Fri. Misc.

Maybe we avoid giving up on Papa Clem just yet as he ships to Oaklawn, and Gary Stute persists with his horse! Unfathomably, they steered Papa C inside in the mud with Friesan Fire getting the dream trip on the best part of the race track. You could interpret that Papa C was pinned in there by FF, but, maybe Stute and the jock would strategize to avoid their horse and his slightly inefficient stride on the heavy inside. Then Papa C in the stretch steers to the outside and holds 2d. Inside horse in the mud never has a chance? Street Sense and Curlin at Monmouth.

And meanwhile down in muddy South Florida, Jerkens with deep sympathies from KC, misses two works with his talented horse due to a mud, and makes observation that paddock schooling is as good as galloping over a muddy track. Now I know what to do if it rains around here.

Out west, by Mary Forney's ever helpful video, I was underwhelmed by The Pamplemoose 3/18 breeze. Naggy, small and possibly irrelevant but the horse in the saddling area seems a little sleepy and nonreactive. You notice the same in his track walk offs that Mary Forney specializes in. The little clip of the actual running shows the weak gallop of a talented horse that sees the track very little. Some T.P. red flags!

And then, The Lane's End:

1. Number of breeze/races for since 12/30/08 ranked first to last followed by number speed furlongs that show:

11 breeze/races-Flying Private 62F
10-Loch Dubh 51
10-Orthodox 45
9-A.P. Cardinal 49
9-Jack Sprat 47
8-Proceed 52
8-Bruce N. Autumn48
8-Parade Clown 45
8-Bittel Road 42
7-Hold Me Back 31
6-West Side Bernie 32
5-Dynamite Bob 44

Most of these did between 42 and 51f speed work since 12/30. Can we regard 9F difference (between 42 and 51f) in almost 3 months as insignificant in view of other factors that may apply, and say that in terms of general fitness for the year these are about the same. Maybe the Lukas horse, Flying Private stands out a bit, and we can eliminate the bottom feeders, West Side Bernie and Hold Me Back, although we should in terms of performance take note of the important periods 45 days, 30 days, and 7 days out. A further look tomorrow.

Training:
Fri. 3/20: With weather blowing in and we'll pay the penalty for last night's improvisation. Should have gone slow as planned so we could breeze tonight, before the rain. Instead, they're off with hopes of getting in the breeze work before the rain tomorrow.