Training and Plans

For grins I just looked back a year ago on 11/26. Art had just grown into his size. Rod was the new yearling. We'd finished a nice November and I was hopeful, according to my posts. Little did I know. Thereafter through December my posts show graduated disillusionment through terrible December weather that never let up from the day after Thanksgiving onward. It got even worse in the succeeding months. At one point I believe we had about 120 straight days of deep mud in the paddock, and this was followed by all time rainfall records for 2008 for the KCMO area.

Going into Thanksgiving this year, my mental state is as a year ago. I'm hopeful. We have definite plans. Despite 6 of the last 12 weeks being under water, if I ever get my camera back you should see quite a difference in the horses from a year ago. They're athletes now, tough, and we've done as much as we can through all the water. Art could be raced within 45 days with Rod following shortly.

What we've planned, knocking on wood on this, is to be at Eureka Downs by 12/16, and racing 4f at Will Rogers Downs in Tulsa on 2/10/09. Lot's will go into that. I'll be posting. And it's all weather dependent. We can train through a little bad, but, to get to the track we have to be able to gallop. I'm hoping for us that December 07 will fail to repeat. Bring on the cold, but keep it dry!

Training: Glad we took the day off yesterday. Results in a monster (in view of were we are) workout for today, meaning we got a whole lot done:
Tues: 11/25: Off
Wed. 11/26: Art: gallops most of 1 1/4 mile including almost dumping Nob when about 7 deer suddenly appeared right by the track and took off parallel to the horse. First speed work under tack for Art, lol. Rod's tack work has regressed. Relearning. Unlike the other day instead of being all over the place he was pretty steady, but, according to Nob a little short of being trustworthy. This horse is difficult under tack because he's a sky watcher. Rod trot-galloped 1 1/4 miles. Both horses after a warm up then did a riderless mile at about 90% speed, probably :13.5s to :14s. Nice hard work after Monday's short speed work.