"You're Good To Go"

This was the response from the Woodlands racing office this morning to my telephone request for permission to ship in. Presumably we'll be there in the morning, though weather may be problematical.

Groovin' Wind looks light but muscular. However, he's eating, which is big. Wind had a tough breeze Friday, rested yesterday. This morning the horse seemed a bit tired and frazzled, but I'd prefer them tired and strong than fresh and weak. Typical athlete stuff. Workouts cause fatigue but then recovery and nutritional reloading for the next one. Like human athletes they love their sport, and when they hit the track they're ready.

Actually, Wind was bouncing around Saturday after the breeze, and today's sedate attitude may be nothing more than too little sleep, a little recognized thing with horses. Too busy grazing and whoops, there goes the 4 a.m. siesta.

Some miscellaneous thoughts going on the meet:
1. Burch training, how's it going? I'd say pretty well, but will be able to judge it better when I see what I've got on the race track. Our Burch guinea pigs have breezed every 3 to 4 days since June with the big workouts starting about 45 days ago.

Is breezing every 3 days the way to go? We're still evaluating. Maybe it's over training at times. Ivers said breezing every 4 days is the ideal, but, that has problems too including what to do on the off days. I've been mulling that maybe every 5 days might be ideal with a strong 2 minute lick between the breezes and max speed work or race on the 5th day. We'll see how this develops.

2. The horses: Here is Wind's projected schedule and I'll look back later to evaluate:
9/14 3x2.5f 12.8s.
9/15 rest
9/16 rest (we're transitioning to mornings here. extra 12 hrs. rest ok here.
9/17 1.5 miles :17s.
9/18 4f breeze with strong gallop out under Nob.
9/19 rest
9/20 1.5 miles at farm on dark day.
9/21 (Friday) 6f breeze hopefully out of gate with jock.
at this point we'll check condition of cannons, fetlock and shins to determine whether to enter. Plan would be to start with 6f race. Will cannons be ready for harder surface is our weakness at this point--that, and speed.

Aylward: Just as I was thinking his mouth problem and resulting behavior was under control, then last night, would you know, 2 days pre-Woodlands we had a session. Al's misbehavior, and it's mouth related, is backing up instead of buck or rear. When you use the stick he just backs up faster. It's a precarious problem at the track. Blinkers coming. Might be closer to retirement.

Acesmash: Aces galloping has been a little short of consistent as we've thrown in riderless speed work. Real race training is just beginning and he's still way overweight.

Art: Some horses have continual problems. Art was limping and last night when I tried to trot him to see where and what, he'd taken all of four steps when he was severely kicked in the chest by the horse in front of him. At least three days off. Funny scene this morning though as the gigantic gelding Ace and the little colt joust over the feed bucket. The youngster won. Stay tuned though who comes on top. Gotta bet on the big fellow though nice to see the feistiness of the young two year old.

3. A nobbier Nob. The cabbage and water diet clicks in. Weighing in at 154 lbs. Need to get to 150. The last 4 lbs. is the toughest.