Keeping Them "Greased Up" Between Breezes

Tampa Bay Downs is Open!

Not sure what is up with the recent resolution issues. Will work on fixing asap. Meanwhile here is the latest
UPDATE- Resolution issues fixed. Any distortion now is due to limitations of iPhone and youtube. :


And I found this, which is interesting. I will see about having Mom get one of these helmet cams for future works and commentary.

2 works and 2 Racers at Calder Yesterday

Here we are at Calder race course at7AM getting Spitfire Red ready for his breeze. Because he has had the back issue we are putting a double pad on him.

Both Spitfire and Tiny broke from the gates(video below). I told riders to breeze 3 furlongs as it has been a while since they worked. Tiny did 3 in 36 and out in 51. That was pretty good for first time on track. She came back and "corded" up...as you can see her muscles are tight, she might be a little sore tomorrow but should walk out of it and be ready to work again in a week or ten days.

As usual it is very hot and we cool with lots of water.

Spitfire worked out gates 3 furlongs in 39. Not very fast, but according to rider he still doesn't feel right in the hind end. I must figure out what is bothering him. It seems to be back related.

This video has the gate work and lead up to the race. Alex is still trying to figure out how to post the actual race here...

Both horses in same race make for a busy paddock time for me.

TS Fay is being good.

Waxed Poetic was very nervous in paddock-not unusual in a second life time race.

She was better once she was saddled.

In the walking ring.

Here comes Waxed Poetic.

Up you go!

To the track!

Wax better, listening to rider...

Right after race I like to hear what jock says...before they have time to think of excuses. Fay ran competitively until horses came up on both sides...she seemed to suck back at that time and coasted in last. Jock felt she needs the experience of race...that she was nervous when in tight with other horses. Could be- I expected to see more improve off the last race. She seems to have come back all right. We will see how she looks tomorrow. I will try her at same distance until I see a reason to escalate.


Wax poetic jock said she was lugging in. When we looked at her we saw that she caught her "quarter". That means that she hit her inside "ball of heel"of right front with her other hoof-either her front left or a hind hoof in the break. Since she warmed up good it might have been at the break.

Lots of hosing ...but Wax cooled pretty fast...she was slow to break and jock held her out as he didn't know why she was lugging in. But she seemed to try when he straightened out in the stretch. She passed TS in stretch and since her first race had been two furlongs a month ago and she had been trained lightly, she showed better fitness than I had expected.

When a horse hits itself, it can feel like being hit with a hammer- those metal shoes Hurt! In a day or two we will see how this looks!

It could cause what the jock felt...trying to get off right front she is heavy on the left front!

All things considered, it was a successful trip. The youngsters got some track experience and we are getting a better idea of their talents. If you are training from the farm and hauling in, it really can make sense to use races as works. It does not do anything for your stats, but Backyard racers measure things differently. Besides, at some tracks, they pay down far enough that an also ran can pay for the trip.

Back to Calder, a New Filly, and a Name Correction

Wax Poetic is the new filly on the farm. We had been meeting with her owner at OBS and she is the one that was working with my horses.
She came yesterday and is in the same race as TS Fay on Sunday in Miami.
She has never been in my trailer so I introduced it to her tonight. I don't want problems at five AM when we head out.
She was purchased in the June two year old sale at OBS. She had already started once when sold. My expectation is to just see improvement off her last work. She is one of the most lovely sensible fillies I have ever had. The owner had great luck in getting such a good girl!









Spitfire is going with us this trip. I had the luck to get two extra stalls so I can give him a short breeze over the track. I wanted to take Stack Bali but he looks like he may not be sweating.

I also wanted to take Phontiff but his shin was a little touchy so I wil give him ten days again to build up.

Phontiff is starting to look racy but we have to wait on his shins!

Tiny will go this time as the 4th horse. She seems to be ready to do an easy breeze out of the gates. She will go with Spitfire Red (note that is his name...not Spitfire Grey as previously stated....)I just looked at the papers....awful to grow old and confused.
Realize that TS Fay is racing a week apart. She seems fine...this is like a work until she reaches her level of fitness. I need her to work or race on the track. As previously stated,it is impossible to ship in for works, so we use races. I hope to see an improvement in her personal performance. Maybe she will finish stronger...that is all I can ask!

