weekend visitors

Mass Romantic and Veiled Reference had some visitors over the weekend. Pictures have kindly been posted here. Both fillies seem to be enjoying the cooler weather.

I spotted that Hard Spun will stand for $50,000 at Darley next year, which sure beats the $75,000 for Street Sense. Maybe with a little bit of back and forth I'd be able to get that figure closer to $35,000, which would be a nice number for such a fine stallion prospect. It also beats the $5000 for Mr. Sekiguchi, an $8m yearling who proved an absolute turkey on the track. He was a dumpy kind of horse, really, so I think it's pretty funny that they'll talk him up as a stud now.

Nautical Agent ships out of upstate New York this weekend down to Overbrook Farm in Colts Neck, NJ. Not sure just yet where we'll go next, but she's in good shape and should be ready to rock and roll within the next week or so. I'll try to shoot down and visit; haven't seen her since Fair Hill earlier in the summer.

patience, grasshopper

I was on the phone to my dad this morning, just checking in, when we got to talking about the Breeders’ Cup Classic and how his mom, Bridie, who recently passed away (after a good, good run, I’d add), had always been a fan of Hard Spun, tabbing him in the Derby and following him throughout the year. She might have missed out on a score keying him with Curlin this past weekend, but my suspicion is that we’ll have Hard Spun, and Nan’s high regard for him, to thank for our fair share of winning tickets once his offspring make it to the track. While Street Sense, Curlin and Any Given Saturday (to a lesser degree) will be the hot sires off to the breeding shed in 2008, my bet is that Hard Spun will prove the top of the lot, as well as one of the better sires, period, at stud next year. He could win at any distance, short or long, had tremendous speed and just blossomed physically over the course of the year despite a heavy workload (unlike Street Sense, who never really matured from his 2yo season, believe it or not). Oddly enough, we’ll likely never get to see him on turf, which probably would have been his best surface given his action and turf-bent pedigree. It will be a few years yet before we have a look at his offspring, but it’s something to file away. Nan was always keen for a bet, so with any luck we’ll have an opportunity to fire away at the windows when the proper opportunity arises. If we hit it big (okay, really, really big) at the races, maybe we’ll even send a mare to him, as well. Admiration from afar will have to do for now, though.

typical MP afternoon

Saturday's Breeders' Cup was more on the lame side than anything else. The weather and racing were both lousy. Let's recap:

Juvenille Fillies: Indian Blessing goes wire to wire at 8/5. No action for me, but a gentle reminder that this is Monmouth, after all, and I should expect a fair amount of chalk.

Juvenille Colts: War Pass at 2-1 goes wire to wire. Nobody really runs much behind him in a rather uninspiring affair. Colt will not wear roses next spring; Derby winner likely still in the allowance or maiden ranks as of this weekend. No action for me.

F/M Turf: Lahudood!!! My girl scores at 11-1, handling the soft going without much trouble. I have her strongly in pick 3s, but goofed by not playing her to win at that price. Not a major slip given her form over the going in the past, but a boo boo. Race pretty much holds to form, but the winner and second place finisher, Honey Ryder, are the only two to bring it on the big day.

Sprint: Midnite Lute (5-2) kills my pick 3s by rallying from dead last to blow by Idiot Proof (one my guys) in the last eighth. Benny the Bull, another key for me in the race, doesn't handle the ground all too well, finishing fourth. Winner is actually helped by a slow start that forces him to settle way back off of a hot pace before making his run. Really nice horse, but hard to love at short price. Welcome to Monmouth Park. That's 3-3 favs on the main.

Mile: Kip Deville (8-1) sits a perfect inside trip and holds off the favorite, Excellent Art, at the wire. I'd never have the winner, as it was just this week that his final breeze was delayed due to a filling in his leg. My boy, Host, rallies from way back to finish 5th at 15-1. Pace was too slow and he was too far back early, but the old man really fired over the soggy going. My day is over.

Distaff: Ginger Punch (9/2) wins an awful race, sitting a perfect trip and battling with tough-luck second place finisher, Hystericallady (wide all the way), through the lane. Race is slow, balance of field doesn't do much. A good spot to have taken a break to wash your hair or something.

