Barbaro Updates: 292
updates are now here.
Update 1961: Gloria (IL) won the quiz (update 1960) and Horse Feathers Equine Rescue Inc. will receive $100. Gloria recently visited.
Sightseeing is no longer being considered for the Belmont: Curlin back to work; Sightseeing drops out
Update 1960: The Daily Racing Form covers Red Aspen's win yesterday. $100 to the horse welfare charity of choice of the person who can identify two errors in the article: Monmouth: Redaspen takes Politely
Street Sense galloped at Churchill this morning, a decision re: the Belmont will be made on wednesday. Curlin breezed 5/8ths at Churchill and is on schedule for the Belmont: Easy Work for Curlin at Churchill; Asmussen 'Very Pleased', excerpt:
"I was very pleased with him," said Asmussen. "I just try to be pretty rhythmic with where we're at with him. I feel that the familiarity for him with what we're doing keeps his state of mind where we want it to be -- nice and relaxed. With everything that's been asked of him over a short period of time, I want to keep everything as close to normal as I possibly can."
Update 1959: The mood at Belmont Park was sombre on saturday morning in the wake of Andrew Lakeman's accident: Breakfast at Belmont. My tire is fixed thanks to Dave, Hawty Creek's owner. Hawty is doing well on the farm. A long anticipated arrival arrived last night!
Update 1958: A somewhat muggy morning this morning at Fair Hill. I had a flat tire so had to call Tim to see if he could come and pick me up. No problem there. Red Aspen and Who's Happy looked good in the barn when I saw them this morning. My first to go was Gator Nation, he went out to the fields with Tim and Whip Smart. We jogged around the outside, chatting the whole time about yesterday's events. Tim was thrilled in the manner of Red Aspen's victory and Victor Molina's ride. He was also very enthusiastic about how Who's Happy is progressing. She is growing into a very big filly. Second out was "New Horse", she went to the dirt track to gallop a mile, jogging back to the 5/8ths first. Tim came with us but continued jogging back when I turned around and went to the gate, he was on Quick Quest. New Horse galloped very nicely. Finally I took Nautical Agent across the fields. She loved it, we spied a fox. All very tranquil. I then had to find a way home, which meant walking to the starting gate, and finding someone willing to give me a ride to the gas station (needed milk and coffee) and home. Thanks Kirsty.
A nice pre-race article on Red Aspen yesterday: Redaspen poised for Politely, excerpt:
Woolley, a native of England, moved to the United States in 1988 and obtained his trainer's license in 1995. He has a 14-horse string at Fair Hill, where he put the finishing touches on Redaspen's Politely preparations.
"She had a nice 6-furlong breeze last Saturday, and she is doing very well," he said. "I am very happy with her."
...and I know he is now _really_ happy with her.
Update 1957: Pletcher worked some of his stakes horses on Sunday, including his filly Rags to Riches. No final decision has been made with regard to the Belmont: Rags Breezes, No Final Decision Yet On Belmont. A filly that can beat the boys, Vodka: Vodka First Filly Since 1943 to Win Japanese Derby.
Update 1956: From Monmouth Park's web-site and including a photo: REDASPEN RALLIES TO TAKE POLITELY ON TURF AT MONMOUTH; JERSEY GIA OUTDUELS PURE DISCO TO WIN OPEN MIND HANDICAP, excerpt:
"She loves Jersey turf," Woolley said. "Everything went right today. In turf racing, you never know if you'll get all the breaks. We'll be back in a few weeks for the Eatontown Stakes (Grade 3 on June 16)."
Today's charts: Red Aspen and Who's Happy.
Update 1955: Who's really Happy ... Red Aspen rolled! What a day for Tim and his owners! Red Aspen, under an exceptional ride from Victor Molina, showed she was for real ... She came by and won by two lengths in the co-feature at Monmouth. Her third stakes win, first for 2007.
Update 1954: Who's Happy ? We are, with another nice win for Happy, three in a row. The pace of the race was a little slower, she was thus kept closer to the pace and won by a length. She dumped her jockey coming back after the race, but all is well. Tim has now just arrived at Monmouth to saddle Red Aspen.
Update 1953: A busy day for Tim today, he has two runners at two different tracks. Who's Happy runs first, in the seventh race at Philadelphia Park (3:07 pm). Red Aspen runs in the co-feature race later in the day at Monmouth (5:23 pm). Lets hope for good running and that Tim is able to be in attendance for both races!
