Atomic Rain and Saratoga Steve were scratched, leaving a field of 5 to take on the sloppy track. The experienced one, Silent Valor, and Trusting Heart scampered away from the rest (for a large part of the race, they were the only horses visible on the screen). Rapid Redux kept plugging away and slowly gained on the top pair. He passed a tiring Trusting Heart to take second, but was no threat to Silent Valor. Still, a promising beginning for a first-time starter especially since the track was sloppy, hard to predict how horses will react to that kind of surface. Overall, a nice debut for Pleasantly Perfect as a sire.

Result: May 16, 2008 
Belmont Park Race 2

Silent Valor	$3.10	$2.30	$2.10
Rapid Redux		$3.50	$2.30
Trusting Heart			$2.10

Equibase Chart

Bowman's Band

Even though he's not one of our stallions, I wanted to mention that Bowman's Band's first starter, Just Humm, won the 4th race at Pimlico on May 15. Just Humm is a colt out of the stakes winning Scarlet Ibis mare, Jubilees Galore who has produced 4 winners from 4 to race.

2-Year Old Works
Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

May 16

Alexabella (filly; Congaree - Diane's Birthday by With Approval) - Keeneland, 4 furlongs, :50.40.

Becky's Express (colt; Congaree - Becky Virtue by Strodes Creek) - Arlington Park, 4 furlongs, :48.20.

Mimsa (filly; Congaree - Majestic Report by Corporate Report) - Louisiana Downs, 3 furlongs, :37.20.

Wear Blush (filly; Congaree - Tifonica (ARG) by Equalize) - Hollywood Park, 5 furlongs, 1:00.60.

C. S. Silk (filly; Medaglia d'Oro - Remember the Day by Settlement Day) - Elloree Training Center, 3 furlongs, :37.40.

Saar Treaty (filly; Saarland - Top of the Noggin by Chief's Crown) - Fair Hill, 4 furlongs, :50.00.

Sargon (colt; Saarland - Cherished Jewel by Private Account) - Woodbine, 5 furlongs; 1:02.80.

Keefer (colt; Smarty Jones - Shootforthestars by Seattle Slew) - Keeneland, 4 furlongs, :50.60.

New to this blog

The Birdstone colt, Breakwithtradition, was on track at Woodbine where he worked 2 furlongs in :26.00.  Breakwithtradition is the first foal of the unraced Joyeux Danseur mare, Princess Penny. Princess Penny is a half-sister to Palmiche who was a group III winner in Panama and who was 2 for 2 as a 2-year old.

Da Bear Facts (colt; Congaree - Impending Bear by Farma Way) worked 3 furlongs in :37.00 at Thistledown. Impending Bear was a stakes winner who earned $255,751. She has produced one winner, Honey Gold, who broke her maiden in her 2-year old debut.

Also at Thistledown, Dance the Cha Cha (colt; Congaree - Garden Dance by El Prado (IRE)) worked 4 furlongs in :50.00. Dance the Cha Cha's is the first foal out of the stakes-placed mare, Garden Dance, who earned 147,894.

At Calder, Power Rules (colt; Peace Rules - World Storm by Summer Squall) worked 3 furlongs out of the gate recording a time of :37.20. Power Rules is a half-brother to one winner, Tanyard Hill, who earned $36,327.

We were late getting over to the track and it was Friday, so it was pretty crowded around the paddock.  Still, it didn't matter as Tiger Rules, like Mostly Peace on Wednesday, was a late arrival.  I have not been paying close enough attention to see if this is the usual practice for Steve Asmussen (who trains both of these Peace Rules offspring) with 2-year olds or if it has something to do with the Peace Rules temperament. I did notice today that Asmussen's other entrant in this race (Broadway Al) was also being kept away from the crowd.  Tiger Rules finally emerged revealing a long lean bay body, not quite as leggy as Mostly Peace, but with a similar narrow head. 

As with many 2-year old races, this one was over at the break when Run Away and Hide lived up to his name and scampered away.  Tiger Rules was ninth the whole way round, but hopefully learned something about how the game goes. The other first-year sire offspring fared better, running 2nd (Silent Valor by Lion Heart), 3rd (Broadway Al by Alke), 4th (Screen Your Friend by Friends Lake), and 5th (Cape Royale by Chapel Royal). The Cliff's Edge colt (Mount Hope) was scratched.

Result: April 18, 2008 

Keeneland Race 5

Run Away and Hide	$8.00	$4.20	$4.00
Silent Valor		$6.20	$4.60
Broadway Al			$8.00

 Equibase Chart

2-Year Old Works

New to this blog

The Smarty Jones' colt Keefer was on track at Churchill Downs on 4/18, working 3 furlongs in :39.60. Keefer is out of the Seattle Slew mare, Shootforthestars. Shootforthestars was unraced, but she has produced 3 winners including the stakes-placed Golden Rainbow who has earned $248,610 through 2008. Golden Rainbow was never off the board in 6 starts as a 2-year old.

Also working at Churchill and recording the same time of :39.60 for 3 furlongs on 4/18 was Justin (colt; Speightstown - Love at Noon by Afternoon Deelites). Justin's dam earned $132,675 including seconds in the Princess (gr. II) and Dogwood (gr. II) and a third in the La Brea (gr. I).  However, she did not start as a 2-year old. She has produced one winner who has earned $29,690 through 2008.

At Santa Anita, the Speightstown filly Mighty Pleasing worked 1 furlong in :11.80 on 4/18.  Mighty Pleasing is out of the Falstaff mare, Pleasing. Might Pleasing is a half-sister to 3 winners, among them the grade III winner Excessivepleasure who was 2 for 2 as a 2-year old including a victory in the California Breeders' Champion Stakes.

Two Peace Rules fillies worked on opposite ends of the country on 4/18.  Long Live Dixie (Peace Rules - Crafty Brat by Lucky Lionel) went 3 furlongs in :37.00 at Laurel. Her dam, Crafty Brat, was a stakes winner who earned $239,749.  As a 2-year old, Crafty Brat started 9 times, finishing 1st twice and 2nd three times.  Long Live Dixie is her first foal. At Santa Anita, Floating On Air (Peace Rules - Charmie's Secret by Secret Hello) recorded a time of 1:03.00 for 5 furlongs. Floating On Air is the first foal out of a stakes-placed mare who finished 2nd in the Hildene as a 2-year old.

Alexabella, a Congaree filly out of the With Approval mare, Diane's Birthday, worked 3 furlongs at Keeneland recording a nice time of :35.40.  Out of the stakes  winning dam Diane's Birthday, Alexabella is a half-sister to 3 winners, 2 of which won during their 2-year old season.