Turf: English Channel (3-1) sits a good inside trip, doesn't get too rank and draws off on the field in the lane. Dylan Thomas is nowhere over the soft going, but it was likely the nine starts this year that finally caught up to him. Winner gets credit for sitting the trip, but let's not forget that this was a Grade 3 rendition of the turf. I mean, he was stalking Fri Guy out there. My ten bucks on Shamdinan at 25-1 is a good bet (first of the day); he finishes second and I never would have covered with the winner for the $152 exacta (which seems a bit light). Race is just proof of the general direction of the breed.

Classic: Curlin (4-1) is a man among boys and puts on the most impressive show of the day. In retrospect, I should have had the exacta with Hard Spun (paid $70). I didn't like the older horses (Lawyer Ron was dead on the board for some reason) and thought the 3yos were just better. I didn't like Street Sense, either, so would have had to play Curlin, Tiago and Hard Spun in some combination. Maybe the trifecta was a miss, too, ($645) but that would have required a stand somewhere, and I didn't like Curlin enough over the track, nor Hard Spun at the distance. No harm done, anyway.

Driving home, I realized that it was only appropriate that a MP Breeders' Cup leave such an empty feeling come the end of the card. Could have made thousands if I had handicapped with that notion in mind going in. Indian Blessing, War Pass, Midnite Lute, Kip Deville (Dutrow at MP!) and English Channel would have all been locks. Thankfully, it's over and we can focus on Wed. at the Meadowlands now. I understand NJ officials are already talking up BC 2014. Nothing like locking up the seven-year job security, I guess.

so cold

The Breeders' Cup kicks off today at Monmouth Park (4pm ESPN2 for those that can get to a TV). The weather has been fairly miserable in the days leading up to the event, but the turf course at Monmouth drains well enough, so I don't think it will play like a bog in the day's big race on grass. I'm not crazy about the card, really, but I'll head down to check out the scene. Brad Thomas has his picks up at thebigm.com (link here). Maryfield in the sprint is live; I'd mess around with her at a big price.

As for our little slice of the racing world, T Street, the beat goes on. Veiled Reference is back on the track galloping after her debut last week. We're targeting a spot mid-month for her, again at the one-turn mile, which would set her up well to go two turns in a stakes race we're hopeful to run in down in WVA later in the year. The mile might be too short (she wants to go loooong), but she can still do fine if she catches the right kind of field. Woolley has her out in the round pen for a few hours each day to chill out, so it seems that she's falling into a routine that works for her (and her demons). He's happy with how she's bounced back from the first one.

Mass Romantic is soldiering along, as well. I have to get back down to see her train in the next week or so, just to observe her travel and firm up a plan. We'll see how she's getting on and pick out a spot early in November. Her buddy from back in the day, Nautical Agent, is to the good. She ran a non-threatening fifth in that race last week, but has come out of it okay. She was just beaten for third money and, in fact, watching it on the computer, at the head of the lane I thought for sure that she'd get up. Apparently, just as she was set to dive between the two fillies in front of her in the stretch, she was hit by a gust of wind that must have knocked her two feet sideways. The jock just held on and she was probably left wondering who had just sucker-punched her. Mildly annoying to miss the money, but she wasn't bothered and we should be good to fire again with her soon. I do think that we'll get her on the road; we've had a great run at Finger Lakes, but it strikes me as the time to move on.

Breeders' Cup Musings

Following is Op-Ed piece I wrote in light of this week's Breeders' Cup. It's been picked up by all of the major outlets. (Actually, you might have to track down my high school newspaper to see it in print....)

This week’s Breeders’ Cup World Championship events at Monmouth Park offer a welcome opportunity to celebrate New Jersey’s horse racing industry and, more importantly, seriously contemplate and deliberate on its future. As is widely recognized, a multitude of factors have contributed to the racing industry’s decline over the past fifteen years or so, most notably the impact of new wagering choices in the marketplace, such as casino gaming, lotteries, sports and on-line or off-shore wagering. While racing’s sluggish adaptation to a new business environment has exacerbated its troubles, other factors, too, ranging from societal land-use choices to political maneuverings in the state have helped accelerate the downward trend and draw its future into question.

