Barbaro Updates: 746

Posted November 29, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4312: Jen's thoroughblog has a great update today which includes a report from the sales last night, the jockey's race at Woodbine, which remains close, and much more: RESPECT.

Update 4311: Six sets this morning at Steve's. A nice easy morning for us. All mine galloped nicely. Things are continuing to wind down and we are expecting a bad winter storm to come in later today which will likely interrupt training tomorrow. We shall see!

Update 4310: Yesterday Curlin made his final public appearance on a racetrack before being retired to stud. Curlin will head to Lane's End Farm today: Curlin Bids Farewell at Churchill Downs, excerpt:

"It's very emotional," said Asmussen, who led Curlin to all but one of his 11 career victories. "The things he's done for us that we hadn't done, everything he's accomplished, leaves us with a great sense of pride."

Asmussen said Curlin will leave Churchill for Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Ky. Nov. 30, where he will begin his stud career next year.

"We're so happy to see him retiring sound, 100 percent, not even slightly phased and so spectacular," said Barbara Banke, the wife of Curlin's majority owner, Jess Jackson. "He couldn't be in any better health, and Jess is looking forward to seeing a lot of baby Curlins running around."

And here are some Curlin retirement pictures.

Update 4309: Today we lost a very very good horse. Let's hope we can get better news for the Josie Carroll trained Springside: WANDERIN BOY EUTHANIZED, SPRINGSIDE INJURED AT AQUEDUCT.

Update 4308: Off to the races and then to the sale.

Update 4307: Another quiet and straightforward morning this morning at Steve's. We only had five sets, four before the break and one after the break. All galloped nicely. We are starting to ship a lot of horses out, as are other outfits. This is the second to last weekend of racing here, and I am guessing we will only have horses here next week that will be running next weekend.

Update 4306: Einstein posted a mild upset in the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs yesterday under the leading jockey Julien Leparoux (Leparoux Sets Churchill Record for Wins). Commentator was third and Magna Graduate, running his final race fourth: Einstein Looks Brilliant in Clark.

Paulick Report's daily charity focus for this week: THANKSGIVING WEEK CHARITY FOCUS: TRANQUILITY FARM.

Posted by Alex at 9:46 AM | Comments (60)

Barbaro Updates: 745

Posted November 28, 2008

updatesw are now here.

Update 4305: Another pleasaant morning's work at Woodbine, despite the chilly and damp weather. We had six sets again at Steve's, four before the break and two after the break that each went to the gate. Same schedule as yesterday, although some of the horses were different and some of the gallops were different. All went nicely, although my last one was a little "crazy" after she stood nicely in the gate. The weather can stir them up a little I guess! All in all a good morning to start the day!

Update 4304: Excellent "Making a Difference" report from NBC Nightly News: Saving Horses from the Slaughterhouse.

Commentator, who at seven years old is better than ever, is racing today at Churchill Downs in the Clark Handicap. He faces Magna Graduate and Einstein among others: Commentator, 7, gets faster with age.

Paulick Report continues it's daily thanksgiving theme this week: THANKSGIVING WEEK CHARITY FOCUS: SALVATION ARMY.

Posted by Alex at 9:48 AM | Comments (38)

Barbaro Updates: 744

Posted November 27, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4303: A day spent at the races at Woodbine. We only had one runner, and she finished fourth. I did wait around though and watch a few races and some simulcasts. Patrick Husbands is currently on a role. He won five races, and is certainly making the jockey's race tight at the top with Jimmy McAleney. One more race to go. The highlight though was watching Fabulous Strike return to the winners circle in New York under Ramon Dominguez, who was also having a great afternoon: A Fabulous Thanksgiving Day Win.

Update 4302: A nice straightforward morning this morning at Woodbine. We had six sets. Four before the break and two after the break. Both of the latter went to the gate for a little schooling. All my horses galloped nicely. The track continues to get quieter in the mornings as more people and horses are either moving south or taking the winter off. I will be here for probably another ten days, I am just hoping the weather holds out for that long!

Update 4302: Happy Thanksgiving!

And Paulick Report's daily charity focus continues with: THOROUGHBRED CHARITIES OF AMERICA.

Posted by Alex at 9:50 AM | Comments (43)

Barbaro Updates: 743

Posted November 26, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4301: Jason Shandler notes the problem of horses after they are finished racing and makes mention of Fans of Barbaro: Thankfully, Problem of Unwanted Horses Finally Being Addressed, excerpt:

And of course, there are fan-based organizations such as the "Fans of Barbaro" who have raised money and awareness to tackle the issue of slaughter.

In closing, there is still much to be done to protect unwanted horses. The problem is not going away and will only get worse if it is not seriously addressed. More research is needed, rules have to be put in place to make owners and breeders more responsible for their own horses, and Congress must get around to passing a law that prohibits the transport of horses outside of the country for the purpose of slaughter. The bill keeps falling through the cracks.

Update 4300: Funny Cide is to be retired again, this time to the Kentucky Horse Park: KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER FUNNY CIDE COMING TO KENTUCKY HORSE PARK, excerpt:

Since his retirement as a race horse in 2007, the eight-year-old gelding has been used as Barclay Tagg's stable pony on the track. According to Barclay, "The rigors of racing and training for several years have started to cause him mild discomfort recently as he continued working on a regular basis as my stable pony. So, now the time has come, as he is turning 9-years-old, to really retire."

Robin Smullen, the Assistant Trainer to Barclay Tagg stated, "We have been fortunate and very blessed to have had Funny Cide in our lives. He has changed people's perspective about horse racing. Realistically, he is a once in a lifetime horse and now he will be able to touch other people's lives in his retirement. We will miss him dearly in our daily schedule."

Update 4299: A bit dreary this morning with a light covering of snow, but not too bad for the time of year I guess. We had six sets. Four went out before the break and the final two went to the gate once it opened for a little schooling. All in all it was an easy morning's work, although Mr. Rowdy keeps me quite alert coming home with some of his antics.

