Tims Update 8

Posted February 25, 2009

Update 239: Many things happened this past weekend. Raj was claimed from us and my only hope is that he is taken care of and someone falls in love with him. He will be missed in the barn. Ms MVP ran a great race to just get beat for second place. She finished third and has come out of her race as happy as ever. Yesterday (Monday) JoJo ran a great race at Philadelphia to win by several lengths. What a nice filly to be around. Tim has reported that she seems fine after her efforts. Next will be Lilly who will be running this weekend.

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Update 238: Just a quick update on this Beautiful Tuesday morning. The cool air is such a nice break from the humidity. Well, Triumphant has come out of his race last week with flying colors. He is very impressed with himself. Perhaps the victory is a result of the loads of mints the visitors have been giving him. Lily (Who's Happy little sister) had a strong piece of work this morning and is not far from the races. Sunday morning I was taking a good look at her and she has gotten tall and strong. There should be loads of excitement when she races!!! The new two year olds are all at about the same spot in their training. Today was gate day. Rose to Riches, Abbey Ruler, Lizzie's Legend are all little fillies. The lone gelding is Luck of the Buck. All of these babies are well mannered and ready to go on. Tim has quite a busy weekend. Calcutta Clipper is on his way to Presque Isle to run on Thursday. Calcutta is a big grey gelding that is very serious about his job. He is also very serious about his dinner!!! Rajasthan will be making another trip to Colonial Downs on Friday and perhaps ?? Ms MVP will be running at Colonial on Saturday. The little filly we used to have Tail Tales (we called her Kitty) won at Colonial Downs the other day. I really miss having her in the barn but am so happy that she won. She must be happy. Anyway, hopefully all is well with the outside world.

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Update 237: Today is rainy Thursday. Rosetta (Test the Trust) breezed and is yet another step closer to making it to the races. She went a decent half mile and we will see how her shins come out of the piece of work. Last night Tim went to Penn National with Triumphant. The track was sealed due to the inclement weather but Triumphant would not be denied. He made his way to the front of the pack, only to be passed down the lane, but fought back to "Triumph". We couldn't be any happier for the horse and his owner (David Charlton). Hopefully he has now gotten a taste for the winner's circle.

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Update 236: Monday morning is here and it is cool with very little humidity so far. The weekend was very eventful for Tim. The old bugger (Rajasthan) must have found the turf suitable and decided he would win his race on Saturday. Sunday morning he was very happy with himself and one of the FOB's had dropped him off a huge bag of mints. Ms MVP also ran a very courgeous race. She was running at the front until about the 16th pole and fought it out to finish a great fourth place. I stopped to give her some love yesterday and she was nickering for her breakfast. She has come out of her race in great shape. This morning JoJo was up at Philadelphia Park to run on the turf. She is now on her way home because the race has come off the turf. We have heard that Congaree has had his surgery and has come through with flying colors. I'm sure he will be a good patient and heal quickly. His is so much fun to be around and he is missed in the barn. Anyway, nothing else new right now.

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Update 235: Just a quick update on this warm and sunny Friday. This is not really as much an update as it is just a blog. I was running along the NCR trail in Timonium the other day. Somehow running gives my mind enough clarity to cut through all of the caos and get back to the basics. After about 40 minutes of striving to fix the challenges of being married to someone that trains racehorses for a living, I began to do a short warm-down. My run had been steeped with prayers for guidance and ideas on just how to make sure there is some sort of balance between taking care of these wonderful horses that we have been given to train and also taking time for the other things in life. How do we keep the pressure to a minimum while still feeling like we are making every effort to make sure these animals are fully prepared to race. When I finally quit running I noticed a load noice that had been disturbing my quiet thinking time. When I finally took the time to stop and look up, I noticed a Red Headed Woodpecker and relised that this was the answer I had been praying for. Sometimes, with life and with horses, you need to be like a woodpecker, sooner or later you will peck in the perfect spot!

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Update 234: We had a nice Monday morning to start the week off. The Two-Year-Olds have all settled into the routine now and seem to be enjoying things so far. There are times in life where you have to move on from past dreams and look towards the future. Veiled Reference is being retired and will soon be bred. She continues to have issues with her foot and Sean and Tim think that it is best to move her into the next phase of her life. What a great mom she will make. Our Hearthrob sustained a knee injury in her last race and the decision has been made to retire her as well. She will be a riding horse after several months rehabilitation. Her love of attention and mints has not faded by any means. King Congaree was scoped the other day and he has a breathing issue that needs to be addressed. He will have surgery and a couple of months recovery before he starts back again. Tim considers himself very lucky that these injuries are not life threatening and that each horse will continue with another purpose. Woolley has been in the news a lot lately with the running of the Kentucky Derby and the other Triple Crown races, but just remember that Tim is the Woolley without the cowboy hat.

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Update 233: Just a quick update on this beautiful Monday morning. Bunches of new Two-year-Olds have shipped into the barn. The atmosphere is reminiscent of graduating from middle school and moving to high school. We have Abbey Ruler, Rose to Ritches, Lizzie's Legend, and Luck of the Buck, all taking the next step towards their racing career. All of these babies have been well trained to make the next move. Tim will be getting very busy at Colonial Downs in the next week or so with the abundance of turf horses he has in the barn. Rosetta has been breezing well and Tim has settled on the name "Test the Trust". We'll see if we can get the Jockey Club to agree!

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Update 232: King Congaree ran around the track at Delaware Park yesterday and has come home fine. He is like a teenager trying to play basketball for the first time. What a goof! He does everything we ask of him and I'm sure he will come a long way for the experience of yesterday. Today Tim has Nongoma and Ms MVP racing and hopefully they will run well. The first breeze day at the sales went well yesterday and my hope is that today will run smoothly. Wonder has had a setback and will need a few months off. The decision was made to geld him and he has come through that with flying colors. He is such a nice boy to be around and what a looker. Otherwise I don't know how things are going but if I hear from Tim I will try to keep you in the loop.

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Update 231: The weather sure is great on this Wednesday morning. Today is the first day of the gallop show at Timonium and things are going great. I spoke briefly with Tim last night and have just a few things to report. King Congaree will be running today at Delaware Park against Nicanor. The race is not on the turf which would be preferable but it will be great to see him race. Hopefully I will sneak away and get to watch the race. I know also that Nongoma and Ms MVP are both running at Pimlico in the next day or two and JoJo will be going to Presque Isle to run. Things are really cooking this weekend with the Preakness. I haven't been keeping up with the news but I hope the filly gets to run. Anyway, someone please write to me and let me know how Lacey ran.

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Update 230: Rainy Monday. Tim had a good ending to last week. Rajasthan ran at Atlantic Citdy and finally broke his maiden. He is such an old bugger your never quite sure what his plan is (Raj). Raj took Victor to the front end and ran his usual race to the three eighths pole. I'm not sure what possessed the old horse but he didn't stop there he kept on running. He won the race by about six lengths and has come home like it was just a walk in the park. He seems happy and is eating everything. He is a good eater to say the least. Congaree keeps edging towards the races. The toys in his stall get thrown into the shed row on a regular basis. His ball is on the roof of the stalls where he threw it a couple days ago. I will have to send Tim to retreive it. JoJo will shortly be making her way to Presque Isle. She is still quiet in the barn and saves all of her energy for the racetrack. Saar Treaty is eating well and seems to be unfazed by her recent victory. Ms MVP is really looking great after shedding most of her winter coat. Tim has tried a new feed for her and she seems to really like it. She is not too far from the races. I'm not sure what the next plan is for Triumphant except for trying him in a longer race and letting him try the turf. He is still the happy, attention seeking, cheeky boy that demands love from everyone. Wonder is really looking as flashy as ever and is coming along nicely. He breezed last week from the gate with JoJo and although she got a slight jump on him leaving there (she has run and has a lot more experience), he dug his toes in and quickly caught up to finish nicely. Saturday he had a 5/8ths breeze with Ms. MVP and handled it like a gentleman. We can't wait to get him to the races. Anyway, I will try to keep up on any news!!

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Update 229: Just a quick update on this sunny Monday. Tim and Mike went to Pimlico yesterday with Our Hearthrob. She gave everyone a lot of excitement popping out of the gate and running first and second all the way to the head of the lane. She got boxed in down the lane and finished off the board but what an exciting ride. I was a bit worried about the heat but Tim said she handled it just fine. Mike on the other hand was melting in the heat. Anyway, I'm not sure what is going on in the barn but if I hear of anything I will let you know.

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Update 228: What a gorgeous Friday morning. Great news all around today, Saar Treaty has come out of her phenomenal run yesterday with flying colors. She was a very determined filly and made her way to the front in just enough time. We also had two visitors today that enjoyed a few hours on the track. Mike Rhea came in this morning and we shipped Luke to Fair Hill to take care of him. Tim has just called to say that Mike and Luke had a great morning. Luke behaved perfectly and didn't seem to mind just hanging out. I'm not sure of this weekends runners. If I hear anything I'll let you know.

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Update 227: Not a bad day for Thursday. The sun is trying desperately to shine. Just a quick update. Saar Treaty has come back to us from Florida and is on her way to Pimlico to race today. All I know is that the race goes off about 4pm. Good Luck !!!

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update 226: Well it is Wednesday afternoon and the sun has made an appearance. I need to correct my last blog in that Tim was running Draw the Line at Philadelphia Park not Penn National. Forgive me for this blunder but she ran a great second and was claimed in the process. The owner and trainer were both happy with the outcome. She is a nice filly and we hope she does well for her new owners. No other news at the moment.

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Update 225: Tim had quite a busy weekend. Saturday he went to Charles Town with Veiled Reference. She ran a great race getting some rough racing room to finish third. Tim reported that she was fine this morning when he jogged her up. Sunday Rajasthan ran at Pimlico. He also ran third and has come out of his race like he was at a picnic. The weather was great and two thirds is not too shabby. This morning a few sets went to the track before the rain started. The horses in later sets were lucky enough to stay in the shed row. Tim should be on his way to Penn National tomorrow night with Draw the Line. Who's Happy has been retired and is starting her life as a broodmare. Lilly will have to carry on the family name. Anyway, not sure whatelse is going on but if I hear anything I will let you know.

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Updat 224: Today was a busy Thursday with quite a few workers! Tim reports that Tap Softly breezed with Wonder and both went well. Both of them are progressing nicely. The big, grey colt Congaree also breezed and Tim is very excited to get him to the races. It should not be far away now. Rajasthan may have a run around a point to point this weekend to give him a good work before Atlantic City opens. He is doing well and seems to be quite happy at the moment. Sometimes he can be a persnickity old man (just like his owner), just kidding. Anyway, Veiled Reference continues to feel fresh! She is a very active girl in the mornings and it will be great to get her back to the races. Who's Happy is back in training. So far she seems to be managable. Boudeville seems to be holding his own and I would absolutely love to see him get to the races. What a little speed demon he is. Anyway, that's all for now.

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Update 223: Tim has just called from Philadelphia Park where Draw the Line ran a great race and finished second. She behaved like a queen in the paddock and was given a brilliant ride by Billy Hollick. Both trainer and owner seem happy with her efforts. Robbie had two winners in Camden this weekend. He is currently on top of the steeplechase jockey standings. It looks as though he is going to have quite an exciting season. Tim will be off to the races again tomorrow with Nongoma. Hopefully she will do as well as Draw the Line. Sky Heat and Triumphant have both come out of their races last week with flying colors. Rajasthan may be running in a flat race this weekend at the Marlboro Races. No word on who the jockey is yet. Should be quite a bit of fun to see him run. Anyway, that's all for now.

