Could we repeat Jeckimba Bay?

In a word, yes. Pictured is our next injury free and much more successful performer named Aylward galloping under Nob on the farm on a muddy fall day.

But, first, why would we want to repeat the experience with JB who won less than $3000.00 on the race track in 17 races over his 8 years?

My philosophy has been if you can get them to the races and keep them racing they will win. When they race consistently they get tougher and faster. Every trainer knows this.

With JB, as a new owner, I proved to myself over four years of intensive training and racing--'88-'92 that we could get to the races and keep racing without injury. Three horses trained, two raced, three track injuries total all attributable to avoidable error.

The Ivers training prevented injuries as advertised. Was it competitive? I would say it so, but competitive along side some other methods that require less effort, money and time. To see this in JB you have to look closely. Prior to the hip the horse got a check 7 out of 8 races. Off Ivers #1 he quickly broke his maiden. The prior shoulder injury (one of our injuries) was chronic for a few months and there was a period of layoff before Ivers #2.

Off Ivers #2 the horse in three races raced first with the best sprinters in the midwest and in the next two with the best horses on the track. This :12/f horse held his own, and I'm without a doubt but for the fall in the washrack this little fellow would have been, off this training, a hard knocking allowance performer for several years. I am additionally convinced that a more talented horse in the same program might do precisely what Ivers thought, which would be a world record at 1.5 miles. This may be hyperbole, but at the time I really believed JB might get that far.

The above pictured Aylward was a Stone Farm consignment yearling purchased by me at Keefys in 1996 for $13,500.00. He is by Northern Baby out of a Bold Forbes mare that won $120,000 in the late '70s. Most money I've paid for a horse and a new level of genetics for the RR stable. At the same sale I bought Al's partner in crime, a Broadbrush colt for $10,000. Put 'em in the trailer and hauled them back to KC. More on the injury levels in our stable next post.

Training:
2/17/07: 10 min riderless work in the snow. Nice work for first work in about 5 days due to weather.
2/18/07: tough ground conditions. 12 min slow gallop through puddles and bumpy frozen terrain riderless. Walked under tack. Nob replaced a lost shoe.
2/19/07: Six inches of mud, we'll probably rest, but, I have yet to get to the farm.