Update 4298: Paulick Report is doing a daily focus this week on relevant racing charities in honor of Thanksgiving. For the first two days of the week they highlighted Anna House and ReRun.

Posted by Alex at 9:45 AM | Comments (48)

Barbaro Updates: 742

Posted November 25, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4297: Horse meat prices appeared up this week at OLEX. 25 cents per pound was the top price paid for a horse to go to slaughter. About 8 cents over last week I think. No thoroughbreds there today that I could see. Standard breds, Belgians and a mix of others. No horses were ridden through the ring. I still find it hard to really understand what drives the price of horse meat. I can watch the main kill buyer pull out of the bidding for one horse at 8 cents per pound, and then see him bid a horse up to 25 cents per pound. Anyway, most went to kill again today.

Update 4296: Superfecta here, with your regular weekly update.

As the year winds down and the countdown to Curlin's retirement deals in ever-smaller numbers, your chances to see him in racehorse condition are very limited. You do have the option to see him this weekend if you can make it to Churchill Downs, however - Curlin will be paraded between the fifth and sixth races as he bids his fans adieu.

While the mainstream media is largely ignoring the champ's retirement, some racing fans are making sure the moment does not pass unnoticed. Curlin fan Libby will be compiling your comments and well-wishes onto a poster for his connections and passing it off to them on Saturday - so do get in touch with her at libbybar@gmail.com if you would like to contribute.

But Curlin will not be the only horse making a star turn this weekend; Zenyatta will also be celebrated at Hollywood Park on Sunday with her very own day. There will be posters. It should also be mentioned that in addition to her success on the track, Zenyatta is an accomplished artist; her work is part of this year's Moneigh auction to benefit ReRun. Considering that she is still juggling her racing and art careers, it's quite a mature work. Here's hoping the day in her honor helps get trainer John Shirreffs, who had a bad fall last week, on the mend.

Zenyatta Day has some great racing on tap as well; the Hollywood Derby and the Matriarch should both be very interesting. Erstwhile Derby trail veterans Court Vision (who has been working bullets) and Cowboy Cal are set to re-emerge against European shippers Albahri (originally from the Aga Khan's stables, but now in the barn of Patrick 'King Cobra' Biancone, so make of that what you will) and Midships. Local hope (and former claimer) Muny also features.

The bigger names will be lining up for the Matriarch; Precious Kitten is looking to defend her title in the race before heading into retirement, but she will have to get past the dangerous Cocoa Beach and Criminologist, both of whom have been supplemented for the race. In any case, it should be great fun (and I'm sure I'll be checking eBay for a Zenyatta poster come Monday).

I'll sign off for the holiday week here, so for all the non-Americans, sorry for the light week; for everyone else, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving and a productive Black Friday.

Update 4295: A balmy morning this morning at Woodbine. Well at least it was above freezing so felt comfortable! And a nice morning to ease back into work with only five sets, all before the break. And they each galloped nicely. After the break we had a few workers, so I helped out a little and watched them work. Lots of chatter about where people are going next as things continue to wind down up here at Woodbine. Although my plans are not yet firm, it is starting to look like a winter in Arkansas for me after a week stopover at Fair Hill to catch up with everyone!

Update 4294: The current economic climate is hitting racing as it is hitting all industries. Stud fees are declining to try to spike some demand: Lane's End cuts stud fees further and purses are being cut by racetracks to try to balance their books: Hollywood trims purses by 5 percent and Overnight Stakes Latest Cuts at Calder.

And of course given the legal issues involved in Curlin's stud deal are not straightforward: CURLIN STUD DEAL AN UNUSUAL ONE.

Posted by Alex at 9:48 AM | Comments (41)

Barbaro Updates: 741

Posted November 21, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4293: I am back, thanks Wendy for keeping things going in my absense!

Update 4292: The Unwanted Horse Coalition is conducting a survey to obtain fact based information on unwanted horses. Survey Underway On Unwanted Horses Excerpt:
"Although there are numerous media reports and much anecdotal evidence of a growing problem with unwanted horses, there have been no studies or surveys done to attempt to document it," said Jay Hickey, president of the American Horse Council, the national association that represents all segments of the horse industry in Washington, D.C.

and another excerpt:
A comprehensive view of the problem depends on representation from all corners of the horse industry, according to Dr. Tom Lenz, chairman of the UHC. "To ensure the broadest possible participation, we're working to involve a variety of individuals, associations, state and local agencies, and equine-related companies to actively encourage their constituencies to take the survey and voice their opinions."

Here is a link to the survey.

Update 4291: On Sunday morning, one of Canada's top thoroughbred racers, Rahy's Attorney, went international and took on the Grade 1 Mile Championship at the Kyoto Racecourse in Japan. Jen Morrison writes about his effort and includes a video of the race. It's amazing to see and hear the crowd in the video! Law Of The Land

Update 4290: Plans are for Curlin to be paraded at Churchill Downs on Saturday including a special tribute in the winners circle or paddock area: Curlin To Be Paraded At Churchill Downs. Excerpt:

"We're thrilled to have another opportunity to showcase Curlin in front of his many fans in Kentucky." Asmussen said. "For the past two years, he's given our entire team numerous thrills and great memories. We've always considered Churchill Downs to be his home track, and we'll always remember that standing ovation he received after winning the Stephen Foster."

And as of today, Steve Asmussen broke the record for the number of North American wins in a single season with a win from Prophesy at Remington Park. Steve previously held the record at 555 wins. Asmussen Breaks Single Season Wins Record

Update 4289: A recap of yesterday's results. Wishful Tomcat went wire to wire to win the Discovery Handicap. Ready Set came in third. Wishful Tomcat Wire-To-Wire in Discover

Shadowless was a surprise winner in the Kennedy Road Stakes (Canada G3) at Woodbine. Storm Treasure was nosed out for second by Rouse The Cat. Shadowless Ambushes Kennedy Road Foes

While Storm Treasure didn't contribute yesterday to the Asmussen win count, Steve Asmussen is still having a fantastic year. Asmussen Chasing Win Record

Update 4288: The cold weather has been closing in and racing seems to have slowed down a bit. However, there are still good races taking place.

