Barbaro Updates: 521
updates are now here.
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
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
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.
Hiya, FsOB! It'll be great to be able to read more about Nicanor on the Bloodhorse blog next month. (Brent would caution me that we all should "just let that horse be, he isn't Barbaro.") I wish each of you a productive day. Peace, RMH
#### To Lucille: I am sending another letter to your sister's address in Columbus, OH, for your trip to DC next week. Wish I could be there!
To Sophie's Lee: I just read your excellent posting from last night. Well said! ####
Posted by: Robyn Hoffmann at February 26, 2008 11:42 AM