Fortunately, though, there is hope. The state’s collective love for open spaces and its favorite animal continues unabated and New Jersey remains home to some of the nation’s premier racing facilities: Monmouth Park, Freehold Raceway and the Meadowlands Racetrack, which sits amidst a sports complex undergoing a renaissance of its own. Equally important, Americans’ appetite for gambling remains as strong as ever and the racing industry is uniquely positioned to offer speculators a superior, fairly priced, betting product that presents meaningful opportunities for returns at all levels of wagering. Seizing the opportunity to strengthen said product within the framework of the state’s overall economic development plan, as well as provide continued and improved protection of our environmental interests, will require collaborative long term planning, creativity and resolve.

In the short term, policy-makers should focus on two central objectives: 1) promote the breeding of more racehorses in the state; and 2) offer additional racing dates for horsemen to enter and race their stock. As states such as New York and Pennsylvania continue to ramp up their slots-enhanced purse structures to levels which New Jersey tracks will be incapable of matching, restricted state-bred races will prove the backbone of the industry. A steadily increasing horse population, generated through purse incentives, inventive breeding and racing programs, and even tax incentives at the state level, will provide New Jersey tracks with growing numbers of horses with which to fill race cards and, in turn, foster more compelling wagering affairs for the betting public. Horsemen will be motivated to race their New Jersey-bred horses based in-state and against restricted competition for dedicated purse incentives, as opposed to racing in neighboring states against stronger competition.

Similarly, additional racing dates, even at the expense of current purse levels, are warranted so as to afford New Jersey breeders sufficient opportunity to earn out with their stock. Given the uncertain nature of the breeding business in the first place, breeders, particularly smaller operations, require a longer racing season in which to compete their horses and earn purse monies. Under today’s typical racing calendar of 120 days, when a horse misses training time and racing starts due to a physical ailment or any one of a host of reasons, a horseman projects to lose a significant window of his earning opportunity for the year. In contrast to New Jersey’s abbreviated thoroughbred racing calendar, New York and Pennsylvania both offer year-round racing opportunities. New Jersey should move toward a comparable calendar, even if it results in a reduction of average daily purses in the short term. A goal of 150 days of racing for thoroughbreds would be a good start and likely help spur larger foal crops straight away.

Finally, growing the New Jersey racing industry requires thoughtful long term planning geared toward slow and steady growth, not well-meaning short term measures aimed at placating the particular and often fleeting interests of horsemen or Atlantic City casino operators. Strategic planning should recognize that the relationship between horsemen and casino operators need not be a zero-sum affair, as it is currently perceived, but rather, offers wonderful opportunities for partnership and shared growth in the marketplace. The dizzying development underway in Atlantic City and the Meadowlands hints at the common interests at hand and suggests that collaboration, not confrontation, would best serve the state’s general well-being.

New Jersey officials are absolutely right to often frame the issues facing our state in terms of sustainability and the racing industry requires no less. Preserving its future necessitates long term planning that contemplates ten and twenty year blocks of time, as opposed to three and four, as well as thoughtful consideration of the industry’s role as a natural partner to other economic engines in the state and continued steward of our environment. While we should undoubtedly enjoy the Breeders’ Cup in our backyard this year, let us also be reminded of the important work that lies ahead.

Laurel Park, 10/17/07

looking for scraps

Nautical Agent is in up at Finger Lakes today in the eighth. Tough, tough spot. We'd be lucky to grab third. Nice job by stable management...Link to watch on espn here. Race goes off at around 4:15pm.

little something

Here's a link to some pictures from our trip to Maryland. No award-winners in the bunch, but they're worth a quick scan for a laugh. Click on Veiled Reference Debut Trip and then the slideshow link. Next time I'll try to do a better job of juggling between the camera and my binoculars. With those two plus my bookbag (for my Harry Potter books), I'm surprised I didn't manage to strangle myself with all the straps going on. A very cool look for me.

like this?