Today, members of Team Barbaro will have their horse Ready Set running in the Discovery Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct. Ready Set Seeks Second Graded Win in Discovery

Also, the Woodbine Asmussen Team will have Storm Treasure racing in the Kennedy Road Stakes (G3). Best of luck to them! Storm Treasure Will Be Closing Fast

Update 4287: For those who may have missed:

ABC World News and their "Person of the Week: Madeleine Pickens"

NBC Nightly News "Making a Difference" - Saving Horses From The Slaughterhouse

Sadly, racing lost one of it's athletes yesterday; Shakis Euthanized After Fracturing Leg

Excerpt:
"He broke his sesamoid and fractured his pastern," McLaughlin said by phone. "He was in very bad shape and there was nothing that could be done. It was just one of those things where he took a bad step after galloping out."

Update 4286: Canter NE and Suffolk Downs had a very nice story on NBC's Nightly News. Thanks to Lorita Lindemann and the others at CANTER - New England.

Update 4285: Churchill Downs is contemplating reducing the size of the Derby field. Will Derby Field Size Be Reduced? Excerpt:
The Derby's maximum field size of 20 is under scrutiny in the wake of the death of the filly Eight Belles in last year's Derby, even though her fatal injuries occurred after the finish and apparently were unrelated to the number of runners or trouble she may have encountered in the race. The Derby traditionally has the largest field of any race in the United States.

Found in the Paulick Report

Update 4284: I am taking a break. A three day break. My plan is to be back online Monday evening. In the meantime Wendy will continue to provide updates on this site.

Update 4283: This morning it was cold, and when the sun came up, the wind picked up and it got colder! We had six sets at Steve's and thankfully all went nicely. This is not the weather to be struggling with a horse when galloping. Storm Treasure is back. He felt great after his trip to the Breeders' Cup. He is running tomorrow here: Storm Treasure will be closing fast.

All in all a good and short morning despite the arctic conditions!

A case of mistaken identity but a good ending for one horse anyway: A Horse of the Same Color.

Update 4282: A nice article on CANTER New England: After the race: Canter NE helps place thoroughbreds that have retired from the track circuit, excerpt:

On a recent Sunday, Canter NE, which operates from private donations, held its annual Suffolk Downs Showcase in the stable area of the racetrack on the Revere-East Boston line. Trainers were making plans for races in the mid-Atlantic states or Florida after the Suffolk meet closed for the season on Nov. 8, and were facing some tough decisions about which horses to take with them.

Found on Paulick Report.

And very sad: Updated: Riverside Fire Kills 27 Horses.

Posted by Alex at 10:39 AM | Comments (173)

Barbaro Updates: 740

Posted November 20, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4281: A bad day at the races. We had a runner. He was supposed to win. He was cruising. Then faultered. Collapsed after the wire. Heart attack. He was training wonderfully. I rode him yesterday.

Update 4280: Snow last night. I actually ventured out into the snowy weather to go out for some dinner. A twenty minute drive turned into an hour and twenty minute drive. A great dinner nonetheless! There was a light covering of snow on the track this morning, but it did not stop training, and we had a busy morning. I had nine sets, and there was no break, so it was nine back-to-back off of one small cup of tea early. All my horses galloped nicely, so no complaints there. All in all it could have been a lot worse this morning!

Update 4279: Plans for Curlin's stud career are beginning to develop: CURLIN TO LANE'S END?. It begins:

Lane's End Farm is expected to announce that reigning Horse of the Year Curlin will enter stud at the Versailles, Ky., farm in 2009 for a live foal stud fee of $75,000, the Paulick Report has learned.

Posted by Alex at 9:52 AM | Comments (78)

Barbaro Updates: 739

Posted November 19, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4278: Prominent thoroughbred owner and breeder, and anti-slaughter advocate, Madeleine Pickens has stepped up to help save the wild horses that were under threat, due in some part to possible mismanagement: Horse Breeder-Owner Plans to Save Horses.

Update 4277: Thoroughbred Charities of America will conduct it's 19th Annual Stallion Season and Art Auction Friday, Dec. 5 at the Keeneland Entertainment Center in Lexington: Seasons, Art Auction to Benefit TCA
.

Update 4276: Minus 8, those were the first sounds I heard frmo my radio when I turned the ignition in my truck this morning! But it did not feel too bad, really! Bright sunshine, when the sun came up. And we only had five sets which was nice. We also started a little later as we had a lighter morning. I had two go to the gate for some schooling, and they went nicely. All galloped nicely, so despite the weather conditions work was short and enjoyable! Really!

Update 4275: An excellent perspective on why it makes sense, from a marketing standpoint, to seek out more humane alternatives for our stars after they are finished racing: TURNING CHALLENGE INTO OPPORTUNITY, excerpt:

Foremost among those is the question of what becomes of a Thoroughbred when it is no longer useful as a racing or breeding animal. Some owners and breeders take great measures to insure either a productive second life for their horses or dispose of them through humane euthanasia. Too many horses slip through the cracks, however, and end up on meat wagons headed to slaughter houses in Canada or Mexico, or are simply abandoned.

The perception of our sport is shaped by media reports of the cruelty of slaughter or abandonment of Thoroughbreds, and it does not present an image attractive to many Americans, especially a younger generation that is more in tune with animal welfare issues.

And excellent news from Mountaineer Park which has added a CANTER chapter: CANTER Opens New Chapter at Mountaineer, excerpt:

"We are pleased to offer this free program to our owners and trainers who are looking to place their race horses in new careers," said Rose Mary Williams, director of racing at Mountaineer. "CANTER has a proven track record helping trainers to sell and place their ex-race horses."

Posted by Alex at 10:44 AM | Comments (33)

Barbaro Updates: 738

Posted November 17, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4274: Another tuesday, another afternoon spent at OLEX. Horse meat prices were about 14 - 15 cents per pound. Not one horse was ridden through the ring today. Only a few sold by the head, rather than by the pound. One buyer bought the majority of horses, and the majority of horses going through we standard breds. There was one thoroughbred, at least. He went for 14 cents / pound.

