World Cup Misc. Thoughts

Congrats to Sheik Mohammed putting on this perfect racing spectacle.  Unbelievable race vids.

Personal to the blogger-- UAE Derby: Lines of Battle = Danzig over an Arch Mare.  My retired Rollin Rodney = Danzig over Arch Mare.  Too bad on Rod's weird breathing problem. Looked at  8 yr. old Rod yesterday. Big strong strong legged athlete.

World Cup fun to analyze in terms of training.

Graham Motions informative prerace interview below.

Questionable field?  Only one horse coming in the stretch. Red Cadeux shows perils of laying way back in big fields.  Nice weaving through traffic.

Royal Delta's painful to watch inefficient head bobbing.

Graham Motion re Animal Kingdom:  "I know how good he is..."

AK--uninterrupted training since June 2012.

Trained on Tapeta at Fairhill

AK 3f Breeze on Tues before Sat. Race--perfect Tom Ivers type fast work spacing--.Super compensation--Ivers called it--point where horse gets maximum physiological benefit out of next speed work.

AK to be retired before BC for $$$.  Too bad!

Racing on Tapeta?  Certainly looks a forgiving surface.  Looks as if its difficult to come from behind. Most horses seem to have trouble quickening--although this is info from just glancing instead of analysis.  Times seem slow, yet watching the horses they look to be really moving.  Something different with this surface, possibly.  Would need to look closer to see what it is.

On Florida/Louisiana Derby weekend I thought Florida Derby winner looked weak, though indeed the 4f Bobby Frankel type training worked in that case.  Revolutionary in LA Derby--another great horse bred by Win Star.   Past performance of Plecher--we know that Plecher trains on the edge of breaking bones.  Expect R to get 3 5f breezes before Derby.  Will we see a typical Plecher fade out, or, something new?  Some small indicators Plecher may be changing some things up.

World Cup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM5UQCLa074

Graham Motion pre-race interview:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/videos/12404/dubai-world-cup-graham-motion---animal-kingdom?section=international

Training

3/28 Trot-walk 10 min. Nob pleased.
3/29 Horse suddenly a handful.  Mr. Nob handles misbehavior poorly.  Trot-walk with horse trying to dislodge Nob all the way.
3/30 Nob up.  Horse and rider walk away from mounting stand to trotting area. Nob seen to clobber the horse.  Horse suddenly a gentleman; trots off and on for 10 min.  Nob again pleased.  Nob explained that horse was thumped on slightest premonition of misbehavior instead of waiting till he became dangerous.  Worked.

All three days had progressively faster and longer riderless workouts before the tack work.

Handicapping Florida/Louisiana Derby

We're paying more attention to what goes on in Louisiana since we have two Louisiana bred youngsters.  Louisiana Derby weekend.  An important TC race.  And, the Florida Derby with three nice colts as headliners.

The PPs for these races show that TC training now days basically boils down to once a week breezing.  There are still a few hold outs to this method that show in the PPs--mostly the local training idiots--.  By and large PPs show a variation of 4f, 5f, with an occasional 6f weekly breeze and ItsMyLuckyDay has a (whoops) mile work sprinkled in.  Orb seems to be trained in Bobby Frankel style by Shug McGaughey III in sporting 4f breezes once a week.  Worked for Frankel in the day.

When everyone does substantially the same breeze type work then the off day training becomes critical.  We know that most of these major or super trainers take provide excellent horse husbandry type care.  There are differences however in off day work.  Some gallop off days more than others.  E.g. Is this one the kiss of death for Itsmyluckyday--I recall reading a couple of weeks ago or so from trainer Edward Plesa that "the horse is fit. We're just trying to keep him happy now"--or some such nonsense whatever the exact words?

Breeze day training is substantially similar/off day galloping unknown makes handicapping these races logically nearly impossible.  To make an intelligent bet you'd almost have to be at the tracks watching the gallops.

A few cursory impressions:

Shanghai Bobby--flash from a brief vid showed the horse in fine fettle. I tend to pick up on this sort of thing.

Itsmyluckyday--anyone think "Edward Plesa Jr." can train?  No. Nope.  Will see.

Frac Daddy--eliminate anything trained by Kenneth McPeek.

Orb-4fs in :48s once a week/ Bobby Frankel.  Can 4f works cut it these days?  Doubtful.

Merit Man--getting ink.  Unknown why.

