You ought to know Mr. Mistoffelees!
The Original Conjuring Cat -
(There can be no doubt about that).
Please listen to me and don't scoff. All his
Inventions are off his own bat.
From "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T. S. Eliot

I think we all will be getting to know Mr Mistoffelees.  He made his $1.5 million sale price look like a bargain, drawing off to win by 9 1/4 lengths. 9 1/4 lengths in a 4.5 furlong race? Not bad, not bad at all. Chapel Run was a bit erratic, but showed some grit and ended up second (the way the Chapel Royals have been running, the biggest mystery was how Chapel Run went off at 37-1). Interestingly, the experienced runner, Regardlesofoutcome, finished 3rd once again. Tripp to Hedo showed some speed, but got a little tired. Our boy, Medaglia d'Onore, ran pretty evenly to take 6th. I was encouraged that he broke well and seemed to be in the race from the beginning.  Fradiablo was pulled up, but he walked off on his own power and seemed to be ok. Meetmeatthechapel and Wallstreetgold were scratched.
 

Result: April 24, 2008 
Keeneland Race 3

Equibase Chart 

2-Year Old Works 

Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

On 4/23, Speight the Halo (colt; Speightstown - Ballado's Halo by Saint Ballado) worked 3 furlongs at Santa Anita recording a time of :35.40.

Gemswick Park (filly; Speightstown - Queen's Park by Relaunch) and Mullins Beach (filly; Speightstown - Treasure Beach by Silver Deputy) worked 2 furlongs together again at Winding Oaks Farm on 4/24 recording a time of 24:80.

At Churchill Downs on 4/24, Cozy Bird (filly; Birdstone - Cozy Island by Cozzene) worked 3 furlongs from the gate in :39.60. 

Floating On Air (filly; Peace Rules - Charmie's Secret by Secret Hello) was on track at Santa Anita working 4 furlongs in :48.00 on 4/24. 

Also working 4 furlongs at Santa Anita on 4/24 was One Perfect Karat (filly; Pleasantly Perfect - Golden Fanfare by Seeking the Gold) who worked in :49.40. 

New to this blog

Singing Rose (filly; Congaree - Dial a Song by Mining) worked 3 furlongs at Keeneland on 4/23 recording a time of :36.60. Dial a Song was a stakes-winner who earned $148,855. She did not race as a 2-year old, but she did win her 3-year old debut. She has produced one winner.

Another Congaree filly, Wear Blush (Congaree - Tifonica (ARG) by Equalize), worked 3 furlongs at Hollywood on 4/23 in :36.80. Wear Blush is the first foal out of a stakes-placed mare who earned $140,381.

Working 3 furlongs at Belmont on 4/24 in :37.11 was Our Golden Dream (filly; Medaglia d'Oro - Adorahy by Rahy). Our Golden Dream is a half-sister to 4 winners including Icabad Crane who won the Federico Tesio on 4/19.  Icabad Crane also won his first start as a 2-year old.

Curly was devoid of early speed, spending the early part of the race hanging out in the back of pack (strangely enough with Curly Cameli). But, he did make a nice middle move, passing a few before tiring.  He ended up 7th at the finish.  It will be interesting to see where he runs next, since Saturday was Oaklawn's closing day. 

The winner was Orientate Express who made an early move, got over the rail and held off Castillo Del Sol who closed nicely for 2nd.  Hollywood Handsome ran evenly to finish third.

Anyone else see the race differently?  I would love to hear what you thought.

Result: April 12, 2008 

Oaklawn Race 6

Equibase Chart

2-Year Old Works

Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

Renda (filly; Medaglia d'Oro - Ten Carats by Capote mare) worked 3 furlongs from the gate at Calder on 4/12 recording a time of :38.40.

Working 4 furlongs at Keeneland on 4/12 was Medaglia d'Onore (colt; Medaglia d'Oro - Always Ready by Dixieland Band).