Update 4273: Superfecta here, with your regular weekly update.

It's a Distaff sort of day today; Zarkava took home the Cartier Award for Horse of the Year, Zenyatta has her own hat and there is the troubling news that Sunline is fighting laminitis.

First, let's look more closely at the good news -- Zarkava's flawless season was rewarded by Cartier voters who chose to focus on an entire year, rather than the last month or so preceding the vote. Val at Foolish Pleasure notes that many Breeders' Cup winners were not even nominated, and rightly so. I'm putting my money on Goldikova for next year's Horse of the Year; she ran into a monster in Zarkava in her rare defeats and could be one herself next season. Given Zarkava's absence, I'm glad I still have Goldikova to look forward to.

Zenyatta might be busy taking a break before resuming her racing career next year, but she may make an appearance on the track on November 30th, when Hollywood Park celebrates Zenyatta Day -- it's more than enough enticement to get fans out to see the Matriarch and Hollywood Derby. It will also be your last chance to see Precious Kitten on the track - she will be retired after the Matriarch, but it will be a great opportunity to see how she stacks up against Cocoa Beach. I presume the newly-released Zenyatta hats will be widely available on the day, although I'm holding out for a t-shirt.

In less encouraging news, champion Kiwi mare Sunline is battling laminitis. A winner of 32 of her 48 starts (and in the money a further 12 times), Sunline was named Australian Horse of the Year three times -- she won the Cox Plate twice and the Doncaster Handicap at ages 3 and 6, with 13 Group 1 wins in her career. She was also the first horse to be inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame while still in training. She developed laminitis after a bout with colic in July and is far from out of the woods; reports suggest she is more comfortable following some surgery, but it may be some time before we get better news. Again, I recommend a swing by Foolish Pleasure for more on Sunline.

But it's not all gloom and doom; Rags to Riches joined Zenyatta, Serena's Song and the great Ipi Tombe as the first female Moneigh artists; their work (along with that of a few well-known stallions and geldings) will hit eBay on the 23rd, with all proceeds benefiting ReRun as per usual. It's a great gift for a great cause, so mark your calendars and get ready to bid!

Update 4272: Barbaro's 2yo brother Nicanor had his first work on November 16 since July, and shipped down to Florida yesterday: Nicanor Works, Heads to Florida..

Update 4271: Despite the Europeans dominating the Breeders' Cup Classic, the European Horse of the Year went to the unbeaten Zarkava, an unbeaten 3yo filly who completed her perfect career with a win in the Prix de L'arc de Triomphe: Retired Zarkava is horse of year.

Found on Paulick Report.

It is snowing, a good day to have off from the track!

Update 4270: This does seem rather on the low side to me: Curlin valued at $20-million.

It's snowing at Woodbine and I have a day off tomorrow!

Update 4269: Well it was not as cold this morning as I had expected. A crisp morning and when the sun got up quite a pleasant morning. We only had five sets, all before the break. All mine galloped two miles, and did so quite nicely. We had a few workers after the break so I went up to the track to watch them work. All in all a pleasant and short morning's work.

This is very cool: NASCAR Champ Aids T-bred Retirement. And here is Friends of Ferdinand's site: Friends of Ferdinand.

And thanks for all the good wishes!

Update 4268: As much as we love this sport we have to remember it's dangers: Exercise Rider Killed at Golden Gate.

And New Zealand's most valuable broodmare is battling laminitis: Champion mare Sunline battles killer illness. Found on Paulick Report.

And a quick update from yesterday's adventure, two of our new horses now have homes. Smooch is staying where he is and will be a trail horse. The chestnut mare was bought by the one onlooker we had as we were riding the horses. Two down, one to go and cash for our next purchase!

Posted by Alex at 9:56 AM | Comments (94)

Barbaro Updates: 737

Posted November 15, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4267: Today I drove through sleeting snow to go and ride our recent purchases from OLEX. We have three horses at another friend's farm, and wanted to get them ridden to assess them. All three rode very well. Smooch (Kiss My Hoof) is going to make a great trail horse. I had to kick him around the paddock to put him on the bridle. I guess he was serious when he was beaten nearly 50 lengths in one of his starts. His host (where the horses are stabled) is going to take him for her trail horse. The other two horses, which we bought from OLEX last week, also went nicely. One was bought by a person who was on hand to watch. The other, my favorite of the three, has potential to be a pretty nice sports horse I think. Anyway, all in all a fun and productive afternoon. I then returned to Woodbine and we had a winner.

Update 4266: It's official, Curlin will be retired to stand at stud for the 2009 season. They have not absolutely eliminated the possibility of him running one more time this year: Report: Curlin to Stand at Stud in 2009
.

A chilly morning this morning at Woodbine, but not as chilly as a little further north! I saw at least one car in the parking lot with snow on it's hood! We had seven sets, five before the break and two after the break. All galloped nicely. We then had a few sets of workers, with Jimmy McAleney and Carl (who is also a jockey and actually a very high percentage jockey) coming to work the horses. They also seemed to go well. Altogether not a bad morning's work, especially after getting back late last night from the Royal Winter Fair.

And what else did I miss last night, Somebeachsomewhere doing his usual stuff, winning, at Woodbine: SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE, THE REST NOWHERE.

Update 4265: Zenyatta will return to the races next year: Unbeaten Zenyatta to remain in training in '09.

Another very pleasant visit to the Royal Winter Fair yesterday. We had planned to watch the major show jumping competition, but that started very late. We did wait to watch the show jumpers warm up, which itself was very interesting. We also watched a few classes of heavy horse teams, a four horse dressage display (very cool) and a hackney class. All very interesting and different from our own sport!

Update 4264: Off to the race and then back to the Royal Winter Fair!

Update 4263: A cool article on Yael Gottesman, who is a young lady helping to end horse slaughter here in Canada: Yael's Quest.