Update 1952: Two 2006 Derby contenders are in the entries on monday. Sweetnorthersaint is in Texas: 'Saint Plays Favorite in Lone Star Park Handicap and Lawyer Ron contests the Met Mile, a banner race at Belmont: Met Mile perfect fit for Lawyer Ron.
Takeover Target returned to winning ways yesterday in Australia, ahead of his plan to return to the UK and defend his King Stand Stakes win of last year: Takeover Target returns to form in Doomben 10,000, excerpt:
"He's a great little horse," owner-trainer Joe Janiak said of the seven-year-old Celtic Swing gelding. "I can't tell you how I feel, I'm so excited. He galloped at Coffs Harbour [his new stables on the New South Wales northern coast] last week. The track was very heavy, but I thought he'd improved two lengths on his last start."
Update 1951: Great Hunter is out of the Belmont after his good work: Injury KO's Great Hunter From Belmont Stakes as is Mario Pino: Gomez Replaces Pino on Hard Spun for Belmont.
Andrew Lakeman apparently has no brain damage, but spinal trauma. It will be a few days before we know the extent of the trauma. He arrived at hospital with an immediate need for a blood transfusion, which he received. Ed Fountaine (New York Post) let me know, he had heard from Charlie Haywood, president of NYRA.
My day at Fair Hill races was fun (although I did not see any of the races). I hung out and chatted with FOBs and others while selling Barbaro merchandize and Robbie Walsh raffle tickets. Nonpariel ran second in the first race, I then convinced both Carl (her jockey) and Tim to buy a raffle ticket. The trainer of the winner of the race (who was also the owner) donated the purse to the cause. All in all it was a fun day hanging out, even trying to pursuade someone who was pro-slaughter that it was simply not right (but what would we do with the 500,000 horses slaughtered a year ?... I guess an example of the misinformation that is out there!)
Update 1950: Today is going to be hot, and it was a little muggy at Fair Hill this morning. I had five to ride, three for Tim, bookended by two breezers for Linda. First was Linda's Pistol, and he breezed a half a mile on the Tapeta track with Tim on Quick Quest. I was on the inside, setting the tempo. We went nicely together quickening up a little the whole way. A nice "in hand breeze". Second to go for me was Mediman, she galloped a mile and a quarter on the Tapeta track. She went nicely. Tim was on Real Lace and flew by me down the backside. My third was "New Horse", she is a nice grey filly and she also galloped a mile and a quarter on the Tapeta track. She was a very kind horse to gallop, a nice easy way about her. Finally for Tim I took Gator nation across the fields. He enjoyed it, just jogging and hacking around. My last horse breezed 3/8ths on the Tapeta track. I was instructed to go easy, about 38. I went easy ... in 40! Oh well, close enough.
Carl 'rider error' Desormeau, riding Tim's Nonpariel this afternoon, took a fall off his first set this morning. He blamed it on his tack. Lets hope this is not repeated this afternoon!
Andrew Lakeman is still with us, I understand his injuries are very serious. Positive thoughts. Tim knows him, he used to work for Michael Dickinson down here.
OK, off to Fair Hill Races, hope to see a few of you there to catch up! Thanks Jack: Injured steeplechase rider on mend. I also think Sean Clancy may be doing a book signing.
Update 1949: Andy Durnin, freelance exercise rider at Hollywood Park for Richard Mandella, told me The Tin Man was looking great in training (he does not gallop him) after an extended break. The nine year old is now back in the entries: The Tin Man seeks to make history in Shoemaker Mile.
Chelokee is unlikely to contest the Belmont Stakes: Chelokee unlikely for Belmont Stakes excerpt:
"He's been back galloping the last couple days and he looks good, but I don't think we're going to run," Matz said. "There's still a lot of racing left to go this year and I want to try and keep this horse going the right way."
A new Affirmed exhibit is to be opened at the Kentucky Horse Park on June 7: Affirmed exhibition to open at Kentucky Horse Park.
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The aides know what I'm talking about even before I say the title.
Since the new strategy of calling the out-of-state congresspersons started, I found that most aides did not know the bill by the number.
We need to change this in every state.
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Posted by: Michelle GBI at May 26, 2007 11:16 AM