louisiana to head over to Dubai early (more on that later), Grasshopper has stepped up to contest the Mineshaft in his absence; Better Than Bonds will also be making an appearance in that race. Most eyes will be on the three-year-olds, though, in the Risen Star. Steve Asmussen contributes Pyro and Z Fortune to the mix; Blackberry Road and Visionaire could hit the board as well, although I'm not sure they are in the same class at this point. I did contemplate putting both Blackberry Road and Visionaire in my Road the the Roses stable, but finally left them off (for now); usually, that's a sign they are about to become very competitive. Let's not forget the distaff side either -- Indian Blessing should be back in the Silverbulletday as well.

Of course, there's becoming very competitive and staying very competitive -- in that category, stalwart Better Talk Now (left) is set to make his nine-year-old debut in the Fair Grounds Handicap, with a view to moving on to Dubai for the Sheema Classic. Did I mention we're friends?

But back to Curlin's trip to Dubai -- I have mixed feelings, and not just about the 'they're never the same after the trip' received wisdom. On the one hand, I know that the Dubai competition will be much tougher than the Breeders' Cup level, and I can see Asmussen's point:

The horse likes to know where he's at,'' Asmussen said. "His second race at Belmont (the Gold Cup) was better than his first (the Belmont), and his second race at Monmouth (the BC Classic) was better than his first (the Haskell)."

On the other, it would have been nice to see him start in the US, just so fans could get a chance to see him -- especially since his role as a symbol for fans to rally around is much mentioned by Jess Jackson:

"I deeply care about improving the state of Thoroughbred racing as well as the horse industry in general, he said.

We, as the owners of Curlin, are trying to do our part to help. Fellow owners and I have joined others in the industry in a broad-based (American) effort to elevate the industry in a variety of ways, and this campaign is one of the more visible."

I would like to know who the 'others' mentioned are and what exactly their goals are...but I digress. If he wins and comes back to an exciting campaign later this year, fantastic -- but there's always that concern that he'll be sold in a handshake deal while he's abroad.

There's good news in breeding land; Fleet Indian had a healthy Storm Cat colt, Behaving Badly foaled a Bernardini colt and Teuflesberg has recovered well enough to head to Hurricane Hall to start his new career. Well done to all of them.

Update 3058: A warm and muggy morning this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. We had a pretty busy morning, with ten sets. Six before the break and four after the break. All mine went nicely except for one, which was due to equipment failure. As I was galloping (slowly) down the stretch on a horse I ride particularly short (length of leg) I heard a "pop" from the saddle. I looked down and all looked well ... and then my left stirup broke loose from the saddle. If I was riding long this would not have been (much) of a problem, but not so. I fell quickly to the left ... and had that feeling ... "shit, here we go, I am off" ... but fortunately I managed to pull myself back in place as my horse did not flinch and kept a very straight course. This was all luck more than anything. Anyway, I kicked my right leg out of its iron and continued the rest of the gallop without irons. Fortunately all was well, and the only harm will be me being a little stiff later with my inner thigh muscles. PHEW!

Update 3057: Steve Haskin reviews the Derby contenders in light of last week's races: Ky. Derby Trail: Of Thorns & Roses.

Curlin's plans in Dubai include a prep race at the end of February: Curlin's 2008 debut will come in Dubai, excerpt:

Asmussen said Curlin would ship overseas on Feb. 15, giving him about two weeks to acclimate in advance of his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 27. Curlin's comeback will come at Nad Al Sheba in a $175,000 handicap race contested at the Dubai World Cup distance of 2,000 meters, or about 1 1/4 miles.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to DC for March 4 and 5.

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Update 3056: Gem Sleuth, a horse I galloped for Eddie Kenneally at Keeneland and Churchill, won this afternoon at Gulfstream. Very cool. Its always good to know that horses you have ridden have not been ruined by the experience :) Penn National, my first stop on my racetrack travels, is currently closed as it gets ready to launch its racino. Its plans are to reopen on February 12: Penn on Schedule for Feb. 12 Opener.

I just finished reading Water for Elephants. A very good book, with an author who appears to be passionate about many of the same issues we are facing: Sara Gruen.

Update 3055: Its official, Curlin is being pointed for the Dubai World Cup: Curlin Going to Dubai World Cup.

Update 3054: A couple of tidbits from equidaily. There was a Derby yesterday, and it was in India: Hotstepper is the champion. While Santa Anita continues to struggle with its Synthetic Surface, Golden Gate Fields has had a much better experience with its Tapeta Footings: GGF track weathers winter.

A day off today, which will give me a chance to work on some of the logistics involved in the March 4 - 5 Washington DC events.

Please keep calling and writing, and consider coming to DC March 4 and 5.

Posted by Alex at 12:07 PM | Comments (131)

Barbaro Updates: 501

updates are now here.

Update 3053: We had a nice allowance win at the Fair Grounds today, Twisted Tale. She is a filly I rode quite a few times as she was coming off a lay off. She is now two for three.

Lava Man is back in training: Lava Man Back for 2008 Campaign.

Lets hope for a good Super Bowl!