Update 4262: Wet, wet, wet! And Wet! A dreary morning this morning, but thankfully not too cold! We had nine sets at Steve's, five before the break and four after the break. Given the wet conditions, everything went nicely. We had a new rider start this morning. April. Very cool, seems like she will be a good hand. She also does some work rehabbing and reselling retired racehorses, and providing riding lessons on retired racehorses. Very cool. All in all a decent morning's work despite the wet conditions.

We have a couple of runners in the 2yo fillies stake this afternoon so hopefully it will be a fun afternoon: Juliet's Spirit a mystery off last.

Update 4261: Michael Matz trainee Chelokee, who suffered a career ending injury many months ago, will stand at stud at Vinery for next season for $7,500: Chelokee to Stand at Vinery.

Fair Grounds meet opened yesterday and we won the opener with a horse we had up here for a while: Stormy West Wins as Fair Grounds Opens.

Posted by Alex at 9:52 AM | Comments (60)

Barbaro Updates: 736

Posted November 14, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4260: It seems the full sister of Melbourne Cup winner Viewed was a couple of days away from slaughter, and saved: The $600 mare and her $100,000 foal.

Found on Paulick Report.

Update 4259: Warm again! And I had long johns on. Hard enuogh for us when the weather keeps changing, much worse for the horses. Lets hope they don't get sick. We had a busy morning this morning with ten sets. Five went before the break and five went after the break. All mine went nicely, so while it was quite a long morning it was an easy morning to get through. Our other rider is leaving today, and flying home over the weekend. He has been with us nearly the whole meet and has been great to work with. I don't think he fell off once (unlike me who did!) Anyway, lets hope we get together again at some point in the future!

Update 4258: Trainer Larry Jones, who plans to retire within a year, will receive the Big Sport of Turfdom award: Trainer Jones to receive Big Sport of Turfdom award.

Jess Jackson, who currently owns 80% of Curlin, is trying to buy the remaining 20%: Jackson Makes Bid for Curlin Interest
.

Posted by Alex at 9:53 AM | Comments (45)

Barbaro Updates: 735

Posted November 13, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4257: Back from the Royal Winter Fair. And what a great event it was. We (Alison and I) went for most of the afternoon, so skipped the evening events. We were fortunate to arrive in time to watch some international show jumping. Nick Skelton and Michael Whitaker were competing! Don't these guys ever retire? I was waiting to see if Geoff Billington was going to make an appearance! We also watched another show jumping class. It was very cool to watch these horses do their stuff. Much different to our own discipline and as impressive for sure. There were many types of horses at the events, and conspicuous by their absense were the thoroughbreds. Alison thought that it would have been a good opportunity for Long Run to have a booth. Absolutely! Another cool thing about the horse events is you can go "behind the scenes", where the horses are stabled and warm up. Kind of like being on the backside of the racetrack. They also have a bar there ...

Lots of horse stuff, but the highlight of the afternoon were the Superdogs, and the fudge!

Update 4256: Wet, wet, wet! That was the weather this morning at Woodbine. Fortunately it was not too cold. We had ten sets today at Steve's, so quite busy. Six went before the break and four after the break. Two of mine also went to the gate for some schooling. All galloped nicely for a hassle free morning. One of our riders is leaving this weekend, which is a bummer. I went recruiting for a new rider for the rest of the meet. Hopefully I have found the right person!

Now off to the Royal Winter Fair!

Update 4255: Aidan O'Brien won the final Group 1 race in Europe, bringing his tally of Group 1 wins to 23 this year, just two shy of Bobby Frankel's record of 25: O'Brien Gets Last Group I of Euro Season.

Fair Grounds meet gets underway tomorrow, and will offer $300,000 in daily overnight purses. It should be the toughest and best racing of the winter meets: Record Purses For Fair Gounds Meet.

Posted by Alex at 9:52 AM | Comments (51)

Barbaro Updates: 734

Posted November 12, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4254: Major sire Seeking the Gold has been retired at age 23: Seeking the Gold Pensioned.

Update 4253: The Jockey Club is offering a program that allows owners to contribute to Thoroughbred Charities of America and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation when they register their foals. The Jockey Club will also match the first $200,000: Jockey Club to match Thoroughbred retirement funds.

Update 4252: A pretty straightforward morning this morning at Steve's at Woodbine. We had seven sets, four before the break and three after the break. The final three each went to the gate for some gate schooling. All went nicely. I had a long break between my fourth and fifth horses, and went to the HBPA office to hangout, and then the kitchen for more of the same. Nice to have a morning without rushing for sure. Again, the track was quieter this morning. No wind so the weather was quite pleasant!

Update 4251: Yesterday I spent the afternoon at OLEX. Prices for horse meat were up about 4 cents over last week. Whereas last week the majority of "meat" horses went for 11 cents / pound, this week it was about 15 cents per pound. Standard breds were again the majority. There were three thoroughbreds. I think one went for kill, and we (well the person I was with) bought the other two. I actually rode one of them through the ring (and there is a picture of me on my facebook page riding him prior to the bidding.) He was very quiet and calm given the circumstances. After the sale we trailored our new purchases to a farm where Smooch now resides. Smooch is the thoroughbred we bought from the kill pen three weeks ago. He looks very settled and happy in his new home.

Posted by Alex at 9:48 AM | Comments (55)

Barbaro Updates: 733

Posted November 11, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4250: Way to go Julien Leparoux. A jockey I met a few times at 2007 Keeneland's fall meet and a jockey I admire for being a gentleman and a horseman: Leparoux Wins 7 at Churchill; Ties Day.

Update 4249: Superfecta here, with your regular weekly update.

I go away for a few days, and everyone retires. It was nice knowing you, Raven's Pass. It's a shame poor Sheik Mohammed didn't have the deep pockets to keep him in training, but jockey Jimmy Fortune was able to give the horse a diplomatic send-off to Kildangan Stud:

"I still don't think we had seen the best of him but (in terms of his value) it wouldn't really matter what he did as a four-year-old - he could have won six Group Ones - and you have to respect the owner's decision.