At Fenway, (colt; Pleasantly Perfect - Dancey Kate by Danzig) worked on 4/12 at San Luis Rey recording a time of :35.20 for 3 furlongs.

On 4/14, we had coast to coast coverage as three horses worked 3 furlongs: Pearl of Valor (filly; Medaglia d'Oro - Madeira by Black Tie Affair) went in 39.40 at Churchill Downs, One Perfect Karat (filly; Pleasantly Perfect - Golden Fanfare by Seeking the Gold) recorded a time of :36.80 at Santa Anita, and Medaglia (filly; Medaglia d'Oro -  Lampasas by Devil's Bag) went in :36.74 at Belmont Park.

New to this blog

At Evangeline Training Center, Zigaree (colt; Congaree - Zigabout by Danzig) worked 2 furlongs in :23.60 on 4/12. Zigabout was unraced, but she is the dam of 5 winners one of which was a 2-year old debut winner.

April 4, 2008
Keeneland Race 3
Maiden Special Weight
4.5 furlongs
2-Year Olds
Post Time: 2:15 PM; TVG

First 2-year old race to be featured in this blog is the 3rd Race on opening day at Keeneland (April 4th).  None of our spotlight stallions have offspring in this race, but there is one first-crop sire represented, as Ocean Terrace is the sire of Cowboy at Heart (Ocean Terrace - Vic's Nostalgia by Nostalgia's Star).  Ocean Terrace was a grade III winner of $160,400.  He also was a winner in his 2-year old debut.  Cowboy at Heart's dam earned $101,308.  However, her first win did not come until she was 4.  She has produced one winner.

The top seller from this group was Merkel (Forest Wildcat - Lady Blockbuster by Silent Screen) who brought $150,000 as a yearling.  Lady Blockbuster was a stakes-winner who earned $83,854.  She has produced 5 winners including 2 stakes winners, none of which won as 2-year olds.  Her stakes winners include Mellow Fellow who won or placed in 6 graded stakes and earned $553,916.  However, he did not start until age 3. 

Another with good sale statistics is Kickapoo (Indian Charlie - Rainbow's End by Siphon (BRZ) who sold for $75,000 as a yearling. His dam won $9,166.  Kickapoo is her first foal.

Notonthesamepage (Catienus - Blue Holiday by Cure the Blues) is out of a dam who earned $303,170, but did not race until she was 3.  She has had one offspring to race, Destiny's Pet, who has yet to reach the winner's circle.  However, she did start as a 2-year old.

Yo Joe (Wertaloona - Yoshi Go by Rivergo) is by the Oklahoma sire, Wertaloona who currently has 6 named 2-year olds.  His dam was unraced, but she produced 2 winners including the stakes-placed Yo Fanci who earned $88,712.  Yo Fanci did not race as a 2-year old, but Yoshi Go's other winner won as a 2-year old. (Yoshi Go has 4 foals, all by Wertaloona.  They are called, Yo Fanci, Yo Little Mama, Yo Ceeya, and Yo Joe). 

2-Year Old Works

Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

Prime Time (colt; Medaglia d'Oro - Sioux City by Carson City) worked 3 furlongs at Keeneland in :37.40 on 04/03.

Also working at Keeneland on 04/03 was Medaglia d'Onore who went 4 furlongs in :48.60.

Working at Santa Anita was One Perfect Karat (filly; Pleasantly Perfect - Golden Fanfare by Seeking the Gold) who recorded a time of :25.00 for 2 furlongs on 04/03.

New to this blog

Renda, a filly by Medaglia d'Oro out of the Capote mare, Ten Carats, worked 3 furlongs on 04/03 at Calder recording a time of :39.00. Ten Carats earned $131,855 in a stakes-placed career. Renda is her 2nd foal.  Her first foal, Diamond Sucker, was a winner who earned $52,085. Diamond Sucker raced 4 times as a 2-year old with one 2nd.