Based on a 10 min handicapping job and a short vid, the RR Florida Derby pick is Shanghai Bobby.

Palice Malice--Plecher's 5f breezes r getting a little faster, suddenly.  Slow learners like Plecher tend to come around eventually.

Revolutionary--by the ill fated War Pass (ill fated because he was trained by Nick Zito instead of that he died)

Sunbean--trained by Albert Stall Jr. Take note the horse has won three straight races, which always
catches the eye.  The breeze work is ridiculous, unfortunately.

Departing--same deal--3 races won, trained by Albert Stall Jr.

Code West--shows the most intelligent breezework and coincidentally trained by Bob Baffert. Nice breeding to boot.

Proud Strike trained by Steve Asmussen.  Last time powder puff last breeze works worked was with Curlin.  Asmussen will figure it eventually.

Titletown Five by D.W. Lukas.  Might be another Lukas training renaissance happening. Happens once a decade in response to competition. Probably insufficient experience for this horse.

My Lute--insufficient breezing.

Ground Transport by BIG BROWN trained by Michael Stidham.  Nice Job.  Threat!

Big Field in LA Derby.

RR pick:  Code West runs down Ground Transport--I tend to go by the good training that shows.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch Mr. Nob is very pleased with our trot-walk 10 min. on #17 last eve.

Thurs MIsc.

Temps. break 40 degrees F in KC yesterday.  Mr. Nob gets back in the saddle for a nice walk with #17 over soaked snow melt.  We're 3 more days in the hay field before we get kicked out.  Such is the saga of the RR racing stable at the moment.  I am tempted just to put 'em in the trailer and head to OK City first time we can get the trailer out of the mud.  Two things hold back:  #1  Price of gas.  Good grief.  700 mile round trip with horses costs $200.00, and that's if we coast with the manual transmission half the way.  #2 is that #148 is still rehabbing from surgery/still stall bound with daily turnout.  The horse is happy as a lark as he's in an out door stall with 9 of his buddies nosing him and playing with him all day long.  Have been surprised at length of time it's taken for the hock to get appreciably better.  Am guessing this was bone chip surgery of the old fashion kind were they need to drill a good size hole into the joint.  Doc said there were three separate layers of joint they had to sow up.  2 months post surgery there's still some swelling.  Two months to go for #148 before training recommences.

Am calculating the finances to travel.  We're on the edge.  Everything costs so much more these days except the stalls at Celestial Acres OK City.  Still $125/stall same as in 1992 when we came through.  How do they make $$$ at those prices?

Mon. Misc.

Final blizzard of 2013 hit KC over the weekend. last post link.  Weather since 2/1 turned race training into a comedy.  #17 last week contributed a sliver of encouragement showing in a couple of riderless runs that he can scoot. His pop in 2003 had won what's now the Spiral Stakes run this weekend at Turfway.  Giving blogger's brain time to thaw a bit before continuing.

Twilight Eclipse Saturday set a controversial world record at Gulf Stream,  $1000.00 Keenland January purchase, lol.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/77039/twilight-eclipse-wins-pan-am-in-world-record

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcBgVeUjsHA

OBS 2013 Two Year Old sale topper.  Looks pretty good. Everything together for this fellow.

So many years ago when I got into racing the Q arose for me what to do with the September yearlings.  What's the "correct" training, since everyone I ran into knew everything there is to know about race horses.

The usual answer around here--KCMO,USA--we take 'em to the farm and break 'em.  Then we turn 'em out till spring and let 'em grow.

This midwest USA training method always drew from me appropriate smirks.  Although, after taking a beating from the weather now basically since the year 2003 all this is starting to make perfect sense.  25 degree F yesterday in KC, 3/21/13.  Was considering who the F wants to go out in this stuff and get on race horses.  7 inches of snow forecast for 3/24/13.  Start again in spring making some sense.

We plan to rent a stall in OK city April 1 though with plans to ship #17 back and forth as money allows while #148 continues to recuperate from his surgery.  Time is getting close while the end of March is still deep winter in KC.

OTB

Pictured an 18 yr. old 16'3" Broad Brush stallion I used to own.  Left click to see the nice set of legs on this horse.  1997-1998 at KY Horse Center in Lexington Gold Brush was one of the better lookers.  More coppery in those days.  Broad Brush--X--Sharpen Up.  Old timers will recognize Sharpen Up.