While that was your typical disappointing early retirement, we have also moved into the realm of the utterly silly, with the news that undefeated (in, count 'em, 3 starts) 2-year-old Run Away and Hide is off to Darby Dan (and no, I'd never heard of him either). (Hat tip to Winston for the news). Sure, the economy is poor, but did they really need his $7500 stud fee that badly? And remind me why I would want to breed to a barely-raced sprinter - I can't seem to recall why that would be an enticing proposition.

Speaking of the economy, it seems that no one could afford to properly bid on the outstanding 20% of Curlin that was up for sale -- sure, there were a few offers, but nary a one was deemed acceptable:

A Cincinnati law firm conducted a sealed-bid auction, though none of the bidders met all the sale criteria, which included price for the minority stake, ability to pay and the authority to bid. The process helped identify some potential buyers interested in a private sale.

"The sealed-bid process gave the receiver an opportunity to test the market without affecting the market," said Sylvius von Saucken, a partner in the Garretson Firm in Cincinnati who is charged with selling the minority share. "We found the market loves Curlin, but it's a depressed market."

If the ongoing legal morass contributes to keeping Curlin in training next year, it's been useful for something. While the lack of input into the way the major players in the sport operate can be frustrating, take heart in this -- you can make your voice heard via the Self Appointed Fan Committee. A few of us will be chatting with some of the Breeders' Cup folks later this week and we would love to take more feedback along to the meeting - so go here and submit your thoughts now!

Update 4248: Another quieter morning for us at Steve's barn this morning at Woodbine. I had six sets, five before the break and one after the break. All galloped nicely. We also had a few workers, which I went to watch after I was finished galloping. The racetrack is certainly quieter this week. I guess this is the "winter" meet at Woodbine. The bottom claiming level has dropped. We have a few outfits now from Fort Erie here as their meet has ended. And some of the outfits here have started shipping out.

Now off to OLEX.

Update 4247: The economy has certainly had an impact on the recent auctions in Kentucky and elsewhere. This has created an issue regarding what to do with "unwanted" thoroughbreds that do not receive a minimum bid. Thoroughbred Brief examines this issue and also notes an initiative of 2001 that seems to have fallen by the wayside:
By the Wayside.

Posted by Alex at 9:48 AM | Comments (61)

Barbaro Updates: 732

Posted November 10, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4246: Some speculation and insight from Steve Haskin regarding Sheikh Mohammed's quest to win the Kentucky Derby: Ky. Derby Trail: 'Mo'-mentum
.

Update 4245: Phew! An easy morning this morning with only five sets at Steve's. Compared to the last week or so where we have been riding ten plus horses, this was a breeze. It was a little chilly first thing. All my horses galloped nicely, so a very straight forward morning for me. After the break I watched a few of our horses work. We had Jimmy (McAleney) and Carl working them. They also worked nicely. And the track was noticably quieter at times this morning. People are starting to ship out. I had dinner last night with Brian Lynch, who works for Brian Lynch the trainer. They had a nice winner yesterday (Ginger Brew) and Brian was heading south today!

Update 4244: A busy and fun day at the races yesterday, although we did not have a winner. Jimmy Simms did run a nice race in his first race in Stakes company at Churchill Downs. He finished third: Nistle's Crunch Takes Commonwealth Turf.

And all she knows how to do is win. Peppers Pride did it again yesterday, remaining unbeaten while notching her 18th win: Peppers Pride Still Perfect; 18 in a Row.

Posted by Alex at 9:46 AM | Comments (36)

Barbaro Updates: 731

Posted November 8, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4243: Another chillier morning this morning at Woodbine. And another busy morning at Steve's I had ten sets, five before the break and five after the break. No gate schoolers but a few galloped two miles so quite a tiring morning's work! All galloped nicely. My morning started again with a spin around the sand ring on one of Anita's (Terry Jordan). We have a few runners here this afternoon, and one we recently shipped out, Jimmy Simms, is running at Churchill Downs. Hopefully a fun afternoon at the races!

Update 4242: For the second time since I have been at this Woodbine meet, Churchill Downs has had to cut purses. This latest cut takes effect on Wednesday: Churchill cuts purses by 10 percent.

Found on Paulick Report.

Update 4241: A pleasant afternoon at the races at Woodbine. We had two runners and both won, and we paddock schooled three. It was nice to get the winners. We had had a little bit of a leaner time with winners in the last couple of weeks. I also got to watch Taletobetold win at Churchill Downs. She was my favorite horse that I used to ride for Eddie Kenneally. Very cool!

Update 4240: We had rain overnight, but thankfully not during training hours at Woodbine. It was also a little chillier here than it has been the last few days, but still warm enough for the time of year! A busy morning at Steve's. I had ten sets, we got six out before the break and then four out after the break, non of which went to the gate. All galloped nicely. One (Mr Rowdy) bucked so high and hard after his gallop that I lost my neckstrap halfway through the move. If I had hung onto the neckstrap I am sure he would have pulled me over his head. As one rider remarked, it was a good job I was riding very long, as is my habit on Rowdy! The day started with a visit to the sand ring on one of Anita's (Terry Jordan). I was tired and ready for a coffee when I was done!

Update 4239: Raven's Pass, surprise winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic, has been retired to stud in Ireland: Raven's Pass retired; to stand at Kildangan Stud.

Stardom Bound, the best 2yo filly this year, will campaign on the west coast again next year, and jockey Mike Smith will retain the mount: Stardom Bound to race in California in '09.

Posted by Alex at 9:46 AM | Comments (59)

Barbaro Updates: 730

Posted November 7, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4238: Another lovely morning here at Woodbine. I know it cannot last, but these last few mornings have been very pleasant! We had a busy morning at Steve with ten sets. Four of mine went to the gate for a little schooling. All went nicely for an incident-free morning. The day again started by taking one of Anita's (Terry Jordan) to the sand ring. He enjoyed that. A nice quiet start to the day.

Here is a picture of me leaving the tunnel after training first set for Steve yesterday, on Mr. Rowdy: Morning glory.

