Barbaro Updates: 701
updates are now here.
Update 4114: Another fun afternoon spent at the races. We had two runners, a close fourth and a second. Both horses ran nicely without winning. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the win for the David Cotey trained Mine That Bird: Grey Win 4th Straight for Mine That Bird. We share a barn with David and he and his help have been super friendly since I arrived at Woodbine. Chantal Sutherland rode this winner, as well as the other stakes winner on the card and two more winners. Not bad for her last day at Woodbine. She is heading to California. All in all another fun day out.
Update 4113: Jen reviews the major races at Woodbine yesterday: WOW.
Update 4112: The Arc de Triomphe went to the super filly Zarkava: SUPER ZAR WINS THE ARC.
Update 4111: A nice and pleasant morning this morning at Woodbine. After yesterday's races and all the "pagentry" involved, it's pleasant to settled back into a more normal routine. I had seven sets for Steve. All went nicely, although my last horse, a nice 2yo, spooked away from some step ladders which were oddly lying by the outside rail at the wire, and jogged right into another horse jogging towards him. Luckily all was well. A set earlier the siren went off, a loose horse was galloping around at a good clip with his tail vertical, and a little later I learned that it was a friend who fell off and hurt her arm! Oh well, I think all will be well. My last horse was for Anita (Terry Jordan), and while he set off a little more settled (good) he did get kean towards the end as I needed to bring him close to the inside rail to pass a couple of horses. All fun.
Update 4110: A great day spent at the races yesterday. Our two stakes runners both ran very good races at long odds. Star of David finished third in the Grade 3 turf event for 2yos. He was the longest shot in the race. Storm Treasure, who I think ran in Barbaro's Derby, was a very fast closing fifth, beaten less than two lengths in the Neartic. Another sixteenth of a mile and who knows! Frankie Dettori did a masterful job of winning the EP Taylor on Folk Opera (Folk Opera Grabs Win in E.P. Taylor) and I am still amazed that Neil Drysdale can train such a longshot winner in the big one: Marsh Side Stuns International Stars.
There was also some great racing from Belmont where the 2yos were on display: Vineyard Haven Rolls; Unlikely For BC and Sky Diva Soars Past Frizette Foes.
Keeneland also had some good races including the Shadwell Turf Mile. Rahy's Attorney prompted the pace and looked good until close to the end, and was then headed by quite a few closers: Thorn Song Wire-to-Wire in Turf Mile.
From a historical perspective, the most important horse race though perhaps took place in New Mexico. Peppers' Pride won and has now become the only horse to have won seventeen straight races: Peppers Pride sets record with 17th straight.
Today the focus is on Paris, and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, which now may be without it's favorite due to soft turf conditions: ZARK ARC DOUBT.
Update 4109: Some great racing today, and a great day to be at Woodbine. I'll write a proper recap of events tomorrow. All I will add tonight is how shocked I am that Neil Drysdale can have a horse run at Woodbine at 30-1. Of course the horse then wins!
Update 4108: Off back to the races. We have four runners, two are in the stakes races. Hopefully a fun and busy afternoon. I would imagine there will be a big crowd on hand. ESPN is broadcasting from 4pm - 6pm.
Update 4107: Quite a busy morning this morning at Woodbine, and on top of a late night last night I am a little exhausted. I galloped six horses for Steve. One pulled quite hard, but the remainder all went nicely. I also galloped the one horse for Terry Jordan (Anita). He can also pull a little bit, but he did go nicely. He has a habit of stopping and looking on his way to the track. I guess if he gallops nicely I will just let him do what he wants to do!
Last night was a party at Woodbine ahead of the big races today. A fun evening spent with Jennifer (read her blog today for up to date news on today's races here at Woodbine INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM) and Wendy (ABR co-moderator, photographer and Better Talk Now fan).
Update 4106: Another big day of racing. Woodbine will be hosting the Pattison Canadian International Stakes later this afternoon. Canadian International Field Loaded With Talent.
Woodbine horse, Rahy's Attorney will be running against Shakis in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keenland: Shakis, Rahy's Attorney clash in Shadwell Turf Mile.
And Peppers Pride attempts to break the record for consecutive wins today in New Mexico: Baffert Says Record Counts For Peppers Pride, excerpt:
"I don't have the money to play with a lot of the big people", Allen said. "From a financial standpoint, this just makes more sense. We can get her beat. We know that. Our objective is to retire her sound."
ESPN will be covering the Lane's End Breeders Futurity, The Shadwell Turf Mile, the Neartic Stakes, the Canadian International, the E.P. Taylor Stakes and the Summer Stakes beginning at 4pm ET.
Just checking in to say hi to everybody. It's going to be a great weekend of racing on both sides of the pond. Two wonderful days of racing at Longchamp - Yeats runs today - and the big handicap at Newmarket, the Cambridgeshire, not to mention the Sun Chariot Stakes with Darjina, the favourite. I hope I get to see a rerun of the Canadian International as I won't catch it live. There's the Arc tomorrow and lots more. May all the horses running everywhere come home safe and sound.
It has been a sad and worrying few weeks for so many here. May you all have a good weekend.
Posted by: Liz (UK) at October 4, 2008 10:58 AM