Vid was sent to me by new owner Ruby from Oregon.  I'd sold GB in 2000 after retirement to a lady Vet in Western Colorado who was going to breed the horse to racers.  Ruby recently rescued GB from this Vet and found him standing in a small pen in his own manure, skin and bones.  So goes OTB.  Ruby then communicated with me and the vid shows she has the horse now in decent condition.  Good for him.  GB was one of the better lookers.  Striking animal as a youngster..

And, he could run.  Derby type prospect.  GB was injured in his first speed work.  Rider ignored the instructions to do 3f in :15s.  The resulting :36 caused a developing stress fracture, and end of Derby road.  Control the riders.  Brush later at Lincoln showed what he could do galloping but then injured his eye and was retired.

Ruby, a QH lady, recently bought 4 mares to breed to GB, several of the with a lot of wins.  Should be interesting and best of luck to her and my old horse.

Training--rain predicted next 5 days.  Yesterday horse was walked under tack and had a nice riderless run. Nob's aging leg tendons being reacquainted to the saddle.

Tues. Mis.

2013 Derby. Nice race in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Saturday.  Though Plecher may occassionally surprise this blog has questioned both his performance and injury prevention methods. And so, barring some unforseen development in Plecher training, we strike the Pletcher horses And, quick survey of 2013 candidates, just as I was concluding that Baffert seems this year without serious competition, there comes Lukas in the Rebel.  What gives here?

I glanced at the PPs and decided Lukas training for both those nice horses Oxbow and Will Take Charge involved primarily 4f breezes with a nice 6f breeze thrown in.  Decided, obviously wrongly, that this was insufficient speed work over distance to beat the Baffert horses, although I did take note that WTC is by Take Charge Lady and had a flash that breeding might kick in somewhat here. WTC was bound to be a very nice horse.

And so, in the Rebel we have maybe another renaissance in Lukas training.  Blog noted in the past Lukas changes his stripes from time to time and actually starts working his horses in response to competition.  Happened with Charismatic late 1990s, though it's other than the work is injury prevention specific as Charismatic demonstrated.  U're unable imo to suddenly dramatically increase workload without ultimately injuring the horse.

Unknown of course what Lukas did with the Rebel duo, although I'd like to know the training that caused such a strong performance.

WTC in particular was interesting in slow mo powering down the stretch.  Is this what Ivers meant by stride efficiency/rounding on the bit,etc.  (Although, how does jock round on the bit with one hand on reins and whipping with other.  Further--I attempt stride efficiency/round on bit etc. every time I get on horse.  Have yet to figure it out.  That could be just my insufficient riding skills.)

At any rate, how impressive is WTC powering forward on his hind end with his head going up and forward with each stride?  This is other than the head bobber that I frequently criticize.  Has to be a very nice training job even if we fail to know what was done.  The one caution is the fairly slow times, although have to believe that is track related.  Ark. Derby and Blue Grass for these horses should be interesting.

Our training--KC weather continues to be late winter disaster. Avoid details.  My horse has some decent riderless runs of late.  #148 hock making progress, and decision almost made on getting them to race track. Detail in coming posts.

Fri. Misc.

On first spring day in KC yesterday the natives come out of hibernation including the ever exploding government created idiot population buzzing everywhere carting their babies. Is it just me that's pessimistic about this future?  Mankind seems to be devolving instead of evolving.

Nob stretched his aging leg tendons yesterday with the new saddle that seems really a little awkward. Will see.  Day off for our racer who was walked under tack for a few minutes.  Getting back into it.  Looks mostly like Plecher v. Baffert in the Derby.  Which trainer will get our $$$.  No brainer, possibly.

Thurs. Misc.

B. Pressey comment on lasix two posts ago --good to see Bill, as one would expect, sees argument. I've posted on the subject ad nauseum.  Being neutral on lasix and only coming to a pro-lasix position about 6 yrs. into the sport at LA Downs when my first horse bled, I do understand how one can come to an anti-lasix position sincerely.  State here once again the eye opening experiences on the subject-- when you have a coughing horse at the end of a shank, or, you're sitting on one listening to the coughing on the way back from the race track.