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Update 222: Spoke with Tim a short while ago. Triumphant is fine. The good news is that he broke from the gate well and will come a long way with his experience. His nerves got the better of him a few times but he did stand in the gate well. He did manage to beat a couple horses accross the wire. I'm sure he will have grown up some for this race and the next one should be interesting. Thankfully Tim had a jockey aboard that did not loose his cool with Triumphant's nervousness. Billy gave him a great ride and trip for the first go. Many jockey's would have been too afraid to give him a good ride, but Billy gave him a good experience. For that we are very grateful. We will get them next time!!!

LTR

Update 221: Although it is very chilly on this Tuesday morning, the sun is now out and there is no wind. I'm not sure how things went in the barn this morning but thought I would give you a quick update. Triumphant is on his way to Philadelphia Park to make his maiden voyage. I hope that he shows some promise today. He sure looks the part of a racehorse and it would be absolutely great to see him run well for his owner's. Anyway, if I hear anything else from Tim I will let you know.

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Update 220: Just a quick update on this rainy Wednesday morning. Saar Treaty won a really nice race yesterday in Florida. The race came off the grass, was run on a messy track and she still won. We couldn't be more happy for her owner and the trainer Tim Hills. On another note, Tim took a Triumphant and another filly to breeze at Delaware Park yesterday to give them some more experience. Both horses did well and seemed to be fine this morning. It is always good to give them as much experience as you can before they go to the races. Anyway, if I get anymore updates from Tim I'll let you know.

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Update 219: Quite a bit warmer on this Friday morning and Tim has shed his ski pants. Tomorrow he may even have to take off the long johns. Sky Heat ran fourth a few days ago at Charles Town. She has come home fine and seems no worse for wear. Bubble Gum (Our Hearthrob) will be making her debut next week at Penn National. She has been training great and hopefully she is fully prepared to start her racing career. Truimphant is not far from the races, some time towards the end of the month Tim has a race picked for him. He is still happy and as loveable as ever. Whenever I see King Congaree he seems to have grown taller. He is such a goof but is doing everything Tim asks of him. Tim is actually thinking about what to name Rosa now so all of your suggestions should help him. She is ready to start breezing and is looking for a partner to breeze with. Wonder was jumping around his stall this morning, the horses seem to sense that spring is in the air. Tap Softly was curiously watching all of the commotion in the barn this morning. I kept waiting for her to jump around bucking and kicking but she never did. Watching the action seemed to make her happy enough. Anyway, if I hear anything else I'll let you know.

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Update 218: A much better day weather wise this Wednesday morning. Virtually no wind and sunny. The horses seem to enjoy a bit more sun on their backs. Sky Heat is doing well and looking to race in the next week or two. She is such a quiet little girl that you can forget she is there. Ms MVP seems to be right back is the swing of things and galloping nicely. Awesome Wonder (Wonder) who is a nice colt by Three Wonders, is so flashy with his four white socks that he catches everyones attention. Boudeville is in light training at the moment with a few of his past injuries coming back to haunt him. He never misses a meal and becomes a monster with a white eye at feed time. Truimphant has come out ot the breeze on Saturday with flying colors. David Charlton was here to watch him go.
I'm not sure what the plan is for Triumphant but he can't be far from the races.

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Posted by Alex at 5:33 PM | Comments (98)

Tims Update 7

Posted November 29, 2008

Update 217: Enough already with the cold wind. After a breezy Monday, Tim told me that the wind would stop for Tuesday, unfortunately during training hours the wind continued. It was cold. Rosa and JOJO went to the track first set. Both fillies have had slight temperatures but seemed fine this morning. King Congaree stood in the front of his stall with his tongue hanging out. He is such a character. Veiled Reference was spinning around her stall waiting for Tim to take her to the track. She is feeling great. Tap Softly was quietly sticking her head out of her stall looking for some attention so I took a few minutes to talk to her. Rajasthan was about to go to the track with Tim and I'm sure in the brisk breeze he was a joy to ride. He can be a handful. Wonder was quietly standing in his stall waiting his turn to go out. He is such a gentleman. Time is getting shorter for Our Hearthrob. I believe Tim has picked a race out in the beginning of March if all goes well. She had a work on Saturday out of the gate and handled it like a professional. Anyway, all is well but I believe we are all waiting for spring to get here.

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Update 216: What a sunny Tuesday we have today. Sunday Tim and Marty went to see Donut who has now moved to a nearby farm. She was out in the porta pad and happy as a clam. The incision in her side is slowly filling in while continuing to drain out any infection that may still be in there. She has certainly come a long way. Thank all of you for your prayers for Donut. Things at the barn continue to go forward as usual. King Congaree is breezing nicely and is behaving like a gentleman. I took Luke to the track on Saturday and he truely enjoyed it. He loves to work. Truimphant has grown tall and should be going to the races in a very short while. Our Hearthrob worked again on Saturday and may have just a few more breezes before she makes her debut. She worked a great half with Triumphant and at the head of the lane when it looked as though Triumphant would draw away, Tim encouraged her and she dug in and came back strongly. Ms MVP is back with us and training everyday. She is such a lovey girl. Tim has yet to pick a name for Rosa yet. She is doing great and the owners wife hopes she can make it to the races sometime this year. JoJo seems as calm as ever in the barn. She is a quiet girl and not often do you hear a peep out of her. Anyway, that's about all I know, If I should get an update from Tim I'll let you know.

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Update 215: Yesterday (Thursday) Tim took a trip to New Bolten to see Donut. Her caregiver (Brooke) has been spoiling her with loads of carrotts and apples. She looks great. The hole in her side is decreasing and most of the adema from the operation is gone. Her eyes looked bright and she was eating everything. It is such a relief to know that the infection is out of her body. What a tough filly to fight it for so long. Tim has reported that Ms MVP came back today after her short winter break. It's great to have her back. Nothing running this weekend but I believe next Wednesday Tim will be racing. We'll see how the weather cooperates.

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Update 214: What a beautiful Monday. I don't have any news from the barn but I do have just a little news about Donut. I spoke with the vet and he said that they removed about 5 inches of rib and were able to get all of the infection out. Her temperature has come down to normal and she is bright and eating. This was on Friday so I hope that she has continued to do well. Tim should be back within the next two days and maybe we can find out some more information. Until then, hope Nicanor came out of his race ok.

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Update 213: The snow and rain of yesterday have given way to an icey yet sunny Thursday. Not really a lot to report on. Who's Happy went to New Bolten to check out her airway and she is fine. She went home to take a break for the winter. The docters from New Bolten also came out to scan the abscess in Donut's Lung and it has not diminished. The vets and the owner are thinking about what can be done next but as Tim is away in Scotland for a week, I don't know what the outcome of these discussions were. I hope that whatever is done, it helps her get over this infection. The horses at the farm are stumbling around carefully on a nice layer of ice. Hopefully the sun will warm the ground up enough to get rid of this hazzard. Anyway, if I should hear any news from the barn, I will let you know.

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Update 212: What a sunny Friday. I managed to go to the local pub to watch Sky Heat win the first race at Laurel today. Reports from Mike say that she has come out of it fine and was not claimed so she will be coming home to us. Donut and Luke are enjoying the afternoon out in the paddock at Fair Hill. The sun should work wonders for Donut. Tomorrow there will be more clipping. I'm not sure which two are about to lose their hair, but they will probably feel much better for it. Tim reports that Our Hearthrob is moving well and still is pointed towards the races. No other news for now.

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Update 211: Yet another crisp and sunny Wednesday morning. Reports are that Donut continues to kick up her heels much to everyone's delight. It is great to see her feeling well. Her temperature is still holding at 101 and she is eating like a horse! JoJo and King Congaree are back in full training. King Congaree blends in well with the snow we have on the ground. A new grey fireball has come in named Tap Softly. She is really a firecracker and almost as white as Congaree. Sky Heat is in on Friday at Laurel and we hope she will improve on her previous effort. Anyway, no other news from the trainer today.

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Update 210: Monday has given way to much warmer temperatures, given the frigid weather of the weekend. Coming back from a short weekend in Florida didn't seem too bad being that it was 34 degrees out. Saar Treaty ran a great race on Sunday. Boy it is tough in Florida. Tim Hills spoke with Tim and was very happy with her efforts and hopes to find her a nice allowance race to run in. Mike left me a birthday message on Saturday saying that Powdered Donut was quite fresh walking in the barn. She was almost being naughty which everyone enjoyed seeing. Hopefully she is getting the better of her lung infection. Most of the weekend Tim spent inside the barn shed row, but with the warmer weather on Sunday he was able to take several sets to the track. The on again off again snow of today should not have any real affect on the track tomorrow unless the temperatures drop drastically tonight. Anyway, I don't believe Tim has anything to run this week. Just the usual training going on, but it anything interesting happens, I'll let you know.

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Update 209: What a frigid Thursday. Just a quick update from Tim. Nongoma ran a great race at Penn National the other day finishing a good third. She has come home no worse for wear. Hopefully she will gain some confidence and we can continue to improve her form. Our Hearthrob got a tattoo yesterday. Unfortunately for the owner she got a generic tattoo and not a heart with Mike written in it. She took it like a woman. The dentist Mark was in this morning looking at King Congaree and Veiled Reference. Both made it through their visit with flying colors. We need some help from our friends out there. Rosetta does not have a proper name and the time has come for us to register a name with the Jockey Club. She is by a stallion named Trust N Luck out of a mare named My Testarossa. Please submit any names that you think might work for her. She is a cute chestnut with a lot of spunk. See what you can come up with.

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Penny

Update 208: Today is a bright and crispy Wednesday. Last night I was in charge of Donut's medication (which I report she took like a woman) and I spent a few minutes to give her a pep talk. Please bear with me as I share with you some of my thoughts. On my desk at work there is a fortune cookie that says, It is not in your character to give up. This could not be more accurate in my case. My character is to give everything when things are important to me. My fiery personality has gotten me into some trouble at times. I will not give up even when the belief is that I have tried everything. Keep searching for another answer. In the past year and a half, I have learned some important life lessons. Sometimes the decision to give up is made for you and there is nothing you can do. There comes a point when it is necessary to let go. There is something about horses that cuts through all of crap of life and goes directly to the heart like a dagger. Horses for me are like a band-aid on my soul at the most needed times. We have given Donut all of the medication she can have and now this is my choice. I will go to see her everyday and love on her and give her hugs and kisses. The pep talks and her time with Luke will continue. There are a few things in my life that the time has finally come to let go of, but Donut is not one of them.

More later when I hear from Tim

Update 207: Today is a pretty good Tuesday. Who's Happy and Sky Heat both returned from Philadelphia Park in good shape. Happy may get a break we're not sure but we think that she did not care for the hard racetrack. Tim had hoped to turn around Sky Heat and improve upon her race record but he's not sure how to make that happen. We will continue to try a few more things. Powdered Donut was turned out with Luke this morning in the big paddock. Tim said that there were legs flying but in the end Luke had his way and he and Powdered Donut were fast friends. Hopefully Donut will continue to improve. The veterinarians have decided to change her antibiotic in hopes of getting the infection in her lungs under control. So far nothing is working that great! She was happy this morning and tossing her head. Lets hope the new plan works. Tim is on his way to Penn National with Nongoma as we speak. I have not heard what the race looks like but wish her luck!!

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Update 206: All I can say about this Monday morning is at least the sun is out. Tim is currently on the backside of Philadelphia Park freezing his rear off. Sky Heat and Who's Happy are running today. The only saving grace is that Tim says they are both in great spots and hopefully they will run well to make it all worth it. I have heard no other update from the barn this morning. Hopefully all went well.