Update 4237: Suffolk Downs takes action regarding it's no horse slaughter policy after learning there were horses headed for the New Holland auction: BANNED TRAINER: 'SUFFOLK DONE ME DIRTY'.

A great article on the development of the statue of Barbaro: Inside Track: Fitting Tribute, excerpt:

"I wanted Barbaro elevated up in the air where he's at the top of his game," explained King from her home in Middleton, Wisc. "As fast as he was galloping in that stretch run, I had to do everything I could to make him look like a bullet whizzing by."

In memory of John Hettinger please keep calling and writing.

For Canadians: Canadian Horse Defense Coalition Call to Action.

Posted by Alex at 9:47 AM | Comments (48)

Barbaro Updates: 729

Posted November 6, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4236: Sandra McKee wrote the following article on CANTER Mid-Atlantic, she covered the Barbaro story for the Baltimore Sun: Saved: Nonprofit organization locates homes for worn-out racehorses.

Update 4235: Another gorgeous morning here at Woodbine this morning. The weather is currently fantastic! We had a busy morning this morning at Steve's. I had ten sets. Five before the break and five after the break. Thankfully for the most part they were easy gallops so I am not too exhausted. All went nicely. A few also gate schooled. I started the morning again with one of Anita's (Terry Jordan) to the sand ring. A nice easy jog and a nice way to start the day.

Update 4234: Big Brown is now settling in to his new life at stud: Big Brown Settles in at Three Chimneys and Breeders give Big Brown a thumbs up.

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale is suffering the consequences of a bad marketplace: Keeneland Suffers More Setbacks.

In memory of John Hettinger please keep calling and writing.

For Canadians: Canadian Horse Defense Coalition Call to Action.

Posted by Alex at 9:47 AM | Comments (48)

Barbaro Updates: 728

Posted November 5, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4233: An update on Smooch (Kiss My Hoof) from his new prospective owner who has him on trial. Smooch was a slow racehorse we bought at OLEX a couple of weeks ago from the kill buyer:

He's not liking the washboard effect the curry comb has over his ribs just now. He's super smart and has a good sense of humour. He likes to be treated like a baby. Handles dead easy. Hoovers his hay. Wormed like he liked it. Was super quiet (i.e. silent) for the first couple days, but is starting to come around and show his personality. Still don't know what the thing is on his heel, but not really worrying at this point. Haven't done anything serious with him yet, but look forward to doing so shortly.

Update 4232: A quick update on Barbaro's youngest brother, Lentenor: Q & A with Jill Stephens of Stephens Thoroughbreds.

Update 4231: A thoroughly gorgeous morning this morning at Woodbine, and it's November in Canada! Very pleasant weather we are having. We had a busy morning at Steve's. Eight sets, four before the break and four after the break that each did some gate schooling. All mine galloped nicely. Jogging away from the gate on one of my horses I saw a loose horse race through the entrance gap, hurdle (not too well) the rail going on to the turf track and gallop away on the turf. In hot pursuit were two outriders. Rob made the catch. Then as I started galloping I saw Sarah walking back on the outside rail ... My day started as usual, in the sand ring at 5:30 am. Very pleasant way to start the day!

Update 4230: Peppers Pride, the amazing new Mexico bred filly, who recently set a record for consecutive wins, will put her win streak on the line this Sunday at Zia Park: Peppers Pride Shoots For 18 Straight

Q&A With Zenyatta Trainer John Shirreffs.

In memory of John Hettinger please keep calling and writing.

For Canadians: Canadian Horse Defense Coalition Call to Action.

Posted by Alex at 9:44 AM | Comments (47)

Barbaro Updates: 727

Posted November 4, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4229: Another Tuesday, and another afternoon spent at OLEX auction. Meat prices were down today. It appeared the top meat prices for horses were about 16 - 17 cents per pound. Last week it was 24 cents per pound.

Sadly the more I go to these auctions, the more I understand how much a horse is worth when it enters the ring. Today, a standardbred, right off the track, 10 cents a pound. And there were quite a few. A standardbred that had some after racing experience, about 15 - 16 cents a pound. All to kill, just the latter group had other bidders pushing up the price. If the horse is lame, the prices drop, not sure whether that is because the horse is worth less to the kill buyer or there is simply no one else bidding. Belgians go cheaper than standardbreds, today about 5 - 6 cents per pound. Thankfully there were no racing thoroughbreds today, they usually go for the highest price. One horse no saled at 2 cents per pound.

Update 4228: Superfecta here, with your regular weekly update.

Well, another Melbourne Cup is in the books, and contrary to the pre-race hype, the Cup stayed in Australian hands. The hands in question are certainly familiar -- the win by Viewed gave trainer Bart Cummings his twelfth victory in the race and his 250th Group 1 win overall.

Val has a great wrap-up (and video of the race) here; we both found it rather peculiar that the three Ballydoyle horses finished 18th (Septimus), 20th (Alessandro Volta) and 21st out of the 22 horse field (Honolulu). Indeed, the only reason Honolulu didn't finish officially last is because Gallopin was pulled up with what sounds like a flipped palate. Septimus and Honolulu were both discovered to be lame after the race and it was suggested that the lack of a prep race prior to the big day may have contributed to their difficulties. Adding to the low feelings in the Irish camp was some (more) questioning from the stewards over the Ballydoyle jockeys' tactics, but in the end they seemed satisfied that nothing untoward took place. Aidan O'Brien seemed to consider the hard turf the cause of both the poor performances and subsequent lameness -- obviously, it's always the surface -- but he'll still be back for another try next year.

And now back to the winner, Viewed, who held off English rival Bauer by the slimmest of margins: he won as quite the outsider and paid a handsome $186 to win. It was a good day for the bookies:

"One punter backed the three (Aidan) O'Brien horses to win $1million each," said bookmakers supervisor Michael Eddelbuttel. "Another had $100,000 on Mad Rush at $6. The main rails bookies paid out about $1.5million so it (Viewed) was a great result for them," Eddelbuttel said.

Ouch.