Well, whatever she has going on upstairs in her pretty head, Veiled Reference is still wired to run. She had a fantastic debut on Wednesday at Laurel Park, finishing second after all sorts of excitement and trouble thrown at her straight out of the gate (chart here). It wasn't too surprising to see her break a touch slow and to the inside (these morning sessions do matter), but her break wasn't a total disaster and she gathered herself up quickly after the start. She was fairly keen to go on and pulled her jock up on the inside in and behind other fillies all the way down the backside. It was nice to see the speed from her, but she pretty much zipped into a dicey tactical position in the field, trapped behind the speed and boxed in by the outside stalkers. Typically, horses absolutely hate that kind of trip, as they get covered in the dirt kicked back by the other runners. To her credit, though, she took the dirt like a real trooper and held her position without protest, which is rare for any horse, let alone a first time starter who might or might not talk to dead people in her stall. At the top of the lane she was still boxed in behind other fillies and I was fully prepared for her to call it a day after all the dirt she had eaten through 3/4ths of a mile. So, for her to angle out, chase after the winner and spit out two other fillies that had every right to pass her was sweet, to say the least. She galloped out strongly, pulling up past the winner and gave every indication that the more ground to cover, the merrier.

I didn't get any brilliant pictures, but I'll post what I have from Wednesday just to showcase how well she's developed over the past year. She's a really nice looking filly with perfect balance and proportion, muscle and athleticism. You can see it to look at her straight on, and you can sure as heck see it when she's in motion. I'll try to get some video up, too, to show what I mean. Have to get on to my IT department.

"does this make my ears look big?"

Veiled Reference is set to make her debut tomorrow afternoon at Laurel Park. She had a final work over the weekend, breezing 3/8ths from the gate in 38 seconds. Woolley said that she was better out of the gate than her last effort, so at least she's trending the right way in that department. I don't envision her blazing out of the gate tomorrow, but if she can at least stay in the mix in that first eighth of a mile it will help the cause.

I was chatting with Bo Yates today and mentioned Veiled Reference's OCD, which was news to him. He never spotted it down in Florida, but fillies can be funny with new environments and routines, so it's possible that it came on with the move north. Anyway, he passed along that he had some success using a fly mask on a nervous filly that he once had in the barn. Apparently, she felt like she was hiding from the world with it on and totally chilled out in her stall. ("You can't see me, but I can see you. I'm hiding behind my forcefield!!") I mentioned it to Woolley and we might mess around with it just to give it a shot. It looks like the goat is no longer an option, as word is that the help would serve it up in a stew shortly after its arrival. I should have thought of that...I guess pigs are out, too, then.

Nautical Agent and Mass Romantic are both fine. We might enter Nautical to run at Finger Lakes sometime next week; the spot is a bit tougher, but it beats having to ship her out of town. Mass Romantic has come out of that first start back in good order. We'll shop around for her in a few weeks.

where did i leave my six-shooter?

Two recent articles both worth a read. One, by Andy Beyer, in the Washington Post, touches on the decline of the Maryland breeding industry (click here or here). The other, posted at Bloodhorse.com, (link here) reports that additional purse subsidies in NJ are on the way. Please hold on while I put on my party hat.

Beyer hits the nail on the head when he highlights the difference between breeder award programs in states like NJ, which do little more than perpetuate mediocrity in the breed, versus the Maryland program, which rewards breeders for breeding good horses by putting the bulk of its reward money in the stakes program. So, in NJ, crummy horses run for $50,000 purses day in and day out, but in Maryland, the crummy horses run for considerably less (as is appropriate) and the good ones vie for juicy stakes pots of $100,000 and up. The set-up requires the breeder to breed better horses, which is not only in the overall best interest of the breed, but also serves the longterm interests of the industry by rewarding those that breed talented, more durable horses through successive generations, as opposed to lesser stock which only further weakens the breed over time.

Don't try to make sense of the news coming out of NJ. I just find it ironic that an administration that prides itself on fostering sustainability would advocate a purse subsidy termed at three years. Say, for example, that you did throw a party at news of this latest development and made the decision that next year you were going to breed in NJ. This is how it would play out:

2008 (You): Buy mare. Send her to stallion (they make glorious love)
2008 (State): Year 1 of purse subsidy of trillions and trillions of dollars (you get nothing)

2009 (You): Mare has baby (hope for healthy foal and great baby gifts)
2009 (State): Year 2 of purse subsidy of trillions and trillions (still nothing for you)

2010 (You): Yearling learns to be a racehorse (many bills to be paid)
2010 (State): Year 3 of purse subsidy of trillions and trillions (you are waking up to the math now; it makes you cry)

2011 (You): Congratulations, your 2yo baby makes it to the races (pray for speed, soundness and normal disposition).
2011 (State): "Yes, can I help you?" Three-year purse subsidy is now long over. "What the f- are you looking at?" Run your horse for peanuts....