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Update 205: Although a bit of a cold wind blows today at least the sun is out. Tim had quite a surprise yesterday when Sean Massey stopped in to see his Veiled Reference. Normally Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow before we see Sean. It was a very pleasant visit and we are always happy to see Sean. Another return to the barn is Hlatikulu (JoJo). She is a little filly by Cetawayo who ran for Tim a couple times last year and showed some real promise. It's great to have her back. Boodeville who is a five year old gelding by Malibu Moon continues to be a grump at feed time. He is really quite a joy to be around and only thinks he's mean when food is near. He did cause me a bit of trouble last week when his hair needed to come off and the tranquilizer did not take effect. The second dose did him in and I was able to make him look presentable. Anyway, of course all of the horses turned another year older on January 1st. Here's to a great year for Double Trouble Stables.

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Update 204: Quite a rainy and cold Wednesday. I believe all of the horses stayed in the barn to train this morning. It is well into the afternoon and we are still getting loads of rain. Anyway, just a quick update. Luke had work to do yesterday and took Who's Happy to the track. He loves to work and especially likes the fillies. Luke jogged around for about half a mile and then cantered for another half mile before releasing Happy who was having a normal gallop. She is so tough but Luke doesn't mind. Ah, if only his feet were better. He will get a few days off now for his hard work. The race did not go for Who's Happy on Friday and Tim reports that they brought it back for Sunday but they so far only have three entries. Hopefully something will go for her. Powdered Donut is still recovering with her temperature going up and down unexpectedly. She seems quiet but happy and hopefully she will come through this trauma. Horses are really so delicate. If I hear of anymore news from Tim I will write again.

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Update 203: Just a quick update to clear up a little misunderstanding. Who's Happy has not been bred. She is not yet finished racing. When I was writing about Who's Happy and Lilly and the older sister Raging Rapids, the mare (Enraged) is an awfully nice mare. Hopefully we will have Happy around for awhile yet. King Congaree was his usual boisterous self while I tried to give him a clip this weekend. He has so much hair that I could not finish it and will have to do the second half one day this week. Tim and I had dinner with Mike and his dad last week where upon we watched the latest video of Our Hearthrob breezing. Oh please Tim can you get her to the races!!! There is a stakes race in Florida for Saar Treaty in the middle of January, we will have to see if she makes it into the race (based on earnings). Tim will be flying down with the owner if she gets in to watch her run. We hear that she is doing great!!! I'm sure she much prefers the 82 degree weather. I stopped briefly this morning to give a few hugs and kisses. Triumphant was giving me his look so I stopped to see him. What a ham! Anyway, Donut continues to improve and hopefully she is not the upswing.

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Update 202: Thanks to all of you for a wonderful 2008 and we are looking forward to an even better 2009. I do apologize for all of the junk mail that appears on the sight, it does get the better of me. Linda, to answer your question, on race day the horse is fed a breakfast as normal. All of the horses eat breakfast at about 5:30 a.m. everyday so we keep that as normal as possible. Their dinner feed is given upon returning from the races no matter what time of night it is and the only feed they actually miss will be the lunch feed. Just a quick update on the horses. Lilly will be making her debut on Sunday at Philadelphia Park. She is of course the sister to Who's Happy so we are excited for her. She is as tough as her sisters and we hope she can run like them (both are stakes horses). Who's Happy after running last week has now passed the $300,000 mark. What a nice broodmare the owner's have. I believe she was bred to Not For Love this year so I can't wait to see this baby. Truimphant is surely making his way to the races. He looks so much like a racehorse now. His personality is really shining through and he seems very happy within himself. Our Hearthrob (bubble gum) is progressing nicely and the owner has now got a brand new set of silks for her. The excitement continues. There will be a few horses returning very shortly. King Congaree will be coming back. Tim went to see him the other day and says that he has grown even more and is so white now. Veiled Reference is coming back to us and her foot seems to be healed enough to stand training. It will be great to have her back in the barn. Anyway, hope the holidays were great for everyone. P.S. - Powdered Donut has progressed enough now to be turned out in a small porta pad now. She is doing great! Thanks for the prayers.

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Update 201: Tim has just called and Who's Happy ran a great fourth. She came flying at the end and it was a photo finish for third. He also said that she has come out of it fine with now problems.

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Update 200: Just a quick update on this grey Thursday morning. Donut came back to us from New Bolten last night. She is taking medicine every 6 hours. I am happy to report that although she has lost a little weight, she is bright eyed. Tim and I stopped by at about 10 last night to check on her. Temperature wise she is holding steady at 100 degrees. It's so good to have her back. Truimphant was giving me a sorry look this morning as if I could possibly walk by without giving him a pat. What a ham!!! He is breezing well but I have not heard what the plan is for him just yet. Binkley is doing his part to keep the mouse population under control. Never underestimate the power of a good cat!!! Tim will have a busy next week with both Who's Happy and Lilly slated to run. Glancing over the calender for next week there are at least two other days he's running but I can't report where or with whom. I'll try to corner him and get some info out of him.

Later

Update 199: What a rainy Thursday. The last time I spoke with Tim he was madly trying to get horses breezed because of the impending rain. The steady rain can only mean that he has been wet all morning. Days like today make it easier to sit in an office . Powdered Donut has taken a turn for the worse and is at New Bolten with Pneumonia. Keep your finger's crossed for her. Who's Happy has come out of her race just fine and I believe there is a race at the end of December for her. There are several new babies in the barn that Tim and Robbie are working with. This time of year the turf horses go home and babies come in. Bubble Gum and Triumphant continue to do well and make their way towards the races. Luke is still at Fair Hill and will probably have a busy schedule with Who's Happy for the next couple of weeks. He seems to be enjoying his time there and doesn't seem to be missing the farm at all. Anyway, after freezing our rears off ( I only wish that was actually posible) at the December Mixed Sale at Timonium, the weather has at least given us a break in temperatures. Sunday was such a cold and windy day that the horses were difficult and hands were freezing. I'm not sure how all of the Consignors, Owners, Buyers, and Help made it through the bitter cold. Sales results were just a little bit down from last year . We had expected it to be. Anyway, nothing else currently to report. Hope all of you are well.

Later

Update 198: Quite a blustery Sunday morning. Tim is on his way to Philadelphia Park with Who's Happy. She should be running at about 3 pm. The good thing about Happy is that nothing bothers her. Not the wind, or the cold are issues for her. She is one tough cookie. I can't say the same for Tim and Mike. They will both be suffering. Powdered Donut is doing great and recovering from her high temperature. She is beginning to eat more and is happier. What a relief it is, so much can happen to a horse in a very short amount of time. Our Hearthrob is remaining sound and hopefully will make her way to the races early next year. Triumphant continues on the right track. He breezed last week from the gate and Tim says that he did it well. We have heard from Tim Hills who has Saar Treaty in Florida and she is doing just great. He will work her next week and find a race! How exciting. I'm quite sure she is enjoying the sunshine in Florida. Luke went to the track yesterday with Happy and he loves all of the action. What a great pony. He will be hard to replace.

Later

Update 197: Today is a bit of a dreary Monday but at least the temperature is above 40degrees. Lilly got a reprieve on her Maiden voyage to the races. Thankfully the owners were not keen to run her on an off track. Vicar's Tune did not run well on the dirt and will be going home for a break. He has jogged up fine and is sound and happy. One of the new girls (Denali) ran on Saturday at Laurel Park and finished a great second. She broke from the gate and went straight to the front only to be nabbed in the last few strides of the race. What a game filly! Bubble Gum breezed on Sunday with Triumphant and she has come out of it in great shape. I gave her a clip and she looks much taller! Onward to the races with her, how exciting. Powdered Donut is still clinging to a temperature but both Tim and Chuck are determined to keep a watchful eye on her. Luke shipped back to Fair Hill this morning to give Tim some help with Who's Happy and Sky Heat. Sky Heat is a filly owned by Matt Haney and she can be a hot tomale. (Did I spell that right?) Anyway, Luke is just the man for the job. I'm glad he's back!

Later

Update 196: What a beautiful Saturday Morning. I have to apologize for the lack of updates lately. The junk mail on this site becomes overwelming at times. Anyway, just a few things are in the works lately. Mrs. MVP has gone home for a much deserved break for the rest of the year. She has shown lots of heart in every race . Saar Treaty continues to train and will be leaving today to go to Florida. She is doing great and she needs to run on the turf . All of her hair is off and she was none too happy to have it clipped. Timothy Hills who is a friend of ours will be taking care of Saar for us. He is a great trainer and we couldn't be any happier with the arrangements. Ah, if only we could go to Florida with our PA breds. I'm not sure the owners would go for that one. Sweet Ginger Brown left yesterday for Turfway Park where is will be able to run on the artificial surface. The dirt is just not her cup of tea. Hopefully she will run well. We have been having some trouble getting Who's Happy in another race. The person writing the races seems to only be writing short races and Happy needs to go long. She was meant to run tomorrow( or Monday) at Philadelphia Park but I believe Tim said he didn't think the race would go. The owners want to take her home for a break. She would probably be happy with that! Vicar's Tune is running on the dirt at Philadelphia Park today. His owner wanted to try him on the dirt before giving him the winter off. He is still such a joy to be around and tortures me everynight while I'm trying to water off. What a gem. Powdered Donut went to New Bolten to have Dr. Dean Richardson work on some rough stuff in her ankles. She is recovering at Fair Hill but seems to be having a hard time with a high temperature. Tim and Dr. Chuck are keeping a close eye on her. Lilly is running for the first time tomorrow at Philadelphia Park. It should be quite interesting seeing her run but I hope we don't get the wet weather they are calling for. I really don't like running a baby on a rough track the first time out. I am probably more bothered than Lilly, nothing seems to bother her. Well, we shipped Lucky in to Fair Hill a couple days ago to see if he could be a pony. This is the little horse that was left at the sales grounds that I ended up taking home. He is so lovey but has a major stifle issue for which we have tried everything. We thought we had found him a good home but when the people demanded the jockey club papers (?) he suddenly ended up back with us. I was afraid he would end up somewhere I wouldn't like so we brought him home. Lucky was a very good companion to several horses and wasn't bad at standing. He actually stood by the gate and then watched a horse break from the gate, with the bell, and he stayed calm the whole time. Tim assures me that he never knew what the gate was for. Maybe he was right. Anyway, Who's Happy enjoyed her company to the track and back. Luke also went to Fair Hill and Meghan took him to the track several times. What a rock solid pony. He enjoyed his day out. I better stop gabbing now.

More Later

Posted by Alex at 3:24 PM | Comments (104)

Tims Update 6

Posted July 2, 2008

Update 185: After finally getting through all of the junk comments, I have a bit of energy left to give you a short blog. The Herpes outbreak at Laurel is causing a few problems. Tim shipped to Penn National on Friday only to be told that he could not run. The filly had run on the first of November at Laurel so they did not want her on the grounds. Tim checked twice before shipping and was told he was ok to run. Anyway, such is the racing game. Saar Treaty is doing great and may be running again in NY on Friday. She has been doing great. Lilly is about to run and Tim has picked out two races for her. She should be quite a tough filly at the races. Truimphant continues to do well and is looking more like a race horse these days. His personality is still great and he loves all the attention he can get. Vicar's Tune continues to train and may have one more start before having a well deserved vacation. Anyway, if Tim gives me any new information I will try to pass it on.