While Bart Cummings is an old hand at this (literally, as he turns 81 later this month), this is 21-year-old jockey Blake Shinn's first win in the historic race. It was also the fourth win for owner Dato Tan Chin Nam (also in his 80s), who has worked with Cummings for more than 30 years. As for Viewed himself, here is a brief family history, which notes he's really only a 'first generation Australian.' Although nothing in his form indicated he was sitting on a huge win, Cummings seems to think the 5-year-old's best days are in front of him. It will certainly be interesting to watch.

Update 4227: Wow, it's warm today! Whacky weather I guess. We had quite a busy morning this morning at Steve's at Woodbine. I had five before the break and three after the break. All mine galloped and for the most part galloped nicely. Again I started the day with one of Anita's in the sand ring. Her also went well. During the break I chatted with Brian Lynch (exercise rider for Brian Lynch the trainer) and we discussed the Melbourne Cup (he worked for Bart Commings, the winning trainer, in the late eighties) and OLEX auction, which I am planning to attend in an hour or so.

Jen covers the Melbourne Cup and includes a video of the race: NEIGHBOURS.

Update 4226: Viewed won the prestigious Melbourne Cup for trainer Bart Cummings and jockey Blake Shinn: VIEWED HOLDS BAUER CHARGE and Rivals praise Cummings after Melbourne Cup win.

Incredibly, Fans of Barbaro have now raised more than $1 Million to rescue 2,600 horses from horse slaughter in two years.

In memory of John Hettinger please keep calling and writing.

For Canadians: Canadian Horse Defense Coalition Call to Action.

Posted by Alex at 9:45 AM | Comments (57)

Barbaro Updates: 726

Posted November 3, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4225: Student Council, a horse I rode once at Sam Houston, has been retired: Grade I Winner Student Council Retired.

Update 4224: Jen covers the Melbourne Cup (tonight at 11 pm) as well as Canadian racing: SHOPPING.

Update 4223: Now that the Breeders' Cup is over, major races are outside the United States. Today (actually tomorrow, or should I say later today) is the Melbourne Cup. The race that stops a nation, or two nations if you include New Zealand!

Update 4222: A mucky and damp morning this morning at Woodbine. Thankfully it was also quite warm. And it is supposed to warm up this week. Good for us, not so good for the horses with the changing weather! We had a pretty easy morning this morning at Steve's. Only six sets. Four of mine galloped two miles, so that made up for it a little bit. One also pulled very hard for at least a half a mile, so I was quite tired when done. The morning did start, as has been usual, in the sand ring on one for Anita (Terry Jordan). He is quite enjoying his change of pace, and it really does make him so much easier to ride!

Update 4221: Casino Drive is returning to Japan shortly and will remain in training for another year: Casino Drive Returns to Japan Next Week.

Better Than Honor sold for $14 Million, which set a world record for a broodmare: Better Than Honour brings $14-million at Fasig-Tipton. IEAH Stables purchased Stardom Bound for $5.7 Million. She will be in training with Rick Dutrow.

In memory of John Hettinger please keep calling and writing.

For Canadians: Canadian Horse Defense Coalition Call to Action.

Posted by Alex at 9:46 AM | Comments (43)

Barbaro Updates: 725

Posted November 1, 2008

updates are now here.

Update 4220: Very cool: MOUNTAINEER MAY BAN TRAINERS SELLING AT SLAUGHTER AUCTION.

Also very cool was Jen who had a few spare moments a couple of days ago and stumbled across a discussion thread on our board about a horse she used to hot walk: LOOK WHO IS LIVING IN PENNSYLVANIA AT AGE 22.., excerpt:

FAST MARKET, by SECRETARIAT,

bred in Ontario by Kinghaven Farms,

won the Puss N Boots Stakes at Fort Erie during his career.

He raced 121 times!

He is at Bright Futures Farm in Pennsylvania awaiting surgery for a tumor.

This became a major topic of conversation in the Turf Club at Woodbine on Thursday!

Update 4219: A bright crisp and chilly morning this morning at Woodbine. The key though, no wind! Pleasant weather if you are busy, so thankfully I was quite busy! Eight sets for Steve. Five before the break and three after the break. A few of my horses galloped two miles today, and at least one pulled quite hard. So now I am pretty knackered again! I started the day in the sand ring with one of Anita's (Terry Jordan's). It is becoming a pleasant way to start the day. Very peaceful. One of our riders arrived at the barn at 4 am this morning. I think a few others on the backside were also early to work!

Update 4218: This weekend is auction theme! The 2008 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky selected fall mixed sale begins today at 3 pm and includes the dam of Rags to Riches, Jazil and Casino Drive as well as Stardom Bound who will win the Eclipse award for 2yo fillies: Fireworks expected at Fasig-Tipton fall mixed sale.

Clocks changed this morning, an extra hour before work begins!

Update 4217: Phew, a long day. This time spent at Carson's Auction. It was a mixed sale (not to be confused with a thoroughbred mixed sale) and there were a few thoroughbreds. No kill buyers were present as far as I could tell, but a few of the horses went cheap enough they may end up at OLEX on Tuesday. There were a few decent riding horses and a few of them went for some pretty decent money. There was a catalogue for the sale, but the odd thing was there were four thoroughbred mares to be sold close to the end that had no information in the catalogue. Not even consigner information. The first two no-saled (reserve $1,000), the third sold for $200 and the fourth no saled with a $500 reserve. Just seemed very odd.

Update 4216: A pretty straightforward morning this morning at Steve's. I had seven sets, none of which went to the gate. Five before the break and two after the break. All galloped nicely. I started the day taking one to the sand ring for Anita (Terry Jordan). He also relaxed nicely as he jogged six turns (it is about a quarter of a mile round I think). I am now off to another horse auction!

Update 4215: Big Brown's stud fee has been set for 2009: Big Brown to stand for $65,000 at Three Chimneys.

A cool short video of Alysheba arriving at the Kentucky Horse Park: youtube video Alysheba's arrival at KHP.

Posted by Alex at 9:42 AM | Comments (48)