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
judy berube
Sorry, try it again. http://www.intothesunstudio.com/narragansettpark/
Kari Bussell
@signofthetimes-Try searching for V.S.
You should have it …I have a FB friend who had a hard time finding it because he was searching for Versus…
For clarity the Haskell is on ABC from 5 to 6 tomorrow…it is not part if NBC”s summer coverage….
janet tedford
HELLO THERE BIG Z HOW ARE YOU WELL HOPEFULY THIS NEW PIC IS GREAT SAD TO SAY THIS BUT THERE IS A HORSE THAT WON HER 21 RACE SHE IS A PACEER A TROTER BUT DON.T WORRY YOU ARE STILL #1 WITH ME LOVE SO MUCH 4 EVER AND EVER
Kari Bussell
@singofthetimes- I got to see him at the 2010 Breeder’s Cup…
signofthetimes
@ Abigail
Love the video of Hoof It. Good think it was a straight away.
Would be interesting to see all of those horses make one or two turns. Field of 30?
judy berube
Dear Signoftheties:
We have cable through Cox Communications and Versus is part of the TV package that we have. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Sorry about the typo. Hugs, J.B.
signofthetimes
@ DJ
I just love MTM; that video is hilarious.
signofthetimes
@Kari Bissell
Did not realize he ran in BC Juvenile.
Breeders Cup seems to be a great place to see all of
the talented and beautiful horses.
judy berube
Dear Kari Bussell:
That’s great that you got to see Stay Thirsty in person. He is a handsome boy. Hugs, J.B.
signofthetimes
Z fans,
Here is article on Goldi’s next race, found it on the link Abigail posted on Hoof It;
http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/france-goldikova-out-to-make-history-again-in-rothschild/892617/top/
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Thank for all the great links. Hugs, J.B.
signofthetimes
Thanks Judy B.
Will check out getting Versus.
Is the Haskell on Versus?
signofthetimes
@Kari Bissell
Thanks for the tips and the time and station for Haskell.
Would love to go to BC this year. Will have to see how the year goes.
judy berube
Dear Abigail in Montreal:
Thanks for the links. Great stuff. Hugs, J.B.
Dear DJ:
Very funny. Thank you. Hugs, J.B.
DJ
To Signofthetimes: Glad you enjoyed it..a little bit of happy hour :)
DJ
Hugs JB! See you in Evening Prayer..
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
I think Kari B. said in her post it’s on ABC tomorrow at 5:00 PM EST. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear DJ:
Look forward to it. Hugs, J.B.
signofthetimes
@DJ
Happy hour is really fun !!!!!
Thanks Judy B.
Sue Fredrick
@Laura J, actually Im an Azeri and Indy fan and thank you so much for posting that link I joined his facebook fan base and will follow him all the time. What a beauty he is.
Sue Fredrick
@Charlotte Farmer, it sounds like you don’t think too much of LE but it is a lovely (Top Drawyer the Queen of England stays there when she visits) place with very dedicated people. They have the class to keep A P Indy in his same stall even though he is no longer breeding, until he passes, not many can say that. And because he was their signature stallion there is a huge statue already erected of him outside the barn. I hope this changes your mind a little.
Maureen B
@sign of the times – when I signed up for my Cox Communications cable I chose extended cable which offers additional channels not available on regular cable – on my onscreen programming it is designated as Versus. Naturally this could differ depending upon your supplier. Between NBC and Versus they are telecasting many of the “big” races at Saratoga. Recently Bloodhorse.com published the stakes schedule on their website and in a recent Bloodhorse Magazine. High hoof to Stay Thirsty! He ran an outstanding race today, and I was very hap
py for Mike and his team.
Max
@signofthetimes. Thank you for the video of Bernardini winning the Jim Dandy in 2006. Loved it. Did you notice that Javier Castellano was the jockey for both Bernie and Thirsty? He does well with the family. He also won the Diana today with Zagora. I like horses with those Z names. Most of them are fillies.
Cynthia H.
Happy Del Mar days, Barn 55! You are already off to a flying start! At first glance, Eblouissante looks so much like Zenyatta standing in her exact same stall in the van, that I had to look twice, to make sure that it was not an old photograph.
Frankel’s win in the Susses Stakes was nothing short of sensational! The Prince picked the right horse to bear his old friend’s name. He is truly a magic colt, touched by the gods.
judy berube
Dear Terry Crow:
Hope I get to wear my Dumpling Tag at a Dumpling gathering some day. Hugs, J.B.
Signofthetimes
@Max
Thanks for pointing out Bernie and Thirsty had
The same jockey. Did not notice that. It is so
Interesting that the jockey ride members of the
Same family because the horses must have similarities.
Mike riding Z and E. He also rode Bold Ruler and one
Of his sons if I recall correctly.
Karen (Kathy) Gogue
@Chocolate Farmer,
er, thank you, I think…I like my new name, may keep it…would be a wonderful idea to get together with Larry Crow to try and visit with Barry Lambert! (or is that Jerry Lewis?) Oohh, I just can’t keep up with YOU Hollywood types…
and yada, yada, yada!
Delrene
Super congratulations to your boy Bernardini. Stay Thirsty did a great job today!!! You will have a beautiful/or handsome baby that will be a joy for you, your people and all of us who enjoy hearing all of the news about all things Zenyatta.
Signofthetimes
@Max
I thought that was wonderful that JC won both
The Diana and Jim Dandy. Was the Diana on Versus,too?
@ Judy and Kari
Thanks for the help getting versus (vs). I can get it
On Dish for a small additional amount. Sounds like
It is worth it.