Some in Trenton view the situation as a zero sum game between racing interests and casino interests in Atlantic City, which I find absurd, particularly given the entertainment component developers are now fostering in AC, as well as the more telling fact that the same casino interests balking at slots in NJ are developing casino properties just next door in PA and NY. This piece in the Bergen Record kind of sheds some light on the prevailing thinking out of Trenton on a host of economic issues. I understand that statehouse staffers now dress like the blackjack dealers at the Borgata, which is probably not a good sign for racing...

If that last piece has you stressed, just re-read the Bloodhorse article, constantly remind yourself that help is on the way and know that the Breeders' Cup in NJ will make everything alright in your world, whether it's a bad back, troubles with your golf game or a boss that doesn't respect you. You'll sleep like a baby tonight, I swear.

cue Monk

Veiled Reference is in on Wednesday of next week down at Laurel Park in Maryland. Entries are here. She drew the rail, which is a bummer, but at least it's a small field of six that will run. The rail is tough because it typically means a bunch of dirt getting kicked back on the inside horses, as the field breaks from the gate and moves over toward the fence. Veiled Reference isn't very quick out of the gate (as we know from her few experiences out of there during training), so the likelihood is that she'll break toward the back of the pack and take things from there. I just hope that the jock is smart enough to get her into the race, as opposed to sitting back and trying to make one run. She seems to be a type with a long, sustained move, versus a big burst, so it wouldn't be a good idea to leave her too much ground to cover later in the race. One way or the other, we'll see what's cooking with her (other than the demons, of course) and get her career started.

Nautical Agent's race up at Finger Lakes has not been carded over these past few days, so we'll have to get a little creative as far as her next spot. The allowance race that fits her at Finger Lakes would be very tough, but it looks like one of our few options up there. They don't seem to card the conditional claimers that would better suit her with much regularity. Might be time to explore options at other tracks and put the show on the road.

Love For Not, that NJ-bred filly I was crying about a month or so ago is in on Saturday in the Maryland Millions 2yo filly race. I'm looking into a deal to potentially acquire her younger sister, so it would really help if she were to allow one of the other fillies in there to take the cake. Obviously, the price would go up on the sister should she win the stakes race. There are three or four others in there that fit, but Love For Not has a real chance.

order me up a goat

Try not to laugh, but it looks like Veiled Reference has a case of OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. That's what they'd call it in humans, anyway, but her habit of pacing the stall when she's bored/frustrated/nervous is pretty much straight out of a Psych 101 text book. (At least that's what I'd imagine it would read were I to open one.) She's got some things on her mind it seems. In the scheme of things, it's not the end of the world, but it's mildly annoying. There are plenty of really nice horses out there that stall-walk, but the pacing burns off energy and necessitates a bit of extra care from staff to see to it that she doesn't walk herself silly. Tim runs a small operation, so that helps, but I feel bad that he has to keep an odd eye on the goofy filly in the back stall busy doing her best Monk impersonation. Maybe it's something that she'll out-grow, maybe not. I've done a little bit of research and I'll have to get on to Tim and see if we should stick a goat in the barn with her. My in-laws have a goat up in Maine to keep their horse company in the stall, so I'll set something up to kidnap him next time I visit. He can be a mean SOB, so the car ride down to Maryland might get a little bumpy. Maybe I'll stick him in the orange wheel-barrow and tie it to the back of the Sentra.

Her OCD aside, Veiled Reference is doing well. She's training like a filly with some ability, so I'll take her neurosis if it comes with a side of speed. We're trying to get her into a race next week down at Laurel, so with some luck, she'll have a chance to mix it up on the track rather than with the voices in her head. If she needs to exit and enter the starting gate seven times and only run over untrodden dirt during the contest, we're toast.