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Update 184: It is quite warm here on this Friday. How nice it is to have sixty five degree weather after just a few cold days. Tim has called in a short update. He has a new filly owned by Matt Haney called Sky Heat that has just arrived at the barn. I know one thing, she likes to eat. She is a pretty bay with a big white stripe on her face and is quite personable. Little Bubble Gum has gotten a new set of glue on shoes that seem to be working out well for her. Hopefully she will get to the races this year. Triumphant has been breezing well with a little filly we have named Bebe McQ. They are a good match. Bebe McQ is a Louis Quatorze filly just like Paris Night. She is a little shy but with time I have no doubt she will come around.

Later

Update 183: Well it is Thursday and it is still drab outside. Yesterday the two fillies were to run on the turf at Laurel Park but there was not any turf racing. Ms MVP finished a well earned third place while Sweet Ginger Brown finished last. The perfect place for Ginger is proving to be elusive. Tim believes that she will be a better filly on the turf but he has been unable to get her in on the turf. This assumption is made based on the fact that she breezes much better on the Tapeta surface than on the dirt track. Both fillies have come back just fine. I had a brief conversation with Tim this morning and I believe that there will be no racing for Tim Woolley Racing unless there is an extra race written. I stopped briefly by the barn last night to visit with the horses. Vicar's Tune came to the front of his stall and got some extra love. He is such a sweet boy. Saar Treaty pinned her ears at me and was not happy to wait for her dinner. She was hungry. Maybe I should have started at her end? Who's Happy seemed cheerful and I know Tim is trying to get her in somewhere. Truimphant is always exhuberant to see anyone as long as food is involved. Clever Binkley spent the hour while I was feeding staying just out of Bella's (my cocker spaniel) reach. He though it was great to torture her. She was intently staring at Binkley and he was being very sly keeping an eye on her. More Later !

Update 182: I spoke with Tim a moment ago and he seemed happy with Powdered Donuts performance this afternoon. She finished fourth in her first attemp to go long. She has been sprinting so it was no surprise to see her fighting to get to the front. All reports from the back side say that she has recovered just fine. Luckily the rain has held back in NJ. Forward we go to the races tomorrow.

Update 181: Just a quick update for this grey Monday morning. It is nice that the cold is holding off just a few more days. Tim will have a busy week. Powdered Donut will be running on Tuesday at the Meadowlands and Ms MVP and Sweet Ginger Brown will both be running in the same race on Wednesday at Laurel Park. Saar Treaty conitinues to recover from her race and is doing great. Tim is currently looking for another spot for Who's Happy. Bubble Gum worked another three eighths last week and is steadily progressing towards the races. Vicar's Tune ran his race last week but did not end up hitting the board. Apparently he does not like a yielding turf but he has returned sound and eating well. He may possibly have one more start before the end of the season. Who knows what Triumphant was doing in his stall last night, he completely distroyed his water buckets. Maybe bordom set in?

More later

Update 180: What a great Sunday. Tim and Mike went to Belmont Park with Saar Treaty to run in a tough Stakes race. Saar ran her butt off and finished second. Both the trainer and the owner couldn't have been happier have spoken to Tim and she has come out of the race just fine. On Thursday Tim and Mike went with Timely Tradition to Laurel Park where he won. Who's Happy of course did not run this weekend. Neither race on Saturday or Sunday went for her. I'm not sure yet who will be running this week but if I get an update I'll let you know,.

Later

Update 179: It is a little airish on this Wednesday morning. Beth was trying to leg up Tim this morning and had to give a chuckle at the difficulty getting him in the saddle. It seems that the trainer looses all of his jump when the weather gets cold. Ms MVP and Saar Treaty breezed together yesterday and this morning Ms MVP was quite active while walking in the shed row! She obviously came out of her piece of work just fine. Sweet Ginger Brown skipped by me and gave out a little squeal. The cool air has all of the horses feeling great. Who's Happy was to run on Saturday but her race did not go. There may be a race on Sunday but I have not had an update from the trainer on that one. Anyway, this is just a quick update with what little info I have. Keep warm!!

Later

Update 178: Well it is Sunday evening and Tim has recovered from his marathon racing yesterday. First JoJo raced at Laurel Park and she ran a great fourth place. THen it was of to the Meadowlands with Powdered Donut. She was in a tough Stakes race and fininshed beating one horse. She ran her little eyeballs out. I jogged her up for Tim this morning and she gave out a big squeal! Thank goodness her spirits are still good. This morning at the barn both fillies seemed no worse for racing. Who's Happy breezed with Tim aboard yesterday and she jogged up fine for the trainer this morning, although the trainer has a few sore muscles from trying to hold her. Vicar was his usual lovey self and I took some extra time to give him some love knowing that he will soon leave us to have a break. Saar Treaty was happily eating her hay this morning and gave me a little warning to stay away from her hay net. This is a good sign! She's one tough cookie. We have put several blankets on Ginger tonight being that the temperatures are dropping and she has been clipped. In other news, little Whippie went on a paper chase today with Meghan. They have been gone all day and I have not yet heard how they made out. What a beautiful day to be out riding.

Later

Update 177: Thought I would take a few minutes on this beautiful Friday morning to fill the few of you that still read this website in on some happenings this weekend. Tim will be very busy on Saturday. JoJo (Hlatikulu) will be running at Laurel Park on the turf and Powdered Donut is in at the Meadowlands. Donut is in a tough stakes race but she is a tough filly and she has been doing great. I stopped by the barn briefly yesterday to give Sweet Ginger Brown a full body clip. She has grown so much hair and I'm sure she will be more comfortable with some of it off. She stood like a trouper!!! Later in the morning she decided to take her frustrations out on Mike and gave him a huge bite on the rear! He survived long enough to get bopped in the lip by Tim's little baby Rosy! Mike had a tough morning (not to mention his wet feet caused by hosing Who's Happy). Anyway, Tim is trying to get Saar Treaty back into another race. Longer races for two year old fillies on the turf seem to be hard to come by. Vicar has come out of his last race with flying colors. I'm not sure when he will run next. Who's Happy is still recovering from her last effort and will probably breeze at the end of next week. The Fair Hill International three day event is going on this weekend. One of our former racehorses was there last year and I hope he will be competing again this year. His name is Buckingham Place. Anyway, everyone have a great day and enjoy the weather.

Later

Update 176: What a nice crisp Friday morning. I have just a brief update today from a very short conversation with the trainer. Little Bubble Gum is doing fine and staying sound which is really great news. We are looking forward to getting her to the races. Tim is on his way to the Meadowlands tonight with Vicar's Tune. I'm not sure what sort of race it is but he is a tough bugger and hopefully he will run well. Tim also has Ms. M.V.P. who is a first time started making her debut in the last race at Laurel Park today. She has grown up so much since coming to our barn from the Two Year Old in Training Sale in May. We will get to see a little of what she's made of today. Now that the yearling sale is over hopefully I will get some more updates from Tim Woolley racing.

Later

Update 175: Just had an update from the trainer. Apparently the owner Juanita is as tough as her filly. Juanita went and had a cast put on her foot and found someone to take her to the races. Who's Happy ran great and finished second after some speed got out in front. Tim reports that both horse and owner are fine. What a day!!!

Update 174: At least the rain has given us a break on this Monday morning. I have had just a brief update from Tim. Who's Happy is on the way to Philadelphia Park. Unfortunately, her owner slipped on some wet grass this morning and broke her ankle. These owners are very hands on. Mr. Bennett can always be found leading Happy in the paddock and his wife Juanita helps hot walk and tack up and anything else that is needed. The kids can also be found in the wings waiting to lend a hand. Tim briefly said something about Juanita slipping and something to do with a paint gun? Lets hope the filly runs well. Here at the yearling sale things are a bit rough. All week the mud has caused trouble and now with the sale is not going well. I'm not sure how these horseman can make a living sometimes. Anyway, I spoke with Bill Mailley today. We used to have Rockin Fun for him. He is doing great and won't be far from the races. Other than that I hope Happy runs well.

Later

Update 173: What a rainy Saturday. I thought that perhaps today the weather would be like yesterday in that it would threaten to rain but actually be fairly dry. That is not the case. It is coming down in cats and dogs. Anyway, the horses are generally not bothered by the rain. Tim has had the massage therapist at the barn giving several of our horses some therapy. The horses stand quietly and seem to truely enjoy the hands on approach to treatment. Our Hearthrob breezed again yesterday and is steadily progressing towards the races. It is so nice to follow a horse from start to finish. We may have to give Mike some tranquilizer when she runs but she is one tough cookie. The apple didn't fall far from the tree. Who's Happy is running on Monday on the turf at Philadelphia Park. She has come out of her last race so well that Tim thought she could run back quickly. At least this save both horse and rider trying to keep her in check in the mornings around the track. Running back so quickly means that she doesn't actually have to do much training in between her races. Anyway, down here in Timonium the people stabled in tents in the infield are getting flooded. The horses seem fine so far but the people are a bit grumpy which is to be expected. I have asked my boss to do a sun dance and his report is that it will come on Monday. Lets hope the weather gets better because other recent sales have declined in sales and I expect it won't be any differant for the Maryland Sale. More from Tim later.

Update 172: It is 54 degrees this fine Thursday morning and although the horses enjoy a bit cooler weather, the trainer is fretting about the cold already. Who's Happy, Vicar's Tune, Powdered Donut, and Saar Treaty have all come out of their races bright eyed and content. Vicar's Tune is so confident with himself that he is now trying to nip at people who happen to be standing too close. It is nice to see him so happy. Tim had a runner yesterday at Presque Isle. She was a first time starter going five and a half furlongs. I'm sorry to say that she has an unusual name and I'm not sure of the spelling but her name sounds like Shlatycooloo. Again this is completely mispelled. She is a two year old filly by Cetewayo. She left the gate running and if she hadn't gotten pinched back at the three eights pole, she would have been right there to perhaps win. In the end she finished third. It seems as though Tim will be having some fun with her. ANyway, I will try to give you another update later when I speak with the trainer.

Later

Update 171: These cool mornings have the horses really hopping. It sounds as though it will be a busy weekend for Tim. Vicar's Tune will be running at Laurel Park on the turf and Who's Happy will be running at Philadelphia Park. Sweet Ginger Brown and Triumphant had their owner visiting this morning. Ginger has really been enjoying this cooler weather. Last night at feed time she was jumping around her stall and being very animated about her dinner. Most of the time she is very quiet. Saar Treaty has come back from her race eating everything in sight. I took a few minutes this morning to walk Veiled Reference to the track. She is an active girl and we are trying to make sure she stays as quiet as posible. Paris Night is still being carefully watched by the veterinarian. She has had a blockage since Sunday. We were ok to turn her out in a porta pad this morning to let her eat some grass. She seemed fairly content. If all goes well she will be given her first flake of hay. Hopefully she can return to our barn in the next day or two. Lily breezed her first half mile yesterday and did it easily. She was resting quietly this morning. Anyway, if I get anymore of an update I will let you know.

