Happy Friday, Everyone!
Wow, it has been a very busy week in our industry. There is so much going on that I want to share with you.
First of all, I’d love to congratulate FRANKEL (GB) on his success in winning the SUSSEX S. (G1). He is now undefeated and has a race record of 8 for 8. FRANKEL (GB) is truly a sentimental favorite in my camp as he is named for a very dear friend. Jay Hovdey, in the DRF, wrote a special piece on all of this in a recent article. Dottie and Bobby were very close friends for years. Ruben Loza, who now works as one of MY JOHN’S assistant trainers, held the same position for Bobby for 25 years. Jose Luis….who currently grooms MR. COMMONS and STAR BILLING for My John…was a long-time groom for Bobby. “Chuma” (as he is known around the barn) is also such a hard-working gentleman. He has groomed so many other wonderful horses during his career as Medaglia D’Oro, Sightseek, and Intercontinential to name a few.
So, it was with great joy and pride that MY TEAM watched FRANKEL(GB) win #8 on Wednesday. A heartfelt congratulations to his owner and breeder, Juddmonte Farms, his trainer, Mr. Cecil, and the entire team who works with this exciting colt!
I’m sending him a special HIGH HOOF for a job well-done!
Both of the SUMMER MEETS on each coast are in full-swing….and this weekend, Monmouth Park has a wonderful stakes program including the HASKELL. This should be a very exciting race!
Then at Saratoga, several big stakes races are taking place including the JIM DANDY and THE THE RUFFIAN. These should be great to handicap and enjoy. At Del Mar, we have some very accomplished sprinters competing in the BING CROSBY. So much action!
From all reports, the dirt surface at Santa Anita is terrific! This is fabulous news. In California, they now have Santa Anita open for training in addition to Del Mar. Hollywood Park closes for the next 5-6 weeks to allow the maintenance crews to completely clean out the barn area and freshen up everything that needs to be repaired and painted. The track crew, headed by Dennis Moore, is given the opportunity to work on the track and the surface to get it freshened up for the upcoming year. This is traditionally done in CA each summer…one year Santa Anita is closed to accomplish these maintenance needs and the next Hollywood Park. This alternating system works out quite well for everyone and it really helps to keep everything in the best possible shape.
Thus, since nothing can be left out at Hollywood Park for this big clean-up process to take place…everyone and everything needs to be out of Barn 55. My John and his crew did a great job getting this organized and properly storing everything that was in MY STALL. It was all safely packed for the future!
So all of my horse BARN 55 friends had to relocate as well for the summer. They were split between Santa Anita and Del Mar. In the photo above, you see STAR BILLING on the left and EBLOUISSANTE on the right getting ready to travel. They are loaded on the van and on their way to Del Mar. They are comfy, cozy, the windows are open just right…and these girls are READY TO GO TO THE BEACH!
I gather “E” wanted to snack along the way.
The TOO CUTE part of all of this is that “E” is in the same exact stall on the van I always used. In California, I shipped on Vida and David Randall’s Ranch Runner’s van. That was MY STALL! They even put a plaque on the side of this stall with MY NAME on it. So, I guess for all practical purposes, I still get to travel right with them…..in spirit!
Have a FUN weekend…and enjoy RACING!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
signofthetimes
Found this article about the Breeders Cup 2010 was about 2 Fillies; A really nice article about two greats with different
racing styles.
http://www.anddownthestretchtheycome.com/2010/11/10/1805231/the-2010-breeders-cup-a-tale-of-two-fillies
judy berube
Dear Brend S:
Sooo funny. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Doreen:
Sorry to hear about the injuries to those two year olds. Hadn’t read about it. Hugs, J.B.
Lisa g
@Signofthetimes, I am so sorry about your beloved, what is her name? I will be thinking of you and her tomorrow. I have already talked with my boys that left me, and they are ready and waiting to give your girl a joyful and healthy welcome. Lisa g.
Lisa g
@DJ, your prayer made me cry.
signofthetimes
@ #1 in New England Fan
Mike Smith is a very accomplished and versatile rider. Did you read the article about Chantal riding a Rock Hard Ten colt and how big she said he was. Mike does not even have to process that kind of issue, he gets on and rides all sizes, shapes etc..
Don’t assume riding a first time starter is negative, actually you need a very experienced rider doing that so the horse is ridden correctly and does not get any mixed messages or direction.
Maybe the Mosses decided to try Chantal with one of their experienced horses????? Remember the racing community is all one big family.
Lisa g
I just do not know what to think about Bob B. Wow, Coil, beats the Preakness and the Belmont Winners. Wow.
signofthetimes
Thanks sooo much Lisa G. You are so very thoughtful.
signofthetimes
@Judy B
Coil sure did run a good race. I agree Shakelford ran a very good competative race. The 3 year old championship is still up for grabs and he is the Preakness winner !!!!!
signofthetimes
Here is another article about Goldi’s race:
http://www.anddownthestretchtheycome.com/2011/7/31/2307327/goldikova-ire-wins-g1-prix-rothschild-for-fourth-time
AJ from CA
@signofthetimes -thanks for the Haskell link – Shackleford was my fave cause he always gives it his all, but congrats to Coil.
Maggie N
@ J.B. Thank you so much for answering so quickly. I know absolutely nothing about horse racing. This is the way I pick horses, I pick the one I think is the most handsome(or beautiful). I usually go with Bays. Now everyone can laugh, but sometimes it works!
@ SIGNOFTHETIMES I am so very sorry for your loss. I can not imagine not having my Mastiff who I consider my third son
signofthetimes
Thanks to the Kennedy’s for posting the Bloodhorse article
on Goldi’s win. Without Zenny this year, Go Goldi !!!!
