This week, I’ll start things off with my shopping results. With a goal of adding a few horses to the farm, I pushed into the claiming box several completed forms and was lucky enough to win the pull of the form on three horses.
Ten time winner HENNY YOUGMAN was obtained after he was tossed into a $7,500 claiming race on the dirt and leaving the allowance class in the rear view mirror. He has found success on both dirt and turf as well as sprint and mile routes. He ran 100+ speeds last year but the speeds have tailed off this year. I think a little rest could be beneficial for this five year old and I’m sure there will be a quick return on the 15BP’s it cost to make the claim.
Picked up for $10,000 was SWEET FOAL OF MINE who was in the lowest wrung of claiming levels in his career. He’s a late closer and picked up a win by a comfy near 2-stride win. Running speeds of 100 have come naturally to this five years old since September 2017 with an occasional sub-100 tossed in. He prefers a mile distance and has hit the board with consistency on both dirt and turf but looks better on the turf in my eyes and exploiting the starter allowance level could gain us the cards this challenge seeks. Cost of 20 BP’s to get this one.
Dirt runner UNNATURALLY DARK joins the stable after giving a try out on a poly surface which he finished second in while competing in a $2,000 claiming event at 7 furlongs. This came on the heels of winning at a 8.5f in the previous start where he struck a 100 speed for the first time. He’s worth another shot on the dirt going a mile to see if this four year old has matured to enjoy this distance and for 4 BP’, the reward may quickly outweigh the cost.
As for this weeks races, disappointment came from FROST ADVISORY who finished either first or second in each of her first five career outings. This week, following a win in her first start on the turf, she was kept on the surface and entered into a mile distance in a $5,000 starter allowance. She took to a decent early spot running third and edged back to fourth by the half but upon passing the marker was reluctant to make her late move and finished fifth, a well back 10 strides from the winner and a drop in the speed numbers from 81 to 73. This was the first time she ran a mile and the distance may not be appropriate for her so scaling her back will be considered next time out. Got 2 BP’s and 1 G-sire card.
Back in February, I moved THIRSTY ARCHIE to the turf for the first time after racing 34 times on the dirt. He scored a win first try on the surface. This resulted in keeping him on the surface and he won two more times leading into this weeks race. With the 3-race streak on the line, he moved from the low end claiming races to a $12,500 starter allowance going 5 furlongs and racing on a yielding turf surface. Thirsty kept pressure on the leader, never lapsing more than a half stride back and made his way to the top in the stretch but a late closer was rushing up to him and it was tight on the wire with Thirsty being declared the winner! Four starts on the grass, four wins!!! He has had success on the dirt and the turf has proven to be a wonderful place to race him too. The rewards this week included 22 BP’s and three cards with the 9-horse field which were 1-F and 2-G.
Since September last year (which dates prior to owning the horse), VYZA FRANCE has finished first or second of each of her starts. The stable took ownership of this lady last October and has continued success on both the dirt and turf. We’ve had good results on the turf and that is where she’s been held since this past February. This week, she kept her streak going of top two finishes as she was elevated in the claiming chain up to the $12,500 level and ran 7.5 furlongs. She broke from the gate in a mid-field fourth spot and was a bit overlooked by the bettors who put her at 5/1 and would regret this blunder. She got things going quick and pulled to the top of the field and held a good stride and a half lead through the stretch to gain the win. This marked her 10th career victory and fourth win in six turf races. A nice 15 BP’s were earned as well as three more cards, one F and two G’s.
For the week, a total of 2-F cards and 5 G’s were selected. Trading in those G’s net a total of 3-F’s this week. I have 2 more of the F-cards from last week, ,so I’ve traded the entire set in for an E-card. That makes the total on hand now at: 2-D, 2-E and 1-G.
As for BP’s, we spent 39 for the three that were claimed. The three that raced earned 39. A bit of an oddity as we neither gained nor lost this week, but I feel we gained with some quality horses in reserve to fill in any vacancies created in the future. 794 BP’s are currently held by the stable. This week there are three horses eligible to race and we’re very hopeful to keep the earnings in both cards and BP’s growing.
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