Later

Update 170: What a gorgeous Monday morning. Tim Woolley Racing had a great weekend beginning with Saar Treaty running a great race at Laurel and then Powdered Donut running a bang up race at Presque Isle. Both fillies are back home and taking a few days of rest. Robbie also rode a winner for Paul Rowland at Kentucky Downs on Saturday. Tim is trying to find a race for Who's Happy and she still gives him quite a workout. Sweet Ginger Brown should be running again within the next week to ten days and I'm sure she will be happy to get going. Ginger gets bored easily and likes to be in the action. Mrs. M.V.P. is coming along nicely and is getting very close to the races. She is eating well and talks for her dinner every night. What a joy to be around. Little Bubble Gum is breezing steadily and is ready to make the move to three eighths of a mile. She is a very forward filly and we need to let her body catch up with her brain. Bubble Gum is very smart and knows just what she wants and wants it all right now. It should be quite interesting getting her to the races. Paris Night (big,gorgeous filly by Louis Quatorze) has had a bit of an impaction all weekend. The veternarian is keeping an eye on her and hopefully she will have some relief soon. Rajasthan came out of last weeks race just fine and will now be turned out for the winter. He should be leaving in the next day or two to have his break. Hopefully we can bring him back next year with a little more luck. Luke spent the weekend without his little Whippie who had to go to a pony club event rally. He made out just fine but was sure happy to see her last night. Whip had a clean round stadium jumping and also a clean round cross country. The only trouble she had was in dressage where she would not pick up on her right lead . Uncle Tim and Meghan have been working on this but it will take a little time. Anyway, both horse and rider had a great weekend and returned to the farm unblemished. Remember, something goods going to happen today, look for it!!!

Later

Update 169: Sorry for the short notice on this one but the trainer just called to report that Saar Treaty won her race at Laurel Park by five lengths. Finally Tim was able to enter her in a race going long for two year old fillies. He did have some concern because Michael Matz and Graham Motion had entries but she managed to win handily. I only just heard late last night that he was going to the races with her today or I would have given you more notice. Congratulations to her connections. We will try to find out if she was Saarland's first winner.

More later if I get another update.

Update 168: Sorry for the brief hiatus blogging. This morning most of the horses got trained before the deluge. We are excited to get much needed rain to help the ground soften a bit.
Rajasthan is off the run at Presque Isle tomorrow. He was his usual active self while I tacked him up this morning. Vicar's Tune will also be running tomorrow at Laurel Park. I had a great time giving him a bath this morning and he is such a love. Hopefully both of these boys will run great tomorrow. Saar Treaty continues to train well while we are trying desperately to get her into a longer race for two year old fillies. Who's Happy is aiming for another race and continues to tote Tim around the track everyday. You would think that with such a workout everyday Tim would be loosing the roll around the middle he has acquired with middle age. We have a new chestnut filly in the barn and her name is DDtaxwhatyouwant otherwise know as Taxi. She is such a sweetheart and is as quiet as a mouse in the barn. She is by the sire Artax and I haven't seen many Artax babies but she is quite pretty and has a lot of Chrome. King Congaree continues to get taller and taller. He is doing great and has kept a great personality while still being a colt. I can't wait to get him to the races. Sweet Ginger Brown is looking to run again. She now has all kinds of toys in her stall to keep her occupied. She gets bored very easily. Veiled Reference is still causing lots of commotion in the barn. She is a happy girl and everyone knows it. Marcy Lee (know as Lily & Who's Happy's little sister) continues to get meaner and meaner. She will reach over the stall door to bite you and you need eyes in the back of your head when your walking away from her. That's OK with us because all good fillies have a mean streak. Tim reports that she covers the ground effortlessly and he is getting excited about her. Powdered Donut is looking for another race. Turf season is getting tough on us now and it continues to get harder to get in. I took a few minutes on Sunday to groom on Mrs. M.V.P. and she is really growing tall. She is looking more like a grown up. Tim and I went to a wonderful event on Friday Night at the Maryland Polo Grounds. We enjoyed our first polo match and also took part in an auction to benefit the Cool Kids Campaign. The Cool Kids Campaign supports children with cancer and their families nation wide. What a great night we had. I sincerely hope they raised lots of money. This is the first polo match that either one of us had seen and it was quite exciting. I'm not sure either one of us would be good at swinging such a large mallet while staying on a horse but it might be fun to try. Anyway, we had a great time and the weather was perfect. I'll try to corner the trainer and get some more barn information for you.

Later

Update 167: This Monday morning was a pretty good one. Who's Happy ran at Philadelphia Park and tried to keep up with the sprinters. She gave it her all down the lane but when she dug in the front runners dug in faster. She came home fine and has suffered no ill affects from her race. Rajashthan seems fine after his third place finish last week. He seems a bit body sore but nothing that can't be managed. Sweet Ginger Brown was a star for her first race and she has come home in great shape. Sprinting will not be her thing but Tim needed to start somewhere. This week should be a pretty quiet one. I think one of the new horses will be running this week but Tim has just entered and it will be a few days before we know. We stayed up last night (anything after 9pm for us is late) to watch some racing from California. What a great bunch of racing. Del Mar has a polytrack surface and I wonder what it is like to train on. It would be interesting to know what kind of soundness problems they are experiencing from the track. People seem to think the polytrack is much safer and I would like to believe it is so but would also like to see the data to support it. Anyway, I will try to corner the trainer to get more accurate information for you.

Later

Update 166: These are some beautiful mornings we are having and both horses and riders are enjoying it. Today is Thursday and Tim has a busy day. Rajasthan is running at Laurel Park and Sweet Ginger Brown will be making her first start at Penn National in the first race. Tim will be going to Penn for the first time starter to make sure she has a good experience. Rajashthan has loads of experience and racing is no big deal to him. Hopefully he will run a bang up race. Ginger has been doing great and it will be great to get an idea of what she can do. You can never be really certain how they will race until they are actually racing. There are some horses that really can go in the morning but put them into a tight spot in racing conditions and they don't fair very well. Who's Happy will be racing on Saturday at Philadelphia Park and she is doing great. Lilly (Happy's little sister) worked a great quarter mile yesterday and Tim is getting excited about her. She is a tough filly who pins her ears when being tacked up and reaches out to bite people as they walk by. She now stands behind a screen for safety.
Paris Night worked three eighths yesterday and did it quite well with Robbie aboard. Veiled Reference looks forward to going to the track everyday. She is a very active girl. Miss M.V.P. is growing taller and I believe Tim reported that she worked her first half with him a few days ago and handled it just fine. Vicar's Tune continues to be his usual lovey and quiet self. What a personality. Anyway, wish Tim luck today at the races and hopefully the horses will run well.

Later

Update 165: Tim has reported that he had a great Thursday morning. Our Hearthrob sped away from the gate yesterday and today she worked an eighth of a mile is a blistering thirteen. She is doing great and has become quite a solid little girl. Lilly (sister of Who's Happy) worked again this morning and Tim says that she takes after her big sister in more than one way. All of the babies out of Enraged have been tough cookies and Lilly is no differant. That's OK with us because the first two fillies are both stakes winners and hopefully Lilly will follow them down that path. Robbie just rode a winner in Saratoga for Jonathon Sheppard. It must be quite exciting to ride and win a race in beautiful Saratoga. Veiled Reference went to the track for the first time yesterday and she is doing great. The trainer and I have miscommunicated about when Happy is running. She is running on PA day at the races but it is actually next Saturday not this Saturday. Happy is doing great and hopefully it will be a good day for both the owners and the trainer.

Later

Update 164: What great weather we have been having! This morning was cool and the horses seemed to be enjoying some fresh air. Vicar's Tune ran at Laurel on Saturday and finished second by a neck. He just got nipped at the wire but ran a bang up race. What a cool horse. Gator Nation has returned from Colonial Downs and is as happy as ever. Simon Hobson took very good care of him in Virginia. Gator now lives in the end stall and loves to check out what's going on outside the barn. Beth (takes care of horses on other side of barn for Tim) tried to get Tim to move him to her side but Tim wouldn't budge. I stopped briefly this morning to give Gator a hug and he is just such a personality. Who's Happy should be running this weekend at Pennsylvania day at the races (Philadelphia Park). She is doing great. Her little sister had her first piece of work on Saturday going an eighth and seems to have the same temperment her sisters have. Sweet Ginger Brown has somehow figured out how to rip her stall matt. They are so thick I'm not sure what she did to rip it but we have now given her several toys to play with. Ginger doesn't look like a baby anymore. She has grown very tall and seems to have loads of confidence. She will race soon and I hope her confidence carrys over! Mrs. MVP continues to train well and seems to be settling in here just fine. What a pretty girl she is. Veiled Reference is still causing loads of trouble at feed time. She sure loves to eat. I stopped this morning to give Rajasthan a pat and a hug but he really wanted to play. He is all boy and knows how to show you. I stepped accross the isle to a more willing participant (Gator). Paris Night is training well and Robbie loves her. She is as gorgeous as ever. We have several new horses in the barn now and I will try to get the trainer to spend a little time putting a few stats together that I can share with you. Luke continues to enjoy his days living at the farm with Timmy and Whip. He may ship in to school a few babies for a day or two.

Later

Update 163: What a great race Saar Treaty ran yesterday. She is such a trouper! After being shuffled to the back she made a great run down the lane to finish fourth. This was no small task which the two huge eyes she has this morning proved. The vet is treating her eyes and she will be just fine. We couldn't be happier with her efforts. Robbie will be riding this morning at Woolley Racing. Today is a light day with only three to go to the track. I believe the horses will have a couple of FOB's visiting today and I'm sure they will be more than happy for the extra love and treats. The rain has given way to a cool morning here is Saratoga. Tim has come up for the day and is over at the track visiting a friend who gallops for Bill Mott. This afternoon will be filled with looking at yearlings. Not a bad day!!!

Later

Update 162: Update from Saratoga

A light rain is now falling in Saratoga after a beautiful and sunny Saturday morning. While I was in the park looking at the beautiful flowers and listening to the birds I began to think about the yearlings being sold next week. Running along the tree lined street I wondered where they would end up. Who would buy them and where they would race? All of these babies are well bred and have been selected to sell in the main sale at Saratoga. Would their lives be long and happy ones? How will these babies take to being trained and learning about the racing game? I stopped by Walnut Green yesterday to pet a beautiful gray colt. He was standing so politely watching and waiting for his turn to be shown to a prospective buyer. He must have been used to loads of attention because when I stopped to stroke his face and talk to him he just soaked it all in. He seems to trust humans so it is a good start. As I look out the repository window I can see him out again. Having no idea what hip number he is I do not know what his breeding is but he seems to be very popular. Will he like training and stay sound enough to get to the races? Will he run fast or long and have confidence and dig in when being tested? What direction will his life go? This is just the beginning for these babies and hopefully they will give their owner's a lot of exciting racing days and hopefully when their racing days are over their owner's will return the favor by giving them a place to live and all the love they need for the rest of their days! Who knows what direction life takes horses and humans?

P.S. - If I hear from Tim later I'll try to put an update from this morning at Fair Hill!

Update 161: Today was not bad for a Friday. Rose Campbell has come out of her effort at Penn National the other night just fine. Showing little interest in keeping up with the pack, she will probably go home to be a riding horse. She is very lucky that her owner loves her to bits.
King Congaree and Sweet Ginger Brown breezed this morning. Skipping around the track for five eighths of a mile, both horses seem to be rapidly approaching the races. Sweet Ginger Brown seems to love the Tapeta surface and may make the trip to Presque Isle in a week or so to run. Vicar's Tune is coming around after his last trip to Colonial Downs and may run again next week at Colonial or Laurel. Our Hearthrob and Paris Night are now training partners and went a mile and a half at a leisurely pace this morning. They have both come back from lay offs and seem eager to train. Saar Treaty will be running at Colonial Downs tommorrow on the turf. Hopefully she will like the track and not be bothered by the ship to Virginia. She is a confident filly and not much seems to bother her. Real Lace has been under saddle for a few days with Tim in the saddle. He has decided that she needs a little more RNR and has sent her to a local farm. She has come back to her old self being very vocal at feed time. It is wonderful having her back. Hopefully with a bit more time off she will return to win a few more races. Robbie rode at Saratoga yesterday and finished third beaten by just half a length. What a beautiful racetrack to skip around. I'm sure it is dreadful to get nipped at the wire but the scenery couldn't be better. Tim is checking to see when the next video will be ready. I remain congnizant of the fact that you can not rush an artist but remain hopeful that it will be finished soon.