Dead Batteries and a Tender Tongue

This morning I loaded 4 horses got ready to pull out and my truck wouldn't start! The batteries were dead . We gave the horses some grain to munch on and I ran to auto parts store, got two batteries, put them in (all the while with horses in trailer) and managed to get to Ocala training center only half an hour late. Here is one of them going on track.



Last time Surefire went to OBS he ran with his head up high and seemed to fight the bit. When I got home , I examed his mouth and found that he has a risidual piece of wolf tooth up by his molar.









By holding his tongue out to one side I can feel both his upper and lower ridges and I can feel the piece of tooth. This may explain his high head carriage.






The gates weren't open so I had them walk through the baby gates and the gallop around and try to go four furlongs











Just Surefire and TS Faye today. They galloped together to top of stretch.




TS Faye with little effort left Spitfire behind. Even though I put rubber bit on Spitfire he still fought-and did not breeze well. I have a call into a dentist .

TS Faye breezed acceptably; 4 furlongs in 52 seconds. It is not fast but is stretching out her distance and if shins are good we can improve on that.
I also had Stack Bali gallop on the track to see how he would go. He was good so I will send him from gates next time.
The two year old in training sale was going on and I managed not to come home with another horse!

More OBS

June 10, 2009: Gates and Breeze.






We are at the OBS track and it is much busier as the two year sale is next week . we are waiting for the riders.











We went back and brought Spitfire ,Irish,and TS Faye. The two boys had a little bit of mucus so I told the riders not to push them if they did not feel well.










This time I had horses stand in gates and they were flopped out and galloped out .
They then came back and stood again and broke out well when the gate was sprung automatically. They are progressing well.









This is the second break and they broke very well this time!












Spitfire fought most of the way with the rider and didn't settle down until they galloped a half a mile but he needs to work with the rider.
They broke off at three eights and breezed to finish line.
TS Faye finished out front in 38 seconds with Irish second at 39 seconds and spitfire behind having fought too much with rider.

Back to OBS

June 3rd, 2009: More gate work, with a live break, and a breeze.








Back at OBS this morning.










Off to the track...










OBS is a quiet track. For those first shipping In expierences it has a sense of calm.











Into the practice gates.










Real gates! The had them spring open...










Balk! Poor start: horses and riders not ready. They will break better with practice as they get used to the racket.











It is good to see the horses calmly walking back after their breeze, they are becoming accustomed to the routine.












Back the barn. Practically a walk in the park.
Now the horses rest and are turned out until Sunday. They will then gallop on farm easy and go back to OBS on wed again. Note that as we escalate the speed on the track we give more time off to heal from any stresses.
Phontiff felt weak on his shin so he will not go back for a while. Spit fire should be okay by then. We will see. Again the ebb and flow of training young horses

Irish After the Breeze

Galloping at the farm. Last ridden at OBS track three days ago. He will now have two days off and
Then go to breeze at OBS again
Not sure if Spitfire will go-need to see if he has a cough.
Might take Phontiffs Wind if his shins seem okay.
ebb and flow -training changes from day to day!

After the OBS Breeze

Turned out to relax and recover.



There is always a risk when turning out horses together ...especially when getting racing fit. As you get closer to running you need to protect them as they can easily foil your plans with a kick or accident . These two are like brothers but have no shoes on.
Soon I won't turn them out together and never if they have shoes!







Turn out for a few hours or longer if horse is quiet.
Some don't settle down and that kind I leave out long enough to get their bucks and rolling done . But if they start pacing they go back in their small paddock.

Breezing at the OBS Track

Back on May 25th, 2009:Since trying work at Calder turned into a Catch-22/logistical nightmare, we ended up heading the 2 or so hours north the the OBS track.





TS Faye Loading well.













Spitfire in like a pro.











And of course, good old Moose, the pony.










Arrived at OBS safely. Waiting for riders.










This is all new for these guys.











Sure is different from the orange grove!











On to the track...












Track looks big and scary.











At the gates.











First breeze! TS Faye in front.












Nice and calm after breaking from gates and breeze. Now back home for late breakfast.