Saturday Woodlands Report

I've got so many things going the next few days it's difficult to find time for the blog. A few things happening:

Fasig-Tipton: just wired them $9,500.00 for possible phone bidding. I might even drive to Lexington. We'll see. I'm less excited about making a purchase this year, unknown exactly why, but, it may have to do with the catalogue and also that I'm ambivalent about using the money for a new truck that would make us mobile. But then, the little birdie: what point in having a truck without a horse?!

Pasterns: as I was scouting for a pony this morning, and Ms. Torbit, I walked by a trainer bathing a horse that has exceptionally long pasterns. The guy, grey sweatshirt, was bent down washing the legs with his back to me: "can I ask you a dumb question? do you have any problems with the long pasterns on that horse in racing him?" Silence. (did he hear me, over the hose?). Then: "ya. you worry about 'em. This is a two year old. I've been going slow with him due to those pasterns." Back to washing. Finallyhe looks up and makes eye contact:
"If you're learnen' something, its other than a dumb question". I was impressed with the fellow's manner.

Ford F250: "will it haul four horses or do you need an F350?", I asked the trainer--still searching a pony and admiring the beautiful new, two toned truck. "Well, when I bought this, the F350 I ordered never came in, and this was all they had." "If you had it to do over?" "F350. Definitely. The F250 will haul 'em but it struggles a little". Interesting!

Wind's Work: Wind breezed 6f out of the gate. You know the horse does well when "they call you" to enter him. This was the exact same work pictured in the last post--I forgot my camera flash card and watch today, though I remembered everything else. We had a very decent, albeit very slow, track. On the way back the pony guy suggested "you really should enter this horse". "Might do it", but on consideration decided to take it slow instead of immediate impulsive decision. At least look at the Equibase time first.

So, I put the horse on the truck and drive back to the farm, and, as I'm driving down the driveway, buzz, buzz goes the cell phone with a different area code than ours showing. Could this be a "collector" :). I answered. "Barbara Noll here. (Renee Torbit's agent). Are you going to enter that horse?" I'm smiling, and tell her that I'm thinking about it, but if so, probably for Wednesday. When they call you, that's a good sign.

Wind's Work: What does 4.5 months of Burch training get you? This morning's work would indicate "racehorse: as Wind put a little coda on the training by a nice 6f performance out of the gate. That Wind's earlier slow times probably were caused by bleeding has been confirmed the past two weeks as we're getting zero post exercise coughing now, and starting to see the horse we saw in August. Horse was quite humorous this morning, all business as he was being unloaded at the track, deliberate instead of bouncy walk, with eyes focused straight ahead, pisses immediately when he hits the stall, and very alert to his surroundings. Wind's put on a bit of weight, and, in addition to my suspicion that it's coming together, the horse also looks that way. Very fit and powerful looking animal developing.

I never saw the gate pop due to the trees in the infield. But, Wind was flying when he came into view at the 4f. Too bad I forgot the watch. The horse buzzed all the way to the quarter pole and basically ran out of gas at that point. There was a 3f worker in front of him that he was unable to catch, though the good news, he never lost any ground either. From the 1/8 pole to the wire I counted 15 seconds. The jock came out of the gate too fast, but, it was a very encouraging work. This morning Wind looked like a race horse, and Ms. Torbit was all smiles.

Wind's Time: 1:18.4 Equibase. BUT. Take away the :15 last F and you average :12.68s for the other 5f or about 1:03. The track was very slow. The Equibase times show 3/4s of the workers did their work in :13s, slower than Wind. Additionally, I'm realizing--you need regular toe grabs on this track. Wind was struggling with footing down the stretch.

Bottom line: If we have the luxury of working another couple of months we'd have a race horse. As it is, we'll see. More day at a time stuff coming.

Schedule: the RR next few days problems: big RR court docket at 9:00 a.m. Monday + Lady from Archie, Missouri wants me to deliver my gelding as her new family pet for a three hour round trip, Fasig Tipton Mon. and Tues, got to draft a complicated document by Wed., + racing. Phew? And, 16 feet that need to be shod after this rain.

Weather: probably will decide things. Four more days of heavy rain coming, but, at least for today, the horse business was a lot of fun!