More Stable History...

36 straight days below 25 degrees here in KC. Brutal i'm supposing in Des Moines, and forget about it in Grand Island. Guess they're training at Fonner Park.? 10 degrees at 4 pm as I write. And, damn. It was 20 degrees this morning and should have run them. But, decided a full three day break. Why? According to Accuweather the cold snap is "outta here" starting Friday and we enter a sustained period of "warmth". We'll be negotiating mud soon. Oh well.

Above pictured, Feliciano's girlfriend and Windy Lea at the outset of her four year old campaign in 1992 at the Cuba, Mo. woodchip track, and, the three fillies purchased at Fasig Tipton in '93 that never raced--the chestnut formerly owned by Alan Paulson had a severe breathing problem (and, yes, they knew when they put her in the sale, and, yes she had scoped clean for me before I bid.), the fat one by Gold Stage (Mr. Prospector), a talent that fell over and fractured her skull first day at Woodlands, and the spitfire Double Maggs (at left) out of a full brother to Bold Forbes named Brookover (then $1000 fee in Texas) who insisted on rearing and doing 360s at the slightest provocation. Maggs later foaled Big Time Bones to Pancho Villa, a Bold Ruler over Bold Ruler cross to which I am enamored. Bones had the exact markings and appearance as Bold Ruler. Unable to tell them apart except one was 16'1" and the other 15'1". Really big heart though in Bones, and he could run. Many Bones stories, but, that was the one I take direct responsibility for ruining.

What did I learn pertaining to racing injuries from my first group of horses '87-'94? Somewhat inconclusive, I would say, for the following reasons.
1. Much of the training was done on forgiving surfaces--a manure track, a woodchip track. (the manure track was as nice a surface outside the race track as I've used.)
2. Though the Ivers three times a day breezes were done at Prairie Meadows in 1989 and at Woodlands in '91, for those familiar, recall that strenuous training under Ivers only lasts a couple of two-three weeks. That's the problem that I had with Ivers--see my Ivers posts--that you take forever to get to a short period of serious work before you move on to the next stage.
3. Too few races and too inconsistently spaced to make solid conclusions. There were probably 20 total.
4. Only one "rat". Jeckimba Bay was the experimental rat. Windy Lea also went through Ivers, sort of. Under Feliciano she became a refuser, which in her case was to avoid overexertion except in the last 2f of a race. I'll remember her first scheduled "breeze". Think it went in 16s.

So, could you conclude anything from this period? I believe so, and will comment next post.

Training: last three days have been rests due to frigid weather.