Treat yourself with some old school Xanga postings from one of the originals: click here for musings on the office. Archives hold some classics...Check it out quick before the author goes and makes the site private. People can be so sensitive.

we want the funk

Mass Romantic ran a solid race first off the bench, chasing the early pace before finishing up an even fifth. It was a pretty tough bunch of fillies and the distance probably not her best (she wants longer), so no disgrace in the effort. It seems that her knee took the event without issue, which is great. We'll monitor it in the coming days to make sure that it's to the good, but the jock said that she switched leads fine and traveled smoothly throughout. A bit more distance and slightly softer competition next out and I expect her to be in the hunt.

Veiled Reference worked 5/8ths of a mile over the weekend with Tim up. He reported that she did it well and came out of the work in good shape. We're looking to enter her later this week in a spot down at Laurel. The initial plan had been a six furlong sprint, but now we're targeting a one-mile spot first out. Given her form in the mornings she looks to be one that will do her best at longer distances, so even though she might not be totally fit for the mile, it's better to start her out there rather than chase after fillies that are probably too quick at the shorter distance. We'll know more on a potential start date toward the end of the week.

Have you caught this Mastercard commercial? It's one of those "Priceless" numbers and I crack up every time it comes on. You know how it is when they strike so close to home.

Monday, Monday

Mass Romantic will make her return to the races on Monday at Delaware Park. Entries are here. The race came up salty enough, but we're just looking to see enough out of her to signal that all is well with her knee and that she's set for a campaign through the winter. The race can be viewed at espn.com (link here), post time is approximately 2:30 EST. Tim reports that she's coming into the race in good order. She's not super-cranked, but fit enough to put in a run. With any kind of luck, it should set her up for something slightly softer next out down at Laurel.

I'll get on to Woolley at some point over the weekend. I know Veiled Reference is due to work over these next few days, so I'll find out how she's doing. We might have a road trip coming up in the next week or so to check out her younger brother down on a farm in Virginia. He's a weanling colt by Lion Hearted and looks like a nice, correct, solid-boned (like his sister) prospect. We like her, obviously, so it makes sense to check him out. If the owner reads the blog, well, I've tipped my hand, but somehow, I think our secret is safe.

goodbye, timonium

No dice at the yearling sale. I went down on Sunday to look at the yearlings on our list and by late afternoon we were through. Thanks for coming. The mildly frustrating part is that we didn't spot anything that even bordered on making the cut. Sure, we went back and looked at a few twice, but I've always favored prospects that really announce themselves that first time out. Maybe it means that I'll miss a few good ones here and there, but I'll likely save more than my fair share from the ones that I manage to dodge. No harm in going down, though. It was good to catch up with Tim and have a look at what some of the young sires are getting (some quite nice, some not too pretty).

Mass Romantic and Veiled Reference are both in good order. Depending on how she works this week, we might enter Mass Romantic to race early next week down at Delaware Park. She's plenty fit and her knee is still solid, knock on wood. Tim doesn't have her cranked, I'd say, but it's time to start her back and just see where we are, both in terms of the knee and whatever kind of ability she might have. After the few starts, we'll know more one way or the other.

Veiled Reference did much better out of the gate in her most recent work from the gate. She broke with the other filly she breezed with, as opposed to her bunny hop out of there the last time, and worked nicely in company with her workmate. We'd always suspected it, but Tim reported afterwards that she's most definitely a two-turn type filly. She seems to have a nice, high cruising speed that she's able to sustain, so we'll make plans to get her going long after a debut sprinting. Tim will work her from the gate once or twice more and we'll look at something perhaps toward the middle of the month at Laurel.

Doug reports that Nautical Agent came out of her race in fine fashion. I have to take a look at the condition book to see what might make sense for her in a few weeks. Based on what we saw at the sale, I'm more and more inclined to maybe breed her next year. The knock on her is that she's small, but I'm not entirely certain that her size is a deal-breaker. It's countered in a big way by her pedigree (very deep), heart (very large), soundness (knock on wood a second time) and conformation. Now that we've seen her handle the main track up at Finger Lakes, dirt is very much in play for her offspring. If we can add a bit of size and brilliance to the mix through a stud (the brilliance would hopefully bring out the speed throughout her pedigree), we might get ourselves something nice. That said, breeding racehorses makes racing them look like sticking your money in t-bills. Can't take it with you, though, right?