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Update 160: What a nice Monday. Why are jockey's called Pin heads? Just check out the ride Gator Nation got yesterday at Colonial Downs for the answer. How does a jockey get his horse boxed in on the 7 to 5 favorite with only five horses in the race? Anyway, Gator is fine and finished second with no racing room. Powdered Donut and Saar Treaty breezed together on Saturday and both fillies should be running this week with some luck. Veiled Reference is now going under tack in the shed row and seems to be enjoying herself. Rajasthan and Vicar both had it easy last week after their efforts at Colonial Downs in 100 degree weather. Both are fine and have recovered nicely. Rose Campbell is running tomorrow night at Penn National. I hope we see some excitement. The best news is that Real Lace came back to us. We will be trying to get her back to the races and she seems to remember where she is. Last night at feed time she was yelling for her food. That's a good sign. I made sure to give her the biggest hug she has had in a long time. Thank you all for the response to the video and the next one is currently on the cutting room floor. With a little more coaching and some cue cards Uncle Tim may get it right yet. As for Meg and Whip, they both were stars. The first class Meghan and Whip did caused a little trouble at the in and out jump. Whip ran out slightly after rushing the second jump a bit. They did not get to do the jump off. Uncle Tim talked Meghan into doing a second class and everything went great. No faults and no refusals. They have both had enough and did not push it doing the jump off. Next week they will have another go.

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Update 159:
Live and Online NOW!!!!

Mooney Myth Productions Presents....

"Working With The Woolleys" Volume 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9S-ltO1P2o

Update 158: After a busy weekend Tim is beginning to recover. Who's Happy made the trip to Presque Isle and won very nicely. She came back and looked no worse for the trip. Vicar's Tune ran a great race at Colonial Downs. He was in against a couple of tough horses and just got nosed out for third place. He tries so hard. Upon his return he had a sore eye but no ulcer in it. Treating it for a couple of days really helped and he is fine this morning but still a bit tired. Rajasthan also ran a great race. He was battling it out down the lane when a horse flew by in the last few strides to win it. He did well for getting second. I stopped by to see him on Sunday and he was relaxed in his stall but was a bit grumpy! I wen't into his stall and gently held his halter while I gave him a smooch. I was sure to watch when I turned by back because as I said He was very grumpy.. We have tried to enter Saar Treaty in a long race on the turf at Colonial and the race did not go. Another race was picked out going five and a half but when Tim called about it there had been only two entries. I'm sure the race won't go! We will keep looking. Rose Campbell has returned to the track after her race and she seems fine. Truimphant has not missed a meal since his gelding and continues to demand all of the attention in the barn. Paris Night is training nicely after her break. She now lives in a corner stall and enjoys spending the day looking out of her huge window. Sweet Ginger Brown and King Congaree continue their quest towards the races and both are doing great. We did however take the mat away from Ginger that was in the front of her stall because she was keeping her neighbors up at night playing with it. We found the mat inside her stall in a heep. Mrs MVP was on the track this morning and she looks like she is filling out a bit. She is such a sweet girl and has done everything we've asked of her. Binkley is back to bounding on his friend who is not at all amused. The are such a treat to watch. Anyway, not a lot of racing going on this week. We have a new video of Woolley racing done by Mooney Myth Productions. As soon as we figure out how to put it up you all must watch it . It is a hoot!!

Check back later

Update 157: Tim has had a couple of busy days so far and it continues through the weekend. This morning (Thursday) he is on the way to Presque Isle to run Who's Happy. Last night he was at Penn National running Rose Campbell. She was making her first start. After getting left at the gate (I'm sure she was dumbfounded), it was too hard for her to catch up. She behaved nicely and should improve in leaps and bounds for her next race. She was fine this morning, lounging in her stall eating her breakfast. Gator Nation ran a great race on Tuesday. He ran in an allowance race at Colonial Downs. He was beaten about a length for second and just nipped for third after being very rambuctious in the paddock. Tim cooled him out and he is just fine and is enjoying his time in Virginia. Tim will be headed back to Colonial for the weekend with both Rajasthan and Vicar's Tune running. This morning I stopped by the barn briefly and people were buzzing in every direction. I stopped briefly to give Triumphant a big hug and he is such a love. King Congaree and Sweet Ginger Brown breezed this morning a great half mile. The report is that both of them handled it nicely. Mrs. MVP also breezed a quarter mile and really stretches her little legs to breeze. Anyway, I'll try to keep you informed if I hear of any other news.

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Update 156: We have had a beautiful morning today (Tuesday).. What a nice weekend that began with the visit of the Fans of Barbaro. It is so nice to meet the people who are looking out for the unwanted horses. All of you have really done so much to help and it is great when you come to visit. Yesterday of course started out with rain and Powdered Donut was scratched from her turf race (it came off the turf) at Philadelphia. Tim will have to look for something else for her. Donut is doing great! Today Gator is running at Colonial so Tim is on his way to Virginia this morning. I hope he runs well and all reports are that he is enjoying life down there and doing great. Tommorrow Tim will be going to Penn National and again this weekend he will go back to Colonial Downs for a couple more runners. This is a very busy week for Woolley racing and hopefully all will go well. We gelded Triumphant yesterday and I am happy to report that at
dinner time the only thing he was interested in was why he did not get fed first. It is sometimes hard to geld a horse but I do realise that he will have a better life for it. Anyway, we have picked out a show for little Whip. Next Wednesday at the local Fair is a class that perhaps she could do quite easily. I think Uncle Tim is more excited than anyone. We'll let you know how it goes.

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Update 155: Loads of workers on this Friday morning. Who's Happy and Vicar's Tune breezed together. Tim has resorted to Robbie riding Who's Happy to give his back a bit of a break. She may be traveling to Presque Isle soon to run. Saar Treaty and Rose Campbell worked 5/8ths this morning with Jesus Braccho riding Rose Campbell. Both fillies breezed well and both should with some luck be running in the next week. Powdered Donut may be running on Monday at Philadelphia Park and both Vicar's Tune and Rajasthan should be running at Colonial Downs. Sounds as though Tim is going to be very busy. Triumphant is training well and is quite the personality. He lets everyone know he is there when they come in the barn, just in case they might go right by him without noticing how gorgeous he is. Sweet Ginger Brown worked yesterday with King Congaree. They worked a good half mile and continue to march towards the races. Ginger has gotten tall now and doesn't look like a baby anymore. Our Hearthrob is now back in training and jogging around the track. She loves the action and I'm sure is glad to be out of the barn. Our Diva went home yesterday for a well deserved break. Anyway, as I said lots of action today and it sounds like there will be quite a lot of action for the next week. Hopefully all will go well and horses will be happy.

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Update 154: What a busy week at pony camp. Being the nervous Aunt Penny I have been trying to see little Whip and Meghan as much as I can. The first day Meghan and Whip had a dressage lesson (neither one had ever done that before) , both girls handled it well. Little girls were going every direction on little ponies that were fresh, believe me I was a little bit scared. Whip would not stand still but Meg kept her walking and both did just great. The next program was out in a huge field for stadium jumping. As I sat and watched these youngsters going around on big horses, I truely believed that standing at the bottom of the ring in the direction of the way home would be a great idea. The jump that looked like a gate was the only real thing concerning me. Little Whip took off at the first jump (with flowers) cleared it easily came up to the second jump (the gate) and both Whip and Meghan were not sure if they were going over it. Whip stopped and Meghan kept her composure, doing a small circle and headed back towards the jump. Over Whip went, down a slight hill (toward home) and kindly made a right hand turn and cleared jump three. Next was a jump with a big green roll top, Whip never blinked and sailed right over the roll tops. Jump five was a flashy looking yellow oxer jump with flags flying off the top, and again both horse and rider never turned a hair. Now going towards the other end of the ring was jump six being a small cross rail, Whip jumped easily and then off to jump seven which went up a slow hill to jump eight (which was the biggest jump) and you really had to keep your horse going to the end. Up and over the eighth both Whip and Meghan were all smiles. It could not have gone better. Meghan and Uncle Tim have been practicing on the farm but you never can be quite sure when horse and rider are away from their normal enviroment. The first day of pony camp was over with and I now was more comfortable after seeing Whip fit right into the crowd. Uncle Tim was on hand yesterday for the braiding demonstration. He of course prompted Meghan to ask which side the mane should be braided on. She has braided many manes for uncle Tim but the instructor was teaching braiding on the wrong side. He also noticed that a camper was leading his horse on the wrong side and prompted Meghan to politely correct this problem . Maybe Uncle Tim should be banned from pony club, although you might as well teach kids the proper way to begin with. Bad Habits can be easily corrected in the beginning but can be a bugger to break if allowed to continue. I know this from personal experience believe me.

As far as the barn at Fair Hill goes, I have had very little time to see Tim lately being that I did the night shift at pony camp last night. I will try to catch up with him later and give some more updates on the horses.

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Update 153: What a beautiful Wednesday. Going to be quiet on the racing front for this week but the two year olds are progressing very well. Saar Treaty should be back in the entries in a couple of weeks after a short break. King Congaree and Sweet Ginger Brown are both breezing well and are now up to a half mile piece of work. Both of these seem happy with everything so far. Triumphant is a slower maturing colt who is still doing eighths. He is the first horse you see as you enter the barn and he loves his new stall. He gets in on all of the action. So far he is not studdish and hopefully he will stay that way. Rossetta (Tim's baby formerly know as Rosie but we already have a Rosie) is progressing nicely under Robbie and she responds well to his patience and quiet demeanor. They get along great and she has been jogging nicely around the barn. Lilly (Who's Happy little sister) just gallopping and doing early gate work. She is a lot like her sister and is very laid back. Veiled Refernce is enjoying being back at Fair Hill. She has rounded out a bit and looks great. Miss VIP (Grand Slam filly) has been going to the gate with Lilly. She has a lot more experience at the gate than Lilly and is a good influence. Rose Campbell is eating like a horse so to speak and seems to be happy as a clam. Little Binkley (barn cat) is none too happy with Tim at the moment. He needs to get wormer everyday and lets just say he doesn't take it like a woman. He'll be a better man for it when he's finished. Anyway, that's all for now. I'll try to keep you informed about any new happenings in a few days.

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Posted by Alex at 11:32 PM | Comments (110)

Tims Update 5

Posted April 7, 2008

Update 152: What a busy weekend. Our Diva ran a better race but is still running a bit green. Sometimes it can take a few races for everything to kick in. She has come home fine. Rajasthan also ran a good race and just got swallowed up at the end. The race was just a little bit too far for him. This is the problem with a turf horse. Getting the horse in at the optimal distance and keeping it on the turf can be quite a challenge. He would do better at a mile but if Tim can't find a mile race he will have to run a tad further. He went right to his dinner at feed time and seems to be fine. The stars aligned for Gator Nation yesterday. Early in the morning Tim called me to say he was in his stall tossing his head and playing. He ran a great race and seemed to do it quite easily. Unfortunately the owner now thinks he is bad luck and did not come to see him win. Anyway, it is always nice to win a race. I'm so happy for him. Should be quiet on the racing front this week. I'll let you know if anything exciting happens.

