Sacrifice Bunt

Baseball anyone? You'd have to be fairly "with it" to be aware that Sacrifice Bunt, a full uncle to our own little Amart, will go to post in the Lexington at Keeneland tomorrow. Expect a big race from SB. You heard it here first. SB's claim to fame is that he finished fourth in the 2007 Illinois Derby, and that he's a Bill Mott trainee as was his brother Vision and Verse (sire of Amart), winner of the 1999 Illinois Derby. Too bad of SB's 2004 birth date. Had he been a 2005 foal, Uncle and Nephew might have faced each other in the 2008 Derby.

In the "horses are trouble" department I've been encouraged at the drying out of Art's hoof as a patch can only be applied to a dried hoof. There was certain rain in the forcast last night, and so in the dark Nob applied a special boot and bandage to keep the mud out, a 30 min effort. Of course, it never rained. Additionally, it appears that Breeder's Supply has sent me the wrong type of Equilox.

The larger hurdle to the hoof repair, as I continue to study--this is a real engineering problem--will be getting whatever patch is applied to hold. The injured area at the heel of the rear hoof consists of a horizontal crack about 1.5 inches length that is "movable" due to it's location. The crack expands and contracts as the horse walks. I could visualize an Equilox patch on top and that the separation might "slide" under the Equilox and quickly break the Equilox bond. How to prevent such underneath sliding is the question of the moment. The camera is back in operation, and we should have some interesting shots soon!