So this race was against fillies/mares?
Mary
Wow…Z….hope you have enjoyed the races this weekend. Stay Thirsty and Coil sure did look impressive. Of course not as impressive as you….but Thirsty must have been thinking….. Z could do ….so can I…he looked a bullet there at the end. No race excites me like watching you…I do not get nervous watching these races…like I did when watching you… you knew how to thrill us fans. We miss you…but so happy you were never hurt …..and are enjoying your well deserved retirement. Hugs to you!!!!
judy berube
Dear Abigail in Montreal:
Thank you for the link to Goldi. What a terrific race. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
I really hopes he wins the Eclipse Award for best Three Year Old. He always, always gives his all. Love that colt. Hugs, J.B.
signofthetimes
@ Judy B
Thanks for the info on Morgano, Barbaro’s 4th full brother, sounds like change maybe a good thing for him. Another set of eyes looking on him differently.
La Ville Rouge in foal to Dynaformer again? is it a filly?
They are as close as it comes in the horse world to being married.
Hope so for the Jacksons.
signofthetimes
@ Maggie N
Thanks for the kind words. It is so hard to let them go. But
her eyes told me what she wanted.
signofthetimes
@ Lisa G
She has met up with your boys. Thanks for giving her someone
to look for over the bridge.
judy berube
Dear Maggie N.:
I left a post earlier on this Diary exactly on the subject of how people pick horses to bet. Even when you know, you never know. Keep picking your way and have fun. If you ever want to try to handicap according to speed, class, distance, track surface and any other number of considerations, the Daily Racing Form is a font of knowledge. Hugs, J.B.
signofthetimes
@ Diane S
Thank you. She was a cherished girl.
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Too cute (as close as it comes to being married). I don’t know if LVR is carrying a filly, but I’m sure that’s what they are hoping. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Thanks for the great links. Hugs, J.B.
signofthetimes
@Doreen
Thanks for the great updates. Sooo lucky to be there in person to
see these exciting TB run.
Lisa g
@JB: 1000% agreed on telling our youth about the Great Ones that raced in the past. My nephews never heard of Secretariat until yesterday. I did not know if the movie would go well with a 10 and 7 year old, the 7 year old chose Legos, but Joshua, took it to heart. The drama on his face when Big Red lost, he kept asking me why, I told him and it would tell in detail in the movie. Sometimes I wonder if my brother and I were raised by the same parents..it was my mom…she was a true fan of the The Shoe, he could do no wrong. I found out about Native Dancer on my own, playing around in the past..and found his name quite beautiful and then I saw he was a Gray, and started learning everything I could about him…and fell so madly, and deeply in love with him. Joshua also knows about Our Queen now, I will teach him, I will show him..he is his Grandma’s Grandson….Lisa g.
Charlotte Farmer
@ Sharon in Seattle – Seabiscuit did have two that did moderately well Sea Orbit, whom I followed towards the end of his career, and Sea Sovereign. You are right, C. S. Howard did not want to part with his beloved ‘Biscuit and so ‘Biscuit mingled with the local ladies.
It is my opinion that War Admiral’s temperament came from the Hastings side of his family, but where Seabiscuit is concerned I will always lay his temperament and the continued issues he had with his legs to “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. I have no respect for such a man and thank God for trainers such as Tom Smith, whom I believe help ‘Biscuit attain the greatness for which he was destined, and Burley Parke.
@Dawn Conrad – I want to thank all of you for giving me a heads up on why Dawn has not posted. I hope she is enjoying her vacation.
@Cynthia H. – I would love to meet you when I come down to Arcadia. Once I get back from Kentucky I hope to visit with Ariadne and her friend in San Francisco and then, later, try and visit with my racing friends in Arcadia and Inglewood.
@Diana S. and Others – Thank you again for the offer of the Breeders’ Cup but my answer is no as I will be occupied with getting down to Southern California.
@Terry Crow – I have a wonderful friend by the name of George who was Casey’s very dear friend and quite a follower of thoroughbred racing. He lives in Norco and maybe we could all meet and share stories.
@Utopian – Congratulations for winning at Del Mar and to John Shirreffs you are the best.
@Goldikova – How can you not love this horse . . . Wow!
signofthetimes
@Shari Volts
Thanks for the kind words.
signofthetimes
Dear Zenny,
Hope you had a relaxing sunday with your BBF TT. Eating health for two. Did you watch the races?? Your presence is every felt in my home with your bronze statue on my mantel. It is very funny my 2 year old Vizsla has sat next to the mantel and I have caught him twice looking at your statue. Perhaps you are saying something to him. Thanks Dottie for speaking and writing for Zenny. This web site is a wonderful place.
LauraJ
@Maggie N., a stalker is a horse that runs just off the pace, a few lengths behind the leaders. A front runner is what it sounds like; a horse that likes to set the pace and run up front. A closer is a horse that starts near the back of the pack and moves up at tha end of the race. Zenyatta was a closer. She was always way back: “Zenyatta is dead last early!” and would usually make her move on the turn coming into the stretch. There are advantages and disadvantages to each position, and good trainers and jockeys try to position the horse to best tactical advantage. “Pace” refers to the speed set by the leaders. Another term you hear, “rating” or “to rate” is the practice of controlling a particular horse’s speed to keep him running behind the leaders. A “rabbit” is a speed horse that sets a very fast pace, sometimes entered deliberately with the objective of tiring the front runners to the advantage of a closer.
judy berube
Dear Lisa g:
You’re a great auntie. You’re forming a wonderful bond with the boys that they will cherish. Hugs, J.B.