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Update 151: Tim and Robbie were very busy this Friday morning. Loads of workers. King Congaree worked a really nice three eighths of a mile with Sweet Ginger Brown. Both seemed to handle this work just fine. They are good company for one another. Who's Happy had a jog around the track and is moving great after her last race. Saar Treaty had an easy half mile this morning for her first piece of work since racing. Rose Campbell had her owner here this morning watching her work. She has come a long way and hopefully isn't far off racing. She eats everything we can throw at her and seems to be mentally standing up very well. Rajasthan will be leaving about 4am tomorrow making his trip to Colonial. He will race tomorrow in the 6th race. Gator Nation is in at Colonial on Sunday and should run well as long as it stays on the turf. Our Diva is also running this weekend but at Philadelphia Park. Mike Rago has been promoted to assistant and will be in charge of Diva on Sunday. She is a good girl and Mike should have no trouble with her. Tim will be going to Colonial early tomorrow morning and will stay through Sunday and Gator's race. Meghan and I will be shipping little Whip to an indoor this evening in preperation for pony club camp. This is the first time I have driven the trailer so wish me luck.

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Update 150: Just had a report from Tim and Who's Happy is just fine. Right now there seems to be no reason for her running poorly. She did not mind the heat and is barely thirsty. Tim will have the vet scope her to make sure she doesn't have anything going on in her lungs. Apparently Powdered Donut will be running tonight. Colonial Downs is on the grass today so maybe we'll have some luck after all.

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Update 149: Vicar's Tune ran a great race at Colonial Downs and has come back a little tired but no worse for the race. He is such a quiet boy. Powdered Donut shipped to Colonial yesterday but they have had so much rain that it has come off the turf. She will not run and will ship back up here to us. Tim is on his way this morning (Monday) to Philadelphia Park with Who's Happy. She is running in an Allowance race today and Tim says that it has come up pretty tough. Hopefully she will have improved fitness wise after her last race and will have a good race. When I stopped by the barn earlier today Triumphant was flat out in his stall taking a nap. He has it rough. Our Diva was coming back from the track and boy has she gotten tall. Rajasthan continues to train well and hopefully will be running at Colonial on the turf this week. Loads of stuff going on this week. With a bit of luck we will have some action.

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Update 148: What a beautiful Wednesday. Stopped by the barn this morning to find things buzzing. Who's Happy was jumping around her stall enjoying the cool air. Vicar's Tune had trained and was already standing in his ice boots eating his hay. Should be exciting to see him run at Colonial on Friday. Tim likes him a lot. Little Rosa was staring out the window waiting for me to come give her some attention, and Luke was looking out his window to see what action was going on. Little Saar was bright eyed ready to train. Good luck to whomever rides her this morning she looks a bit fiesty. Last night little Whippie jumped the big course like a champ. I think she has even amazed Tim with her jumping abilities. After the jumping session Timmy and Whippie took a little walk cross country. Good thing Whippie is brave because Timmy needed to have some help getting through the creek. Anyway, everyone returned back to the barn safely. Tim and I stopped to feed and of course Triumphant was very excited to see us. He loves to eat. His sister is almost as rambuctious at feed time and neither one wants to be last being fed. She is a nice Smoke Glacken filly (Sweet Ginger Brown) and so far is up to breezing three eighths of a mile and doing it nicely. The new little Grand Slam filly that we got from the two year old sale is such a quiet little girl. She waits patiently for her food and gives just a little whinnie when you go her way. Powdered Donut is eating everything in sight and should be ready to run on Monday. King Congaree seems to grow taller everytime I see him. He is all boy and loves attention. He breezes with Sweet Ginger Brown and seems to be moving along nicely. Rajasthan continues to be his cheeky self. You need to really be careful petting him now because he looks lovey but will try to bite. I'm not sure where his next race will be but hopefully it will be soon.

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Update 147: Not such a bad weekend. Tim went to Colonial Downs to saddle Gator Nation. He behaved much better in the paddock. Racing on the rail he ran into traffic and just could not get free enough to get to the front. He was not beaten by far at all. He cooled out fine and has settled into his stall at Colonial where he will remain for the meet. Vicar's Tune will be going to Colonial on Friday, thankfully they used the race. Powdered Donut should be running at Colonial on Monday if everything goes as planned. She has come out of her race fine and eating great so we may give her another go. Everyone is ticking along and enjoying a bit cooler weather on this beautiful Monday morning. We had no breezers today, everything just trained. Luke gave a little pony ride yesterday. He enjoyed a short walk around the barn and picks grass the entire time. He received a beautiful basket on Saturday filled with carrotts and apples. I'm sure he has enjoyed most of the basket already. Thank you all for your thoughts on Luke. He will remain at Fair Hill for a short while and at some point will go to the farm. Curlin ran a great race yesterday. What a machine. Tim is currently searching for another race for Our Diva. We will try to get her in on the grass. She is training well and most of the time you don't hear a peep out of her. Veiled Reference is now walking in the shed row. She is staying calm and seems to be enjoying a little play time. Baby Rosa has adapted well. As long as she has something to eat she seems to be happy. Saar Treaty is going back to the track after a short break. She is a light filly and needed a little extra time after her race. Mentally she is fine and ready to go again. Who's Happy continues to gallop nicely. For the time being she and Tim have come to an agreement on how to gallop. She is being very cooperative. This is wonderful because then she is not being too hard on her body. She is one tough mama!!! As we hear it her mother is now in foal to Not For Love (leading MD sire). What a baby that could be. Anyway, nothing more for now. Thank you KLB for the wonderful baskets that arrived on Saturday. You are great!!

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Update 146: Just a little warm on this Friday and lots of things going on in the barn. Rosemary came to give Vicar's Tune and Who's Happy each a massage which I might say both horses enjoyed immensely. The horses love her and she is great! The blacksmith came early to work on Rajasthan's delicate feet. He needs a bit of extra care in the foot department. There is an old saying "no foot, no horse". My opinion only really matters to me but I happen to agree with who ever came up with this . Anyway, Rajasthan is fine and better with a new pair of shoes. Yesterday both Rose Campbell and Our Diva both had great works. Rose Campell is about a month from running now. We now have in the barn Who's Happy's little sister. She is by the stallion Bowman's Band and looks a lot like the mare's other babies. Hopefully she will be able to run like her siblings. Tim moved Veiled Refernce and his little baby Rosa to Fair Hill today. Veiled Refernce was great but Rosa is a hot headed Red Head. Reports were that it looked like a roping competition. Anyway, everyone is happily in their new homes . Luke is still at Fair Hill for now but is only walking to the track on occasion. Gator Nation will be running on Sunday at Colonial Downs on their beautiful turf course. Wish him luck.

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Update 145: Last nights storms have given way to much less humidity this morning. What a scary sight all that lightning. Everyone is safe and now enjoying cooler weather. Powdered Donut won last night and she did it quite easily. She took awhile in the spit barn (where blood and urine are tested, I'm not quite sure why it's called the spit barn) but she is fine and happy this morning. Gator Nation continues to be upbeat and happy in the mornings and should be ready for a trip to Colonial Downs. Saar has come out of her race just fine and is eating everything in sight. Who's Happy is just fine and will probably start at Philadelphia Park the next time. The babies are all doing well and we continue on the road to the races.

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Update 144: This heat has wilted both horses and people alike this weekend. Thankfully we have been able to train early to avoid the worst. This morning (Sunday) was a quiet morning with horses getting baths and walking. Only one horse to train today and that was Powdered Donut who will be running on Tuesday at Penn National. Good news about Tailtails. She won her race last night. Leaving her at Penn National was hard to do but she was fit and ready and just waiting to be in the right spot. Hopefully she has come out of it well. Several visitors at the barn this morning. Donna and Lyn were feeding loads of carrots and mints. The horses do enjoy the extra pampering they receive. Saar Treaty is a hit with all but she is starting to demand all of the attention. Of course the greys are always a hit. King Congaree and Sweet Ginger Brown are both grey and have loads of personality. Rose Campbell was also quite anxious to get her treats this morning. Rajasthan worries me a little because he can get a bit aggressive. He behaved but I kept a close eye on him. Gator Nation as always was a lovey boy this morning and certainly knows when there are treats around. The new little filly we have (Grand Slam) is not quite sure what a mint is but I'm sure she'll catch on quickly. Veiled Reference will be shipping back to Fair Hill in the next week. She is ready to start hand walking. We are not quite sure yet but may be shipping Luke to the farm as well. Tim's little filly Rosa may come to Fair HIll if he can fit her in. This morning I was standing in the shed row watching a nice Chestnut walk and I realised it was Triumphant. He is really growing. Anyway, as I hear it there will no break from the heat tomorrow as it is headed to 97 degrees.
The fans will work overtime in the next few days in an effort to keep the horses cooler.

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Update 143: Just a bit wet on this Wednesday morning. Tim is on his way to New York with Rajashtan. The race is off the turf but the owner wants to run anyway so that is the plan. Saar Treaty shipped home from the races yesterday and dug right in to her dinner. This morning she was resting quietly in her stall. Our Diva was quite active walking in the shed row. She has come out of her race a little wiser and a lot fitter. Sweet Ginger Brown continues to breeze and is up to working three eighths of a mile. She is doing great so far. Triumphant is such a cutie. We all agree that if he ever goes off his grain it won't be good. He loves to eat. Things are a bit quiet in the barn. Robbie's wife is having their second child today so he is with her. I know that next week Colonial Downs opens for racing. They have a great turf course and we will have loads of runners. Gator Nation will go to Colonial as will Rajasthan at some point. It is quite a long ship but the turf is worth the trip. Powdered Donut will also be making the trek to Colonial. She will be ready to run and hopefully will like it in Virginia. We have not decided just yet but may make the trip to Belmont this weekend. Maybe this is our chance to see a triple crown winner in action. Fair Hill also has Icabod Crane in the race who is trained by Graham Motion. Could be quite an exciting race. Who knows what will happen? It's all about the dream!!!

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Update 142: Correction: Saar Treaty will be running tommorrow at Delaware not Wednesday!

Update 141: What a beautiful Monday. Who's Happy and Our Diva both came out of their races just fine. Diva rested quite a bit yesterday. She was so quiet before the race and really did not know what was happening. In the paddock she was saddled with no problem and acted like a professional. Victor came back and said that they got a few strides jump on her out of the gate and she could never catch up. She will come a long way for this race. Who's Happy just got a little tired running for the first time after her break. She looked like a million dollars in paddock before the race. Little Saar Treaty will be running at Delaware Park I believe on Wednesday. It should be very exciting to see this little girl run. She is one tough cookie. Gator Nation is being quite contrary in his stall. Yesterday a few of us just stood outside to pet him and he was not too happy that we did not bring treats. We should know better.

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Update 140: It's a gorgeous Friday morning today. Tim has a very busy day today. Two horses will be running tonight at Penn National. Who's Happy and Our Diva are both racing tonight. Hopefully both will run well. Unfortunately Kitty will be going with them to stay up at Penn National. The owners said she is not paying her way so she needs to go somewhere cheaper. We do understand but it is hard to let these animals go.I will miss Kitty she has been one of my favorites. Tim did have a call from Molly's owner yesterday thanking him for suggesting that she go to Penn National. She ran second on the turf. It is nice to know that some people do appreciate the imput a trainer has to give. Vicar's Tune worked this morning. He is such a calm boy and just stands quietly while being tacked up. Gator Nation ran third yesterday at Pimlico. Tim said it was quite a trick to get him saddled and he had everyone scrambling in the paddock. Thankfully he ran well and hit the board. Sweet Ginger Brown had to be moved out of her currant stall into a differant one due to her turning on the water spicket sometime in the night. The shedrow got a little wet! She must have been bored. Saar Treaty had a good work yesterday and she is moving forward as well as she can be. Hopefully we will have a good blog to write tomorrow after the trip to Penn.