Update 3052: Teuflesberg is in good health and reporting for stud duty: Teuflesberg to Hurricane Hall
, excerpt:

"Teuflesberg has healed perfectly and is now back to where he can be treated like a normal horse," Bramlage said about the 4-year-old colt.

Overnight rain adds to Santa Anita's woes, racing is canceled today: Santa Anita cancels; track work could be delayed.

Update 3051: A warm and muggy morning this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. This contrasts to Fair Hill which had a covering of frost across the top of the training track. As usual for a Sunday, things were busy (the track is closed for training on Mondays) and we had many Jockeys in working many horses. The key to morning's like this is to make sure things run smoothly in the barn and horses get out in a timely fashion. This was accomplished for the most part I think. I ended up riding six horses. This included a little quarter mile open gallop on a 2yo in company with five others (two, two and two). She went nicely for her first little work here. One of our riders came off during the first set. I think she is a little stiff but OK. I missed it as I was back in the barn. Paul Nolan was involved in a gate incident last night. He is lucky and only has a bit of a limp. It could have been much worse. Anyway, all in all, a decent morning's work. Now we have a day off, and tonight of course it is Superbowl time. No one here seems particularly passionate about either team. Either they don't want the Giants to win (Cowboy fans dislike the Giants), they want to see something special (Patriots undefeated) OR they want to see the Patriots get upset. I don't think we have one genuine Patriots or Giants fan on the backside!

Update 3050: There were two more 3yo races yesterday of importance. The 6 /12 furlong Swale Stakes at Gulfstream, which was won by Eaton's Gift: Pacesetter Eaton's Gift powers clear to win Swale and the mile and sixteenth Whirlaway at Aqueduct, won by Barrier Reef: Barrier Reef determined in Whirlaway victory. In the other major older horse race of the day, the Strub Stakes, Monterey Jazz was able to go wire to wire, Tiago finished second with his patented late move: Monterey Jazz front-running winner of Strub Stakes.

Update 3049: I went over to the track this afternoon. I was interviewed by Mandy Love (PR for Sam Houston Race Park) for a profile in their program. It should be out next week, which will be cool. I watched a couple of the key stakes today. Crown of Thorns was impressive in the Robert B. Lewis, but there really was a lack of seasoning throughout the race. It will be interesting to see how this horse progresses if he continues the Triple Crown trail (Rosy Future for Crown of Thorns.) Daaher was very disappointing in the Donn Handicap, essentially getting used up in the pace early: Spring At Last Comes Back in Donn.

Update 3048: A simply gorgeous morning this morning at Sam Houston Race Park. We had a busy morning with ten sets, our tenth complete just as the track closed at 10 am. All my horses seemed to go well, many of which will be breezing tomorrow. Like most Saturday's, many of them galloped two miles so we certainly put in the miles this morning.

Paul Nolan rode Michael Stidham's 1,000th winner last night at the races. This was one of two wins for Paul, and with our jock, Jose Figeurao, winning one race, and Jorge Guzman winning a race, the jockey's table is tight at the top.

Update 3047: Jack Ireland writes a nice story on Barbaro's lagacy in the Wilmington News Journal: A year later, Barbaro's legacy still strong: Derby winner's death spurs fundraising efforts to save other horses, excerpt:

The Fans of Barbaro, made up of hundreds of people around the country, have saved more than 1,900 horses headed for slaughter and raised more than $800,000 for that cause. Because of Barbaro and the attention he drew, other horses will live.

"I think all of this is a huge positive in Barbaro's name," Gretchen Jackson said. "Even though there might be a moment or a time you start to get depressed about what happened, we want to get up and do something positive and good in Barbaro's name."

After racing this weekend at Santa Anita (which includes the Strub and Robert B. Lewis) the track will be closed and worked on again: Pro-Ride Touts Liquid Binder.

Posted by Alex at 10:53 AM | Comments (186)

Barbaro Updates: 500

updates are now here.

Update 3046: Russell Baze won the third race this afternoon at Golden Gate Fields to eclipse 10,000 winners: Baze first North American jockey to reach 10,000 wins.

Update 3045: Russell Baze, Lost in the Fog's jockey, and the winningest jockey in North America, is only one win shy of 10,000. He has five scheduled mounts this afternoon: Baze One Short of Milestone.

Update 3044: A chilly start (35 degrees) to a beautiful day, which is warming up to about 60 degrees. We had nine sets, six before the break and three after the break. The last two sets were 2yos, and its fun to ride them in bunches. We have eight going in three, three and two, all close together. Lots of banter going back and forth among the riders, and all the 2yos going very nicely. All in all a pleasant start to the day for sure.

Update 3043: The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, is urging adoption of a nationwide model rule to eliminate Anabolic Steroids, but then end of 2008: RMTC: Regulate Steroids Uniformly.

The first major Grade 1 for older horses is being run tomorrow, the Donn Handicap. This race also serves as a prep for the Dubai World Cup, Invasor won both last year. His trainer, Kieran McLaughlin, has Daaher in this year's edition: Daaher Heads Donn with Eye on Dubai.

Please keep calling, and consider coming to DC March 4 and 5.

Posted by Alex at 10:51 AM | Comments (120)