Stormello

That was quite a race for early three year olds in Saturday's Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream. Based on my "Derby Predictions" post below I'll gladly eat a little crow on Bill Currin and Stormello (pictured).

Actually, I'd figured out the error in my post shortly after it went up when I saw Stormello's works before the race--one in :59 and then a mile in 1:39. Currin is only trainer of the "prospects" to use both fast works and distance works. After I saw that, only remaining question was whether Currin would be one of those idiots that wraps up a horse after the last work before the race and keeps it in its stall. That was unknown, but, has been answered. This horse was superbly conditioned, and Currin seems to have done a super job. Ditto Pletcher, much as it pains me to write that. No Biz looks as it he was indeed unable to overcome B.Tagg training, but, I'll wait another race before a final pronouncement. It may simply be that Tagg is looking at the long haul and going lighter presently. We'll see. Barclay has to prove it to me, from what I read in the Funnycide book.

Training:

More "Abscess" report: This section will be of interest only to me and to anyone that wants to read about what a struggle abscesses can be--a time wasting, energy sapping process to care for them. By Monday the horse had abscesses on both fronts probably resulting in mudballs stuck in the hoofs ( during Friday fast work) causing bruising under the sole. By yesterday, I thought we had both abscesses under control.

Today, the horse is limping again. I have a shoe on the right, and "had" a rubber boot on the left. The buckle on the boot broke two days ago, and by this morning he'd lost the boot completely. But, I quickly realized the problem today was the leg was on the shod hoot, the right leg that had the original abscess. So, shoeing wasted, shoe comes off. We have no other small boots, so i put on a too big ruber boot and put in epsom salt (i lost my jar of epsom paste two days ago), and leave the horse in small paddock to soak while another horse is shod. Older horse jumps fence into this paddock. Art goes craze and immediately loses the too big rubber boot. Oh well. Best laid plans. No soaking while we're shoeing other horse.

When i get to Art I realize the abscess on the right has reformed and is a doozer. It appears to cover on the right side of the hoof from the toe end of the bars near the frog all the way through the quarters and to the heel area. Wide area. Luckily there is an open fissure right near the frog. So, if I had a small boot and paste, could probably get rid of it in two days. I'm without either paste or small boot. Decision made to use cotton and vet wrap. I was out of duct tape also. Need to buy Duct tape, small boot, epsom salt paste. All this is so ridiculous. On top of this we're in deep mud and water all over the place. We are without stalls. Spent two hours on this today. Between the weather, ground conditions, and the abscesses, yes, I've been happier.