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Update 139: Stopped in the barn this morning. Kitty is quite cheeky after her race. She has come out of it well and hopefully will get a better trip for her next race. The jockey was carried wide by a bolting horse and Kitty lost some ground. Who's Happy had a little piece of work yesterday. She went a half mile with Tim and did it quite nicely. Hopefully her race will have enough horses entered to make it a go. Powdered Donut is ready to run and Tim is looking for a race for her. Saar Treaty went to the Fair Hill races on Saturday to paddock school. She behaved like a champ and should be running on Friday at Delaware Park with any luck. Rajasthan is recovering from a foot issue caused by a blacksmith putting a nail in the wrong spot. He is mean as ever and you really have to be careful while tacking him up and gives Tim a hard time every morning. Rose Campbell has had her first breeze again after a short break and she is happy. She is too competitive in company so she trains and breezes by herself for now. Eventually we will give her some company but at this stage she is trying too hard. Sweet Ginger Brown was nipping at me as I was putting her water buckets in this morning. I gave her a big hug and kiss which she enjoyed while Triumphant was staring at me this morning as if he could not believe he had to wait for his breakfast. He loves to eat! I took the new Grand Slam filly to the porta pad this morning to have a little turn out time. She was quite fresh and after jogging around for awhile she came in and was ready to relax. Vicar is so quiet that you hardly know he is there. He rests a lot which is a good thing. Gator Nation should be running again shortly. He was quite active this morning in his stall. Anyway, now that I'm back from the sales I will be able to give a few more updates.

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Update 138: After a couple of nice days we were due to have rain again. Molly ran last night and really ran her heart out. She finished third and came out of the race just fine. We have left her with a trainer at Penn National that we trust (Quick Quest is with him). She will be taken care of. It looks as though Rajasthan will not be able to run tomorrow. Pimlico will not risk their turf course before Saturday with all of this rain. ANyway, we will see. Not sure what else is going on in the barn this morning. I will try for another update once I speak wtih Tim.

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Update 137: After several days of rain it is sure nice to see the sun. Saturday with the rain everyone was in the shed row with thier horses. Sunday we had a few workers. Powdered Donut is breezing well and seems to be very happy doing it. She may be given a start at the Fair Hill races if the turf is suitable. Vicar's Tune has breezed with Rajasthan and can hold his own with the vetran. Rajasthan has already proven that he can run and it is always nice to give a younger horse some experience with an older vetran. Who's Happy continues to breeze and should be ready to run in a Stakes race at the end of the month. Saar Treaty is progressing nicely and continues to get meaner as we speak. She is a love but definately doesn't want to be messed with. Sailing Home (Molly) is entered to run at Penn National on Thursday and Rajasthan is entered to run on Friday at Pimlico. Should make for a busy week. Both Sweet Ginger Brown and Truimphant are now so comfortable in the barn that they have naps after they come in out of the porta pads. I mean they both are flat out. It is nice that they rest and relax. Robbie rode a winner this weekend in Tennessee for Mr. Sheppard. I'm not sure where his next ride will be but it is nice he is having some success. ANyway, if I get an update later from the trainer I will let you know.

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Update 136: We are having such a great week with the weather. Rajasthan is back training after his race and is cheeky as ever. Trying to pet him at feed time can be quite a task. He has a lot of personality and hopefully will have a great racing season with us. Bubble Gum is now being turned out for several hours each day and so far seems to be behaving herself. She loves to play around. Saar Treaty does everything we ask of her very easily. She is not at all intimidated by her neighbor Happy who gives her mean looks. Speaking of Who's Happy, she continues to tote everyone around and should be running by the end of the month. Powdered Donut seems to be past a few stiff muscle problems and in going great. King Congaree came to us and seemed a bit unsure but now when you walk in his stall you better watch out. He is all boy! His training is going fine. Sweet Ginger Brown loves to eat and every night makes loads of noise until she is fed. She is a demanding girl but a loveable one. She is very early on with her training but seems to be happy and enjoying it so far. Truimphant is a quiet little chestnut boy. He waits patiently for his dinner and you never hear a peep out of him. Rose Campbell seems to remember us and has jumped right back into action. She is carrying good weight and is very relaxed. Gator Nation is of course his usual quiet self and we are looking for another race for him. Kitty is also going to have another start with us. I hope she shows something more this race. I really like her but she will go to another trainer shortly if she does not perform for us better. I had a chat with her last night to tell her to pick it up a bit, hopefully she was listening. I know that especially after the Derby that this blog sounds all good. Sometimes in racing things happen unexpectedly. I don't personally know the people involved I can only speak with my own experience. This life is a roller coaster ride. There are ups and downs as is any business. We love these animals and do the very best we can for them. I have always told Tim "If you have done absolutely everything you can for this horse then fine, if not try again." Try your best to get their best out of them. Keep them happy and healthy and always look for little signs that might be a red flag. With this being how I feel, unexpected things have happened. Like I said, it is a roller coaster ride.

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Update 135: What a beautiful Thursday we have had. Rajasthan finished third in his first start of the year and appears to be no worse for it. He ran a little too freely and tired but has certainly come out of it in good shape. Congaree and Triumphant (two colts) gallop together and are progressing nicely. These two babies are both quite striking on the track. We were hoping to run Molly (Sailing Home) at Atlantic City on the turf but she did not draw in, so we are looking elsewhere for a performance on the grass! Hopefully this will move her up a bit. Rose Campbell has now returned after a months break looking more developed and ready to train. Sweet Ginger Brown and Powdered Donut who keep each other company on the track both continue to move forward with their training. These two fillies are both grays and the only thing that makes them look differant are the blinkers that Donut trains in. These blinkers keep certain horses a bit more focused. Who's Happy will be toting Tim around the track tomorrow for another piece of work. Saar Treaty and Donut should be working on Saturday weather permitting.
Robbie had a good weekend riding a winner and two seconds at the Steeplechase meet in North Carolina and is back riding again this weekend in Virginia. Tim attributes Robbie's success to riding out with him all winter! Who can tell?

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Update 134: We have had such beautiful weather the last few days and this Friday morning was no exception. Gator Nation seems fine after his run at Atlantic City a few nights ago. He was bumped quite badly coming out of the gate and made a very wide run around the turn but still managed to run fourth. Several of our horses breezed this morning. Molly (Sailing Home) and Powdered Donut worked together and both went well. Marty(Donut's owner) brought lots of donuts for all of the help to enjoy. Saar Treaty went her second three eighths of a mile and she is progressing very nicely. Triumphant and Sweet Ginger Brown (both babies) are happy galloping a strong mile and a half everyday. They handle it well and seem to enjoy their training thus far. Rajasthan is making his first run for us tomorrow at Pimlico. It is so exciting to get him to the races and I can't wait to see him run. He is a tough bugger. We also had several other visitors this morning. Carrot man George was by spoiling the horses with mints and loads of love. All of them want his attention. Jim Course (photographer) was by the barn and hopefully Tim made some arrangements to get some new pictures for the web site (I will let you know. ) Luke shipped back to the barn today from the farm. The babies need some schooling with the pony so he must work. Good thing he loves it. The only other thing to report is that Binkley was madly running up and down the shed row today playing with Simon who normally just beats Binkley up. Binkley must feel very brave today. Hopefully all of you will have a wonderful weekend. Hard to believe the first Saturday in May is almost upon us.

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Update 133: Just a little bit cloudy for a Monday. At least it is nice and cool for the horses. Saturday had some great works at the track. Who's Happy breezed well and was a bit confused to start from a differant pole than usual. This made her quite managable. Gator Nation also had a good work and will be running at Atlantic City on Wednesday night. Tim told me that Rajasthan had a great work. Unfortunately, he did not get in to run this week. He is doing great and we can't wait to run him. Saar Treaty had her first three eighths mile work and she handled it like a professional. She is all business. Maybe she will get to run in a two year old race at the end of May. Tail Tails is fine after beating one horse at Delaware Park yesterday. She did everything well and broke just fine, just got out run. She hardly blew after the race and ate all of her dinner last night. We will have to try something else with her. Anyway, I think that is all of the news for now.

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Update 132: Today was a gorgeous Friday. The horses seem to be enjoying the warm weather. The first baths of the season are a bit troublesome but now that the horses are shedding out their winter coats both the grooms and the horses are enjoying a bit of water. Rajasthan did not get into the races for this weekend at Aqueduct. Hopefully next week we will try again with more success. Tail Tails will be running on Sunday at Delaware Park. She is such a lovey girl, I really hope she does well on Sunday. Our Diva is really looking the part of a racehorse. She has grown so much and is now a tall, fit looking filly. She shouldn't be long from the races now. Who's Happy continues to try to intimidate Saar Treaty who is in the neighboring stall. Saar takes it all in stride and doesn't seem to mind the mean looks she gets from Happy. King Congaree and Sweet Ginger Brown are now training together. They are both babies and have a tendancy to spook each other. Boys can be so goofy unlike the little Smoke Glacken filly we have who is more than sensible. All of the babies are doing just fine and do normal baby things. They will soon learn and will be more confident as time goes on. Luke's time at the farm is soon to be over. He is needed to school the babies a little bit. Vieled Reference is doing just fine at the farm and is now into the new routine. She always has a buddy in with her and she loves to play around in her stall. She normally has a few moments of playfullness every morning and then she settles right down again. She is a joy. Anyway, should be some breezers to write about tomorrow.

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Update 131: What a beautiful Tuesday morning. The day started out a bit crisp but now it is sunny and wonderful outside. Who's Happy is just fine after her five eighths work on Saturday. Tim managed to breeze her fairly easily and it was just a maintanance piece of work. Powdered Donut also worked and went in company with another horse for a good half mile work. Lucky has been back for a few weeks now and he gallops with a new friend. We have a Smoke Glaken two year old named Sweet Ginger Brown. He is a lovely boy and he and Lucky are a good match. Our Diva continues to improve and will break for a gate card this week. Every racehorse needs to be OK'd so to speak and given a gate card to keep with their jockey club papers. Diva should get this easily as she is all business on the track. Tail Tails is doing fine and Tim is trying to find another race for her. She still demands loads of attention and we are all happy to give it to her. King Congaree (tall,lanky, grey) is a hit with the ladies. He is such a big softy and it isn't hard to give him lots of attention. What a joy to be around. I'm not sure how he is to ride but I'll ask the trainer. I am also glad to report that the poison ivy has settled down a bit after a week of steroids. Hopefully we have learned to stay away!!!

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Update 130: Tim has just called in a Friday update. Robbie and Tim breezed a few horses this morning due to the impending weather. Rajasthan and Gator Nation worked a strong half mile together this morning. Much like humans, horses for the most part enjoy working out with company. Both horses handled it well and covered the Tapeta nicely. Tim was aboard Our Diva and she breezed a half mile on the main track. She is stepping up the pace a bit and seems to be handling her works just fine. So far we have seen no more shin trouble this go around. Saar Treaty worked another quarter mile today. This time she was motoring around the track. She breezes by herself because we have no other two year old that is as forward as she is. Her work was on the main track and Tim reports that she is ready to go three eighths next time. Who's Happy and Powdered Donut will both be breezing tomorrow as long as the weather has not been too awful. We are anticipating both of these fillies to work well and we will definately update everyone on their progress. Tim had to leave Robbie in charge for the last set today. Tim looks as though he has gone several rounds with Mike Tyson. Poison Ivy bites him in the rear every time he does yard work and believe me when I say it is not pretty.

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Update 129: Just a quick Wednesday morning upd