I administer anti-lasix meds before any strenuous breeze--generally Xantax, a herbal concoction with  mild anti-lasix effect, and for bleeders, definitely low dose lasix.  Dirt track stuff only and common sense imo. My bleeder never coughed at speed on grass and almost always on dirt. My position is that the lasix issue is legit for many and should be decided in the research lab instead of by desk jocks or owners whose knowledge is confined to feeding peppermints on weekends.

Our temps continue to go up grudgingly here in KC.  We're back to training last eve with a third consecutive nice riderless run and some walking under tack.

Training

Vernal equiox (equal day and night) March 20.  First day of spring.  We may be there in KC today.  March 13 our cold weather finally lifts. And, so much for Preston Burch's Schedule.  We're on to Plan B here at RR Racing Stable.

A couple of nice riderless runs last two days at the farm with an abundance of enthusiasm after 3 weeks of deep snow. Riding equipment still frozen into a block last eve. Riding restarts today.

Mon. Misc.

Weather forecast:  Clearing and colder.  KC weather continues raw.  Temp.at 1pm 28 degrees F/15 mph wind. Without rain.  That's an improvement..

Lasix. Vet report on Paulick last week.  Finally.  Everybody that trains horses knows this already, although am wondering re European trainer attitudes on subject of EIPH.  Maybe the grass racers decline concern over the Q since by experience horses seldom bleed running on grass.  On dirt, different story.  Need to treat and prevent unless you're Barry Irwin playing a numbers game.  And today, Paulick's BC lasix report.  My Q would be--is EIPH in horses a big enough medical problem to require lasix for the integrity of the game--that's how this should be approached since the totally obvious answer on USA dirt tracks is "yes".  And, of course the economic Q of spending 50 grand on a horse + training costs and undergoing an almost 100% chance that it will turn into a bleeder at some point without lasix.  Nobody deals with those Qs on the anti-lasix side. Nobody.

New Treads

"Blessing or ill on man
Unexpectedly falls..."
                       --Goethe's Faust

As I learned peacefully driving to training two days ago and my truck's unexpected and careless second collision in 8 months with a sharp concrete abutment negligently jutting out into the road I take to the farm. Flattened another $250 tire. Set of new Michelin LTX M/S2s now on the 2008 Ford F350 for about $1300 installed.  Easy come/easy go. Easier go than come.

Put this under horse racing peripherals.  Hauling horses 350 miles one likes solid treads. Michelin advertised at top of the line.  How do the new tires feel?  It's less wow than my car Michelins.  However, these are low resistance tires that shine at speed.  It's a wow in terms that these tires are going to put two more miles to the gallon on the truck.  A 12 mile trip last eve took 10 miles of gas.  Combined that I roll this truck about 1/3 of the miles down the hills in neutral with the manual transmission am expecting close to 18 mpg.  With the gas prices and limited budget that's big.  Will see.

Spring is here. KC is still snow covered at the moment.  3 weeks of that.  Plan to recommence training today.  Full court press on to get to OK City 4/1.

Wed. Misc.

Late Winter in KC.  2 x 11 inches of snow over 4 days.  We're presently down to about 8 inches in pastures.  Last time I saw this much snow--24 inches in one day late January 1998 in Lexington.  That snow collapsed the roof over the nice 6f all weather training track at the KY Horse Center.  They pocketed the insurance and never rebuilt the track.  Unable to blame them.

Two Into Mischief colts prominent on Derby Trail.  Hardly a surprise.  Harlan's Holiday, Harlan, Storm Cat, Affirmed, Clever Trick which is back to Icecapade. I saw Icecapade late in his life standing in Palestine, Texas where I was breeding a couple of mares to Pancho Villa.  Large blocky gray horse.  Memories.  Some of the nice pedigrees when I came on board horse racing.  It was Mandella that ruined Into Mischief.  If memory serves the horse came down the stretch second on the wrong lead.  As most of the time with those, never heard from again.  Unsure if that's correct though that's way I'm recalling.  There's post on it somewhere in the blog.

As to our training all I'm able to say is that we  look at the brighter side.  Weatherwise things are that we have to haul hay due to pastures buried in snow a distance of 400 yards through a foot of snow.  Down to 8 inches today and we get an hr. of 40 degree F temps today.  3 weeks of training lost.  Only 3 more weeks in the field.  I am traveling to OK City this weekend to see the situation at Celestial Acres Training Center.  Goal is to be there April 1.  Time flies with these youngsters.

Sat. Misc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAOo9WzKhU4